The next time Marjorie interacted with "The Piranha" it was over the phone. When she asked for his name, he'd immediately taken the opportunity to wind her up before eventually telling her it was Reece. Momentarily, she'd thought to herself that the name suited him, before focusing on the task at hand. That was berating him for borrowing her staff after sacking half of his. Once the phone call was over, she felt like she'd lost their little war of words and it irritated her no end. Reece had an answer for everything and she could practically hear his smug little smirk on the phone. She sighed to herself as she realised just how long the road ahead was going to be.
Over the next few weeks, Reece did everything he could to get under Marjorie's skin. He just wanted her to see his playful side, but he seemed to miss the mark every time. When he'd tried to flirt with her during the managers meeting, she'd looked at him with her beautiful big eyes and he could tell that she felt confused. Afterwards, she'd berated him for taking her staff away and in the end, all he felt was guilt. His presence was making her life harder and that was the last thing he wanted. The moment their eyes had met, Reece had fallen for Marjorie and now, every time he saw her he fell a little more. She was passionate, messy, loving and complicated and he desperately wanted to love and heal every part of her. He could tell that she'd been hurt and he was convinced that she'd never been loved the way she deserved. Reece knew that he could change that, but she wouldn't let him in.
Little by little, the icy barrier that had formed between them was beginning to thaw. Marjorie was still wary of Reece, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to "The Piranha." Sometimes, when he looked at her, her heart skipped a beat as she wondered how his strong arms would feel wrapped around her body. She'd shake that thought away each time, thinking of Autumns numerous warnings about her big brother. When he'd teased her over the phone, pushing and pushing her over a typo, she'd felt uncomfortable with his flirting - who did he think he was? The next time they spoke, he'd apologised sincerely and Marjorie wondered if sometimes, she actually made him nervous. Did she really have that power?
Each evening, Reece would look up at the sky and he'd think of his sister. He'd wish for her love, her forgiveness and her heart. Eventually, Marjorie's eyes would float through his mind, her baby blue orbs decorated with little flecks of pure silver. One day, he hoped that those eyes would look at him with love, his own little galaxies sparkling just for him. Would he ever be lucky enough to hold Marjorie safe within his arms? Someday, would she trust him to hold her perfect heart, safe in the knowledge that he'd never drop it?
Sometimes things seemed hopeless.
But sometimes, things seemed certain.
"Please, I don't fancy you!" As soon as those words had left Marjorie's mouth, she'd desperately wished for the ground to swallow her whole. Reece had paused momentarily before simply replying "that's not what I said." His voice was measured, but his heart was souring as he realised, she did like him and there was a chance. Once their phone call had ended, Marjorie had spent the rest of the day trying to convince herself that Reece repulsed her. Her attempts were in vain however, as one thought kept clouding her mind.
Why do you want him to hold you then?
When Reece asked Marjorie on a date, she agreed on one condition - Autumn had to give them the green light. Marjorie understood that the siblings relationship was fractured and complex, but recently she'd seen a side to Reece that Autumn refused to believe existed. Reece was so kind to Carly, watching over her and offering her advice. He was so patient with Jodie and so determined to help her find her calling. When he looked at Marjorie, his eyes were so soft and so full of admiration. Maybe he'd changed?
Dead flowers.
Marjorie didn't need to ask for Autumns approval after all. As soon as she saw the withering petals littered all over Autumn's desk, rage bubbled up within her chest. When she called Reece to cancel their date, she didn't explain and she didn't give him a chance to defend himself. As far as she was concerned he was a sociopath and anything he had to say was worthless. That night, she wondered how she'd been fooled by his lies. His kindness, how gentle he was, the way he made her feel safe - all lies.
Right?
Reece didn't know what he'd done wrong. He'd come so close to holding her, hearing her laugh, helping her heal. Why did she pull away from him? Marjorie had rejected him and so far, Autumn had refused to acknowledge his attempts to reconcile. Nothing was working and as Reece stared at the wall, he wondered if his father had been right all along. Maybe he really was a failure, destined to fall at the last hurdle every time.
At least things couldn't get any worse. It was just another day, just another managers meeting. When his father had advised them that he'd hired a new deputy manager, Reece rolled his eyes in annoyance and wondered why his father was such a control freak. It didn't really matter though, Reece did need a deputy manager and now hiring someone was something he didn't need to worry about. When Roger remarked "she knows you" Reece had frowned and replied "what do you mean she knows me, who is it?"
Roger hesitated and fiddled with his shirt.
Reece knew before he'd uttered a word.
"Mia."
So close to the moment, where hearts will be free
Soon they'll all find, what's meant to be
The universe whispers, their destinies clear
Fate has conspired, to bring them all here
Even through sorrow, a path can be found
Through all these trials, true love will be crowned
With the stars as their witness, their love will soon soar
Finally together, Marjorie and Reece - forevermore
Shadows will rise, as Mia takes the stage
Just a twist in the story, a turn of the page
A lost girl, she wanders, seeking her way
In the eyes of an angel, she'll find her own day
❤️
YOU ARE READING
THE LAST LEAVES OF AUTUMN - (TNN - PROM NIGHT- AUTUMN/REECE/MIA)
Fanfiction**WORK IN PROGRESS** What really happened before, during and after prom night? How did Roger's treatment and manipulations affect Autumn, Reece and Mia?
