Mallory
After Brent assaulted me in the alleyway, I ignored him for a week. Every time I thought about the blind fear I experienced that day, rage enveloped all my senses. I was far past frustration with him.
That night opened my eyes to the violence in our relationship. Brent blindsided me for long enough. I was finally determined to free myself from my boyfriend's vice; in spite of myself, I wondered if this particular ball and chain was too strong to escape.
When Brent started emotionally abusing me in our relationship, it was easy to excuse his behavior. He was going through a difficult time, but he would change eventually. But this was beyond excuses. He hit me. Even if it wasn't with his own hands, he was so angry that he tried to cause physical harm to me.
We never broke up in person, but I felt it was only right for me to break the news harshly to Brent. He wouldn't listen, otherwise. My parting message to Brent was a single text, reminiscent of something in a movie: It's over.
I watched warily over the next few days for an assault squad waiting for me or something similar, but Brent never spoke a word to me again. I saw him in school, but he avoided me at all costs.
I tried to distance myself from Reid. I was scared of how much he cared about me in such a short time. Barely a few days into our budding friendship, Reid texted me frequently to check on me. I replied as succinctly as I could. It was only a week since I met him, but he cared so much already.
I realised that my subtle guilt didn't matter. Reid and I fit each other perfectly as friends and confidants. That was special.
So I texted Reid one day, asking if he wanted to get coffee with me. He confirmed yes, and said he was happy I asked him. Reid's transparency with his emotions was unfamiliar to me. He bore his heart open to whoever wanted it. That was unusual, in a busy city like ours, where people needed to be selfish to extricate what they wanted from their lives. Reid gave what he could freely.
I waited anxiously in the coffee shop, staring at the bright sunshine outside. Sunny weather always made me feel better.
"Hey, stranger."
I looked away from the window at Reid. He pulled out the chair opposite mine and sat down, keeping his dark eyes fixed on mine. I couldn't stop the smile from surfacing on my mouth, and Reid's mouth tipped upwards at the corners as he watched me.
"Hi. It's been a while." I offered, watching as Reid hung his jacket over the back of his chair.
"Too long." Reid joked, stretching out his long legs. He nudged the blocky heel of my sandal with his sneaker, and a laugh bubbled out of me. He chuckled with me, pushing his hair back with his hand. "How are you? What's been going on in your life?"
My smile faded. I inhaled shakily and clasped my hands together, wondering how to frame my problems. "A lot. Most of it bad."
Reid leaned forwards in his chair, his brow creased with concern and confusion. "You can tell me." he told me softly, his brown eyes piercing into mine.
Reid was unrelenting against my crumbling façades. I should've known better than to think I stood a chance.
I swallowed lightly, touching the hem of the tablecloth to calm myself down. "You know how I'm dating Brent?"
"Of course." Was I imagining the bitter edge to Reid's voice?
"I think we're going to break up." I admitted. My voice came out smaller and quieter than I anticipated.
Reid straightened in his chair, his expression sobering. "I didn't know."
I lowered my eyes to cover up the tears filming my eyes. "Yeah, it's not something I've been advertising. But I felt like you should know." I covered up the resulting jolt of pain with another laugh.
Reid's eyes glimmered with uncertainty on how to move forward, dark as gemstones. I softened, my hand itching to reach for his. "You've been kind to me, Reid. Cleo and Kennedy supported me too, but you've been my rock through this situation. I don't know how to thank you."
"Just because I was thinking of you?" Reid asked comfortingly, his eyebrows raised in incredulity. His fingers slipped across the chain of his thin gold necklace as he smiled, telling me, "Mallory, don't be silly. You're my best friend." I tried to ignore the pang in my heart as Reid affirmed my worst thoughts. "You always will be."
He leaned closer, asking me a question with his eyes. I nodded, and he moved closer, cautiously cupping my cheek in his hand. He stroked his thumb along the line of my cheekbone soothingly. It took me all my strength to not put my hand over his.
I breathed in and closed my eyes, savoring the feeling of his presence. Reid was warm and comforting, and safe. "I really appreciate you, Reid. Thanks."
The cafe went silent. Reid and I didn't need to speak to understand how the other was feeling. Just his touch, for a singular moment, made my heart fly towards the ceiling. I was floating in the clouds, among the stars. This was what falling in love felt like, in my head.
"You never have to thank me for anything, Mallory." I heard Reid say. His hand withdrew from my cheek, and I felt its absence straight away.
I opened my eyes, and I caught a hint of vulnerability in Reid's own eyes. A tiny, hopeful smile hinted at my mouth, and I thought I saw it in Reid, too. He was too good to be true. I only wish I knew how right I was.
The waitress brought over his coffee, and Reid thanked her politely. He took a sip of his drink, studying me carefully over the rim of his cup. "So how's Brent taking your separation?"
I brushed my fingers over my shoulder bag, sighing as I told Reid, "He was remorseful at first. But I'm sure he's got over the self pity, and now he hates me."
"Why would he be remorseful?" Reid asked, his eyes narrowing. The blood drained from my face, because I didn't realise the trap I just walked into. Reid couldn't know why I broke up with Brent. I didn't want his image of me tainted. He couldn't know how scared and alone I really was.
I tried to return the smile to my face. "You saw how possessive he can be. That's all I meant."
Reid frowned, then opened his mouth to say something. But he hesitated, staring at my face with his mouth slightly open. His eyes drifted over the patch of skin that was still purple-tinged, even after a week, widening with confusion and anger. My heart started pounding in my chest.
He closed his eyes, exhaling quietly. But when he looked at me, I could still see the fury in them. "You didn't tell me that he hit you."
I swallowed, my eyes dry of tears now. I saw my silent rage mirrored in Reid's face, and I didn't know how to move forward. "Because he didn't hit me."
"I'm not stupid, Mallory. The bastard hit you." Reid seethed, his eyes flashing. But now I saw the anger giving way to pain. He was upset for me, distressed that I had to deal with Brent's troubles.
Reid clenched his jaw, looking away from the table. We sat in silence for a minute, until I had to look away too. Then I heard Reid say tenderly, "I'm sorry, Mallory."
I peeked back at Reid, and his eyes were fixed on the table. He reached out to take my hand, his gaze darting up to mine. "You say that I've supported you," he told me quietly, "But I'm only causing you more stress. Whatever I think, the decision of what to do with Brent is yours. Only yours."
"That means a lot to me." I replied quietly. I was still guarded, because I saw how Reid's temper could flare up. It was nothing like Brent's cold rages, but I was wary now. I trusted too openly; that was one of my failings. I needed to guard myself carefully.
As it turned out, we left without getting any coffee; to the chagrin of the baristas. Reid and I walked side by side on the dusty, hot pavements. I was too aware of Reid's height advantage. He towered over me, his hair carelessly styled, the color of his eyes reflecting the slate of the ground.
"What are you thinking about?" Reid asked softly. I turned to look up at him, then a wry smile escaped me. There was an impossible confidence to how he carried himself.
"Maybe I'm thinking about you." I said playfully.
Reid looked intrigued, glancing into my eyes before he looked forwards again. "Really? What about me?"
I flashed a cheeky smile at him. "That's my secret to keep."
"That doesn't sound suspicious at all." Reid replied flatly, and I just had to laugh. His smile grew adorably.
I nudged him in the side with my elbow. "How about a movie night tomorrow? I'll cook."
"Tomorrow? You're keen." Reid teased me. I blushed, glancing away from him, because the playful glint in Reid's eyes made me want to kiss him.
"Okay, how about in a week?" I posed, brushing my arm over his.
"No, tomorrow's fine." Reid answered quickly.
I smiled. "Tomorrow then. What sort of movies do you like?"
"Anything but romance." Reid made a face. I frowned at him.
"Why not romance?" I asked curiously.
He shrugged. "Because it's not something current in my life. Why would I want to watch a couple find each other when I'm sick of couples?"
"I'm going to ignore that. Why do you have to relate to a movie to enjoy it?" I asked.
Reid considered my question. "That's the fun of watching a movie. But maybe you can show me a different perspective on my opinions." he commented lightly, flicking me on the nose.
I smiled. "That's a tall order, but it's what I'm best at."
We spent the rest of the afternoon walking aimlessly together and chatting, then we said goodbye and parted ways. I went to bed that night thinking about Reid, and his dark hair and bright smile.
The next day, Reid came at five in the evening. I opened the door eagerly, dressed in jeans and a tee, to see the boy himself standing with a box of chocolates. He handed me them, tossing a warm smile in my direction as he walked through the door.
Feelings rushed up my stomach as I smirked at Reid. "Thanks. For your information, I have more than just movies in mind."
Reid raised his eyebrows, dimples appearing in his cheeks as he smiled. "What's on our itinerary?"
I walked over to my extra mirror in the hallway, rummaging through drawers before I triumphantly removed the object of my efforts, showing them to Reid. "We're doing face masks together."
I expected him to complain, but Reid just nodded thoughtfully. "Nice. I like skincare routines."
"I bet you watch all the Vogue tutorials." I teased, and he grinned good-humoredly.
"Every day." Reid played along, which made me laugh. He took a packet from me, examining the writing on the back. "Oh, so they're sheet masks?"
"The ones that you paint on take too much effort." I complained.
Reid shrugged. "Okay, then. Teach me." he rubbed his hands, flashing a smile. "I'm ready for your guidance."
We sat in my bedroom, because my aunt was busy working from home tonight. I fixed my mask on in record time, after which Reid was still carefully arranging his. I reached out to fix the holes, murmuring, "Let me help you."
He sat still as I ran my fingertips over the edges of the mask, smoothing out any creases. As my fingers brushed his cheekbones, I realised just how good-looking Reid was. His lips were firm and smooth, his eyes dark and shaped like a painting's.
When my eyes flicked to Reid's, I realised that he was already looking at me. The expression in his eyes made me pause my efforts. I tilted my head to the side, smiling nervously as I asked, "What is it?"
Reid recovered himself. He leaned back against my bedframe, looking away from me. "I was wondering how many times you've done this."
I smiled. "More times than I can count. I love pampering myself. Oh, can I get you cucumber slices to put on top of your eyes?"
A smile curved his mouth as he watched my enthusiasm. "If you think that's going to help, then sure."
I brightened, slipping off the bed as I padded over to the door. "This is why I like you."
Reid grinned at me, looking lighter and more relaxed than I'd seen before. I rummaged through my fridge for cucumbers, chopped them into slices, and hurried back to Reid. He was sitting in my bed still, flicking through Netflix on my TV. For some reason, I liked the sight of Reid in my bed.
He looked up at me and smiled briefly. "Okay, so what are we watching?"
I grinned at him, producing the cucumber slices with a flourish. "You choose."
I ended up helping Reid decide, because he was a naturally indecisive Libra. We ended up on Kill Bill, which I loved as a child.
Reid and I immersed ourselves in the action straight away. But every few minutes, one of us would make a comment or debate on the occurrences of a scene, which sparked intense discussions. When our masks were done, we washed them at my bathroom sink together and sat back in my room.
Halfway through the movie, I found myself distracted by Reid. He made a perfect picture, with the front of his dark hair slightly damp from washing off our masks; his brown eyes lit up by the sun.
Reid glanced at me, once he noticed me looking at him. He smiled easily, his eyes drawing in at the corners. "What is it?"
I shifted underneath my covers, looking back at him neutrally. "I'm just realising that we talk a lot, but I want to know more about you."
Reid thought about what I said, then he paused the movie, turning to me. "Okay, so what do you want to know?"
"Everything." I said eagerly, and Reid looked at me with amusement. "But first, why do you like action movies so much? You love Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction, Die Hard, Terminator and the Godfather." I confirmed, to which Reid nodded, his eyes lighting up. "But why not other genres?"
He sighed affectionately. "The suspense, the adrenaline. That's what makes action movies great."
I flopped my head back on my soft headboard, feeling defeated. "But you still won't watch romantic movies with me."
Reid propped his chin on his fist, eyeing me. "I mean, maybe if you convinced me, I'll watch Titanic with you tomorrow. Or Clueless."
I smiled. "That's a fair deal. How should I convince you?"
Reid smiled back, his eyes fixed on mine. "Spend the day with me?"
Just the look in his eyes, sweet and entreating, was enough for me to provide an answer. "I'm free, so I will. But I feel like you won't enjoy it." I pouted.
Reid sighed. "Mallory, I love spending time with you. I have my likes and dislikes, so do you. We clash a lot with them, but we still do things for each other, right?"
"Right." I said, but I couldn't turn my brain off. I kept on dissecting everything, thinking back and forth on his words.
Reid put an arm behind my back, instantly turning my thoughts to mush. We were close as friends, but physical intimacy was a barrier we hadn't got past yet. Until today, apparently. He sighed contentedly. "That's why this is my idea of a perfect evening."
The next week passed in a whirlwind. I was finally happy and in good spirits, because Brent was out of my life, and Reid was at the centre of my world. I spent the mornings with Cleo and Kennedy, but I went to see Reid privately for at least five out of seven afternoons. We watched movies, argued about our favourite music genres, did karaoke sessions together. Fast friends didn't begin to describe our relationship.
One afternoon, we were sitting at the edge of a lake, side by side on a park bench. I begged Reid to get boba with me, and he was sipping at his drink while I scooped some remaining tapioca from my own.
I peeked over at Reid, who was already looking at me. "What are you looking at?"
"You, obviously." he teased, and I hit him lightly as he laughed at me.
"Can you be serious for once?" I asked, trying to hide my smile behind my cup.
He leaned into me, squinting his eyes. "What are you talking about? I'm the most serious person ever. If you searched up serious in the Oxford dictionary, my face would show up."
I chuckled. "Your sense of humor is interesting."
"I can't tell if that's an insult, but I'm going to assume that it is." Reid retorted, pouting.
I tried to ignore the alluring pout of his mouth. I said instead, "Guess what?"
"No." Reid retorted, focusing his attention on his boba.
"Please?" I asked, and he couldn't resist me.
Reid rolled his eyes playfully. "What?"
"I'm going on a date tomorrow!" I squealed. Reid's smile faded. I stared at him in confusion. "Aren't you happy for me? This is my chance to make Brent ancient history."
He stepped back, looking shocked. "Of course I'm happy that Brent's gone. Overjoyed, in fact. But don't you think tomorrow is too soon?" he asked quietly, disguising his hurt. But I knew Reid well enough to see that he wasn't happy.
Of course I should have realised that he'd want to spend time with me. We'd spent practically the whole week joined to the hip. I frowned. "Reid, I'm always going to have time for you. You know that, right?"
His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed lightly. Then Reid's eyes lightened, and he gave me a friendly smile. "Of course, Mallory."
After another hour of making each other laugh, we stood up from the bench. For once, I was lost for words. I didn't know how to say goodbye today. Everything could change tomorrow, if my date went well. I was aware of how monumental a relationship would be at this stage in our friendship.
Reid sighed, seeming frustrated with himself. Then he leaned forward to kiss me on the cheek. I was so surprised, I didn't know what to say when he moved back, glancing away from me for a moment.
Reid reached out to touch my hair, his eyes searching mine, then thought to himself. "I hope you enjoy your date tomorrow."
With that, Reid left me standing by the water. I watched his retreating back and wondered if I really knew what I was doing.
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