FUEL TO THE FIRE

Ray and Lily were sitting on the swings at the town park, a good distance away from the busy people and prying eyes at the fair.

Neither had any idea where they were going and what they were doing, but they found themselves watching kids building castles in the playground's sandbox. All they knew was that both of them received stares and whispers from people, especially from the teenage girls who knew that they were Fram Hill High's cutest couple.

All those side-eyes and hushed voices caused Lily to become her usual awkward self when being scrutinized and Ray to brush the unwanted attention aside, as he was used to it.

Those same teenage girls giggled when Ray glanced and winked at them.

For Ray, his infamy was nothing. He knew it was because he was a Carter who happened to commit a dreadful mistake years ago when he should be as dignified and respectable as the family's patriarch, Old Mason.