lovestruck † hs

Chapter 22

Rachel's POV

I wasn't sure how long I had been lying on my bed, my mother's cruel words running on loop through my mind, haunting and putting me down, until a sudden banging on my door brings me back to reality. I peel my eyes open to look outside my window to find it dark, the dim light from the moon shinning through the nearly opened blinds. My cousins must be home.

"Rachel, are you alright? May we please come in?" I hear Jennifer's high pitched accent through the thin wooden door.

"Dammit Rach I'm tired of knocking. Let us in, I know you're crying," Hayley snaps before I hear a loud smack. She cries, "Ow! Whatcha do that for?"

"Don't be so insensitive to her! I'll hit you again," I hear Jen whisper. Then she sighs, "Look Rachel, you don't have to let us in, but please just tell us what's the matter?"

"She was so happy before," Hayley comments.

I search for my voice. I know it's somewhere in there, I can feel it. It's got to be there. I haven't lost it.

"I...I..its my parents," I croak, my voice seriously messed up from crying. My mother's horrible insults about myself and Harry replay in my head and I begin to sob again.

"Do you think Aunt and Uncle are alright? What if they're hurt?" I barely understand Jen question Hayley. I try to quiet myself and listen but it's difficult.

"No, they're fine. She's not crying because of that. They said something to her to make her this way. They usually tend to screw her up. I don't understand why they're so harsh on her," Hayley replies, as if they don't think I can hear them. The tears fall from my eyes and I can hardly see as I cry out.

"Come on Hayley, we should leave her be."

Those are the last words I hear before I unknowingly drift myself off to sleep, the crying taking all of my energy in me.

* * *

"Rachel? Rachel wake up," I think I hear a whisper, but all I see is black.

My eyes open on their own, and the first thing I see are Hayley and Jennifer, both dressed for work, beaming down at me.

I rub my eyes and raise a brow, wondering what the hell they're doing in my room.

"Come out, we've got a surprise for you," Hayley grins, reaching for my hand to help me out of bed.

I sit up, my head beginning to ache from all the crying I did. The pain just hit me like a tidal wave, jeez. I feel as if I've got like a hangover, that's how bad it is. I bring my free hand to rub my temple as I'm helped to stand up.

Jennifer puts her arm around me. "Don't worry we can get you something for that," she smiles an assuring smile as they lead me out my room and into the hallway, where the smell of pancakes begins to excite me.

My cousins turn me to go into the kitchen, and what I find shocks me a little. The girls set up something grand, a nice stack of pancakes, which I've missed desperately because the two don't like them, so I haven't had them in forever. There's a glass of my favorite juice, apple, a card next to the plate on the counter, a box with too large of a bow on it, and confetti scattered over the surface. I feel the wide grin grow on my face and I don't bother to make it stop. Nothing this nice has happened to me in what seems like forever.

"We thought you'd like it. It's a 'Congratulations on Harry and an apology for your shitty parents' present!" Hayley giggles as I sit down on a stool in front of the bar counter, and I can't help but giggle as well.