After Henry closed with the last song the principle came onto the mic to finally announce king and queen. "You ready to go?" I asked Henry, "The girls got a ride with Ralph they're going to an after party."

   "Not in the mood for a party?" He asked, "Also they're about to announce king and queen, could be you."

    "Fine," I stood anxiously ready to take off these scrappy heels as the principle fumbled with the letter.

   "Your king and queen of 2017 homecoming is Marisol Price and Henry Stewart."

   Oh boy. I knew Henry was eye candy to half of the school but I surly thought it would be Lucas or one of his friends. "I didnt even know I was on the ballot," Henry frowned down at me.

 "Maybe if we walk out of the door they wont notice," I had every confidence it wouldn't be me not after Lucas left. People blamed me, I heard the rumors people also made nasty ones about Henry and I, vultures all of them.

   "Dont be a ninny," he said offering me his arm and giving me a dashing smile, "You look like a Queen tonight you very well should be one, also you owe me a dance remember?" He really knew how to boost ones confidence, I had no choice but to lace my arm in his and bite the bullet. Even though my legs felt like noddles and my heart was pounding in my ears. 

   Once we got up on stage and the crowns placed on our heads we were told it was time to dance the "first dance."

"You never told me you were this good of a dancer,"I said admiring how good he looked in a tux and the gentle caress of his hand on my mid back not straying an inch. He took lead and whirled us around the gym floor as people watched us.

   "You never asked," he smiled as he twirled me out and back into his arms his face now serious. "I was going to bring this up before the dance but there wasnt time... with everything going on I figured it would be nice for you to get away. And by get away I mean to Scotland, with me when I go back for thanksgiving in four weeks," I didnt know what to say at first, "Its just a trip," he laughed nervously as I smiled up at him weakly. Just a trip.

   "Its not that," I said bashfully of course I would love to go especially after the couple of months I've had but I couldnt help but think people would get the wrong idea. Ava would, "Are you sure you want to bring me?" I asked cocking my head up at him.

   His eyes softened as he laced his fingers in mine as we swayed, people beginning to join the last dance. "I want you to go because out of everyone you'd appreciate this the most, also I may or may not have told my family a lot about you and they're desperate to meet you."

   I tensed up, "What if they dont like me?"

   "They'll love you, they're a bit rough around the edges and I dont have the closest relationship with my father but we're family you know? You have time to think on it-"

   "There's nothing to think about," I said looking up at him, "I want to go, I want to see Scotland, meet your family all of it!" I said feeling giddy. "I still cant believe you want me to come," we were close yes but sometimes not often I swear I could feel something stronger tugging between us and Scotland would most likely address all the things we feel and dont speak on. Or maybe its all in my head. "Only thing is you cant tell anyone till I do." I hated lying but I thought of this more as preventing the truth as long as possible, they'll know eventually.

   "Scared what people might think?" He asked but there was no trace of a smile or play on his face, there it was again the energy shifting into something more personal.

   "Arn't you?"

  He shrugged, "Let them think whatever they want we know whats here, right?" He raised a brow as he dipped me backwards and held me there his arm supporting my back.

   "I dont know," I couldnt think straight when he looked at me like that, I didnt even realize I was holding my breathe till he let me back up and the song ended.

   "Not so sure about anything anymore are you?" I could see the sadness form in his face and it made me disgusted with myself, he was right. "One day I want to be the guy you come to but I wont force it even though I know I could be everything you need." He was right again, "But what I need is to be everything you want and I could wait, as long as there's a chance."

   "Who am I to predict the future?" I asked wonderingly. 

.............................................................................................

   Henry walked home with a heavy heart but also in a hopeful spirit, from the day he laid his eyes on her he was taken away by not only her voice or smile but her heart. Not many times do you meet people worth a thousand memories but she was one, he could make a thousand and one.

He knew there was something there and he would wait however long it took to reach her heart, he knew what it was like to feel broken."You look lovesick kid," Raegan smiled as Henry sat at the bar, she's been watching him write in a inspired haze, "Got some good inspiration I see?"

   "I think I'm falling in love with her," he said his jaw a bit slack and his eyes a bit watered but there was a slight smile, he didn't know what to feel. "I dont know if she'll save me or I'll drown, I dont know if I even have a chance but oddly I dont even care." Henry has never had a real home but she was his, even Vera, Erin, Ava and Isabell he's grown to have a love for all of them.

   Raegan just smiled in a knowing way pushing away her braids from her face, "If there's anything I know about Mar is that she always needs a little push, she'll get over that kid... Lucas. But you will have to live with the fact that she'll always love him and she might even always put him and this town first. She might break your heart."

   "I dont care," he said without a thought. Life is all about risks for happiness, steps that lead to the future.

   "Then show her what a world with you would be like, MarIsol is a lover and she already cares for you so much if you want my advice strike when the pot is hot."

   "Whats that supposed to mean?"

   Raegan rolled her eyes, "I see the way she looks at you she's attracted to you she was from the moment she met you. If there was a time it would be now, steal her heart kid."

   "It feels wrong," Henry sighed sliding his pencil behind his ear.

   "To go after what you want? Thats never wrong especially when you'd be good for her."

   "You think I would?" Hope spiked through Henry as he closed his pen and sat back in his chair at the table.

   "I know it, Get her the hell out of this town," something dark passed in Raegans eyes.

   Henry eyed her, "Why do you say that?"

   "I know Marisol has been poking around asking about her roots, dont let her dig too far," Henry was now even more confused. This was the third person who wouldnt tell them anything, what was so dark and twisted that needed to be hidden? Maybe Mar wasnt overthinking...

   "I cant promise you anything, she deserves to know."

   Raegan closed her eyes for a second and took a breathe, "Her heart will be broken."

   Henry stood up he needed to know, "Tell me if you love her you'd tell me and ease her mind she's running around nuts like a chicken with its head cut off."

   Raegan stood up straighter, "If I tell you there's no going back, you're involved And if you doing tell her you'll just be another person lying to her."

   This was it, "Tell me everything."

   "Marisols mother had a still birth at home," this didnt make sense to Henry how would that be possible? "The only reason I know this is because I was the only person in this house with her when she gave birth I was only fifteen, she was my babysitter. The next day I seen her coming home from the hospital with a little baby girl so naturally I confronted her that night her and Marcus, he had no idea what she had done but he had to protect her. I'm ashamed of myself and my family but they they payed us off not to go to the authorities to pretend she didnt steal a newborn baby and claim it as her own," Henry connected the dots, Big John and Dixie knew it made sense that Big john knew but why Dixie? And how many others knew? He felt sick to his stomach, "I told you that you didnt want this burden," she said bitterly. "Now you have to decide, are you going to tell her? Do you think she needs to know? She was a baby with a promising life and her mother was a nutcase bitch... finding out will ruin her. She'll need to know where she came from, she'll want answers and closure but she'll never get that."

   "I cant tell her," his heart began to race wishing he never even asked. How do you tell someone their parents arnt really their parents that their life was a whole lie? Raegan was right, he didnt want  to know and after today he'd forget she even said anything.

   Raegan gave him a comforting look and patted his back, "You can guide her away from here," Henry knew what she meant. "Take her from all of this craziness, lies, and pain and give her a whole new world, thats all I want for her."

   "She'd miss it here."

   "Not as much as we'd miss her, trust me she'll flourish over there this is your chance to show her. Take her to Scotland and make her want to stay. I'll even visit," she smiled sitting next to Henry her heart a bit heavy. "I guess Ive always been so nice to Marisol because I thought I owed her and I'm glad for it that girl loves so passionately. People have always gravitated to her, friends, boys, teachers everyone loves her."

   "Does her mother? Does Marcus?"

   "In their own fucked up ways but Marcus always loved her more after Marisol grew up to be a teenager there was an automatic detachment between Pricilla and Marisol  but never with Marcus and her. They were always two peas in a pod," she smiled to herself as she remembered the countless times they've spent in her very cafe. "Its no secret that Jasmin and Marcus still loved each other and I guess that was hard on Marisols mom.. still doesnt excuse how she treated Marisol, that woman is pure evil."

   "Out of all the people in the world you expect your parents to love you the most," he knew the feeling all to well. He's the orphan he'll always be that not a prince or a son but an orphan. "I think I'm going to go over the song and then head to bed if thats okay."

   "Only if you dont mind me listening."

   "Its not finished yet but its my best work yet," Henry said putting in the cd he mashed up for a soft guitar beat with tambourines in the background. Grabbing a mic and stool he positioned himself in the middle of the stage and imagined Mar in the background on the piano smiling up at him.

   "Tell me what it's like... to fit into your mold. You know I want to be closer then my hands have been... All I need is the air I'd kill to breathe, the love you fear to see. In all the good times I find myself longing... for you.

   Girl you dont have to dive too far... You dont have to say another word I already know You live by the bottle but the bottle cant hold you tight. You live by the night but the city lights wont drown away your sight, she lives by fire and I would risk every burn Just to see her face.

We all know signals crossing can get confusing... all these signals.

   Its enough to make you just feel crazy, so crazy over you now. I just want one last dance, take you in my arms and spin you around in circles. I've been on a winding road I know you know...keep going back and forth through an open door. I searched the world to find my heart is yours..." his voice broke as he stared at his shoes.

   "You know I wont Rest In Peace, I'll take shelter in the dark and we'll never be apart, I dont know what you want but I know what you need." he sang in a low broken tone almost like a whisper in the night. "This girl ain't going no where... my heart is yours."

  Raegan with tears in her eyes from the first line didnt even know what to say and for the first time neither did Henry. He could feel and register his pain through music he could almost control it, every broken note, every lingering note was all for her.

   For the first time Raegan found herself believing love, when a guy writes a song for you how couldnt you just fall to pieces? Especially one as beautiful as that, one with a story to tell and questions to be answered. She found herself routing for the boy but there was also still that piece of herself where she knew Marisol could never love Henry as he needs. That love was for Lucas.