The Boy on the Bridge

by Sam Mariano

Ray drops the note on the counter. “Well, looks like you’ve attracted the attention of a Scorpio. That was a bad idea. We don’t fall in love often, but when we do...” He leaves it hanging there with both me and Mom staring at him, waiting for him to finish. “When you do?” I demand impatiently, eyes wide. Ray glances at my mom before looking back at me. “We lock on to someone hard enough and that’s it; you’re ours.”

What’s wrong with me? I fucking worship you and I can’t stop hurting you.”

“You can quit. I’ll give you money.” “Stop trying to buy me, mister. I’m not for sale.” “Not for sale, for rent,” he teases, giving me a playful squeeze. “I’ll pay for your time.” I smile. “I’m not a courtesan.” “You would use the word courtesan instead of hooker.” I nod. “It’s classier.”

“My nightmares are usually about losing you. I'm okay once I realize you're here.” -Peeta (You’ve made me quote my fictional nemesis. Good job.)

I may not want to call Hunter my boyfriend, but I do belong to him. I always have, since the day I stumbled across him on a footbridge in the woods behind his house.

“When I catch a glimpse of this scar in the mirror, I don’t think about Dennis knocking me out or my mom not bothering to call for help. I think about coming to your house afterward. I think about you taking care of me.” His lips tug up with remembered affection. “I think about how sweet you were, how pretty you looked in the moonlight. I think about kissing you for the first time.”

“Would you lie just to make me feel better?” Hunter looks at me for several seconds before answering. “No. I want you to love me despite the worst things I’ve done. Covering my tracks to protect your feelings wouldn’t accomplish that.”

I think the problem is I’ve been trying so hard to bring Riley into my world, it didn’t occur to me that I could just invade hers. She’s comfortable there. It’s where she likes to be. I haven’t spent much time in her world, but I know she doesn’t like mine, so maybe I’m the one that needs to relocate.

“I’m gonna marry your daughter,” I say, point-blank. “Just so we’re clear.”

“I won’t again. Remember I told you about my dad and his wife?” I nod. “She told me that a relationship is like a bank account. The more you invest, the more you’ll get out of it over time, and I like that. But she also told me you can’t afford to make too many big withdrawals.”

“She said when he fucked up with my mom, it was a turning point in their relationship, but it wasn’t the same for both of them. His mistake made him love her more, but it made her love him a little less. And he couldn’t take back what he did, so he could never get that love back. He could deposit more into the account and try to make up for what he cost them, but she’ll always love him just a little less than she could have, and he’ll always have to know that.”

I think you have a good heart and you want to protect the people you care about even when they don’t necessarily deserve it. I can’t complain about that trait, I certainly wouldn’t have you if you didn’t have it, but…” He pulls me closer, looking into my eyes. “We look out for each other, right? It’s my job to protect you. You recognize when my so-called friends only want to use me, but you don’t always see it when it’s happening to you.”

“I want you to know that meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“You’ve always been there for me more than anyone else in the world, Riley. You’ve loved me at my worst.”