November 29, 2008
No matter how deep you bury your past, it will come back to haunt you. Someday.
“You’re drunk Grace,” Nick replied as calmly as he could. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
A lot of girls had told him ‘I love you’ before but hearing it from a friend somehow made Nick tremble with nervousness. It was if he just committed a crime. He suddenly felt that Rachelle would probably feel the same way when he confessed his feelings to her. If he ever would.
“N-no. Please understand, Nick,” Grace implored. “I came here t-tonight to tell you. R-Rachelle told me I can go and s-she encouraged me to get out of my shell and confess. T-that’s why I wore this uncomfortable d-dress and drank v-vodka. For s-self-confidence,” she finished, her words tumbling over each other.
He didn’t exactly know how to respond to a drunken confession but it was obvious that Grace was waiting for an answer. What was he supposed to say? Besides, would she even understand him, inebriated that she was? He was about to tell her that he will think about it and that she needed to wash her face first when Grace started giggling.
She smiled at him and said, “I scared you didn’t I?” She laughed again. “Y-you don’t have to answer t-tonight.” She turned to look at no one in particular as she waved her hands. “What was I t-thinking? Of course, you n-need time to think.” Another giggle then she looked at Nick again. “I may have told you I love you but that doesn’t mean you love me too.” She hit her head with her right hand. “Stupid, stupid, stupid,” she murmured, then she laughed again.
“Did I hear that right?” Matt’s surprised voice echoed around them. “Did that girl just say she loves you?”
The ‘girl’ began swaying and Nick tightened his hold on her. Oh heck. He was so intent at what Grace had said that he did not notice Matt coming their way. His band mate was definitely not sober but he didn’t look too drunk either. Grace must have realized that there was a newcomer because she tried to blink several times to see who it was.
Matt recognized her first because he exclaimed, “Ha! Stalker girl! I can’t believe it!” He turned to Nick and said, “Dude, I told you it wasn’t just for the school paper.” He rolled his eyes. “Women and their foolish ideas.” He turned to Grace and scoffed. “What makes you think Nick would want to hear your ‘I love you’?”
“I don’t think this had something to do with that crazy day so why don’t we just forget it?” Nick told him. This scene was slowly getting on his nerves. If he did not stop this, it would surely end up posted in the Internet. He was about to drag Grace away when Matt’s words finally registered in her brain.
“You!” Grace pointed an accusing finger at Matt. “How d-dare you mock my feelings, you bastard!”
Before Nick could stop her, she got out of his hold and began to unleash her anger at Matt using her fists. Quarter To Five’s vocalist was never known to let anyone get the best of him so Nick shouldn’t have been surprised when he fought back—to hell if Grace was a girl.
The mini-fight immediately caught the attention of the other guests and Nick saw someone trying to get the attention of the bar’s bouncers. They would get in a bigger trouble if the Pueblo’s security staff would be involved so when he saw a chance, he grabbed Grace by the waist, lifted her up and stepped as far away from Matt as possible. The waitress he had called moments ago took after Nick’s actions and tried to calm Matt down.
When both had finally cooled down—Matt was breathing hard while staring at the ceiling and Grace was sobbing softly—Nick instructed the waitress to accompany Grace to the ladies’ room. He faced Matt and he was sure that his friend knew exactly what he wanted to say.
Nick took a deep breath. “Really, Matt.”
Matt raised a hand and said, “It was stupid, I know.”
“Then why in freaking hell did you do it?” he yelled.
“Alcohol.”
“Bullshit. You shouldn’t have forgotten she was a girl,” Nick told Matt irritably.
“I don’t like her,” Matt announced as he scrunched his face with disgust.
“It doesn’t matter.”
The singer shrugged. “Fine. I’ll apologize.”
“We’ll bring her home tonight but you’ll apologize to her when she’s sober,” Nick instructed.
Matt’s only reply was an affirmative nod of his head.
*****
Rachelle smiled to herself as she prepared lunch Sunday morning. Friday night still filled her thoughts and not even Jessica was able to annoy her yesterday. Liam had asked her to go with him that night because he wanted her opinion when he made a birthday gift for his sister. She got intrigued about Liam and his family and so she went. Matt would never have thought to give her a clay pot and she couldn’t imagine liking it either. What kind of sister would wish to receive a mound of clay for her birthday?
She never thought that pottery would turn out to be fun and exciting but the trip to Liam’s favorite workshop changed whatever she once had in her mind. It was closed by the time they arrived but since the owner was Liam’s friend, they were allowed to go in and use the workshop. Rachelle thought to simply watch him work and give her suggestions but Liam insisted that she try doing it herself. As it turned out, she forgot about her perfectly manicured nails and enjoyed molding clay. The result was not anything worthy of a showroom or gallery but she felt an odd sense of achievement the moment she finished applying paint on her work. It was a new experience and Liam had become an instrument for her to see another side of herself.
On their way home, Liam told her stories about his sister and Rachelle felt how much he loved and missed her. Pottery was his sister’s hobby and she had always wanted him to give her one. Another good thing about this new boy in town. That night, she fell asleep feeling like she was floating on cloud nine.
“Hmmm, the best thing about you, Rach, has nothing to do with your face,” Matt’s voice penetrated through her recollection. “It’s your cooking. Hell, you’re a better cook than mom ever was.”
“I heard that, old boy,” Vivian chimed in as she walked into the dining room. “Next time I’m cooking, you don’t get to eat.” And before Matt could reply, “And no curses in this house, remember?”
“Oh, come on. I know you can’t starve me. I’m your favorite son,” Matt joked knowingly.
“You’re my only son,” Vivian retorted. “And you’re still not eating.”
“Hmph.”
Rachelle brought the plate with her own version of the pad thai to the table as she announced, “Alright, alright. Enough with the banter.” She turned to her brother and said, “Mom never gets to study recipes because of her work but she’s good when she experiments with food.” Matt raised an eyebrow but before he could say anything, “Admit it, Matt.”
“Thank you, dear,” Vivian told her daughter, obviously touched.
The only guy in the room shrugged and gave in. “Fine. Mom’s great but I’ll never eat her spring chicken again,” he declared as he did an exaggerated shiver.
Vivian and Rachelle laughed as they remembered the time Vivian experimented with a chicken dish but unknowingly added spices that made it inedible even to her husband. And Ian eats anything.
“Okay, if we’re having chicken, Rachelle will cook,” Vivian assured Matt. “Fine, now?”
“Heck, yes!” Matt said happily.
Vivian and Rachelle simply rolled their eyes, knowing that Matt loved both of their cooking no matter what he said. Rachelle knew that just like their dad, Matt had the tendency to say things he did not really mean and do things before he thought about it.
They were eating Vivian’s leche flan which she made the night before when Rachelle snapped her head up and looked directly at Matt. “I almost forgot. What happened in the concert last Friday?” she asked. “I convinced Grace to go over and have fun. She told me she’ll try and that she might bring some friends but I never heard from her.”
She saw her brother stiffen when he heard Grace’s name then slowly relax when he realized that she hadn’t talked to Grace yet.
“Your friend stayed until after the concert,” Matt replied. “She got drunk then confessed her feelings to Nick,” he said in a voice with barely-concealed annoyance.
“Drunk? Grace?” Rachelle exclaimed. “Whoa! What did Nick do?”
“Grace was too drunk to even talk seriously with Nick.” Matt paused as if he was trying to hide an almost blunder. “So we simply took her home.”
Rachelle narrowed her eyes on her brother. “Is that all?”
“Yeah.” He waved his hand in dismissal. “You know how things are when someone’s drunk.”
She nodded slowly, still thinking that her brother had left something unsaid. She was about to use her prying tactics when Vivian joined in the conversation.
“If you weren’t in the concert, Rach, where were you?” She saw her mother raise an eyebrow at her.
They were not able to talk much yesterday because they were all busy with their extra-curricular activities. Rachelle had a commercial shoot, Matt was with his band mates and Vivian had to go to the Little Angels Foundation to help with a charity event.
“When you told me you were going out, I assumed it was to your brother’s concert.” Rachelle’s mother could be terrifying when she realized that her children had been keeping things from her.
“Oh. I was with a friend. He asked for my help with his sister’s birthday gift. He just transferred to Heartlake so…there,” Rachelle told her as casually as she could.
“Hmmm. I see,” Vivian said with a nod.
“So you were with that Liam Milton?” Matt asked.
Rachelle nodded.
“So you’ve met the new guy?” Vivian asked her eldest.
“Yeah. He drives a Porsche,” Matt replied.
“Really?” She turned to her daughter. “So when do I meet him?”
“Mom, nothing’s going on—”
“Yet. As far as I know, dear, you only go alone with friends if you think something could happen.” She touched Rachelle’s hand. “I’m not sure why it’s so easy for you to fall in love—”
“It’s in the genes, mom,” Matt cut in.
Vivian merely raised a brow at him then continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “But do be careful, okay?” When Rachelle nodded, she squeezed her daughter’s hand then continued, “And don’t take these relationships too seriously. You’re young and there are a lot of fish in the sea. Enjoy your youth.”
“See? I knew it was in the genes!” came Matt’s amused comment.
Rachelle saw her mother give a warning glance at her brother then she turned back to her to give the last part of her advice.
“If something happens, you can always come running to your brother.”
Matt rolled his eyes. They all knew that Rachelle would never run to anyone when she faced a problem. She always fought her own battles.
“And if the two of you can’t handle it, you can always come running to me and your dad. Did you two understand?”
“Yes, mom,” Rachelle assured Vivian with a smile.
“Of course, mom. You say that every time you feel that Rachelle’s about to get another boyfriend,” Matt announced.
“Hmph. You’ll thank me and all my lectures when you get yourselves your own children,” Vivian told them with certainty.
They finished their lunch and were cleaning up when Matt took Rachelle’s attention and said, “I think you ought to tell Nick about Friday night. He was worried because you didn’t say you weren’t going.”
“I already called him yesterday and apologized but I guess I have to talk to him in person. Thanks for the reminder,” Rachelle replied.
“Sure.”
*****
Later that night, someone broke into the St. James lobby and posted scandalous photos in the school’s bulletin board. By midnight, when only the insomniacs were in front of their computers, the photos had begun to circulate the World Wide Web.