"Rachel, what the hell is going on?" Lance demanded, stepping out of the car. He stood in front of her, trying to search her eyes.
"Nothing. Why did I have to stay there? Why can't I feel free to leave? Why can't I.... Can't I...." Rachel's voice trailed off, no longer being able to hide the pain.
"No, tell me!"
A few tense minutes passed and Lance couldn't take it anymore. He slammed his hand on the top of the car, causing Rachel to jump.
"Stop it!" She screamed at him.
"No! You stop it! You're the one who is hiding! At least I'm not holding my anger in. You can tell I'm mad. I can't even tell what you're feeling!"
"It's none of your business how I'm feeling!" Rachel screamed back.
Lance stepped in closer and boxed her in against the car with his arms. "Oh, it's not? Then I guess I must not be your best friend, the person you've trusted your whole life with, the person you trust your deepest fears and secrets with, the person you're falling in love with?"
"Don't you dare tell me what you are to me." Rachel hissed back, "I know what I am to you and I know what you are to me. So, don't tell me that crap. I'm in love with you? And, when did this revelation occur to you?"
Lance winced at her harsh words. He knew where she was going with that last statement. "When, you told me..." He trailed, closing his eyes waiting for the barrage of angry words.
"Ahhh, yes." Rachel glared at him. "For the love of God, the least you can do is look at me."
Lance painfully opened his eyes.
"You knew when I told you. Well, if you're so close to me, if you know all of my deepest thoughts and feelings then you should've known then!" She leaned closer to him, "Oh yeah, that's right. You knew all along, you just pretended not to know."
Lance felt a whoosh of air leave his body and the ground swayed beneath him. He could feel the blood drain from his face and his whole body trembled. "How..."
"Yeah, I always knew. I'm not dumb, Lance." Rachel glared at him, "Best friend, person who knows me so well, who supposedly loves me, please step out of my way."
Lance leaned against the car for support while she stormed away from him. He looked up at the sky and said a silent prayer. Rachel was right; Lance knew at the time, but he was just too scared to do anything about it. He was so scared of losing what they had already had: a friendship that went beyond friendship, it was a soulmateship. He was scared it would disappear with a relationship.
He knew that they were ready for the relationship and they were ready to incorporate that soulmateship into it. They were older now, he was older now. Lance knew he could and wanted to handle it. He pushed off the car and ran towards the hotel.
He pushed the button on the elevator and after it seemed like an eternity, it finally arrived. Once the elevator finally reached his floor, he jumped out of the doors before they were fully open. He tore down the hall and rounded the corner to their room.
Lance pushed open their hotel door and ran inside. Rachel was standing near the window, looking out below the city.
"Have you ever looked down here and watched the world below? I always think about what's going on in those people's lives. If their life is as bad as mine, or if it's as good as what mine used to be." Rachel thought aloud, tears evident in her voice.
"Rachel, what is going on? I'm so confused and lost here!" Lance questioned, stepping forward.
She continued to stare out the window.
"Dammit! Talk to me!" Rachel jumped at the sound of his loud voice. "It's not fair what you're doing here! Can't you see that? The other day, you were kissing me, we were sleeping in the same bed. You were telling me how much I meant to you. Now, all of a sudden, you can't even look at me. Tell me what the hell is going on!"
"You don't want to know."
"Why not? I deserve to know."
"You do deserve to know, but it'll just end up hurting you."Lance walked briskly across the room and grabbed her by the arm. He spun Rachel around so hard, her hair flung out around her. "Tell me, dammit!"
Rachel flinched and jerked her arm away from him. "There is no you and me." She hissed at him. She hadn't meant to be so blunt about it, but he made her furious by being so persistent. Rachel wanted to sit and think about her decision, to talk about to somebody. This was too sudden and he was forcing it. 'Nothing works when you force it, Lance!' She screamed in her head.
Lance's eyes scanned across her face. He didn't understand, confusion was written across his face. Rachel had the "I don't wanna talk about it, and you're not going to make me. So, either get out or be prepared for a fight" look on her face. Lance wasn't ready for a fight, not yet anyway. "Fine, if that's the way you want it." He turned to walk out of the room and stopped at the door.
"If you don't wanna talk about this and explain what is going on, then..." Lance stopped, hoping his next set of words would force Rachel to talk about what was going on. "Then, you'll have to leave this tour. I will not finish this tour with you being angry and hurtful towards me. I will not be miserable on one of the greatest things of my life. I've already been through that with Lou, I won't do it with the person I love."
The door slammed and Rachel fell to the floor in despair and tears.
