who caused so much drama look so absolutely perfect? I don’t blame Chase for holding me tightly. He probably thinks I’m close to hitting her and even though I have never hit anyone in my entire life, my fists clench in anger instantly and all I see is red.
“How is he?” She sounds concerned. She should be. This is all her fault anyway. I see the guilt in her eyes and am slightly happy that this manipulative witch is capable of showing some sliver of remorse.
“You put him in a coma, Rachel. How do you think he’s doing?” I spit the words out angrily not bothering to care that she sees how much I hate her.
“I know.” She hangs her head in what I hope is shame as the words are barely spoken above a whisper. “I’m really sorry about all of this. I know it’s my entire fault, I just thought…” She stops and looks to Chase. “Can I talk to Nicole privately for a minute?”
I squeeze Chase’s arm tightly for a minute, letting him know it was okay. He sends me a look that says ‘please don’t kill her here.’ I smile lightly and nod. He slowly leaves the room and whispers something I don’t hear into Rachel’s ear. Based on how her head drops even further, I assume it isn’t a friendly hello.
I move back slightly when Rachel sits down in the loveseat, too close to me for my comfort. She holds her hands together nervously in her lap. I straighten up and glare at her until she speaks.
With a deep sigh, she speaks softly. “I’ve been in love with Zack for years.”
This is not a shock to me.
“I knew he never felt the same way about me. I knew that he didn’t love me, and I waited patiently for years hoping he’d change his mind. Through all of the other girls he dated, I always hoped he would realize how much I loved him and would change his mind towards me. I knew as soon as I saw you at the awards show he was completely in love with you. All the times we were together, I wanted him to look at me the way he looked at you and held you that night. I knew I had lost him, but I wasn’t ready to give him up yet.”
She pauses and buries her head in her hands, tears softly falling down her cheeks. If she hadn’t been so completely bitchy to me, I may have actually felt sorry for her.
“I didn’t mean for any of this. I don’t know what the hell I was thinking when I tricked him into my house. He was so pissed when he found out what I had done that he ran out of my house and left his cell phone.” Tears fall again as she replays the story.
“I heard the crash…it was just a half mile from my house. I knew it was him or one of the photographers as soon as I heard it. I got there as fast as I could, but the paparazzi had already called 911. That was when I went back to the house and called you. It wasn’t what you were thinking, Nicole.”
I sit quietly, trying to process everything she says, but I say nothing, not even when she looks at me with tears in her eyes.
“He was adamant about how much you mean to him. I want you to know that. Nothing happened with us, and he didn’t come willingly. I called him freaking out that someone had broken into my house. I knew he would come if he thought I was in trouble. I just couldn’t imagine losing him forever, and after that night at Rue21, I just had to try one more time. I’m so sorry. I’ll do whatever I have to, to make this better.”
I couldn’t care less about her honesty. The only thing I feel is elated in hearing her tell me that Zack was faithful. I will never doubt his love or faithfulness again, as long as I live.
“There’s nothing you can do Rachel.” I don’t take my eyes off of her for a second. I also don’t care if my words hurt her, because I want her to hurt. I’m so angry with her that I want her to feel pain at realizing what she’s done. “He’s here because of your selfish obsession with a man who doesn’t love you.”
She at least has the grace to nod