"Rachel, please will you just stop and talk to me." Eddie pleaded as she ran away from the pub entrance, leaving behind a shocked Eddie at her latest revelation.
Taking no notice of the man she had left behind her Rachel, continued her path toward Mel's car, hoping that Eddie wouldn't find the guts to follow her and make the situation any more confusing than what it was.
"Rach, please, just hear me out okay. That's all I'm asking after that if you still don't feel the way that I feel, then we go back to being just a Head teacher and her Deputy. Please Rachel, just give an hour." Eddie said as he, continued in her wake knowing that gentle persuasion, would eventually wear her down.
Stopping, but not turning to face him, Eddie could tell that she was contemplating his offer, after a few minutes of silence her shoulders slumped and Eddie could tell she had no argument lined up and that she had accepted that the following conversation was going to take place whether she wanted it to or not. Knowing it was better this way, that she had control over how much she let him in and how much she could listen to before leaving and giving up possibly her only chance of happiness, that had come her way in a very long time.
She very slowly turned to face Eddie, who was by now an inch away from her, so as she turned any sort of retort she had died on her lips as they were preoccupied by Eddie's lips being pressed gently against hers, trying to coax a reaction from her.
He swept his tongue against her bottom lip, whilst pulling her more firmly against him and her arms crept up and around his neck, her fingers dived into his hair, as her resolve crumbled under the comforting sensations Eddie had evoked in her.
Breaking away when air became a problem, Eddie rested his forehead against hers, looking deep into her eyes trying to show her that, he wouldn't leave her, and he wouldn't hurt her no matter what came their way and no matter how much pressure she had on her from her work he would always be patient with her and help her in any way she needed.
Chuckling softly Rachel, reached up pressed her lips against Eddie's showing that she wasn't mad and that now, she was ready. Ready to talk, ready to accept that they may have a future together.
Breaking away from the tight embrace, they had managed to engage themselves in; Eddie took Rachel's hand and led her back to the pub, knowing that they would need some alcohol to settle both their nerves.
As they reached the entrance to the pub they could hear all their colleges laughing and have a great time after the first day back, drinking away the stresses of the eventful day.
"Come on, I'll get us some drinks and we can get a table away from that lot and talk." Eddie encouraging her as he looked at her face when she had heard the boisterous laugh of Steph and Matt carrying on as usual.
Taking a steadying breath Rachel followed him into the pub hoping to avoid the curious gazes of their friends.
Eddie led them towards the very back of the pub, away from the raucous of the bar and into solitude that they needed, away from prying eyes and ears. Reaching the booth Eddie left her to go and get the drinks leaving Rachel to her thoughts.
Standing at the bar Eddie had a perfect view of Rachel, so he just stood there, going over all the things he wanted to say to her and how he was going to show her that, this thing they had was a forever thing. Turning to face the bar he called the barmen over and got their drinks in and paid for them before heading back over to the conversation that could just make or break his heart.
"There you go red wine for you and a pint for me." He announced as he placed the glasses on the table. Whilst Rachel just sat there. Not saying anything keeping herself imposed silence going.
"Look Rach I know this scary, whenever I'm with you, I can't explain just how amazing you make me feel, when you smile, truly smile, you make the whole world smile back at you even if don't wanna. You're an amazing woman, strong, independent, successful and beautiful, but what I don't understand is why you don't let people in. You shield your heart and I know it's a defence mechanism that you've built over the years to protect that so delicate heart of yours." Running his fingers through his hair Eddie, looked over at Rachel, to find tears collecting in her eyes, though she was trying to keep them at bay, but he knew that she was fighting a losing battle.
"I love you, and I don't want to hide it anymore, I can't hide it anymore. You make so alive and free, when I'm around you everything else just melts away, there's no Waterloo Road, no Stuart, just you and me and that's all I want to know that you'll be there at the end of the day for me to come home to. You deserve every happiness and I want to try and give you that, if you would let me. We could be so amazing together. I wish that you would, would take a minute and think about what it would be like." Eddie finished. Taking a large swig of his pint, his gaze once again landed on her Rachel, who had not touched her drink and had not moved an inch since she sat down, the only thing different were the tears running down her cheeks.
"I...You...We can't, God knows I want to, so much, but we can't I'm damaged and with a past like mine, I still can't believe that you want to be in a relationship with me. Eddie, I fell in love with you probably after 5 minutes of knowing you, but I knew that we never be together. I screw up everything I do, especially relationships; if I screw up what we have I don't think I could ever recover, knowing that I broke your heart that would kill me." She whispered back so quietly that Eddie had to strain to hear her.
Leaning forward he took one of hands in his and locked their fingers together; he then placed their hands in her field of vision and made her focus on them. "Rach take a good look at this. This is who we are. We are meant to be together. You can't ignore it, neither can I? I want to be with you because I love you, no matter what you say, I will always love you." He replied, the intensity in his eyes, sent a shiver down her spine.
"Okay" She whispered so delicately, as a mega watt smile crept across her face, erasing any doubt in Eddie's mind that she was having him on.
"Okay" He echoed, as he reached over and once again covered her lips with his, igniting the earlier fire they felt, though this time instead of a small smoulder the fire had been lit and was burning so strong that they could give power to a small villiage for a month. They pulled away feeling flustered and blurry eyed, with matching grins on their faces.
The future was uncertain, them but side by side they could pull through anything that came their way, whether it be another Stuart Hordly or Earl Kelly, they would pull through it together. Whatever tried to pull them apart would only make them stronger in time.