Where the Moon will Shine

Chapter 17

"Hey," I smiled. She pulled back from me for a second staring at me in shock, then hugged me again.

"Rachel. I am so sorry. I'm so, so sorry." I could hear that she was on the verge of sobbing. I pulled her tighter, but I couldn't keep it in any more. I started crying.

"This is all my fault, if it weren't for me then..."

"No, Luce, it's not. I'm sorry, I'm not upset about that. It's just... a lot has happened. I-"

"Come on, you can tell me everything." She finally drew back from the hug and let me inside.

We went upstairs to her room, I could tell that no one else was home. All I needed was to talk to my best friend, and as soon as I stepped into her familiar sage green room, I finally knew I was home.

"Luce, I need you to know that... that you're my absolute best friend in the world. I know sometimes I..."

"I know," She whispered. "I love you too."

Then I told her everything. From the accident, to the dream, to the hospital. I didn't go into too much detail about the dream because it still hurt to even think about it, but it was good to acknowledge. We probably talked for hours, it felt so good to confide in her about everything.

After our conversation, and after she caught me up on all the school drama, I went home for dinner. The walk felt longer. I wished that I could stay with Lucy for at least the night.

As I approached my house I felt a strange sensation trickle through me. Something felt... different. I couldn't quite figure it out but it reminded me of what I felt as I approached the weird neighbor's house days ago.

As I turned the doorknob to my front door, a weird feeling flew through me. Was I getting nauseated again?

"Mom, Jess, I'm home," I shouted as I walked in the door and hung up my coat.

"In here!" I heard my mom shout from the kitchen. I walked in and felt my body go numb.

"Rachel," said a familiar, comforting voice.

"Oliver?" I froze in my tacks as my voice shot up three octaves. What was he doing there? And with my family! My mom decided to finally speak up.

"This boy said that he's in your writing class, he brought you homework that you missed."

This can't end well.

"Oh, hi." I said, still frozen in the doorway. Move Rachel. She's going to suspect something if you don't move. I took a couple steps forward, very slowly. I almost felt drawn to him, like he was pulling me closer. Before I knew it, I was right in front of him grabbing papers out of his hands. His fingers gently brushed against mine causing my nerves to heighten. I stood there, frozen for a second, until he stepped back. Thanks a lot.

"Um, Miss Brashear told me to give these to you."

"Uh, yeah, I... thanks." I rubbed my thumb against my temples trying to clear my head. As I did so, I was reminded of the constant headache I couldn't seem to shake.

"Crap, I forgot to get the cheese out of the car. Rachel, come stir this while I go get it." Oh no, there was absolutely no way she was leaving me alone with him.

"No, that's okay. I'll go get it, you stir." My mom looked extraordinarily surprised.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," I said, an edge to my voice.

"And you're feeling alright?"

"Ugh, Mom. I'm fine," I sighed, rolling my eyes. I threw the papers down on the table and started to storm away, until I heard his voice.

"Well, I don't want to bother you. I'll just get going." Oliver snarkily remarked.

Of course he was going to try to catch me alone. Of course.

"Are you sure? You could stay for dinner." Sweet moon! Just shut up Mom... please shut up...

"Oh no, thanks for the offer. My dad's cooking tonight. Plus I wouldn't want to be..." I could sense Oliver looking at me. I came to a stop and looked at him over my shoulder only to see his familiar smile bursting from his lips.

"A bother," he said softly, trying to toy with me. I kept walking knowing he was the last thing I wanted to deal with.

"Oh, okay then. Rachel, thank the boy for the papers!" I sighed dramatically and spun around.

"Thanks." I muttered, frustrated. He smiled at me and looked eager, about to laugh at my

I quickly ran out the front door trying to lose him, but, of course, as soon as I turned around from shutting my mom's car door, he was hovering over top of me. I jumped.

"Sweet moon, Oliver," he put his hand to the door, leaning against the car, entirely too close to me. "you almost scared me half to death."

"Well, I couldn't leave without actually talking to you."

I looked anywhere, but at him, to avoid eye contact.

"Look, I appreciate it but you can't just show up at my house like that. My mom will suspect-"

"Suspect what? We're just friends, are we not?"

Damn, alright, now you've really done it.

"Is a kiss not official enough for you?" Now making eye contact with him, I stared daggers at him.

"Oh Rachel." A couple minutes of silence go by. I remember that we technically hadn't made anything 'official' yet, but did it matter?

"So how are you doing? Truly. What happened?" If one more person asks me if I'm okay...

"Fine. I got hit with a car. Had a concussion. Quite dandy, you?"

"Is that concussion gone yet?"

"Yeah. No. I don't know. Hey, did you hear about that new ice cream place?"

He stroked the side of my face with his hand and I could feel my eyes automatically close.

"If there's anything I can do to make you feel better, and I mean anything, just say the word." A new sensation took over my body. Very... tingly. I think I felt comforted by his touch, but I jerked back when I remembered that my mom was so close.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just- nothing. My mom, I guess, she's just a little overbearing. She'll wonder where I am if I don't go back inside."

"Okay," he looked off into the sky and removed his hand from the car. He seemed disappointed, borderline mad. I guess I could understand that.

"K," I said timidly. Oliver took a few away, peered over his shoulder, then faced me again.

"Call me tonight, okay? I want you to tell me everything that happened. Everything you felt, everything you went through." He looked at me passionately, then nodded me off.

"Oh, uh-"

"It's a date then!" He winked at me, smiling, then walked away.

I don't know what it was about him, but I felt some sort of gravitational pull towards him. Maybe it was because he cared so much. Maybe it was because he was so sweet. No matter how annoyed I was with him just a few seconds ago, something still drew me towards him.

Maybe I would just always want him. That thought alone scared me though. I didn't like not being in control of my own emotions. I didn't want to feel so-

And that's when I noticed the wallet.