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RACHEL
I roll the pencil back and forth on the counter. It’s a slow Friday evening and part of me is wishing I hadn’t taken this shift, knowing I could be catching up on some TV or out with Lucas at a party.
However, ever since our spat with Hunter, I haven’t quite wanted to be in the apartment. It isn’t the same with Hunter always gone. I wrinkle my nose as I recall Hunter ignoring me when I made him breakfast. And when he is there, he is quite the spoil sport.
Lucas and Seth obviously feel the same. I lift my gaze and watch Seth sweep the floors, muttering something under his breath as he moves the dirt back and forth. He’s been like that since Hunter left us outside the football stadium last weekend. It’s been nearly a week since we’ve seen our Thor look-alike and I can tell Seth has been worrying about him. Although, he won’t admit it to anyone.
I sigh and spin myself around in the chair. As I return to the computer screen, I notice its five minutes after seven. In less than one hour we can close the joint down and head home. Then what? Try to ignore Hunter?
“Hey,” says Seth while perking his head up and leaning the broom against a shelf of running belts. “Let’s go to The Coffee Shop after this. I don’t feel like heading home.”
I make a face and groan, remembering my last run in with Charlie and Lauren. Not only was my conversation with the girls completely messed up, but it also brought up memories of my big showdown with Josh in art class.
“Let’s not.”
Seth strides towards me, leaning against the counter while I focus my attentions on the computer screen. There’s nothing really interesting to look at; just the running store’s website and some photos I took of new gear coming out next month.
“Why not?” Seth asks.
I sigh and shake my head. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“You’ll feel better if you do.”
I lift my gaze to his and roll my eyes as I see the smirk on his lips.
“Come on,” he whines. “Let me take you out.”
I chuckle and poke his nose. “You don’t want to take me out on a date. You just don’t want to go home.”
“So?”
“I don’t like to be used,” I say while turning back to the website. I need to finish one more article on the bright pink compression socks we received last week.
“That’s not what I heard,” Seth whispers mischievously into my ear.
I lurch back in my chair, nearly falling out of it while Seth watches me, chuckling and helping me regain balance. “You are so bad.”
“Have I changed your mind?”
I sigh and shake my head. “I don’t know. I’m worried I’ll run into Charlie and Lauren.”
Seth frowns and wraps an arm around my shoulder. “Why are you worried about running into them? I thought you guys were close?”
I grimace, recalling Josh’s stupid face and the words he told the girls. I still can’t believe he did that. I don’t understand why he would try to apologize to me one day and then ruin my life the next.
“Josh told the girls that I tried to take advantage of him.”
“What?” Seth shouts.
“And when I confronted him in my drawing class, he accused me of stealing his friends.”
I watch Seth roll up his sleeves. “That boy needs another punch in the face.”
I chuckle and rest my hand on his. “That won’t be necessary.”
Seth shakes his head while tapping his chin. “Why don’t you just tell the girls what happened? They will surely understand.”
I sigh, feeling the need to cry again as I remember Lauren’s scowl and Charlie’s uncertainty. Maybe they’ll believe me. Maybe they won’t. I try to pull myself together and blink back the tears already beginning to form. I’ve already cried so much this semester. I feel raw, like someone has opened me up and I can never be whole again. “I told my teacher what happened. He told me to report it.”
