Rachel's Turn

Chapter 36

After Miss Wendy finished working with the boys, she turned to the alto's and soprano's and finally all four groups began singing in perfect harmony. Noone could ever accuse this group of seniors of being anything less than talented. To date, this was by far the best group of vocals to bless the school.

Around 4:30, practice was over and rachel had an hour and fifteen minutes to get home, shower and complete her homework before Ryan called at 6pm. Not wasting another second, she grabbed her bags and ran out the door. In true Rachel style, she slipped going up the stairs and dropped her book bag. It's contents roaming the floor in search of a new home. Great, just great she thought.

Bending down to repack her bookbag, none other than Mr. Cole himself picked up the strip of pictures that her and Ryan had taken in the photobooth. " Hey, give me that Cole. It is not yours." Rachel yelled as Cole took the picture and ran out the doors toward the parking lot.

"Aww look at how cute you two are. Rachel and lover boy so sweet." Cole played keep away with the picture and just as he was about to withdraw it from her reach, a large object knocked him to the ground and Rachel reached for the picture. "Damn it Rachel you didn't have to hit me with your book bag!"

" Well, if you were not a nosey brat that seems to find amusement in tormenting me and stealing what is NOT yours, I would not have needed to hit you. What are you..." Before she could finish her sentence Cole grabbed her arm and pulled her down on the grass with him and pinned her arms to the ground. Awkward!

"Look here Miss Pissy Pants! You cannot resort to viloence and I am NOT going to let you go until you apologize!" Coles words mentally slapped her and for a few moments she looked into his eyes and he into hers.

Snap out of it Rachel!!! NO NO NO this is NOT right!!! Go home Ryan is about to call!!! Rachel's mind begged.

"Cole, let me go, I have to get home!"

"Well, are you going to say you are sorry for hitting me?"

"You are impossible you know that?! Fine, I am sorry now give me my picture, get off me and let me get to my car!" Rachel was shouting by the time her words were complete and Cole gently raised up off her while she took the picture and ran to her car.

Damn she is feisty! I always knew she had it in her. Damn boyfriend! Maybe I did wait too long. His mind thought as he watched her drive away.

Cole gathered his books and made his way to his car. His mind continued to think about Rachel and how he just wished she would give him a chance. Amy was right, he had to win her trust back since he lost it a few years ago. He always regretted not protecting their friendship.

When he first met Rachel on the day he transferred to the school his freshman year, he knew that she was a special kind of girl. She was not what he would classify as a nerd but she was not in the 'beauty queen' group either. He was not attracted to her looks but to her personality. Cliché? Yes, but it was the truth.

He had always been in the 'cool ' groups eventhough he did not party hard and drink. As a football player there seemed to be unspoken rules about who one could and could not hang with at school. Each day in this new world and new people pulled him away from Rachel. She knew everyone and everyone overall liked her and thought she was sweet, just not good enough to hang out with.

Over the years, he could see the hurt in Rachel's eyes and he began to distance himself further and further because he knew the pain was from him. He never meant to hurt her, but finding out she had a crush on him was scary and that coupled with the razing the team and others gave him about the 'plain ole Rachel crushin' on him' was enough to bury his head in the sand.

As time passed, Cole began to think that Rachel's feelings had died down and he could finally breath. She did not seem to be sad when she daw him and the mean glares faded. All this was good until the Sadie Hawkin's Dance. When he walked into the choir room and met her fiesty blue eyes, he knew what was coming but hoped he was wrong. Her words, " I know you know I like you so will you go to the dance with me?" Made his stomach roll and the only thing he could do was laugh, yet he tried his best to stop it. NO! He almost shouted which sent Rachel into a tailspin and to make matters worse, one, I wanted to console her and two, he wanted to run away.

Just as he was planning on leaving the class, Sabrina walked up and asked if Cole wanted to go with her to the dance. Without thinking, he immediately said yes as the pain of rejection wreaked havoc on Rachel. He could not believe what an ass he had been!

**** PLEASE COMMENT PLEASE!!! I really want to know your input!!!