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Hunter’s frown only makes me feel worse. I don’t need his pity.He’s not pitying you,I admonish myself.He’s trying to console you to the best of his abilities.Honestly, this whole video chat thing sucks. I could really use a hug about now.
“Really?” he asks. “They can’t work anything out?”
I shake my head. “Dad says he doesn’t trust Mom anymore. That he doesn’t think he can ever trust her for going behind his back. Mom says she can’t be with a man who doesn’t love her the way she wants to be loved.”
Hunter groans. “That sounds terrible.”
“It is,” I say with a nod. “They also can’t seem to stop fighting. Every time on the phone with one of them, they’re always badmouthing the other. It’s like they want me to choose sides, but I think they both suck.” I chuckle awkwardly and push my hair behind my ears. “I can’t say that to my parents, though, so I tend to just avoid their calls.”
“I’m so sorry, Rachel. I wish there was something I could do to help.”
I shake my head. “No. Speaking with you like this, it’s enough, Hunter. I’m just glad I finally get to see your face.”
Hunter smiles and leans closer to the screen. “I miss you.”
“I miss you, too.”
“You know,” he says coyly, “we could—”
A ringtone goes off and Hunter’s brows pinch together, displaying his frustration. I watch him reach into his jeans and grab his phone, scowling at the caller ID as if it’s possessed by some demonic force.
“I’m sorry, Rachel, but I really have to take this. It’s my coach.”
“It’s fine,” I say, although as soon as the words leave my mouth, I realize that it’s not fine at all. How can I say that? He’s doing everything he can to make this long-distance relationship work, and he’s living the dream. I need to be more supportive. “I need to go anyway,” I force myself to say, despite knowing my plans are completely clear for the night. “I’m meeting up with Charlie.” That’s a complete lie, but I don’t want Hunter feeling bad about ending our call early.
He nods, and I can tell in the way he looks at me, that he can see straight through my lies, but he, thankfully, says, “Tell her I said hi. Have a good night, Rachel.”
“You, too, Hunter.”
As soon as the screen fades to black, I lean back in my chair, gazing up at the ceiling and releasing a deep sigh. This long-distance thing really sucks. I feel like Hunter and I are growing farther and farther apart. All I want to do is be the supportive, loving girlfriend I know I can be. Yet I can’t help but feel like one day all this is going to break, and I’ll be left more broken-hearted than I would have been if we just broke up at the end of May.
Don’t give up,I tell myself.You can still make this work. You knew it was going to be hard. Once Hunter’s schedule has calmed down, it will get better.I try to hold onto that thought, yet I can’t help but think this is only the beginning of the end.
Chapter 2
ALEX
Ijumpupanddown, testing out the stretchy material of the black pants. The shoes look amazing, although I doubt they will remain all white after a day on my feet. I tend to go for black shoes, knowing mud stains won’t hinder their look all that much. Although, how can I complain? They’re free shoes, free clothes I can use for training, and they’re freaking expensive. I should be lucky I ever landed this gig.
I glance over at Seth, who is acting like a fish out of water. His eyes are wide as he looks around the dark room, watching people push racks filled with clothes in and out. The camera crew are talking amongst themselves. They seem to blend into the shadows with their dark clothes and their soft voices, reminding me of the art students back at Aurora. Thinking of them makes me frown, wishing Rachel could be here with us. I did invite her, but she declined.
“I need to save up for Chicago,”she had said.
I would have offered to pay for her, but I knew she would still say no for two reasons. One being she’s a strong, independent woman who can pay her own way and handle her own problems. Two, because she wants to ensure she can be near the phone or the computer when Hunter finally calls.
I don’t hate Hunter, but I hate the position he’s put Rachel in. Nearly every night, me, or Lucas, or Seth, find her on her phone, either texting him or waiting for him to call. It’s not Hunter’s fault he’s so busy. It’s not his fault that Rachel keeps jeopardizing her social life in order to have some sort of contact with him. However, it is his fault for making her think this can last, for making her have hope. Every week I find her looking more and more unlike herself. Honestly, she should have just come with us, but I suppose she has Lucas there to get her out of her room, or distract her from any heartache. Still, I can’t help but be angry with Hunter. Maybe I’m being selfish, but they should have broken up. I don’t think I can stand to see any more of Rachel’s frowns, nor her tears. I know she cries. I know she tries to pretend like everything is okay when it’s not.
“We’re ready,” I hear Alice, one of the photographers, call. She’s standing near one of the large lights in front of the white screen.
I turn toward Seth, finding him still holding his shirt while looking around. “Come on,” I say while smacking his arm lightly, chuckling when he flinches. “You’ll need your shirt on. It’s not that kind of shoot.” I waggle my eyebrows, hoping to take away his nervousness and make him laugh.
Instead, Seth’s face becomes as red as a cherry, his eyes growing even wider. “I know that,” he says angrily while shoving on his shirt.
I can’t help but notice that he’s put on a little weight. It looks good on him. His arms have filled out a bit. He doesn’t look like a skeleton anymore. His legs are still thin, but there is more meat on him and his washboard abs are still well-defined, but larger, as if they’re meant to be there. He seems to be back to his usual Sethy-self, yet somehow, very different.
“Wait,” I say when he begins stalking away from me.
I close the distance between us, stepping around him so I’m looking down at him. I frown at the wrinkle in his collar and quickly fix it. Seth’s breath hitches and my fingers brush against his collarbone ever so slightly. I think this is the closest I’ve ever been to Seth outside of our sexy time with Rachel. I never noticed how thick his eyelashes were or how they practically flutter at me now. Seth is actually quite beautiful. I can see what Rachel likes about him.
