Author's note: I miss writing for this! It's been a while. I needed a break from Supernova, while chapter 6 for that is coming soon. :) Much thanks for the support, everyone! So here comes something a little more serious, but something I enjoyed writing.
Summary: Chad tried to pinpoint the exact moment these feelings started, but he ultimately comes to the conclusion that with all the time he spent with Rachel, it was inevitable.
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Chad was working from multiple tabs and windows from his laptop computer when he heard a light knock on his bedroom window. He turned to his left side nightstand to view the time on his digital alarm clock. Who in the right mind would try to invade his personal time? It was close to midnight on a Thursday.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Chad, are you in there?" The small voice calling out for him sounded like it had been through crying for hours, almost broken even. A sniffle followed the intruder's question. This person wasn't dangerous. There was no need to grab the darts that doubled as explosives from its board.
He rushed to the window from his comfortable position and his laptop, raising the blinds and opening it to reveal his field partner on the other side. Ushering her to climb in, Chad gave her a puzzled look when he studied her face. It was red and puffy. "What's going on? Why are you crying?"
"I know I should have gone to Fanny's, but I couldn't reach her. And now I realize I left my cell phone in my room," Rachel took a seat on the corner of his bed, patting on her pajama pockets and muttering 'stupid' under her breath. She pressed on the tears threatening to fall with the sleeves of her hoodie. "I'm so sorry for bothering you, Chad. I didn't know where else to go and you were a fifteen minute walk away."
That left the question: who and/or what made Rachel feel this way? Teary-eyed, upset, and trying to rationalize why she couldn't come to him? No matter how much they butted heads when it came to handling the current Kids Next Door or what to do with problematic intel, she was always welcome. They had history, almost ten years of it. Chad considered her one of his closest friends; did she not consider him one of hers?
He smiled at her, taking her in his arms, trying to calm down her labored breaths. "Hey, I'm here for you. You could've called me to pick you up. You don't have to tell me right now if you don't want to, but maybe I can help? Do you want me to kick someone's ass? We can make someone's life hell, together. You and me versus them, as per usual."
Rachel laughed weakly at his attempts to make her lighten up, but she ultimately shook her head against his chest. "I wish it was that easy. I really wish it was. I'd send you to kick my dad's ass, but currently, I don't know where he's staying. Probably with that homewrecker."
"Rach…" Chad suddenly felt sympathy and sorrow for her. He was aware that Rachel had domestic problems with her parents. He wished she realized it had nothing to do with her or Harvey and that it had everything to do with her mom and dad. Their business.
"I can find out where he's staying in less than ten minutes," she said. "But I'm emotionally exhausted. I can't believe he's actually leaving my mother. I thought we could've just swept all the fighting under the rug, but that was me being naive. I'm stupid. This is something I should've hyped myself up for, y'know?"
Chad brushed through her hair with his fingers. "It's not stupid to think your parents could still work on their marriage. It's not your fault either."
She sighed. "I know it's not something you want to hear, but you're so lucky to have your parents. Villains or not. They love each other and they love you." A brief silence came over them. Rachel pulled away from his arms to look at him and sniffle once more. She chuckled at a memory. "Do you remember that time I got so mad at you in your office for being a brat to them?"
"Yeah. I really didn't want to do a violin recital because I wanted to lead the first cake mission instead. Then you yelled at me when you relayed the message my parents were waiting there for me. Don't know why I listen to you sometimes." He chuckled with her, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. Chad suddenly felt a metaphorical sting on his hand. He drew it back quickly, hoping she wouldn't notice. Did he cross a line there? The most important thing right now was that she stopped crying.
She got up anyways, looking around. Her voice sounded more stable. "I know it's weird enough that I'm here, but is it okay if I stay over for a few hours? I'll leave before your parents or even you get up. I'll crash on the floor."
Rachel didn't need to say anymore. "Just take the bed. I don't care if I sleep on the floor for one night."
"No way. I barged in and you're probably really busy if you have a million open windows on your laptop on… restaurant reviews?" She furrowed her eyebrows until realization hit her. "Oh. Are you… planning a date? Shoot. I'm sorry."
Chad slowly nodded. "Yeah, but don't worry about it. Tomorrow was the day I was going to make it official with Sabrina."
He had been seeing Sabrina for a month exactly the following day. After his nasty breakup with Stacey, the sandy blonde with green eyes was a breath of fresh air for him. She was part of the school's dance squad and Habitat for Humanity. The best part? She was actually not evil. It took a while to convince her that he wasn't a player jackass, a role he played entering high school. Girlfriend material, he was pretty sure. His parents would approve.
Rachel smiled at him, almost beamed. "Chad, I'm so happy for you. You deserve some sense of
normalcy in your life, for once. Now I feel weird for busting into someone's boyfriend's room." She pouted.
"Not her boyfriend, yet. And I might not be if I don't plan something." Chad crossed his arms.
"She'll say yes wherever you take her. As your trusty ol' second, let me help you. It's the least I can do." Rachel's mood improved greatly, now that her mind was off her family matters. She took a seat on his right side of the bed, starting to eliminate the three-star ratings and those with health inspection grades of less than an A.
The only lights illuminating his bedroom were from his desk on the other side of the room and the super enhanced brightness from his computer. Chad watched, with great detail, how the control freak in Rachel McKenzie took over. He would never not be amused by the way her nose wrinkled in disapproval, the way she would bring her fingers to her bottom lip in contemplation, and how her eyes lit up when she found something better than average within his price range on screen even when they were bloodshot. She gave him three restaurants to choose from by the end of their browsing session.
When he zoned out for a smallest nanosecond, he almost forgot what they were doing this for.
They were still on his bed when she tried to hold back a yawn and his eyes became heavy. "Again, I'm really happy for you, Chadworth." Rachel used his full first name out of amusement at times. Tonight was a pass because he was tired and he wanted her happy. She spoke again, albeit groggily. "Hm, I don't think I can do this whole dating thing seriously. Maybe for the benefit of the Teens Next Door, but not seriously. So high maintenance."
Coming from the queen of high maintenance, herself.
"You're spewing nonsense, Rachel Theresa," Chad countered back at that suggestion. There was no response to his use of her middle name, a sign that she succumbed to her fatigue. He followed soon after.
Four hours later, he was the first one to wake and she was still there next to him on his bed. The sun was a few minutes shy of exhibiting itself on his blinds and shining throughout his room.
Chad stared at her sleeping figure; he couldn't find it in himself to look away. Rachel was a mouth breather in her sleep, while she kept her hands neatly curled under her chin.
But suddenly, something in his chest tugged at his heartstrings. It sent signals to his brain.
She was beautiful. Here this girl was, sprawled on the right side of his bed, in her silly constellation pajamas while he felt constellations of his own click with realization.
He was in love with her.
How did these feelings actually begin to creep up on him without his knowledge? It couldn't have happened all at once, right now, no way.
Was it when she entered the Teens Next Door, a confident smile on her face showing him that she was just as good as him to be accepted? Maybe even before that, when he was still her Supreme Leader and she was his second, working like a well-oiled machine.
All the time they spent together in the last eight or so years, with unfailing trust, and it started to make sense why it was.
Chad just didn't know what to do about it.
Before he could relish in this new information more, Rachel opened one eye before she opened both of them together. "Why are you staring? Did I drool? I forgot to take the floor." She raised her head to inspect his pillow.
"It's fine, McKenzie. Seriously," he said softly. "I saved both of us from getting bad backs. Won't do us any good knowing what kind of shit we get into."
She couldn't shake off the feeling that Chad found out something important in the time he was awake before her. She trusted that if it was super important, he would tell her. "Oh! Did you decided where you were going to take Sabrina tonight?"
He was about to open his mouth to tell her that he changed his mind, that he wouldn't be taking her out tonight, but a feminine voice from the hallway outside penetrated the walls of his bedroom.
"Chad, honey! Will Rachel be joining us for breakfast?"
