The sun broke through the clouds suddenly, a surprise I hadn't been expecting, and I had to narrow my eyes against the glare off the white walls of the room. We squinted for a moment, letting our eyes adjust.
You know, I remember how you looked the first time you came to my place. I bet you don't even realize what a mess you were then, Rach. It was weeks before you started to look human again. And I remembered how you always used to have your arms wrapped around yourself, trying to hold yourself together. . . ." Melissa winced, and then shook her head. "It's hard for me to remember how sad you were, and it wasn't my fault. I couldn't do anything about it."
"You're right, it wasn't your fault," I stated. "I broke up with him. I knew he didn't love me." I stroked her hair. "Not like you do."
"We should probably head out."
I nodded. "Sounds like a plan, Stan."
We made our way over to her house. Her mother was in the kitchen, her father not home yet.
"Hi, Mrs. Miller!" I greeted cheerfully.
She slowly turned around. "Uh, hey girls..."
Melissa grew concerned. "What is it, Mom?"
She sighed, not meeting our gaze. "I'm worried. . . ."
"What's wrong?" Melissa asked, anxious at once. "What can I do?"
"It's not me." She shook her head. "I'm worried about you . . . and Rachel."
"You two are more serious than I'd been thinking," she went on. "There's something . . . strange about the way you two are together," she murmured, her forehead creasing over her troubled eyes.
I laughed, though I was not able to meet her gaze. "That's a bad thing?"
"No." She frowned as she struggled for the words. "It's just different. I feel like I don't really understand your relationship. Like there's some secret I'm missing. . . ."
"I think you're imagining things, Mom," she said quickly, struggling to keep her voice light. There was a flutter in my stomach.
She pursed her lips and stared down. "Don't tell me," Melissa teased, forcing a smile. "You're reading mysteries, aren't you? Or is it sci-fi this time?"
"Found anything good?" I asked.
"Well, there was one - but that doesn't matter. We're talking about you right now."
"You should stick to romance, Mom. You know how you freak yourself out."
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Love Her
Любовные романыYou are in love with your best friend, but she has no clue. You have suffered in silence as you have watched her fall for the wrong guys over and over again. Graduation is coming up, and you are running out of time to tell her how you feel. Will she...
