Chapter 9

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The time had come for Brian to propose to Annie, Rachel and Luke hid behind the hedges as they watched the couple enjoy their evening. Rachel gazed longingly at the loving couple, the way their hands touched ever so slightly, the way their eyes gazed lovingly at each other. Something deep inside Rachel was changing and she didn't like it.
The three-course meal had come to a close, Brian was fiddling with his blazer for a moment before he gently clasped his hands around Annies.

"You are wonderful, you know that right?" Brian smiled softly, he watched the redness flush Annies freckled cheeks.

"Aw, Brian. You've been absolutely adorable this evening. This date, this garden, it's been the perfect evening..." Annie swooned, she leaned over her empty plate to softly kiss Brian on the cheek.

"Well, there is one more thing, that I hope, will make tonight even more perfect." Brian smiled as he shuffled closer to Annie. 

"Nothing could make this evening any more perfect..." Annie began, she watched Brian pull out a small black box from his blazer pocket, he moved his chair directly beside her and looked directly in her eyes. She felt her stomach flutter, her heart began to beat uncontrollably. Was he... really going to do this?

"We've been together for a while now, and if I'm being completely honest, I can't really remember much about life before I met you. We still have to explore so much about each other that we don't know but I want to explore all of that with you, Annie." Brian gulped. "Every room you walk into, you light it up with your positivity and that god damn beautiful smile, you're the kindest, most caring person I have had the pleasure of knowing. Annie, I can't imagine my life without you, I can't imagine waking up and not seeing you beside me. I want us to spend our lives together, spending every day learning more and more about each other. I want you, all of you, forever." Brian pulled out the ring from the box, Annie's eyes widened in surprise. Hot, salty tears had already made their way down her flushed cheeks, Brian held up the ring to Annie's hand. "Will you do this completely average man the honour of becoming his impeccably extraordinary wife?"

"Brian..." Annie whispered, "Of course!" she squealed as brian placed the ring onto her finger, within seconds she had jumped up from her chair and jumped into his arms, their lips locked in a passionate embrace. "I - I am the happiest and luckiest woman alive." Annie kissed Brian once more.

Luke smiled as he watched the happiness unfold before him, he looked over at Rachel whose face was glistening. Was she - had she been crying?
"I think that's our cue to leave." Luke placed his hand on Rachels' shoulder, she turned her face slightly and nodded. "Shall we grab a drink?" he asked.

Rachel nodded hesitantly, she was unsure about spending more time with Luke. He seemed to ignite something deep within her and it wasn't something she was fond of. Feeling all these new feelings, it was trudging up memories from her past that she desperately wanted to escape, that she spent years forcing back down beneath her rough exterior and locked them away. Only now, they were breaking away at that lock, chipping away until the lock broke free and that - that was something Rachel could not let happen. If that lock broke, and everything came flooding out, it would ruin her life as she knew it and she quite liked her life the way it was. Rachel glanced over at Brian and Annie, embraced tightly, kissing passionately - she smiled to herself before leaving.

The bar wasn't too busy, Luke had recommended this bar as he knew the bartender and could get cheap drinks, Luke was sat facing Rachel with a beer in his hand, she had a whiskey on the rocks.
"I'm happy for Brian, he deserves to be happy." Rachel smiled as she watched the whiskey dance around the ice as she gently rocked the glass in her hand.


"Me too, I'm happy for him." Luke sipped his beer. "I'm a little jealous though." Luke chuckled, he made sure to avoid Rachels questioning gaze.

"I get the jealousy," Rachel mumbled. "But I don't need someone to be happy. I love my life as it is, I love the freedom, I don't need someone to tell me how pretty I am when I already love who I am." Rachel sipped her whiskey, she felt the warmth spreading through her chest.

"That's good, I mean you should always love who you are - but... don't you want a companion?" Luke asked.

"If I wanted a companion, I'd get a dog," Rachel smirked. Luke couldn't help but laugh, he watched as Rachel smiled into her glass before taking another sip of her drink. A few strands of her usually tidy hair dangled down her face. Every so often she would tuck them carefully behind her ear but they would always find a way to escape. "Is there something on my face?" Rachel broke Luke's train of thought, without thinking he blurted out a question he didn't want to say. He knew it was dangerous territory - whether it was the alcohol or sheer stupidity, the question fell from his lips...

"Who hurt you?" Rachel paused as she processed the question, she could tell from the tone of Lukes' voice that it was not said with malicious intent, she gulped down the saliva that had pooled in her mouth. Thoughts ran through her head at a rapid rate, the alcohol was causing her to actually consider answering this question. Rachel would never answer a question like this if she was completely sober - would she? Luke looked at her with eager eyes, she could tell he was conflicted, he wanted to know but regretted asking, Rachel sighed and sipped her drink.

"I'm sorry I -"

"My father." Rachel interrupted the start of Lukes long-winded apology. Luke paused for a moment, not knowing whether that was the only answer he was getting.

"I'll tell you about him, only if you tell me about who hurt you?" Rachel passed him her now empty glass, the remaining ice cubes melting at the bottom.

"Okay, deal. I'll grab us the drinks. Then we can talk about this." Luke smiled reassuringly at Rachel, she nodded slowly.

"Yeah, we can talk."

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