As Happy As I've Never Been...

~Chapter Eighteen~

“You’ve obviously never met Stuart.” He says.

“Obviously.” I say, letting the harshness come back over my voice. I just stare straight ahead, trying not to be completely clouded by anger.

“Oh Rachel, come off it.” He says, nudging me.

“Come off it?” I ask, astounded, looking at him. “Ed Sheeran, you-“ I start to say, “broke my heart” but did he? Did I over react? Is this what a broken heart truly feels like? I had assumed so, but did he? Is my heart really broken? Or did it merely fracture?

“I?” He says, and I realized I had stopped midsentence, looking at him now, I know the answer to my questions.

“Broke my heart. You broke my heart, and it hurt, and I am not going to allow you to wiggle your way back in while it’s still healing. I'm not, why would I? You hurt me, Ed, you really did. It was less than two weeks ago and everything!” I say, tearing up a little bit, but not enough for any of my tears to escape.

“Rachel, I'm so sorry. I really didn’t want to, please, believe me.” He says, taking one of my hands in his. I quickly pull it away.

“Come back in a couple days, with a different approach, and try this again, Ed. Maybe I’ll forgive you then.” I say, the harshness in my voice surprising even me a little. He just looks at me, I know, I can just see him from the corner of my eye, and he opens his mouth, as if to say something, but closes it. I feel he get off my bed and listen as he walks out of my room, closing the door behind him. Slowly, I dissolve into tears. Ugly sobbing that I am so glad no one can see.

                                                                *             *             *

We’re going to dinner. As my ugly tears were subsiding, Jordyn poked her head in and gave me an hour’s warning. She said to dress nicely because everyone was going and it is a beautiful restaurant.

I quickly shower and get dressed before applying makeup. Purple really isn’t my color, but I really like this dress I have, and I thought, Oh what the hell, might as well go all out with the purple.

http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=66787352

Just as I'm finishing applying my lipstick, Jordyn enters my room.

Jordyn: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=66786413

“Hey look, we’re both wearing butterflies.” She says, showing me her ring and indicating towards my necklace.

“Oh yeah, huh?” I say, smiling for what feels like the first time today.

“Come on, everyone’s waiting for us down stairs.” She says. “Well, except Eli and Jared, they’re sick. Something about food poisoning and under cooked sausage.” She corrects herself.

“Ok.” I say, sucks for them, but I figured they’d get sick eventually, they never actually check if their food is cooked properly. We walk down the stairs, and all the couples are being couple-like. Then there’s Mayte, who looks gorgeous.

“Rachel!” Mayte exclaims and rushes over to hug me. “Catherine called and asked me to come, am I dressed ok? She said fancy.” She asks me, looking down at herself in one of the dresses she bought when we went shopping.

http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=66785811

“You look amazing!” I tell her, and she thanks me before Catherine drags her away.

Catherine: http://www.polyvore.com/untitled_208/set?id=65649160

Catherine’s also wearing the dress she bought, and it looks really good. I hate that she can be such a bitch, but she’s so pretty and organizes herself so well that she’s hard to dislike. Catherine drags Mayte over to Liam and introduces the two of them, hmm, I can see them together. Liam’s face lights up a little bit as she begins to talk to him. Seeing that they’re squared away, I begin to look at everyone else. Louis and Jordyn are talking and being all cute, Rebecca and Harry are talking to Zayn and Bella, and they all look impeccable. Finally, my eyes rest on Niall and Catherine, who is just joining him after pairing up Mayte and Liam.