Friendship comes and goes alongside the passage of time, but sometimes, the bonds between certain people are stronger than normal. Stephen Strange and Rachael Barrow grew up together, their bond wavering, but never breaking. Together, they've pushed...
"Well, you certainly didn't make my life before that easier," Stephen said. "I lost tons of prospective girlfriends because of you. They all thought we were together, so they never tried."
"Well, I'm sorry that they were too stupid to see that it would have been illegal for us to date, but it's not my fault that they were that idiotic," Rachael took a deep breath. "Stephen, we're getting off topic. This is about you looking for cures and drinking. I know that you're hurt. I know. But you're breaking my heart! I can't just- just sit by and watch you waste away! You need to stop. I'll help you in any way I can. I can drop shows, I can loan you money to pay the bills until you get a job, I can do your physical therapy if you want, we can go to treatment-"
"Stop pitying me!" Stephen shouted.
"This isn't pity!" Rachael screamed back. "This is me wanting to keep you safe! Watching you do this is so hard for me!"
"This isn't one of your fairy tale musicals, Rachael! Is that what I am to you now? Oh, poor Stephen Strange! Don't worry, I'll sing some song that any girl off the streets could sing and then he'll be good as new! When will you get it into your head that life isn't that way?" Stephen shouted, pacing angrily. "You care SO much, don't you?!"
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Yes, I do!" Rachael was trying desperately to hold tears back at this point. "I'm doing this because I love you, Stephen! Every time you go out, I'm constantly terrified that I'm going to wake up to another phone call like that again because you got in a drunk car crash!"
"Well, if it wasn't for you, I never would have crashed the car in the first place, and we wouldn't be having this conversation! I wouldn't have been looking at my phone!" Stephen yelled.
"Oh, so you Snapchatting and driving was my fault?" Rachael asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"Yes, it was! I swear to God, I wish that we had never met!" Stephen shouted. "I would be so much better off if you would just LEAVE!"
Rachael felt her breath get stuck in her throat as her eyes widened in shock. She felt like Stephen had just slapped her in the face. She knew that he found her annoying sometimes, but did he really wish that he had never met her? And that she would leave? How long had he been thinking that?
Stephen internally slapped himself. Why had he said that? He hadn't meant it! He would never do anything to hurt Rachael.
Stephen took a step towards her. "Rachael...I didn't-"
Stephen didn't get a chance to finish. Rachael stormed up to him and slapped him in the face. "Fuck you, and everything in your miserable life."
Rachael turned around and grabbed her bag. She stormed out of the apartment in tears. Stephen recovered from the shock of her hitting him to chase after her.
"Rachael!" Stephen called, running after her. "Rachael, come back! I didn't mean it, Rachael! Please!"
