family friends

21 - meeting

"Awesome! I'd love to catch up sometime if you ever have a free evening."

"Definitely! Just text me!" She nods and goes back to the long line at the register. Rachel tries to keep a smile, but I can see the jealousy in her eyes.

"I'm going to ignore that for now because I know your time is limited," she says, taking a sip of her drink. "Let's talk then."

"What do you want? Just tell me exactly what you're hoping to accomplish."

"Baby-" I glare and she clears her throat. "Y/n, you know how much I love you. I just want you to give me another chance."

"And if I don't?"

"I guess I'll just have to accept that." I'm taken aback. There's no way it's this simple. It's just that, if you're not with me, I can't imagine you being happy with anyone else."

"So you'll sabotage any other relationship I have?"

"For your own good. I know how well we work together. You're just refusing to see it."

"Are you even hearing yourself, Rachel? You're quite literally trying to blackmail me into dating you again. That's so messed up." She looks hurts and a feeling of satisfaction fills me for a moment before the memory of her knowledge of Clay surfaces again.

"I will do whatever is necessary, it's true. But I'm not looking to hurt you, Y/n."

"If you expose Clay, you will be hurting me."

"Ah," she starts, pausing to take another sip of her drink. "It only hurts him, my love, not you." I glare at her.

"It hurts so many people, Rachel. This is crazy."

"It is, a little bit," she says, a smirk dancing on her lips. "But we were always into crazy love, weren't we?" I don't respond. "Listen, I know how this works. You aren't really here to accept our love. You're here to bargain. And I'm open to it. I understand that second chances are a process."

"I want time to figure stuff out without your threat hanging over my shoulder," I say.

"Fine. Two weeks. You won't hear from me once. But after that, I want us to start making progress. I'm okay taking it slow."

"Define slow."

"We can start with a few nice dates. I'm not trying to immediately move in."

"You aren't moving in at all."

"See, this is why we have issues. You're too stubborn to see past yourself," she criticizes, finishing her drink and pushing her cup to the edge of the table. 

"Fine, whatever. Two weeks then we can talk again and see how it goes."

"Better start distancing yourself from your lover boy now. I think he'll be the one who has the hardest time letting go."

"Right, you know a lot about not letting go, don't you?" She smiles.

"I love your attitude. Always so fiery." I glare again and sip at my coffee. "Alright, I suppose I'll see you in two weeks then. Maybe I'll hear you on Clay's stream in a little bit?" I shake my head at her, but she's already gotten up and started toward the door. I stand up after her just as she turns around. "Oh and, y/n? You know I love your theatrics, but was it really necessary to destroy a perfectly good mug?"

With that, she turns and leaves. I sit back at our table, not wanting to risk being outside alone with her again. Riley comes and grabs the empty mug and she stops, giving me a look of pity. "Girl, I know you're not okay," she says, sitting down across from me, despite the look from her boss.