The Stranger

Chapter Twenty-Four

+ Rachel +

"If I have to eat one more disgusting jellybean I may actually throw up," Heather says as she spits out yet another horrid tasting jellybean.

"You know you're cursed when it comes to playing bean boozled," Stephen laughs.

"Or any game for that matter," I laugh.

"You know what I will take this mocking from family, teachers, classmates, little children, strangers, dogs, the guy from subway, cats, those friends I made online, hamsters, but not from you two." She huffs and crosses her arms.

"You forgot fish," Stephen and I say at the same time, then burst out laughing.

"You know what I don't feel welcome anymore," she says.

"Were you ever welcome in the first place?" Stephen says, trying to hold back a smile.

Heather's jaw drops and I fall back laughing. "Well, that... that is... you know what..." She at a loss for words which just makes it even better.

"I don't think you can recover from that, honey," I say while sitting up.

"I know," she sighs, shoulders slumping. "One of these days I'll win these roasts," she points out.

"Yeah, when the rest of us are six feet under," I remark.

"Ugh, I hate you both," she rolls her eyes while falling back.

I've missed this, spending time with my friends. Especially doing normal things, rather than waiting backstage for the show to start, or trying to find out where the heck we are in the country, or (as much as I loved it) meeting fansies. Now I can just be a normal nineteen year-old and play games made for six year-olds with my friends while we are home from college. The fact that we are considered adults actually frightens me as I stare at the tin full of jellybeans.

"I guess we can move on from giving Heather crap," I laugh and my phone starts to ring.

"I got it," Heather says while grabbing it off the coffee table and jumping up, starting to run off.

"Heather!" I yell, following her.

"Ohhh, Joey is calling," she says in a dramatic voice. "Hi, Joey," she answers the call. "Rachel isn't here right now, do you want me to take a message?"

"Heather give me my phone!" I yell. I catch up to her and snatch my phone from her hands. "Now shoo," I say. 

We really do act like children.

"Hello," I say into the phone, wondering if it is actually Joey or if Heather was just saying that.

"Hey, Rachel," I hear Joey's familiar voice say on the other line.

"Hey, Joey," I smile. "Sorry for Heather," I laugh.

"Don't worry," he laughs. "As long as the phone gets to you," he says sweetly. I'm glad this is a call so he can't see me blush. "Well, since I know that you're with some friends I'll be brief," he says.

"Okay."

"I just wanted to call to tell you that there is now a week left here in DC and then we are on our way to Boston, which means a week, give or take a few days, until we see each other again."

"Finally," I sigh. "It's been way too long," I say while leaning against one of the hallway walls. "I've really missed you."

"I've missed you, too," he says. He pauses for a second and I know he is debating on whether or not telling me something. "I have something really big to discuss with you when I see you," he says and I can hear he's stressed out by his voice.