Secret Diaries (Heartlake Cliche #1)

Chapter Seventeen

     That could only mean a date, Rachelle’s mind told her.

     She’s happy for her best friend. She really was.

     But somehow, hearing that another girl would choose his clothes for him made her heart feel like someone had squeezed it dry. It felt as if she and Nick are slowly drifting apart. Having a boyfriend had not changed their friendship before. To be honest, she probably spent more time with Nick than any of her previous boyfriends even when she was in a relationship. All of them had made complaints about it but none of them openly challenged Nick’s importance to Rachelle. Well, maybe Liam did—if she counted him as a boyfriend.

     She sighed loudly.

     “I hope I’m not the reason for that miserable sigh,” Liam joked as he gazed at her as he stood by her bedroom’s window sill.

     Liam’s voice slowly penetrated Rachelle’s thoughts and she looked at him, confused, before the rest of her surroundings registered though the haze in her mind. He was wearing a black and white checkered shirt, jeans and sneakers and they were in her room in her house. He brought her home from a photo shoot and Rachelle invited him in. She was still wearing her rumpled, purple wrap dress because Liam had asked for a house tour and she had no time to change into something more comfortable.

     No one else was home yet.

     “No, of course not. I was just thinking. That’s all,” Rachelle replied, distractedly.

     Liam grinned. “That’s good.” He walked over to the side of the bed where Rachelle was sitting and extended a hand to her. “Let’s go, before I ruin a perfectly good impression should your brother or mother arrive and see me in your bedroom with no one else in the house.”

     Rachelle smiled, knowing just how right that statement was. Vivian was fine with boyfriends but sex was a totally different matter. She knew that Liam was a good guy and she couldn’t spoil his chances to Matt and her mother. Liam had attracted her since the beginning and he was yet to do something that could make Rachelle hate him. He was handsome and wealthy but more so, he was charming, sensitive, and a good listener yet it was obvious that he was also protective and strong—almost like Nick.

     Stop worrying over Nick, Rach, she thought as she mentally shook her head.

     She took Liam’s outstretched hand, stood up and walked out of the bedroom in time to hear the front door opening.

*****

     Today was Saturday but fangirls already gathered in separate groups inside the St. James’ gymnasium watching as Quarter-To-Five rehearsed their part for the school’s anniversary.

     The student council had already started their preparations with the stage while the basketball team still pushed through with their daily practice. Thus, the huge hall was filled with a mix of sounds from pounded hammers, dribbled basketballs, strummed guitars, and spoken words.

     It was St. James Academy’s 35th year and a week-long set of activities had been planned. The anniversary would be kicked off with a concert to be held on the first Monday of November—a mere two days away from now. Students were encouraged to participate and Quarter-To-Five was invited to perform.

     Nick finished setting up the keyboards and was about to start helping Kane assemble the drum set when Grace arrived with Rachelle and Liam. Heads turned towards the women of the hour. They both walked as if oblivious to the stares that were being thrown their way. What irritated Nick was that Grace was being showered with looks of awe and amazement while Rachelle got either pity or scorn. Granted, he might as well have slapped Rachelle when he allowed people to see him with Grace but he never wanted Rachelle to be treated so badly. He hoped things would start going better for his best friend.