Page 26 of Rekindled

Her face flushed pink as her eyes turned up to meet his. “Really? I can’t believe you did that.”

“I told you, I still care about you. That never changed. I just always thought the damage I did was too bad for me to be able to overcome. I was too scared to contact you, but when I saw you at the library the other day, I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to see if we could have a second chance, even if it was just as friends.”

Molly’s eyes grew wide with surprise. “I wasn’t sure I believed in second chances, but ever since I came home and saw you, I keep thinking maybe it’s possible.”

The song ended and Spencer asked, “Are you thirsty? I am thinking a glass of iced tea sounds great.”

Molly nodded as he led her from the dance floor. He guided her back over to the table where the glasses were sitting, refilled.

“I was wondering, how are your parents? I know your dad wanted you to play professional football. What happened when that didn’t pan out due to your injury during your first year of college?” Molly inquired.

“I didn’t know you were aware of that,” he said, his brows coming together in furrow.

“Oh, I heard it somewhere on social media,” Molly stated with a shrug.

“My dad was less than pleased when I couldn’t play anymore. Then when my brother died, he just stopped caring. With them living on the East Coast now, we don’t really talk much anymore.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Molly said sympathetically. “It’s hard not being close to your parents. I know how that is. After mine sent me away, I barely saw them, and we grew apart.”

“But you’re back now, and they really seem to care about you. Maybe you can change that.”

“I’d like to,” Molly agreed. “My mom—”

Before Molly could finish her sentence, Tiffany appeared beside them. She looked exceptionally perturbed as she glared at them with her hands on her hips. “I can’t believe you’re still slinking around with that tramp.”

“Don’t call her that,” Spencer warned. “I made the mistake of letting you get away with it once. It won’t happen a second time.”

“I don’t care what you say, Spencer. You don’t belong with her. She’s damaged goods. I mean, she can’t even keep a boyfriend. The one she brought with her from Seattle didn’t even stick around.” She turned her attention to Molly, and added, “Sounds like the same old Molly—running off any guy who is stupid enough to get involved with you. I mean, I would think after all these years, you would have figured desperation looks horrible on you.”

“Tiffany, you should really shut up and get out of here. You’re making a fool of yourself,” Molly stated with irritation.

“You’re the one who’s a fool, still throwing yourself at Spencer. You should know—”

“Stop it right now,” Spencer demanded. “If anyone is desperate, it’s you, Tiffany. Stop trying so hard to destroy everyone else’s happiness because you’re so miserable.”

“Look at you, Spencer. Still chasing after a nerdy girl who clearly is beneath you.” Then letting out a cackling laugh, she slurred out, “Guess you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

Tiffany marched to the front of the ballroom, climbed the stairs of the stage, and grabbed the microphone from the podium. “I think everyone has a right to know why Molly Price left Bayfield ten years ago,” Tiffany slurred out. “She wants you to think it was all a misunderstanding, but it wasn’t. The truth is, she was a crazy stalker, throwing herself at Spencer while he was committed to me. She was a liar and a manipulator who didn’t stop until her parents had to intervene for her own good by sending her to a mental hospital.”

Several people gasped around the room, and Molly’s few friends came up and put their arms around her.

Greg marched up the stairs and said with aversion, “That’s about enough out of you.” He took the microphone from her hands and placed it back on the podium. “I’ll take you outside and get you an Uber ride. You’re in no condition to drive home.”

As they left the stage, Spencer turned to Molly and said, “I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t have to be subjected to all of this again, but I’m going to fix this right now, once-and-for-all.”

Spencer took Tiffany’s place at the center of the stage, then picked up the microphone. “None of what Tiffany said was true. Molly Price didn’t do anything wrong back when all of us where in high school. I was too scared to stand up for her back then, but I’m not weak like I once was. Molly was, and is, the most kind, generous, and thoughtful person I have ever known. I didn’t deserve for her to care about me, but she did, and I turned my back on her to save my own reputation. We never did anything more than kiss, so all those rumors you’ve been spreading for the past decade, they’re false. Those of you who participated in making the situation worse, you should be ashamed of yourselves. I know I am. She left because she was bullied so bad, she couldn’t stay here anymore. Molly is a good person, and didn’t deserve what we did to her. I, for one, will be forever sorry for my part in what happened, and anyone who was involved should be too.”

There were a few random claps around the room, which made the rest of the silence even more awkward. Spencer put the microphone down, and made his way back to Molly’s side. He leaned towards her and whispered, “I should have done that a long time ago.”

“Thank you,” she whispered back, “for coming to my defense and telling everyone the truth.”

Spencer reached out and took her hand. “I can’t fix what I did in the past, but I can promise you, going forward, I will always have your back.”

Over the next half hour, several of their classmates came over and apologized to Molly for believing the rumors. Two even apologized for not standing up to the mean girls who had bullied her.

With each one, Spencer watched as Molly relaxed more and her smile became more prominent on her face. The urge to kiss her surfaced, but before he could act on it, Molly blurted out, “Oh my goodness. This is my favorite song. We have to go dance.”

Molly pulled him to his feet and then onto the dance floor. They spent the rest of the night dancing, laughing, and having fun with old friends.

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