Raya Rose: The Opportunist.

Remember, when she mentioned her only real flaw? Lying? Well she did it again. She lied to Jacob, once again. It wasn’t the first and it probably most definitely wouldn’t be the last. And now there she was on her “date”. She had no date, well not a “real date” it was just… hanging? She felt kind of ridiculous though, all she did to make it look like if she was going on a “real” date. She had acted all giddy and schoolgirl like. She had even ignored Jacob, which probably to him, was the best thing in the world. How she got a “date” just fell into place. Almost like a miracle.

It went like this:

She was walking around Port Angeles and decided to go in a cute little bookstore and maybe get a romantic novel or something along those lines. As she was looking for a book she heard someone groan in frustration. She had paid no mind to it, but she heard it a couple more times. Out of curiosity she went to the other side of the shelf where she found a handsome looking man holding two books. She acted as though she was fixing the books up. He turned to look at her, relief almost washing over his face.

“Excuse me miss?”

”Yes?” she turned to him as though she had not been spying on him earlier

”Which of these two books do you recommend?” he held up the books up

”Oh, I don’t work here”

”Oh, my apologies miss” they stayed silent for a bit “But if you did work here which would you recommend?” he asked with a sheepish smile holding the books up again. Now how could she not help him with a smile like that?

”That one” she pointed the book on his left hand.

[I ] He nodded taking her answer in consideration ”May I ask why?”

She shrugged “The colors were brighter”

“Ah right, I forgot” he said nodding his head. “The bright color method always a good one when trying to look for a book, never go for the dull ones, got it!”

She chuckled “It sounded smarter in my head”

He chuckled at that “I’m Marc” he held his hand out

“Raya” she shook it his hand

And that is how it started. They stood there talking for half an hour. He ended up choosing the book she chose. He then asked her if she would like to go out sometime. Just to hang out, nothing more. After all, he was gay. But she didn’t care whatever she could get. Pathetic? Maybe. She sighed.

It was weird though, whenever she lied to Jacob she actually felt… guilt? She was angry at herself. She was letting her guard down slowly and she knew it. Trying to get Jacob to like her had turned into something different, something she never really knew she wanted.
She actually wanted to experiment things, lots and lots of things with him. Not only physically, but emotionally as well. She wanted to know what it was like to care for someone and have someone care for her back. She wanted to hold hands in public, drink out of the same shake with two straws, make googly eyes. Most importantly she wanted to love and be loved.

She knew she wasn’t in love with Jacob, but he made her feel different (even though he could barely stand her). He was the one that made her get all these lovey dovey ideas. She sighed, she regretted so many things.

She couldn’t really remember a time when she was happy. Only when her mom and dad were alive of course. They were the best she smiled only getting a fuzzy picture of them in her mind. They had died when she was about five? She couldn’t really remember. Then the nightmare started. She was left in the hands of Bonnie and Rich. She had spent so many years crying in the tiny room they had given her. They made her do things she regretted, but she had to, to make the hurt go away.

She had stolen, cheated, lied and hurt so many people in her life. Not because she wanted to, but because she had to. Soon though, she had become almost emotionless, she did things without even caring anymore.

Like the time she had stolen Mrs. Dawson’s (her neighbor) dead husband’s watch. Mrs. Dawson had loved that watch, she said it was like still having him around. But to Bonnie and Rich it was money in their eyes and who else to send to steal it but their sweet and innocent adoptive daughter? So she did it, but only because her clothes could not hide anymore scratches and bruises. Mrs. Dawson had spent all that night crying, and she knew it too because she had heard her cry from her house to her room, whimpering her husband’s name. Mrs. Dawson died a week later of a heart attack. Raya had always blamed herself, she always thought she had died because she had made her so sad and her heart couldn’t take it. Mrs. Dawson had always been so nice to Raya, she had taken care of her and showered her with love when Bonnie and Rich were off to “work”. She was the only person Raya had come close to loving, and she had practically killed her.

And that of so many things still haunted her.

She was a bad person.

A very bad person.

“Raya? Earth to Raya!” Marc waved his hand in front of her.

Raya snapped out of it “Huh?”

“Are you ok?” he chuckled “I’ve been calling you for the past five minutes and no answer”

“Sorry, just reminiscing” she offered with a smile.

“About?”

“Oh, you know… stuff” she said lamely.

“Ah yes stuff” he nodded “I myself reminisce about stuff every once in a while”

Raya shook her head “You think you’re sooo funny” but she couldn’t hide her smile.

“I like to think about it as being charming, my sweet”

Raya sighed “If only you weren’t gay” she put her hand under her chin.

“Oh now, don’t sound so forlorn my girl, I’m sure one day you’ll find a man who is as devilishly handsome and witty as me and will be happy that you are in fact a girl” he winked at her.

She chuckled “So being a girl is my only problem?”

“Hate to break it ‘ya honey, but yes, you and half the population” he joked.

She chuckled. She really enjoyed being in company of Marc. He was so sweet and always made her laugh. She had only known him for a week and in that week they had talked over the phone (when Jacob wasn’t around) and now they were finally on a friendly date. He was becoming… dare she say like a best friend? She had never really had one, and her stomach did flips at the thought of that.

“I like you” she confessed to him.

He looked at her and smiled “I hope it’s in a friendly kind of way”

She smiled nodding “It is”

“Good, ‘cause I like you too”

************************

Jacob was frantic, he didn’t know where the hell to start looking. He drove around through random streets hoping to find a certain brunette. He pulled his cell phone hoping Emily would know something.

“Hello?” Emily answered.

“Emily!”

“Oh hey Jake! How are you?” She asked pretty chipper.

“No time Emily. I need to know if Raya mentioned anything about her date” he growled the word date.

“Oh you mean with Marc?”

He groaned “You know him?”

“Well not personally, but he sure seems like a great guy” she answered secretly amused. She and Raya had become pretty close and there was no way she was going to let an opportunity of helping Raya out pass.

“Do you know where she went?” he asked rushed now more than ever.

“Yes”

He rolled his eyes “Well, where did she go?”

“Why?” she asked having fun.

“She… forgot—her sweater” he answered quickly.

“Her sweater?” she asked skeptical.

“Yes! Now where is she?”

“I mean if it’s because of the sweater” Emily continued ignoring him “I’m pretty sure Marc could just warm her up”

“Emily! That’s my wife you’re talking about! Now tell me where the hell she is” he demanded.
Emily couldn’t fight her ear to ear grin “She’s at Mellows”

“Thanks” he hung up after that.

Emily hung up her phone chuckling.

He had just called Raya his wife and he didn’t even notice it.

********************/
The waitress had finally brought them their dinner and Raya couldn’t have been any more excited. She was starving! As soon as the waitress put her plate down and left, Raya went straight for the fork and dug in.

“You really don’t waste any time do you sweetheart?” Marc asked amused.

Raya wiped her mouth with a napkin embarrassed “Sorry” she muttered.

“No, no by all means dig in” he said taking a bite full of his food.

As she lifted her head up to give him a smile her eyes drifted to a certain someone searching around the restaurant. Her eyes widen as she saw him turn his head her direction. Relief seemed to have washed his face as his eyes landed on her, then his expression quickly changed to furious.

“Oh no” she muttered.

“What? What’s wrong?” Marc asked looking around the restaurant.

Jacob came to their table was.

“Oh Jacob! Hey!” she made sure her voice did not shake.

Jacob’s posture was rigid and in no way did he display a friendly attitude.
Marc raised his eyebrow and gave Raya a puzzled look.

“Marc, this is Jacob, Jacob this is Marc” Raya tried to sound as pleasant as possible.

Marc stood up. Jacob clearly overthrew Marc in size, but Marc did not seem fazed by it, after all Raya and him were just friends and not to mention that he didn’t know that she was married.

“Nice to meet you man” Marc took out his hand. Jacob stared at his hand but made no move to shake it. Marc got the message so he put his hand down. He cleared his throat “So, are you a friend of Raya’s?”

Raya watched all this happen in slow motion. What the heck was going on? And why was Jacob here? She felt so bad by the way Jacob was acting towards her friend. Sometimes Jacob could really be an arrogant rude asshole.

“Her husband.” Jacob said crudely.

Marc’s face showed his astonishment . Marc turned to look at Raya. Raya offered him a cheesy smile.

“I didn’t know you were married”

“Sort of” she muttered.

Jacob turned to her giving her another furious look. This was definitely awkward. Marc just kept looking between the two of them not really knowing what to do or say for that matter.

“Let’s go” Jacob ordered.

“Excuse me?” Raya said taken aback.

“Raya let’s go, you had your fun” Jacob’s voice was somber.

“I’m not going anywhere” she crossed her arms offended with the way he was talking to her. She had tolerated so much from him, but she was not going to allow him to treat her that way and embarrass her in front of Marc. How dare him!

“Let’s. Go.” He said threatengly putting his hands on the table and leaning his head to be face to face with her.

“No.”

He clenched his teeth his chest heaving up and down. “Raya” he said her name hostilely.

“Jacob” she retorted not moving an inch.

“Raya?” Marc asked worriedly for his friend.

“Don’t worry Marc, I got this covered” she turned to smile at him.

That did it for Jacob he let out a frustrated huff. He grabbed her by her waist lifted her up and carried her through the restaurant.

“Jacob let me go!” she screamed and hit him on the chest.

“You’re making a scene honey” was all he said and carried her out. He put her inside the car, but not without a fight from Raya. Jacob just rolled his eyes and finally managed to get her in and drove.

“Jackass” she muttered.

Jacob’s corner of his mouth hitched up.

The car ride was silent and as soon as he parked the car home, Raya got out and slammed the door. She stormed inside the house Jacob right behind her.

“Such a drama queen” Jacob mumbled.

“What did you say?” she turned around menacingly.

Jacob shrugged “you’re overreacting “

“I’m overreacting? I’m overreacting! You’re kidding right! I have never been so humiliated in my life before! How could you just barge in there and interrupt my dinner date! Who do you think you are? My father!?”

“I’m you’re fucking husband! You seem to have forgotten that!”

“Oh so now you remember?” she shrieked. “Yesterday you didn’t care a flying fuck that I was your wife and today you suddenly do?” she hated cursing, but she was just so angry.

“Well maybe if you weren’t putting yourself out there like a—a—“

“A what? A whore? Is that what you were going to say?”

“Don’t put words in my mouth!” Jacob yelled.

“You are the most arrogant, ignorant, rude, selfish, jerk—“

Jacob paced around the room rubbing the back of his neck he turned to her and grabbed her face and crushed his lips to her. Raya eyes widen, Jacob put one of his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, Raya finally snapped out of her shock and kissed him back. The kiss was slow, sweet and careful. Raya’s heart was thudding out of her chest. His lips were so warm and sweet, he kissed her gently, and she felt as though he actually cared for her.

They pulled away slowly, Raya opened her eyes slowly looking up at Jacob. Jacob looked at Raya deep in the eyes. When he looked at her it was as though he was looking at her for the first time, everything seemed to fit into place. The missing piece of the puzzle was finally put together. He felt as though he was soaring through the sky just being there with her. He looked at her in a daze and in awe.

“Jacob?” Her voice caused shocks of pleasure to travel through his whole body.

Gravity was no longer holding him in place.

The little miss in his arms now had his life in her hands.