Hopeless in Romance

Chapter 6: Meeting Reed

Dedicated to foreveralone1248 for the (almost) ten years of friendship! "It's almost double numbers!"

(A/n:) Just a BTW: I changed the date when the mother will come back. Which is "two weeks" instead of just one. Okay? Okay.

Dear Dylan,

It's been two days. You haven't replied yet. Are you okay?

Worried, Victoria

Two weeks later, I'm in the park.

I left early in the morning, since I really didn't want to greet my mother yet. I knew she'd be coming anytime soon, but to be honest? I'm not looking forward to it. I'm still depressed by the occurrence in my life. But what I'm worried about is Dylan.

He hasn't messaged me back for two days. I even checked at midnight if I'll get him in the act. But there was no such sign of the blond haired boy. I actually miss him.

I sighed deeply, finally standing up from my spot. I glanced at the letter I wrote for him, then shake my head.

I need to forget about my feelings for him. He will never be mine. He will never be like me back, whether I try harder or not.

I started walking to the pathway of the park and walked away from the huge willow tree, without looking back. I can hear my footsteps to the cold hard ground, loudly. This time it sounded depressing.

My shoulder were slouched down, along with my head. I let my brown hair sway down, the air colliding with them. And in my head. I promised to myself, I'll never go back.

Forget Dylan. I promise.

As I walked more, I saw one of the many benches of the park. But there was a familiar teenage boy sitting on it.

I wish I could say it was Dylan. But it wasn't. It was the guy who asked for my bobby pin, at the day I wrote the letter.

I miss Dylan.

I shut my eyes for a while and shook my head. Snap out of it, Emma. You don't need him anymore. He doesn't need you too. He has his girlfriend.

Somehow, I found myself sitting next to the guy.

He didn't acknowledge my presence, but I studied him.

He looked like a mess. While his arms were resting on his legs, he had his hair tousled, a few wounds in his arm, that looked like shattered glass, his eyes were bloodshot red. He looked intimidating. But my stupid mouth couldn't shut up.

"Are you alright?" I asked quietly, looking at him in the side.

He moved his head to look at me.

For a second he looked sad, but it turned to anger. But I wasn't afraid. I wanted to help, since I've been through one of the worst. I couldn't bear seeing others go through it too.

"What do you think?" He snapped, looking at me with his furious red eyes.

I wasn't taken aback or anything.

I understood what he felt. Pure and utter sadness, covered with anger to hide them.

"What I think is that you should move on to whatever happend. I know I sound like a hypocrite actually. But why not try and forget about it for a day? Do something worth-while. Sadness always happen in one point of your life. Your not alone. Everyone of the seven billion people experienced them. Whether it's worst than your situation or less. It's not worth it to cry all day saying It's going to be okay. Okay, I swear I didn't mean to make it rhyme-" He lightly chuckled, making me smile. "-You still have a life ahead of yourself. Don't waste it with tears and pain." I said, before adding. "Like I did."

I saw a sad smile on his face, but once I saw that, my lips involuntarily curved upward. He sighed, his features finally changing to what he really felt. Sadness. "Would you help me?"

I nodded, then told him, "My name's Emma," I let out my hand.

He stared at my hand for a while, then trailed off to look at my brown eyes with his ocean-like ones. His smile still playing on his lips as he said, "Reed," He shook my hand.

And why'd you say such things to Reed? You know, the richest guy in school? He might party a lot, but not all night long. I'm guessing you heard that from rumors; from strays who has no such lives. Can't blame you, though. I believed once, made me cause a commotion.

Dammit, Emma. Stop thinking about Dylan. Like you said: He's not worth the tears and pain. Gosh, you're such a hypocrite.

"Hey, I heard the new ice cream shoppe that opened around the corner. Wanna go there?" I suggested.

"Beat you there?" He smirked, asking for a challenge.

I cackled evilly and shot him a challenging glare. "Not if I beat you," And for some reason I felt comfortable with him.

Dylan was right. Reed was a good guy. And those rumors are called rumors for a reason. Not all are real. And from what's happening now. I know those rumors are all a ruse.

"Loser has to be buy the ice cream," Reed said, standing up and positioning himself for a race. I stood up too and mimicked his action. "Get ready to buy me vanilla,"

"Nope," I said, popping the 'p'. "You get ready to buy me cookies 'n cream,"

"You're just following what said with a exaggerated 'you'," He observed, which I didn't realize I was doing.

"So?" I raised my eyebrow at him. "Anyways, ready, set. . ." I prolonged for a dramatic effect. I then look at him, one of my knee kneeling and both my hands tip toeing on the ground. He narrowed his eyes at me, as I playfully rolled my eyes. "Go!"

And that, we went running fast to our destination. Sadly enough, he won. I had to buy him ice cream. But he then insisted to pay, instead. I didn't budge.

As we reached home, after finishing with our so called "day off" of worries and pain, he looked at me with a genuine smile he had been giving me all day. Turns out, he was crying because he saw his girlfriend cheat on him. While she also said he was just rebound to her.

"Thanks, Emma," He thanked me. "Hope we can do this again,"

"Why not?" I raised my eyebrow, chuckling. "Tomorrow?"

He thought for a while, then nodded saying,

"Tomorrow," He assured me, before turning to the pathway leading away from my mother and I's lot. "Bye Emmy, see ya later."

And this time, I didn't care if that was my father's nickname for me. I let him be, a huge smile tugging on my lips, as he walked so he can't be seen from my sight anymore.

I sighed deeply, before turning my heel to the inside of the house. I turned the knob and pushed it slowly. And there I saw my mother standing on the center of the entry.

Before she could talk I pulled her into a huge hug, my head resting on her neck. "I missed you," I murmured. "Next time just tell me,"

"Oh, honey," She returned the embrace, resting her chin on top of my head. "I'm so sorry. Look-"

"Mom, seriously," I cut her off, pulling away, looking at her at the eyes. "You don't have to tell me. I don't care anymore. I don't care why dad called or why you left. I realized today the true meaning of forgive and forget. Life's too short for anger or sadness; I'm just happy your home."

"I love you, Em," She told me.

"I love you too, mom," I replied. And the words I told her were true. And somehow along the way today, I felt a tingling feeling in my stomach and heart about Reed.

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Song: The Calling - Wherever You Will Go