IPOD CHALLENGE
I-pod challenge:
1. Pick a character, pairing, or fandom you like.
2. Turn on your music player and put it on random/shuffle.
Write a drabble related to each song that plays. You only have the time frame of the song to finish the drabble; you start when the song starts, and stop when it's over. No lingering afterward!
4. Do ten of these and then post them
PLEASE NOTE, THIS ONE DOES PROGRESS IN TIME, I'M NOT GOING TO LIST EVERYONE' AGE IN EVERY SECTION BUT IT DOES FOLLOW A TIMELINE.
I LOVVVED WRITING THIS, SO I'M BRINGING IT BACK!
Chapter 11: I Wish the Best for You
How long can we wait here…
To say goodbye…
Her hands trembled as she dropped her cell phone onto the bed.
She wrapped her arms around her small body and fought the urge to crumble to the ground.
She'd begged him to listen, she'd begged him to let her explain.
He didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to listen to her excuses.
Flashback
"Noah! Please… Please listen… It didn't… I wasn't… It's just… It only happened once…" She pleaded, her tears pooling in her chocolate eyes.
He narrowed his green gaze at her. "You seriously expect me to buy that? Seriously Rachel?? I did everything you wanted. EVERYTHING. I gave up Lima, I moved here, got a job, fuck I got TWO jobs, so you could go to school and focus on your dreams, on your goals, nevermind what I wanted! I agreed to live in Manhattan, even though it fucking breaks us every month. I go to all your shows, no matter how shitty the other actors are, no matter how exhausted I am, I do it. I fucking do it for you. And this is what you do? You go to a cast party and fuck the first guy who crosses your path?! WHAT THE FUCK?! You want me to listen?!! No… I'm done listening. You're going to listen now. Hear me when I say this Rachel. I'M DONE. FINISHED. IT'S OVER. HEAR THAT."
Her body shook with pent up sobs.
His chest heaved in anger, his fist balled at his sides.
"I got lost Noah. You're always working and he was there and it happened and I'm sorry and I want to make it better."
"Not this time. Rachel, you can't make this better. You can't make CHEATING better. Don't you get it?! Everything was for you! And because I was out doing the best I could, you cheated! There's no making this better." He informed her.
She stood there and stared at him. She couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't speak. She'd convinced herself she'd win him over, she'd get him to forgive her.
He held her gaze for a moment longer before turning away and grabbing his duffle from under the bed.
She watched him stuff clothes into his bag, his movements were jerky and angry. He refused to meet her eye.
He wouldn't let her see his tears. Not now, he couldn't show that to her. She didn't deserve to see that side.
She opened her mouth to stop him when he started for the door. All she could manage to do was grab his arm.
He stilled his steps.
"One day you'll regret this Noah." She told him softly. The words weren't said with malice or intimidation. Her statement was filled with sadness and pain.
"So will you."
End Flashback
That was 6 months ago.
She'd been doing OK, all things considered. She'd thrown herself into school and gotten herself a job to ensure she stayed busy.
That is, until about 6 pm that evening when the world came down around her in the form of a text message from Tina.
TinaCC: Rach, just heard, how are you?!
Rachel: Not sure what you mean?
TinaCC:…. The Puck thing?
Rachel: Umm???
TinaCC: Oh god… You don't know?
Rachel: Obviously not.
TinaCC: Rach…. He's engaged.
Her blood had run cold at the sight of those words.
It's only been 6 months…. Was it that easy to get over me?
Rachel: Who?
TinaCC: Local girl. They've been inseparable since he got home.
Rachel: Name.
TinaCC: Dianna Goldschmidt.
She hadn't responded to Tina's last text message.
Instead, she'd spent the rest of the night consulting every social website available in an attempt to glean as much information about this Dianna woman as possible.
To say she'd been successful was putting it lightly. Dianna Goldschmidt was very easily found. Rachel pulled up pictures, articles, school records, the works.
Hours later, after the tears had been shed and the self pity had dissipated, she had to accept it. She'd mourned him for months and he'd moved on.
Now she had to do the same.
10 years later
"Alex! Come on sweetheart! Grandpa and Granddad are waiting!" Rachel called to her 5 year old son as he lugged his rolling suitcase behind him.
He quickly caught up to his mother and snaked his hand in hers. "Why didn't daddy come too mommy?" He asked, his big brown eyes identical to her own.
She smiled at the mention of her husband. "Daddy had to direct his play baby." She reminded her son as they stepped out into the morning sunlight.
"Grandpa! Granddad!!" Alex screamed, the conversation about his father forgotten.
He dropped his suitcase and raced towards her fathers.
They greeted their enthusiastic grandson before wrapping their daughter in a warm hug.
Hours later, mother and son were situated at the elder Berry's residence.
"Mom! You said we could go to the park!!" Alex whined as he wandered into the kitchen, freely interrupting Rachel's conversation with her dads.
"Go ahead sweetheart, dad and I need to get to the grocery store anyways." Her father suggested.
She nodded tiredly. The park really wasn't where she wanted to be at that exact moment, she'd have much rather crawled into bed and passed out, but she'd promised him she'd take him to the park. And a promise was a promise.
She quickly gathered their jackets, a couple of water bottles and a bag of snacks before setting out on the quick 5 minute walk to the park.
"It's small mommy." Alex observed as the park came into sight.
"Well baby, Central Park is bigger." She conceded.
He nodded vigorously. "Lot bigger." He muttered as he dropped his mom's hand and wandered off to the sandbox.
She smiled and sat down on the bench to watch.
A few minutes later Alex was joined by a dark haired girl around his age.
"Who are you?" The young girl questioned.
"Alexander Kopesky." Alex replied dutifully, offering the girl a smile.
"I don't know you." She said pointedly. Rachel smiled at the girl's blunt statement.
"I don't live here. I live in New York with my mommy and daddy." He told her as he added another level to his castle.
"I live here. I'm Elise Puckerman. Daddy calls me Ellie." She told the young boy.
Rachel froze at the last name. Her stomach turned and she felt a chill.
"Hi."
She turned and found herself face to face with her past.
His green eyes bored holes into her brown ones. The eyes she'd seen in her dreams steadily for years. Eyes that still occasionally popped into her mind.
She swallowed unsteadily.
"Hi." She choked out at last.
He dropped onto the bench next to her.
"He's yours?" He questioned quietly.
She nodded.
"Kopesky? Andrew Kopesky is your husband?" He continued, his tone void of any real emotion.
"Yes. For the past 8 years." She answered, squinting into the bright sunlight, her eyes focused on her son.
He nodded, not entirely sure of what he wanted to say.
"How old is Elise?" She asked, turning the line of questioning on him.
"Seven next month." He replied, his tone soft as his gaze rested on his spunky offspring.
"She's beautiful Noah." She told him, not daring to turn to meet his gaze.
"Thank you." He replied dutifully, the words felt hollow and forced.
He was at a loss. He'd honestly never seen this scenario happening. He'd never pictured her getting married, having a child, and he sure as hell hadn't expected her to appear on his bench in his favorite park 10 years after breaking off their life together.
But there she was, invading his life again. He wanted to ask questions, so many questions. As much as he wanted to question her, he knew it was a fruitless venture. Her answers wouldn't matter. They wouldn't matter because they wouldn't change the current situation.
So instead of pelting her with hundreds of questions, he asked one.
"Are you happy?" He asked, his voice so soft he could barely hear himself speak the words.
She took a deep breath and attempted to draw her scattered feelings into one cohesive thought.
"As happy as I can be." She whispered out at last.
Something about her words tugged at his heart. He cursed himself for allowing himself to react to her.
"You were right." He pushed out, his voice hoarse and shallow.
She turned to him at last, her brown eyes staring deep into his.
"So were you."
So I know I said I was done but I loved this series so I'm going to keep it up!