Run, Girl (If You Can)

Violet had a hard time believing the man calling himself Michael Gray was actually friends with her parents. She knew their friends. They had never mentioned him.

That being said…her mother had told her she acted like her father when she wasn't happy with people. So he was probably telling the truth about Aaron giving him attitude. But twenty-six years ago? That was before she was even born.

If he had been friends with her parents after she was born, she was sure she would have heard of him. The friendship must have ended before then.

"Why haven't I ever heard of you?" Violet asked bluntly.

Michael Gray gave her a debonair smile. "Probably because your dad thinks I'm a bad influence."

A bad influence, huh? What on earth had this guy done to get branded with that sort of label? She didn't trust him. Something about this guy seemed awfully insincere to her. The best way to test whether or not he was telling the truth was to call her dad.

"One moment please," Violet requested as she dialed his number.

"What's up, Vi?" Aaron answered cheerfully. "I thought you were in between shows right now."

"I ran into someone claiming to be an old friend of yours. A  man named Michael Gray. Ringing any bells?"

Her father went silent for a moment before answering in a resigned voice. "Don't tell me; he followed you out of the performing arts center without introducing himself beforehand."

"Yep. I take it you do know him?"

"Unfortunately," he muttered so quietly she almost didn't catch it.

Violet knew her father wasn't terribly fond of most people but she had never heard him sound like this. Michael Gray was definitely bad news.

"Put him on speaker," the man requested.

Violet acquiesced, curious what her dad would say.

"Hello, Aaron," he said smoothly.

Her father's voice was a bit grumpy but not nearly as much as it was before she put him on speaker. "Gray. Did you have to scare my daughter like that?"

"I do believe her companion scared me more than I scared her. He knocked me to the ground out of nowhere. Most uncivilized," the man sniffed haughtily.

Gray, was it? Her dad typically didn't refer to people by their last names. What sort of relationship did these two have?

Violet's curiosity burned but she couldn't ask her dad about it now. Gray's tone was light, pleasant, and completely insincere. Her dad hated insincere people the most; she had seen it firsthand.

"Is Noah with you?" Aaron asked.

Noah moved closer to the phone and answered that one for him. "Hi, Uncle Aaron."

Violet could detect a hint of relief in his tone. "That's what you get for sneaking up on people, Gray. Be more mindful next time. Violet didn't know you; you should have approached from the front like a normal person."

"Noted," Gray said lightly. "Lovely talking to you, as always. We still need to plan a time to have dinner. Give Keeley my best."

"I will. Bye. And good luck on your last show, Vi. Love you," her father said, sounding softer than he had since the beginning of the call.

"Love you too."

She hung up, more confused than before. At least this strange man hadn't been lying. He did know her parents.

Unsure of what to do, Violet stood there in complete silence for more than thirty seconds. Noah jumped in to save her by linking his arm through hers.

"If you'll excuse us Mr. Gray, we were on our way to get dinner before she has to get back for her next show.  It was nice meeting you."

Thankfully he could take a hint. "I understand. Best of luck. You were a wonderful Cinderella. I'm sure I'll be seeing you around."

Gray brushed himself off and turned around before heading back the way he came. Violet was relieved to see him go. What a strange man! If her dad didn't like him, that was good enough for her.

She thanked Noah for his help, which he shrugged off, saying it was nothing. They walked to the restaurant and ate their meal as if nothing weird had happened. She really didn't have time to hash out how unsettling that had been in detail and he knew it.

That was the great thing about Noah. He understood her better than anybody else so he knew when she wanted to talk and when she didn't.

"I'll let you know what my dad says about that man once I ask him," Violet said in between bites of her dinner.

"Something about him was definitely off," Noah replied with a frown. "I'm glad he didn't catch you alone."

"What were you doing there anyway?"

"I missed you," he said straightforwardly, looking her dead in the eye. "Am I not allowed to see my best friend who never has time for me anymore?"

Guilt pricked at her heart. She had been awfully caught up in spending time with Jeremy lately. She had a feeling he might ask her to be his girlfriend soon and was leaning toward saying yes if he did.

The one problem was that he seemed like the kind of man who would end up monopolizing her, unlike her previous boyfriends. She couldn't leave Noah completely out in the cold. Not after everything they had been through together. He was her family.

"I'm sorry," Violet murmured. "I still need to make it up to you for missing Halloween. I won't be able to come by the dojo though because I'm back on my 10-6 schedule tomorrow due to the show ending. Why don't you come over to my place for dinner and cards?"

Noah smiled, his earlier ire vanishing. "Deal."

Once the food was gone, he escorted her back to the Lincoln Center and told her he would see her after the show. She managed to put the issue of Michael Gray out of her mind as she danced. What she couldn't get out of her head was the way her best friend had looked when he said he missed her.

Violet glanced out into the audience. Noah sat in his usual VIP seat only a few rows behind the orchestra pit. Her heart felt full. He had been there for her since they were toddlers, through thick and thin.

Nobody else, not even her parents, ever sat through two performances of the same ballet but Noah did it every time. He was the only one who knew how much dance meant to her. That was why he went to the first and the last so he could talk to her about the entire process and truly understand it.

She had always done the same for him with karate; attending all of the competitions where he was a participant and all of his belt tests. Support was a two-way street after all. Even so, Violet was grateful to have him in her corner on a permanent basis.

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