Chapter 8: Better at Show than Tell

Shelby seemed almost devoid of emotion except when she would glare at Rachel and show anger. She was no longer happy like she was at the beginning of the year, before Rachel.

Shelby would talk tot Scott but still wasn't her usual self and Scott picked up on it. After all, how couldn't he? Scott tried to touch her hand at dinner one night when Shelby jerked it away. She didn't look up at him and make eye contact but she knew he was glaring at her for it.

"What's up with you, huh?" Scott asked partially out of anger and partially out of concern.

Shelby looked up at him but didn't respond. She looked around the table and saw every single Cliffhanger looking at her. Even Rachel and Daisy.

"I just want to be left alone, okay?" Shelby spoke to the whole table then turned her stare to Scott, "Especially by you."

Shelby glanced at Daisy then stood up and left to go down by the docks.

Shelby couldn't pretend to be nice to Scott anymore. She played the little act since they got back but she just couldn't anymore. She still didn't understand how Scott could be so cruel as to tell her he wouldn't do anything with Rachel, do something, and then pretend nothing happened. Scott never mentioned anything to Shelby. And Shelby figured, that if he really didn't want to do it or if he felt guilty about it, he would've said something to her. But he didn't.

Scott glared at Rachel thinking that she had told Shelby. He looked around at everyone at the table who were all staring at him except Daisy who happened to be the only one who knew what was going on so ignored all the drama and went back to pokin at her chicken.

"Show's over" Scott said to everyone in a cold voice.

"Well I'm going to go now. Off to bed. Bye everyone." Rachel said with a warm, and innocent, smile on her face.

She stood up and put her tray where it belonged then went to the girls dorm like she said she would. Rachel expected to see Shelby there but didn't. She shrugged her shoulders and really didn't care.

Rachel lied down on her bed and heard someone come in to the door so she sat up. Rachels honey colored eyes looked at Scott. She opened her mouth to say something to him but before she could she was cut off by Scotts words.

"You told her, didn't you? You told her and now she hates me. I pushed you away and she still hates me. Wait. No. You're so much of a skank you probably told her that I kissed you back. Is that what you said? Huh!" Scott was talking with so much anger in his voice.

Rachel stood up but still had to role her eyes up to meet Scotts.

"Look, I didn't say anything! Shelby and I haven't spoken a word to each other since before we left for the quest. How do you know she didn't find out from someone else?" Rachel responded with force.

"We were the only ones there!"

"So. Someone else could've seen, Scott!"

"Don't try blaming someone else. It was you. It had to've been you!"

Without either of them knowing it, Shelby came into the girls dorm and heard the exchange of words between Rachel and Scott.

"She didn't tell me, Scott" Shelby said softly so Scott almost didn't hear her.

Scott turned around at the sound of Shelbys voice and a tear fell down his cheek.

"Shelby." Scott breated and moved in to touch her but she back away.

"She didn't tell me," Shelby continued "I saw it myself. I saw you kiss her while she was in your lap. I snuck across the bridge that to go and see you 'cause I couldn't sleep and I saw you."

Shelbys eyes were swelling with tears but she was fighting like hell for them not to fall.

"Shelby, I didn't kiss her back. She kissed me, yeah, but I didn't kiss her back." Scott responded.

"Bullshit, Scott. I saw you with my own eyes!" Shelby shot back hotly.

"Well, then, apparently you didn't stick around for too long 'cause I pushed her off! If you would've asked me instead of just being a bitch about it you might know that!"

"What was I suppose to say! 'Gee I saw you kiss Rachel and I just wanted to know how far you went with the cheating on me.'? 'Cause that would've worked out so well!" Shelby nearly screamed the last part of that. "By the way, thanks for saying I was a bitch." Shelby finished softly.

Scott closed his eyes and realized that he made a big mistake when he said Shelby was being a bitch.

"Look. I'm sorry, all right?" Scott began, "I didn't mean it like that."

Shelby scoffed.

"I'm serious! But I did push her off. God! Ask her yourself if you want to." Scott finished.

Shelby didn't say anything. She looked to Rachel and raised her eyebrows in a questioning manner.

Rachel roled her eyes really not wanting to admit this. "Yes, he pushed me off. Then he said how much he loved you and left. Happy?" Rachel talked like she wasn't feeling anything but tired.

Shelby shook her head and closed her eyes. A tear feel from each eye once she closed them and she stood there silent. What could she say? Nothing. There was nothing for her to say, She jumped to conclusions and nearly lost the only guy who has ever loved her in the process. I've always been better at show than tell Shelby though with a smile slowly creeping on to her face.

Shelby looked up at Scott but still didn't speak. She took 3 large steps over to him and closed the gap there was between them. Shelby raised her head up towards Scotts and kissed his soft lips.

Shelby let her mouth do the talking as she bid herself entrance into his mouth between his lips and teeth. With her tongue massaging his, she wrapped her arms around his neck and he wrapped his around her back.

Rachel cleared her throat loudly to remind Scott and Shelby that she was still standing right there.

The couples mouths finally separated and Shelby looked over to Rachel.

"You're welcome to leave." Shelby said and then went back to kissing Scott.

Rachel took Shelbys advise and walked out of the dorm only to meet Auggie, Daisy, Juliet, Ezra and David. The girls were about to walk into the dorm but Rachel put her arm up to stop them and shook her head.

"I wouldn't go in there if I were you. I don't know what you'd be walking in on" Rachel said with a grin dancing across her lips.

"So our very own 'Romeo and Juliet' made up then?" Daisy asked.

"Yeah and I left as they were getting into some major tongue action. I don't know what they're doing now."

"You don't want to know either." Auggie added, also grinning.

Everyone chuckles and walked away from the dorm.

Rachel walked with the group surprisingly happy for Scott and Shelby and finally feeling like she fit in with the Cliffhangers.