The sun was dipping over the horizon by the time Rachel made it to the residential area where the Johnson's were located. Passing by every house, Rachel was constantly looking up and down at her phone, checking every house she passed, looking for the right address. She was getting close. But still had just a little more ways to go.
This neighbourhood was way out of her pay range. Even her parents probably couldn't afford to live here.
Walking around Las Vegas was not ideal and probably would have been better if Rachel had some sort of transportation. Just like out in the highways and roads, Rachel's feet were killing her. Leg muscles burning. The weight of her backpack was making her back sore.
But she was nearly there. Just a few more houses down before she could rest. How long she intended to stay, Rachel didn't think that far. In fact, this wasn't even apart of the plan. She should be halfway to Long Beach by now. But she would probably only be able to stay for a few days before moving again. She did just have an encounter with the police earlier in the day. That would surely put a dampen on things here.
Rachel looked down at her phone again, seeing that she was almost there. She reached up and took her hat off to rub some sweat off her forehead before putting it back on.
Rachel was also in desperate need of a shower. Some clean clothes would probably be nice too. That meal however back at the mall was everything Rachel needed. Instead of living off the snacks she packed, which have since all been eaten, having a proper meal was amazing. She also still had some of the left over money that Brody gave her which would come in handy sometime down the line.
Rachel looked down at her phone again, and saw that she was coming up on their house. She looked up, passing by two more houses before coming up on a large and luxurious house. Rachel stopped on the sidewalk and admired their expensive house.
Wow... Sharon and Liam aren't doing too bad for themselves.
The Johnson's were always classy and had money. But this house proved that. There was a red Ford F-150 Raptor sitting in the driveway. Along with a black SUV.
Okay, yep... this is definitely their place.
Rachel looked down at her phone again to make sure she had the right place and started walking up to their house. She walked along a stoned pathway leading up to the front door, still taking in the view of their house. When Rachel got to the front door, she stood there for a few seconds. She saw the doorbell and raised her finger to it.
Her finger hovered near it for a few seconds before she pushed it. She heard the doorbell ring and she backed up. Her chest felt like it was going to explode. Heart pounding, Rachel turned around and waited.
She crossed her arms and breathed in. A few seconds passed before she heard someone from the other side walk up to the door. It opened.
"Rachel?" A boys voice said.
Rachel turned around, and saw Joey. One of Sam's younger brothers. She could hardly believe her eyes. But yet, she was so happy to see him again. "Joey..." She said, a smile spreading across her face.
Holding the door open, Joey looked at her for a few seconds, studying her. "Wh-what are you doing here?" He asked.
"Who is that, Joey?" A woman said. Rachel heard her footsteps approaching. Joey moved out of the way to let his mother see who it was.
And Sharon Johnson appeared in the doorway.
"Oh my god." Sharon muttered. "Rachel..." She said.
Rachel smiled tiredly at her. "Hey Sharon." She said, waving at her.
Sharon looked at her for a few seconds before saying, "Here come in. Quickly." She grabbed Rachel by her wrist and pulled her inside. Sharon poked her head out, looking around to see if anyone saw them before closing the door.
Joey watched as Rachel came in. His gaze never left her as she entered their house. "What are you doing here, Rachel?" Sharon said. "Sharon, I-" Rachel began, until she heard someone else coming. And walking around the corner into the entrance room, there she was.
Samantha Johnson.
Rachel and Sam made eye contact. For the first time in years. The room went silent except for the soft music and the TV that was playing lowly in the background.
"Rachel..." Sam muttered.
"Sam." Came Rachel's reply.
Oh my god... she's... she's so beautiful.
Everything happened in slow motion as Sam approached her. Rachel never broke eye contact with her as she slowly approached her.
"Is this... real?" Sam said.
"Yes." Rachel replied.
Sam reached her hand out, placing it on Rachel's shoulder. As if to confirm that Rachel was indeed real, and not a ghost or an apparition. Tears began to fill Sam's brown eyes. "You're really here." She said, her voice shaky. Rachel nodded her head slowly. Sam raised both of her hands, cupping Rachel's face in her palms. "You're real." She said, tears falling from her eyes. Rachel gently grabbed Sam's wrists, nodding her head as tears of her own slipped out of her eyes. She smiled softly and said, "I'm here, Sam."
Sam burst into tears, pulling Rachel into her arms. Rachel started crying as well, embracing Sam tightly.
Sharon covered her mouth, eyes watering as she watched both Rachel and Sam cling to each other as tightly as they could. "Go to your room, Joey." She tearfully said. Joey nodded before retreating upstairs to his room.
"What are you doing here?" Sam said, her face buried in Rachel's shoulder. "I came to see you." Rachel said, nuzzling her face into Sam's sweet scented brown hair. "You're all over the news." Sam said, finally pulling away, but never letting go. "What's going on, Rachel?" Sam asked. Rachel wiped away her tears with her sleeve and said, "I'll tell you soon. Right now... I wanna hug my best friend." Sam laughed tearfully as she and Rachel shared another hug.
"Rachel- Here come in. Have a sit down." Sharon said. Sam and Sharon led Rachel into the living room. And which, unsurprisingly, was massive.
"God, you poor thing. You look exhausted." Sharon said as Rachel sat on the white leather couch. Sam immediately sat next to her. "You have no idea." Rachel replied. "Let me get you something to eat." Sharon said. "Yes, please." Rachel muttered weakly.
When Sharon left, Sam took Rachel in her arms again. "I missed you... So. Fucking much." She said. Rachel let out a weak, tired laugh. She leaned her head against Sam's. "I missed you too." She said. "How long has it been? Five years?" Sam said. "Somewhere around there." Rachel replied. At this moment, nothing else mattered. Right now she just wanted to enjoy Sam's embrace.
Sam's all grown up. She's not the quiet, shy, lonely girl I once knew. She's a teenager now. She must be what? 16? Time sure flies by.
"You're not so short anymore." Rachel said with a laugh. Sam pushed away from her. "Hey, you were always just barely taller then me." She said and they laughed together. It felt so good to laugh with Sam again. Rachel felt tingles all throughout her body. This was just perfect.
"I see you're also rockin' this... thing." Sam said, snatching Rachel's hat off her head. "Still don't like hats?" Rachel asked. "Never." Sam replied. Rachel giggled, taking her hat from the teenager. "What is it with you and hats?" She asked. "They're uncomfortable as fuck." Sam replied. "They just... sit there. On your head." Rachel nodded. "Yep. That's what a hat does, Sam." She rolled her eyes. "Oh my god, you're still a smartass." Sam said.
Rachel laughed. "Looks like you're just gonna have to deal with it." She said, nudging her shoulder into Sam's. Sam nudged back. "Unfortunately." She said. Rachel laughed.
"Here, try it on." Rachel said, attempting to put her hat on Sam's head.
Sam quickly pulled away, nearly falling off the couch. "Oh hell no, that's not happening." She said.
Rachel laughed before putting her hat back on.
Sharon came back with some noodles and some water. "Here you go, Rachel. You must be starving." She said as she placed the bowl and cup on the glass table in front of them. "Thank you, Sharon." Rachel said. "You chow on that, I'm going to talk to Joey. I'm sure he's a little shaken up." Sharon said as she walked to the staircase.
"Sam, when she's done, why don't you show her to your room?" Sharon called from the steps as she walked up. "Okay!" Sam said.
Rachel grabbed the fork and started eating.
Sam leaned into the couch. "Man. I still can't believe this is happening." She said. "You're... really here." She stood up excitedly. "Rachel and Sam. Back together! Dude, this is awesome!" She said.
Rachel smiled at her. "It's really good to see you guys again, Sam." She said. "All these years... God, I missed you." Rachel said. Sam smiled softly at her. "You and me both, Rach'." She said.
That smile. It was beautiful. Rachel isn't the one to feel shy or nervous. It was usually her who made people nervous. But there was just something about Sam that made her feel excited.
After Rachel finished eating, Sam brought her up to her room. As they walked through the house, Rachel took in just how fancy and luxurious it was. Sure, her house back in Arcadia Bay was nice. But this? This was on another level.
"Welcome to my humble abode." Sam said as they entered her room. It was a rather large room that Sam had all to herself. It was a bit of a mess, as expected from a teenagers room. But overall was nice. There was a stereo system on the dresser. A beanbag chair in the corner. Posters hung up on the walls.
"Impressive." Rachel said as she looked around.
"Thanks, bro." Sam replied.
Sam flopped on her bed and turned on some music. Dear Mr. Fantasy by Traffic played through the speakers. "Wow, haven't heard this one in a while." Rachel said. Sam smirked. "Can't beat the classics." She said.
Dear Mister Fantasy play us a tune
Something to make us all happy
Rachel slowly walked around, observing Sam's room. She looked out the window at the vehicles parked in the driveway. "Who drives the truck?" Rachel asked. "Oh. That's me." Sam said. Rachel raised her eyebrows. "You?" She said. "Yep. That big son of a bitch out there is all mine." Sam said.
What Sam meant to say was that it was actually the truck that her parents ALSO used occasionally, so technically it was all hers. But Rachel didn't need to know that.
Rachel nodded. "Huh..."
Nice...
"My dad drives a Challenger." Sam said as she stood up from her bed. Rachel let out a laugh. "Wow, really?" She said. "Yeah, it's totally some midlife crisis shit." Sam said.
"Well, you can leave your stuff here. I'll show you to the bathroom. You should take a shower." Sam said. "Thanks. Because I feel like shit." Rachel replied. Sam frowned at her, gently wiping some dirt off Rachel's eyebrow. Her touch was so soft. Gentle. Caring.
"I can't imagine what you've been through these passed few days." Sam said. Rachel shook her head. "You don't want to know." She told her. Sam nodded. "Well... you're safe now, Rachel." She told her.
A few minutes later after Sam showed Rachel to the bathroom, Rachel stripped out of her dirty clothes and stepped into the shower. The warm water felt amazing on Rachel's skin. She turned around in the shower, letting the water wash over her body.
Once she was done and dried off, Rachel got dressed again. She looked at herself in the mirror. She leaned on the counter, letting out a sigh.
Rachel... what have you done?
Rachel opened the door and exited the bathroom. There was loud chatter coming from downstairs. Sounds like Liam is home. Rachel thought.
Meeting Sharon and Sam was nice. But she was more nervous about Liam. Guess there wasn't nothing else to do but face him head on. Rachel made her way downstairs, the conversation becoming more clear. And more intense.
"What do you mean she's upstairs?!"
"Well I wasn't just going to shoo her away." Sharon said.
"Do you know what she's caused?! Who she could bring to our home?"
All heads turned to Rachel when she stepped into the living room. Liam looked at her, a look of shock on his face. "Hey, Liam." Rachel unsurely said. He shook his head. "So you really are here." He said.
Standing beside Joey was their youngest brother, Levi. "Hi Rachel." He said with a wave. Rachel smiled at him. "Hey, Levi." She said. Her smile disappeared when Liam started up again.
Sam looked at Rachel as her parents continued to argue, giving Rachel an apologetic smile.
"What do you want me to do, Liam? Send her on her merry way?" Sharon said. "The whole damn country's after her!" Liam yelled. "Oh come on. Look at her." Sharon gestured her hand at Rachel. "She looks fine to me." Liam said, crossing his arms. "Well she just had a shower." Sharon said. "Oh great, you're letting her use our bathroom now?" He said.
"Dad!! What's the big deal?" Sam said. She stepped up to him. "Okay, Rachel came to us for help. Aren't you at least glad to see she's alive? She's been missing!" She said. Liam sighed and looked at Rachel. Still visibly upset, he put his hands on his hips. "And come on. Aren't you happy to see her?" Sam said.
"If it was a different situation, I would be." He said. "But she is a wanted person, Sharon! She could bring all kinds of people here."
"Well, I wasn't going to just send her back on her way. The least we can do for her is give her somewhere to sleep for a night or two." Sharon said.
"Please, Dad. At least let her stay for a few days." Sam said.
A tense few seconds passed when he finally spoke. "Okay. Fine." He looked at Rachel. "Just for a few days. And then you're out." Rachel nodded. "I understand, Liam." She said. "Good." He said with a nod, a stern expression on his face. "And don't ever come here unannounced again."
"Dad!" Sam said, glaring at her father. She turned to Rachel. "Come on, Rachel." Sam took Rachel's wrist and led her out of the living room.
"Don't make me regret this." Liam said to his wife. "At least be glad she's okay, Liam." Sharon said. Liam looked at the boys. "Head up to your room, boys. Your mother and I need to have a talk."
"Asshole." Sam muttered when they got to her room. "I'm sorry about that, Rachel." Sam said. Rachel sat on the bed. "I get it, Sam. He's just looking out for you guys." Rachel said. "Yeah, well he doesn't have to be a dick about it." Sam replied.
Sam put her hands on her hips.
"Okay, well, you look tired. You should get some rest." Sam said. "You can sleep in my bed. I'll take the floor." Rachel softly frowned at her.
"But it's your room."
"Yes, and you're my guest. That's the end of it." Sam said with a shrug.
Rachel chuckled. "Okay. Well, I appreciate it." She said.
While it wasn't that late, Rachel was tired after the long day. She was turning in early. She laid down and closed her eyes.
When Sam got to the door, she turned around. "I'm... really happy you're here, Rachel." Sam said. With her eyes closed, Rachel smiled. "Me too, Sam." She said. "Good night." Sam said softly and gently closed the door behind her.
Rachel smiled as she drifted to sleep. Finally being reunited with her best friend.