Stargazers

Prolouge

"Hey, what's up?" Liz answered the phone. "Lizzie..." A deep voice paused with concern. "Ray what is it?" The female asked with worry.  "N-Nothing, we need to talk...Tonight 7? Dembe will pick you up at your apartment."

She smiled with excitement, she had always loved dates with Red, especially when he didn't come and pick her up. "Alright , that's good with me!" She gathered up her paperwork and slung her purse over her shoulder heading out of the Post Office. "Lizzie, it's nothing fancy, so just wear something comfortable." Red had informed "Love is a little world; people make it big."

By 6:57 she was dressed in jeans and a cardigan. Waiting for Dembe's arrival. When he picked her up at her apartment something seemed off...Very off. Dembe dressed in jeans and a pocket shirt (his usual) opened her door and led her to the fountain in the middle of the park. The park was empty nobody at all, the sun was just setting. The view was incredible, breathtaking, she just wanted to stay there in that moment forever.

"Lizzie?" A voice interrupted her thoughts. "Ray!" She smiled brightly back at him, and he just stared politely right on through. "We need to talk..." His voice went serious in no time at all. No roguish smile, no boyish glint in his eyes, nothing just a solemn expression. He led her to a table in the corner of the park, he pulled out the chair for her then pushed it in like he always does. But she knew her Raymond, he had to tell her something, something really bad, horrid.

"Lizzie..." He paused and took her hands into his own. "There is no easy way to put this..." He but the inside of his cheek, deciding how to tell her. "I have to move... I hope you will understand...Without you, I only hope that you will remember that I will always be here for you no matter what." He finished with tears brimming in his blue-green eyes. But tears were already streaming out of her big blue ones. "R-Ray..." Her voice was cracking, something that hadn't happened since they were freed.

"Was it all a lie? Your feelings for me, I mean, I loved you, I made to love to you?!" She says incredulously. "Was I just another Madeline Pratt? After everything we've been through, I was just a tool?"

He shook his head, setting his fedora down on the table he looks her in the eye. "You sure as hell weren't another Maddy, not even close to a tool." He shook his heads trying his best to remain emotionless.

"Red!" Now she only uses his nickname when she scared. "Yes, sweetheart?"

"Did you really love me or was it a lie?" He muttered something incoherent. "I didn't hear you Red."

"I guess I was never really in love, I'm sorry Lizzie." He kisses her cheek and leaves her speechless. As he walks away all she can hear is that last sentence. ' I guess I was never really in love, I'm sorry Lizzie.'

"Raymond?" Dembe asked from the front. "Just drive...Please." He croaked out from the backseat. He knew in his heart that he really truly loved her. She was his light in his cave, he thought she was the one, matter a fact he knew. But in his twisted mind he wasn't  good enough and decided to leave her, he thought she would get over it. But he was wrong, very wrong...