Gray didn't see Red again for the rest of the day. Mostly because he ran out of school before the day was even over.
He ended up downtown, the streets strangely calm, with only a few cars whizzing past. Neon signs and city lights stabbed at his eyes through the sheeting rain, and he blinked. Sweater weather. Hoodie weather. Was there such an expression? She'd probably made it up.
Gray flipped his hoodie up, kicking a puddle and wincing when the drops hit his face. Damn it. He had to stop thinking about Red. About anything...
No. As if even from miles away, Red wasn't having it. She wasn't having him pushing her out of his mind, pushing away her perfect smile, her brown-black eyes, her silky black hair, the way she'd quirk her mouth when she called his bluff, the way she'd close her eyes when she sang...
Get out of my head, Red, he told her.
Make me, she huffed. Can't do it, can you?
Watch me, he threatened. He stopped, leaned against a brick wall. God damn it, she wasn't leaving. Get the hell out, Red.
I'll only leave when you really want me to, Gray, she said, ever so softly, like she was singing to him on a windy day. Do you want me to?
No, he thought faintly. He'll rely on the light she beams with her smile to guide him back to her. Then stronger. No. Don't leave. Red. Red - Red? That's not your name.
She was silent. He thought out loud. Red - Eri - Eris? Erin? Erina?
She sighed. Finally.
Yeah, he echoed. That's been killing me for two years.
She laughed. Jackass.
Then, he was rudely pulled out of his weird imagined conversation by a strong arm dragging him into an alley. Thrown forward, his head whiplashing, Gray landed hard in the mud.
And it was still raining.
A dark figure loomed over him, muscled and tall, fists clenched in anger. "Hey, fucker. I owe you a fucking beating."
That voice -
He felt himself being lifted off the ground by a fist at his collar. "Erina's mine, fucktard."
Then his lights went out.
************