The Boy Next Door

ｆｏｕｒｔｅｅｎ

Rachel

I felt so scared. My knees felt weak, my stomach felt like it was in knots, and my hands were going numb. It didn't help my nerves when he said that he wanted to talk to me as well. I don't think that I could handle him telling me that we need to break up so he can go be with another girl. The girl he is cheating on me with. I was on the verge of having a breakdown. I felt like I needed to yell and cry, but I couldn't. I just felt so hurt. He hadn't even said anything yet. But once he did start talking, my goal was to stay calm and not start yelling. I was just so sick and tired of having to go through this. I'm an adult, I could have a civil, adult conversation.

I wondered where the rest of his family was and if they were going to walk in on this discussion. I didn't want Hanna to see me crying and hurt.

He took a seat next to me on the couch. It seemed like he was trying to be calm, too. We silently sat for a moment. The air between us was thick. "I need to talk to you about something." He said.

"Go ahead," I said. I just thought I would let the band aid rip off.

He nodded. "Well, I am going to just be straightforward and not dance around the issue. Someone informed me today that you are hooking up with Luke." He said, "If you aren't happy with me, you could just say that and we could figure things out. I know I have been trying to take things slow. I don't want you to be unhappy and stay with me if you aren't into me. It really hurts to hear that you could be going to another guy for things that I should be the one giving you."

"Are you kidding me?" My eyes started to tear up again. "You have got to be kidding me. You really think that after all he has done to me that I would go back to him?" I couldn't stay calm. He was addressing the issue so calmly and maturely, but I hadn't expected him to start accusing me. I got up and started to pace. "I cannot believe that you would fucking believe that I would cheat on you. After how good you have been to me. I'm not some hoe who just hops from guy to guy when I get bored. I really made myself vulnerable by letting you get to know me and be with me, and this is what you think? Why the hell would I want to be exactly like him! He's a lying, cheating-"

He cut me off. He stood up. "No, I don't think that you would do that. But I'm not really sure who to believe in this situation. Maybe we don't know as much about each other as I thought we did." He said in an angry tone. "You have a history with Luke. How do I know that you still don't have feelings for him? He may have fucked you over, but you could still have feelings for him! Tons of people go back to their exes even after something like that. He is so much better than me! Of course, you would go back to him!" His calm had been lost.

"And you're so perfect yourself? You're the one cheating on me. I have a picture that someone sent me of you kissing some other girl in the hallway today after football practice. And now you're here accusing me of cheating to make yourself feel like you're not the bad guy." I felt like I had been slapped in the face and stabbed in the heart. "I have never even thought about cheating on you let alone doing so, unlike you." Tears streamed down my face. "I don't know if I can do this anymore. I am so tired of being so hurt."

"I didn't cheat on you Rachel."

"Colton, I have proof that you did, and are. Look, it is right in front of your face. How are you going to sit here and lie to me when the evidence is right in front of your face?" I held my phone up to him, showing him the picture again. He put his face in his hands and ran his hands through his hair. "Colton, how can I trust you when you can't even tell me the truth right now?"

He looked like he was about to cry. "Rachel. I did not cheat on you. That girl forced herself on me. I immediately pushed her off of me. She told me that you were cheating on me with Luke and then threw herself on me and kissed me. I promise you; I would never cheat on you. You mean the world to me and I never want to hurt you like that."