You're My Home (completed)

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

"Maybe if we hide, he'll be someone else's problem," Rachel whispered to Willow, bending a little to reach her ear.

Willow scoffed.

"What? I'm serious."

Rachel started walking to the nearest drink stand. Large barrels sat side by side, containing God knows what. Willow trailed behind and grabbed Rachel's elbow.

"Why are you so mean to Collin?"

"I'm not mean."

Willow let go of Rachel's elbow and put her hands on her hips.

"Okay, fine. I'm mean," Rachel sighed. "I just don't like him." She gave money to the person behind the drink counter and showed her ID.

"Why don't you like him?" Willow pressed. "He's hot. I mean like...super model, bad boy surfer, gladiator type hot. Plus, he's sweet. You've been a total jerk to him."

Rachel took the goblet and the leftover change. It looked like cheap wine.

"Please," she responded with a hint of sarcasm. "I've met guys like him before. They're all a bunch of womanizers who have a talent for lying. He's no different. You can fall for it, but I'm not gonna."

Out of the corner of her eye, Rachel saw her friend shrug. "Yeah, right," Willow said.

Rachel gulped the bitter tasting drink. Yes, it was definitely cheap wine. She peered suspiciously at Willow.

"What?"

"I'm falling for it. Hey, if you won't have him, I will...even though he's clearly crushing on you."

Rachel blinked, "What?"

Willow stared off into the distance. "I think I might invite him to the Halloween work party."

An uncomfortable feeling clenched Rachel's stomach. "Who?" she asked, hoping she hadn't heard right.

Willow came back from her daze. "Collin, of course." Her eyes glimpsed over Rachel's shoulder, and she squinted. "Is that who I think it is?"

Rachel followed her friend's gaze, and her insides knotted. Her ex, Mike, hadn't noticed her yet—thank God. He stuck out in the crowd, wearing faded blue jeans and the black hoodie Rachel used to borrow on occasion. He sipped a goblet of his own, taking in the surroundings.

"Oh, my gosh," Rachel said ducking behind Willow. Her attempt at hiding failed, seeing that Willow's height ended at Rachel's shoulder. She stood there anyway, her back arched in the effort.

"Uh..." Willow muttered, fanning out her skirt as wide as it would go. "Not helping!"

Rachel frantically searched for an escape.

"He's looking! He's looking!" Willow said through her teeth—faking a smile at Mike.

Rachel crouched and ran behind a stack of barrels. Seconds later she heard Mike's familiar voice. The breath she'd been holding slowly seeped out.

"Hey," Mike said.

Willow used a polite tone, the same tone she'd used when she got the wrong impression about Rachel and shirtless Collin. "Hey! How are you? It's been awhile."

"Yeah...yeah it has. I'm doing fine. I'm actually looking for Rachel. Is she here?"

"Um...no?" the question at the end was unmistakable. Willow had never been good at lying, nor did she like to.