The Stranger

Chapter Twenty-Three

+ Rachel +

"Five minutes, that's it," I say to Sky when the door shuts. I look at the clock and take a note on the time.

"Rachel, I don't know what else I can say to you other than I'm so sorry and that I just want a second chance," he says.

I guess I'll help him get his thoughts together, "Why do you want a second chance?"

"Because I love you," he says and I didn't even think before rolling my eyes. "I do," he defends. "I need you by my side, I don't want to walk through life without you," he says while taking my hand and stepping closer to me.

I look down at our hands. I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss this, that I didn't miss him. I'd be lying if I said my first instinct when I saw him wasn't to run into his arms and just be close to him for as long as possible.

Though, I have to think before I do. He hasn't changed from who he was, he can claim he has, but no one changes that quickly. It'd take years of work for me to believe he made even the slightest change.

I'm getting older and I need to think deeper than just attraction. I need to be with someone for reasons other than they can make me laugh, that they're attractive, or that they're fun to be around. While that is still important to think about, it isn't all I should think about. I need to think about someone who wants to learn about who I am, my hopes and dreams, my past and how it made me who I am today. I need someone who wants to learn who I am and once they do will work to become one with me. I've had months to think about what my views are on relationships, and I believe I have now moved on from the typical teenage views. I think a relationship should be wanting to learn about someone and what makes them who they are, then once you've done that, working to become one with them. One heart, one soul.

"What are you thinking about?" Sky quietly asks after a minute of silence.

I let out a sigh, "Sky, listen," I say looking into his eyes. "I no longer just want someone to be there to hug and kiss me, I want something more than that. I want someone who will look deeper than just the surface of who I am. No, actually I need someone who will look beyond the surface," I explain. "I just don't think you can do that."

"I can, I can do anything if it means being with you," he says taking both of my hands and staring deep into my eyes.

I take in a breath, "Have you ever wondered about why I want to be a performer?"

"Yeah, I remember-"

"Not how I got started in theatre, why I want to be part of it," I say.

"I guess I never really thought about it," he says. "Why?"

"It's something that makes me who I am," I say, taking my hands from his. "It is one of the most important parts of me and it has never even crossed your mind," I shake my head. "Not even once," I mumble. "Sky, that's what I'm talking about, our relationship is nothing deeper than a few teenagers who just want to feel like they're part of something real."

"I thought we were something real," he says quietly while looking at the ground.

"I thought that, too," I shrug. "The sooner you realize we weren't, the better." There's a pause between us, I look at the clock. "It's been five minutes," I say, taking a step back from him.

"You really don't have any feelings for me anymore?" He asks.

"No," I quietly say. "Nothing real at least."

"Okay," he looks at the ground. "I hope one day you find what you're looking for," he says and a smile.

"I hope one day you can learn what you're looking for," I say, hoping I sound as sincere as I am. I feel like this could be taken the wrong way, but I do mean it sincerely. "Goodbye, Sky."