Chapter 35
Rachel
“I still can’t believe he brings you a chai to class twice a week,” Jade says as she stretches her legs out on the green grass beside me.
The quad is busy, as Jade, Molly, and I have thirty minutes to relax and bask in the little sunlight we have been getting lately.
Like my mood, the past month has been overcast and miserable.
But lately the sun has been starting to peek back through the clouds, and so has my forgiveness toward Randy.
Tiny glimmers of hope passing through the gloom.
“Yep, and the other day was the first time I accepted it and let him sit next to me. His leg rested against mine the whole class, and it was hard to concentrate on anything other than his presence.”
“It’s really sweet of him, Rachel,” Molly says, studying me for weaknesses and taking a sip of her soda. “You have to admit, the guy has to be feeling like shit for saying what he said.”
“Yeah, I know, and he was so good with Sam the other day.”
“Better than his real dad, and you don’t seem to punish him,” Molly adds.
I give her an indifferent look.
“What?” She shrugs. “You have a man wanting to spend time with your son. Since then you said that he’s asked about him and has genuine interest in him.
That’s more than I can say for the sperm donor,” she says, taking a small bite of her peach.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m also pissed about what he said about our little guy, but he was just venting to his friend.
We talk shit like that too. Hell, I call you a bitch all the time,” she jests, which makes me smile.
Jade looks over at me, adding her thoughts, “Plus, the poor guy had the weight of the whole college and town weighing down on him with the huge game that night. I have no idea how they catch a ball with that many eyes watching them. Television crews, coaches, I even heard there were scouts in the crowd…could you imagine that pressure? And more, the strip he had to do before the game, which I personally loved and have watched on YouTube many times.”
I roll my eyes at her from over my sandwich.
“Oh, don’t act like you haven’t seen that video and watched it more than once.
I’m positive every female has it saved in their phone right now!
I’m just saying, it’s obvious he really cares because you are right…
” I look at her. “He could have anyone he wants, but yet even after all the rejection, all the unanswered messages and calls, he still wants you.”
“Okay, are you two done yet?” I say, swallowing my last mouthful. “I need to get to class.”
“No, actually,” Molly says, standing up and wiping the grass off her jeans. “He said what he said without knowing Sam, and I truly believe he would never have said that had he met him before then.”
“It’s true,” Jade says, standing as I do the same. “Our guy’s a little legend; Randy knows that now.”
Molly stretches her hands above her head. “We are just telling you what you already know, but as your best friends we knew all of this before you did.”
I tilt my head in her direction, weighing the possibility that they are probably right.
“We just want the best for you, and genuinely think that Randy is that guy,” Jade adds.
I pout my lips and bring my friends in for a group hug. “Thank you. You guys are always looking out for me and seeing through my stubbornness.”
“You are fucking stubborn,” Molly mutters as we all start laughing.
Waving goodbye to my friends, I head off in the opposite direction toward my last class of the day and mull over their words.
Maybe it is time I put the past behind me and look to the future and what that might be like with Randy by my side.
I’d barely started processing my thoughts when I hear my name called.
“Rachel!”
I turn to the adjacent sidewalk and spot Shelby and Christian as we walk closer in each other’s directions.
“Hi.” I smile back because these two have been nothing but lovely to me before and after the comments about my son.
Shelby grabs me in a hug. “How are you going? I feel like it’s been ages since we have seen you.”
“I’ve been okay. Super busy.”
Shelby stands back at Christian’s side. “I’m so sorry about what happened; Randy feels so bad.”
“So does our drywall,” Christian states.
I don’t say anything but give him a puzzled look.
“Oh, he put his hand through the drywall when he realized what happened,” Shelby fills me in.
“Wow! He did? “Ouch,” I cringe. “So how has he been?”
“He’s next-level miserable and a fucking nightmare to live with.”
Shelby turns her head to Christian and gives him a death stare.
“What? She asked.”
He gives me a shrug and a look—not a bad look—more like his girlfriend is probably right but I’m not going to admit that.
“Baby, I have to go to class.” He leans down and gives her a kiss.
“It was good to see you, Rachel. If you could come by and visit my friend, that would be awesome. Otherwise, I’m going to end up suffocating that miserable shit in his sleep. ”
“That’s a bit dramatic,” Shelby states.
He shrugs. “You fill her in with how difficult he is to live with at the moment.”
She rolls her eyes at him but doesn’t disagree.
“Seriously, though, Rachel, it was good to see you.”
“Thank you, you too, and congratulations on being selected captain.”
“Thanks.” He nods, turning and walking away.
I look back to Shelby, wanting answers. “So, are you going to fill me in?”
“Which way are you going?”
I point forward.
“Me too.” She sighs as we fall in step next to each other. “I guess since it happened Randy has been beating himself up a lot. He’s miserable to be around and just not his usual happy self. He really misses you.” She looks at me and I start to feel my eyes well up in emotion.
I nod my head gently, taking in her words. “I miss him too.”
“Do you know that he hasn’t been with anyone since you?”
“He said that he hadn’t and wouldn’t, but I didn’t know if I believed him or not.”
“Well, believe me, he hasn’t.”
I stop in my tracks as I feel my heart sink to my feet.
Shelby stops in front of me. “Are you okay?” she asks, her face laced with worry.
I shake my head as a tear rolls down my cheek.
“Bugger, I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
I shake my head as she pulls me in for another hug. “You didn’t,” I say into her shoulder as I finally admit to myself just how much I miss him. “I think all these emotions have been bubbling away for weeks, and now they just can’t help but slip free.”
She pulls out of the hug and studies my face.
“Do you know where he is?” I ask her.
She nods, worry still across her pretty face. “He just had his last class for today. He went home.”
I thank her and we say our goodbyes. I turn on my heels, forgoing class, knowing I will absorb nothing anyway, and head to my car.