family friends

25 - the truth

The drive to the beach feels longer than it ever has. The anticipation nearly drives me insane and I can barely believe I make it there without being pulled over. Not seeing Rachel anywhere, I decide to at least stop and get some ice cream to ease my anxieties. There aren't many people here since it's the end of December, so I don't have to wait to order at all.

I get vanilla. I have to.

Outside, I sit on a bench and watch the few people milling around with their friends. It's mostly teenagers, half of them wearing tank tops and shorts as if it isn't 50° and windy. Even in my sweatshirt, I feel a chill running down my body.

"I'm not surprised she got you hooked on vanilla ice cream too," a voice beside me says. I turn to see a girl about my age, hair burnt orange, sitting beside me. Rachel. "It's such a peculiar thing, but she's quite obsessed with the most bland flavor out there."

"It's only considered boring because so many people like it," I say, recalling y/n telling me the exact same thing when I called her ice cream choice boring. Rachel chuckles lightly, leaning back on the bench and looking up at the cloudy sky.

"So, Clay, how are you? Has this been overwhelming for you at all?" She asks this like we're old friends, discussing an issue at work that's really nothing more than a bothersome task.

"Can we not pretend, please?"

She rolls her eyes and turns to me. "Fine. Have it your way. I was just trying to make it a bit more pleasant for us." I glare at her and she returns the look. "So what do you want? I know Y/n would never let you come here so she must not know."

"And I'd love it if you didn't tell her, though, I doubt you're looking to please me," I say, trying to stop my hands from shaking in anger. Hopefully, she'll misinterpret it as nervousness.

"As much as I'd love to throw a wrench in whatever little thing you two have going on, I promised her two weeks, so I have to abide by that."

"Two weeks for what?"

"Oh, so she didn't tell you then. Did you know we met?"

"Yes."

"Mmm, peculiar. Alright, well, if you must know, I agreed to give her two weeks of leaving her alone, no involvement, no contact, nothing. Then we could talk again and start getting back into our relationship."

"She isn't going to be with you again, Rachel. You have to know that."

"You don't know anything about us. Whatever you've been told is a lie. I'm not the bad guy here, even if that's what she tried to make me in order to ignore her own issues."

"Listen, you can't manipulate me, so there's no use trying." She smirks and shakes her head. "What I need to know is why she hasn't just called the police on you. You've stalked, assaulted, and abused her. There's no lack of evidence."

This makes Rachel grin. "Oh, I love that I get to tell you this! I didn't know I'd have the pleasure."

"Get on with it."

"So impatient, Clay." I respond with silence so she rolls her eyes and continues. "To put it simply, you're the reason she's choosing to handle this between us. So, thank you for that. I have to say, you made it pretty easy."

"How am I stopping her? I'm the one who told her to call the police in the first place at the party." Rachel throws her head back in laughter as if I've just said the funniest thing. "Stop laughing and tell me."

"Jesus, you're no fun at all. I was simply recalling what a fun party that was. I did dance for a while before we went outside to talk."

"You dragged her outside while she was drunk. Don't act like she went out willingly."