Chapter Four: Falling in Reverse

My head shot up... my eyes widened now at the figure that stood at the entrance of the kitchen. "Becca?"

That's right... Becca. There, right in front of me, draped in one of Dick's button up dress shirts. At the risk of sounding jealous... it would have been my opinion she was definitely neglecting the use of said buttons. Aside from Dick's shirt, a risqué set of undergarments was all that lay beneath, her perfectly tanned skin on display before us. I immediately turned to Dick. His smile had faded, a dazed look upon his face now. Not dazed as in surprised to see Becca in the house, no, dazed as in the wine had long since taken effect on him. Because lets face it, this wasn't the first time I'd been in this position, and was well aware that I had a fifty-fifty chance of her still lurking in one of the rooms... especially since Dick had offered to tell me Becca had already been sent home when he usually avoids the subject all together.

So here I was, in front of Becca, drinking wine with her boyfriend in the middle of the night. See, this is where the whole 'male/female' friendship success rate tends to fail. If you asked either of us, Dick and I, we would tell you that a boy and a girl were perfectly capable of holding a close, strong friendship without any intimacy or problems attached, others ... would disagree, and I believe this exact situation I was in, was why. The truth was, Richard held friendship above any relationship when in the real world a girlfriend is meant to trump best friend. If the past proved anything to me at all, where Dick and his girlfriends were concerned, everything could go smoothly for quite some time but eventually a moment like this would happen and it was all down hill from there, for me at least. Bottom line, ... eventually the boundaries of friendship and 'something more' would feel breached. And right now, as I looked back to Becca I could see that she had felt that way.

I found myself thinking... why not? She had every right to be suspicious. Mere hours ago she had been with Dick and now she's standing in front of her boyfriend at 5:30 in the morning beside the tipsy best friend. Now this... this scenario was difficult for me. In the past I never felt guilty for spending time with Dick because I didn't understand what was so wrong with something like this. I was entirely innocent in the matter after all I was just hanging out with my best friend, ... but back then I didn't have feelings for him. Now I did... and that definitely complicated things. I lowered my gaze from Becca's suspicious glare... I actually felt guilty. The entire moment fell around me now in a different perspective.

I found myself disgusted with...well, myself. The midnight drive to my house and back... the spaghetti... the wine... the entire scene played through my head and I knew this was wrong. Perhaps for Dick it was all innocent, but I couldn't honestly say that for myself... not anymore. As much as I had fought it, I had giggled more, lingered longer in gazes at those blue eyes he hides so often, ... and in the end I was attracted to Dick, instantly making the situation wrong for me to have allowed. I had done my best to make Becca comfortable around me, and view me more as a friend then an enemy in a war for Richard's attention. But it was this defining moment that always shattered their trust in me... and for the first time I was in the wrong. If I'm being entirely honest, I wasn't a threat to Becca in the least, despite having these new feelings for Dick, I would never dream of intervening in one of his relationships. I was never that type of girl, and I'm sure, there is a large majority of the women who say they aren't this type of girl when they really are, ... but this is me, I wasn't... couldn't be like that. Which I'm sure sounds like utter hypocrisy since I'm currently in a situation most would consider to be a habit of these type of girls, but despite the guilt I felt, I would never have done anything to draw any amount of direct attention to my feelings for Dick. I was constantly trying to drown them in the back of my mind as it were.

Anyway, this situation would normally have been handled by a simple explanation, by Dick, as to why I was standing in the kitchen at this hour and his casual demeanor and over all innocence in the manner would ring with truth. The women would automatically forgive Dick, because they could never bring themselves to stay mad at him, it would far too easy for them to be crossed off his mental list of women he had dumped. For me though... the damage had already been done, and while these women always endured my presence when Dick was around, when he wasn't their inner bitch would surface. But, as I said, this situation felt different,... new to me. I had no idea how the situation would play out before me, for I had guilt written all over my face.

When Dick finally spoke, my frantic gaze, which had previously remained upon the floor, focused on him now. His words weren't slurred, but I wouldn't say they were as clear as they normally would have been. Those blue eyes remained focused on the glass of wine on the counter before him. "I didn't realize you'd be making an appearance this early."

I swallowed hard, awkwardness filling the air as Becca's attention passed a glance from me to Dick, then back to me. "I didn't realize she were here."

I cleared my throat, setting my glass of wine on the counter now. "Yea... umm,... " My mind was blank but my veins pumped a bitter feeling that screamed guilt through my body, the feeling becoming increasingly overwhelming . I licked at my dry lips, cursing the wine for having made using my voice a struggle. I cleared my throat hoping it would help me find words, but it was of no use, so I was especially grateful when Dick chimed in with the silence.

"Did we wake you?"

Becca's immediate hesitation brought my eyes to hers again only to find her grinning back at Richard. I lifted my glass to my lips now avoiding the awkwardness, for me, as Becca placed her arms around him, kissing him once. "No, I was... really tired." She smiled up at Dick, which he seemed to ignore, then looked to me again. "Mmmm, smells good. What are you making?"

Dick stepped away from her, leaning back upon one of the counters. "This is kind of something Kori and I do together... alone."

The shock upon my face as Dick said this must have been extremely noticeable because Becca glared at me now. Quickly composing herself before him she said, "Are you really asking me to leave?"

I immediately looked to Dick his expression held relentless against her whimper. The silence, for me felt like an eternity. I inhaled deeply, then returning my wine glass to the counter I tried to step passed them. "You know what... Dick I'm tired. I should probably just..."

"No..." he said. He had stepped in front of me, blocking my path and looking to me offended. "You said you were hungry and the foods almost done."

I looked nervously to Becca who had made me increasingly uncomfortable in my own surroundings with every second. I swallowed hard as her rage focused upon me from behind Dick, him being unaware of this. I sighed, a hand on my forehead now. "No... really, its fine. I shouldn't have come over, I'm... " I paused, my mind flashing blank again as I tried to avoid the glares being sent my way from both of them now. "... look, Dick, I'm tired I told you that." I looked to Becca, stepping back now. "I'll see you around."

My footsteps once out of the kitchen, even as I heard another set of shoes behind me, became rushed. My eyes were on my phone as I made my way through the hallways by memory. I stopped before the doorway with a sigh instantly remembering I had not driven here. I paused, looking to the thin table to my right, a smile escaped me as I noticed a tray of keys. While most belonged to Bruce I knew the ones that belonged to Dick's bike would be near the top.

"Kori!"

I turned with a laugh masking the fact he had startled me. He looked to me with narrowed eyes. "Kori... what do you think your doing?"

A small hiccup escaped me before I could speak. I hesitated reading Dick's current expression of anger and confusion for me. My palms were sweaty now, and while I tried to keep a calm and carefree expression, my eyes, I could feel, were cowering before Richard's. I knew he could tell there was something bothering me, and I felt angry for not being able to explain myself to him. He didn't deserve this odd behavior from me and I knew it, but the fact was... I couldn't keep calm around him anymore. I could feel this entire situation around him and I becoming suffocating, the walls around us closing in mercilessly. He stared down at me, almost hurt, that I would leave and at the last moment, when I thought I might burst of emotion... laughter. That's right laughter... that was all I could do to remove myself from the situation. I couldn't tell him I was feeling guilty because I had been unintentionally flirting with him earlier, so yea... laughter. He looked to me even more confused, as if I had gone a little crazy with the wine.

I shook my head, my laughter forming into words now. "Dick, seriously, I'm tired. It's better that I just... go home and sleep. We have that interview today and I want to be well rested, which wont happen if I'm here." My eyes widened, a finger poking his chest. "You know this to be true."

I felt accomplished by my ability to sound so casual with him when inside I was screaming, but that feeling was soon overshadowed by his words.

"I don't think it's a good idea that you leave. I wont feel comfortable with you leaving like this." I swallowed hard as he stepped to me, lowering his voice. "If this is about Becca, don't worry about her, its fine. She isn't mad."

Stopping myself from rolling my eyes proved harder than I would have anticipated... he was so oblivious. After tonight... this morning... whichever you prefer, Becca hated me, and what was worse, I was on her side. Discarding this truth, I lowered my voice to a whisper now, a small laugh escaping me. "There's no need to whisper, I'm tired not upset." I paused, he looked to me now hesitantly, and before he could ask me if I was sure, I said, "Trust me Dick, ... I just needs some rest. You and I can do this some other time... really."

He nodded reluctantly, his own exhaustion taking over now. "Alright well, I'd drive you home but..."

"No... ," I interrupted. "... I'll drive myself. Give me the keys to your bike." I turned back to he bowl of keys that had caught my attention before his arrival. "Are they in here?"

"I was gonna say..." he paused lifting his phone from his pocket. As I heard him dialing I looked to him. He finished dialing and placed the phone against his ear. "...I was gonna say I'd drive you but because I've had too much to drink... both of us have, I wouldn't feel safe driving you." He paused his attention suddenly becoming dazed as he spoke to the other end of the line now. "Hey, uhh... this is Dick Grayson, ... yea ... I need..."

I lunged toward him violently taking the phone from his ear and canceling the call. "Are you crazy?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" He said looking at me with wide eyes.

"Come on now Dick! Are you serious? You were really going to call for a car?" I laughed in annoyance. "That would be great for my mother to learn about on the front of a magazine."

As I focused on my frantic breathing, Dick fell silent. Just from his expression I could tell he knew I was right. With Bruce out of town, Alfred gone, my mother away as well, the media had a target over us, hoping as teenagers we would slip up, serving them a front page story. This was the last thing we needed before the interview which was later today. I could see the headlines now, preaching of the possibilities at my reason for needing a car to leave Dick's house so early in the morning, not to mention I looked as though I hadn't slept, which I hadn't, and still wore my pajamas.

"I wasn't thinking."

The words left his mouth in a way that instantly dissolved the guilt for Becca which flowed through me, and consumed me in guilt for him. I had never felt so selfish toward Dick then right now. I had been so caught up in my own thoughts and issues I had found myself yelling at him, which was something I never did. Yea, so I might have been right, the tabloids would have a field day with this, but the look on his face didn't make me feel any better. Regardless of all that I had mentioned before,... all the guilt for Becca, the desire to avoid Dick, ... all of it came to a halt, leaving my mind entirely. All that mattered in this moment was the look upon his face. At the end of the day he was my best friend and I had been selfish, sending him in confusing circles while I tried to deal with my own issues behind forced smiles and awkward behavior.

I looked up to him and smiled. When I lifted a hand to his shoulder his eyes were like daggers into mine. I knew he was reading my expression, trying to decipher what exactly was going through my mind, and for the first time since Miami, I was actually displaying my real feelings before him.

I shook my head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled." I laugh slightly. "I'm tired... really tired, and cranky and... I'm sorry."
He hesitated, his eyes still observing me, as if my eyes would somehow tell him if I was lying. Then, I felt him inhale deeply, embracing me quickly. "If you insist on leaving then..."

I stepped back from him. "Trust me Dick, I had one glass of wine, one in which I didn't finish." I smiled. "I'm fine, just give me the keys."

He hesitated, but as he did I noticed his left hand fall over his pocket. "I don't know..." My eyes narrowed, a sinister grin upon my face now as I stepped toward him. His hesitation melted away as he noticed me, and he shook his head with a laugh. "I know what you're doing and don't think for one second I'd let you."

I could tell by my childish behavior now that he was already in a better mood. I stepped to him with no words, nothing but a smirk. He came to a halt, backed up against the hallway wall.

"Give me the keys Dick. I know they're in your pocket." I said extending a hand toward his which remained against his jeans. He shook his head with a childish grin, which faded as I paused, my expression turning mischievous. "If you don't, I suppose I'll just have to take Bruce's car..." I lifted a finger to my chin in thought as I stepped back toward the door now. "...lets see... should I take the Bentley?... No... not nearly flashy enough for me... perhaps the Rolls-Royce? ... you know I can't resist the classics..."

He shook his head, fighting back a smirk in front of me.

I stopped before the small table where the jar of keys remained. Lifting the top set to my possession I dangled in front of him. "Looks like it's the Lamborghini."

"Alright... alright..." he said with a laugh. He stepped to me, immediately relieving the keys from my grasp. I paused, a triumphant look upon my face as he removed the keys from his pocket and extended them toward me. His eyes were intense now as I tried to take the keys. His hand and mine were in a slight tug of war. "Just promise me you'll get home safe."

I swallowed hard, every emotion I had for him raging into a full-blown crossfire now. "Yea... of course."

After having endured a quick embrace from him, he allowed me to leave, asking only that I call him once I arrived at home. When I returned home, my mind was bursting with a million thoughts. I wasn't sure which to entertain first... Becca? Dick? the interview I was suppose to be present at in a few hours? If there was one thing I knew, it was that I needed one hell of a distraction, because if things kept going the way they were I wouldn't be surprised to find myself in the hospital having a mental breakdown. It sounds dramatic, but if you only knew all the details involved in my life right now, details in which were slowly devouring me, you would agree.

When I got home I was greeted by my sister Komi... she wasn't awake, thankfully, but her presence was hard to miss. She lay scattered across the couch with her boyfriend, a sea of empty beer cans beneath their feet. I sighed, ... if only my mother could see how charming my sister was in this moment, maybe then she'd put more limitations on Komi and eventually lead to making her a more enjoyable person to be around. Either way, I don't know why I'm allowing my sister to intervene in my thoughts, probably because she seemed to be enjoying her life at the moment while mine was slowly crumbling, but I shrugged it off and made my way upstairs.

By the time I rested my hand on the banister I realized the full extent of my exhaustion. My legs struggled to carry me up the stairs and when I entered my room my body cried out even more. I stood, shoulders heavy and knees ready to buckle, as I stared back at what I had hoped would be an empty room. It was clear now that the party Komi had last night was not secluded to her and her boyfriend, for two very unfamiliar faces lay in embrace upon my bed, their clothes scattered across my bedroom floor. Why I stood there so long just staring at their figures cozy upon my bed, and tangled in my sheets, I don't know why. Maybe I thought my mind was playing tricks on me and if I stared at the scene long enough it would prove to be nothing more than an illusion my tired eyes had designed for me... but it wasn't so. What I did know is that this day was proving to be one of the worst I had in quite some time now, and it had hardly begun.

Closing my door now, I stepped into the hallway checking the time on my phone... 6:18 am. The silence which embodied me now lingered for a brief moment then a thought came to me. With my room momentarily in use, Komi asleep on the couch, the guest room... to be honest I was afraid to check, especially since my room which was at the end of the hall had already been occupied, there was no telling what I would find in any other of the rooms... I knew there was only one place I could go... and it wasn't back to Dicks house, which normally I would have done. It was almost 6:30 which meant only one of my friends was even remotely alert at this time. I looked down to my phone again...

Kori: Rae... you awake?

There was a brief pause... I wanted more than anything for her to respond.

Rachel: On my way to get coffee.

I released a sigh of frustration. I was hoping to have caught her before she had left.

Rachel: Is Dick there?

Kori: No, why?

Rachel: I'm staring at his bike right now.

I smiled, racing down the steps of my house and entering out into the early morning again. Rachel turned to me with a raised brow, lowering her phone to her pocket. "What happened to you? You look horrible."

I nodded. "Yes well... it's a long... difficult story." I paused, her expression remained firm. "I was wondering if I could go with you to get coffee?"

"Komi must have had one hell of a party last night. Who'd you hook up with?"

My eyes narrowed to hers and she released a brief laugh. We both knew that wasn't the case of my distraught appearance, but none the less she enjoyed inflicting embarrassment on me once in a while. I didn't mind though, it was really the only time I heard an actual convincing laugh from her so I just went along with it.

"You can borrow some of my clothes if you don't mind sporting a less colorful fashion statement."

It was now that I looked down at my clothes for the first time since Dick had forced me from my home in the middle of the night. I inhaled deeply, realizing how sloppy I looked and agreed that I had no desire to step into the public eye as such.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

I sat now, alone, in a stretched white limo. My time with Rachel was nothing short of a relief. It had been a few hours since she brought me back from the coffee shop but I still felt much better with myself. As quiet and careless as Rachel seemed, when it came down to friendship, and it was just her and I in a quiet environment, she was very helpful. She wasn't the type of girl to giggle and agree with me when I had done something questionable, like most girl friends would do, no, she would tell me straight, her opinion most times was nothing short of a reality check. It's not to say that she was rude about her delivery of said realization and advice, because she wasn't, but others might have taken her that way. The difference was, ... I knew Rachel, I knew when she told me I was being an idiot about certain things it wasn't to put me down, for she simply had this raw, straightforward way about her.

In any event, I had spent almost an hour and a half with her at the coffee shop just talking. I didn't go into detail about me and Dick but rather disguised my troubles with Komi's party having kept me up all night only to find two random people in my bed. She laughed at my misfortune and told me not to take it personal. She said not to worry about Komi, she was a bitch, she always had been and always would be, and to stop expecting any different from her. I agreed but at the same time, Komi was officially the last thing on my mind. After I left Rachel I came home to find the house just as I had left it, aside from the man who stood just outside my front porch.

It was now that I noticed the stretched white limo parked a little ways down my street. The gentleman looked to me with a smile and it was obvious he was aware of who I was... which might I add was not something I was entirely used to. I'll spare you the details of awkward conversations among strangers, because the point was, I had every intention of driving to the interview in my car, but as it turned out Dick had other plans. The driver informed me that Dick had sent for him hours ago with instructions to escort me throughout my day, and while I would have much rather taken a more subtle approach than a limo... I couldn't exactly say no, the man was already here.

In the end I stopped by my mothers office down town and retrieved the proper paperwork needed for the interview, and now... here I am, sitting alone in this limo. My palms were sweating more and more as the building where the interview was to take place came into view. My nerves jolting as my phone vibrated beside me.

Dick: Try and relax Kor

I looked down at my phone with a smile. I knew Dick was somewhere within sight of me, but I couldn't spot him. He was aware of the limo I was in... he had chosen it. I glanced around at the cars surrounding me... there... that was it, it had to be. A black limo a few cars ahead of mine remained in a halt to traffic. I could have sworn I saw the outline of his spiked hair in the back window, but there was no way to be certain. I looked down at my phone again, Dick's text giving me more comfort then it probably should have. The truth was, I didn't mind attending these occasions once I was there but the initial build up of such a scene was always too much for me. I would pull up and exit the limo, being attacked by camera flashes and endless questions... all of which shoved me down into an overwhelmed state of nerves. How these paparazzi, or what ever they prefer to be called, learned of this interview, I'm not sure, nor did I agree that it was the most interesting thing happening in town today.

I inhaled deeply as I noticed Dick step out of the black limo in the distance in a dashing suit. A smile crept across my face, he was charming, everything people expected from him. The crowd cheered, feeding his ego, which I might add was never present around me, but the public ate it up. My anticipation grew more intense now as my limo came to a halt just before where he stood. I turned in my seat as he reached for the handle of the door. A nervous smile graced my lips as he took my hand and brought me to stand beside him. We smiled side by side, for the cameras, ignoring the questions that flew past us at an alarming rate. Then right as I felt I may never recover proper sight from the attacking camera flashes which stung at my eyes we found ourselves entering the building. My nervousness melting as we passed the threshold.

Dick took my hand with a smile. "Not so bad now is it."

Before I could answer a woman stepped to us. She was speaking to both of us, but her eager eyes remained fixed upon Dick.

"Mr. Grayson, Miss Anders, you are right on time." She took a step back, motioning to a set of double doors in the distance. "Right this way."

Now, I suppose I should explain. This interview we were attending was a result of a business deal between my mothers company and Bruce's. I wouldn't even consider it an interview, it was more of a conference, or a business meeting. We had to exchange paperwork for the deal between companies, a small interview to take place before its end. Again, I didn't mind attending and participating in such things, but the media made it difficult to deal with. We, both of us, had to creep carefully around our words, choosing the most appropriate and least willing to be taken out of context. Sounds simple enough, but I had learned long ago that there was never the right thing to say, the media would manipulate my words no matter how innocent and to the point they were.

I sat now beside Dick at a large table, a set of three people staring wide-eyed across from us.

"Good afternoon Mr. Grayson... Ms. Anders." One of them said.

Dick took the initiative to speak first, knowing I would still be recovering from my nerves. By the way he spoke, the confidence in his voice, you would never have guessed he was simply hating every minute, but then again he was always better at this then I was.

Now before this goes any further let me just point out one small fun fact about Richard. In the past when we were first old enough to begin 'keeping up appearances' when our parents were gone, I was a million times more nervous the I was ever today. The advice Dick gave me, and still lives by today, was something he liked to call... the 'two sentence rule'. Sounds ridiculous, and yea, it is, but believe me when I tell you this actually works. This rule originated when we were young, and way before Dick's playboy era, which he had recently broadened the use of the rule to women as well as the media. In other words, what started out as a way to deal with the media eventually spawned into this supposedly suave approach to women. Obviously the rule does work wonders, especially taking into consideration all the women Dick has victimized by this rule, but again... I'm babbling.

Alright, so the 'two sentence rule'... plain and simple, ... respond and initiate conversations with no more than two sentences. Sounds like a flimsy tactic but it has helped me through some awkward times. The theory, as he explained to me, is that when you find yourself in a conversation with someone you really don't like or even know... in order to remain polite and seem interested, you had to force yourself to bring together two sentences to reply. Now in reverse, if in an interview and asked a question you really didn't want to give too much detail on for fear of increasing the amount of room to have your words taken out of context, you kept it simple and limited yourself to two sentences. So, here's an example... and you'll notice Dick lives solely by this rule...

"Good Morning to you as well." He smiled warmly at the one female reporter, and she blushed instantly. "It seems that with Bruce out of town, your stuck with Kori and I."

"I think we'll manage." The man of the right chuckled, the other two reporters were in heated writing. As if every word that escaped Dick was pure gold.

The interview was long, and boring, but I had eventually brought myself to speak in the conversation, aiding Dick in the logistics of the two companies contract. And just when I felt my most confident, the interview almost over, it took a turn.

"Well, Mr. Grayson, it seems that you two have cleared up a lot of speculation on this contract between the two most successful companies around." One of the reporters said.

Dick nodded. "I was glad I could be of help. Now if only I could do anything about the immense amount of paper work we both have to deal with."

The reporters laughed in response to this comment, and I did as well. It was a hollow laugh, and as Dick looked to me with a raised brow I could tell he had noticed. One of the reporters paused, and as he looked to me, my mind froze. "I suppose the only other questions we could pose is that of you... Miss Anders."

This was the part I despised the most. We were faced with three people, two men and one woman, and yet I got the feeling only one of them was a business man, the other two seemed like a microphone to the press. I giggled nervously. "And what would that be?"

"There have been several cases of rumors which suggest that you and Mr. Grayson have eloped."

I laughed, then lifting my left hand to their view I said, "Nope, ... still in high school. Besides, Dick and I are just friends, the sooner the media understands that, the less controversy will surround us. I mean..." I fell silent as Dick cleared his throat, and I instantly knew why. I was rambling again, something I found difficult to bring to a halt while in an interview.

Dick sent me a warm smile then looked to the reporters. "I would think that with the current situation both of our families are far too busy to consider anything other than the events this week. We're both fairly excited for what this all means to the company."

The woman spoke now. "Mr. Grayson is it not true that you have recently departed to Miami with Miss Anders?"

He nodded carelessly but I could tell he had become frustrated with the woman's lack of common courtesy. It was obvious neither of us wished to discuss anything personal between us, whether we were just friends or not. Regardless of his thoughts, Richard leaned back in his seat. "Absolutely, we returned from Miami about a week ago." He looked to me with a smile. "There's never a better way to spend a summer then with a best friend."

I smiled, adding. "... right, which of course his best friend wasn't available." I shrugged. "I was the next best thing I suppose."

The reporters laughed at my words and continued to scribble in their small folders.

"Now... the charity event," The last man said. "Mr. Grayson you do have plans on attending since Mr. Wayne is in New York, correct?"

Dick nodded. "Definitely. I'm looking forward to it."

"And will you be escorting Miss Anders?" The woman asked.

Dick hesitated, then turned to me. "I haven't asked her yet. Although,... something tells me its alright to assume that I am."

I smiled giving him a nod, then that was it, the interview ended and Dick and I went our separate ways. We had made a rule that when we were 'keeping up appearances' while our parents were out of town that we would avoid being together in the public eye as much as we could... it just made things a little easier for both of us. The less amount of pictures that could be taken of us meant the less dramatic stories surrounded us.

I was home now, untangling myself from the clothes I once wore and fit myself into a pair of shorts and a tank. To my surprise the house was clean and empty, as if the mess I had walked into this morning never occurred. Komi was gone, my room was empty, not that I felt any more comfortable in my room simply knowing the events that had taken place the night before. My phone was ringing constantly, but I knew it was Dick. The plan was for me to return to the manor with him but I was too exhausted to oblige. I turned my phone off and lay out across the couch with a sigh. It was perfect, my phone...off, my sister Komi... gone for the night, my eyes... closing... utter silence. Then, just as I felt my body completely give in to my tiredness, a loud bang sounded at my front door. I ignored it hoping whoever it was would just go away, but then came a voice.

"I know you're there Kori. I just saw the limo leave."

"Go away!" I shouted, my voice cracking with exhaustion.

"Its Rachel let me in."

I rolled my eyes. "Rae, I can't do this right now. I'm..."

"Just open the door."

I hesitated, I may have been tired but I could tell by the tone in Rachel's already monotone voice that something was wrong. I pulled myself up off the couch and pulled the front door open. Rachel shut the door behind her and I collapsed on the couch again.

"He is such an asshole I can't even ..." she began.

She looked to me, and with the silence I forced my eyes open. "I'm listening."

I could hear her pacing now. "Why was your phone off?"

"I'm tired, its my way of telling people to leave me alone." I paused looking to her. Her brow was raised in much aggravation. I sat up now, leaning my head on my right palm, feeling guilty for brushing her off when she had helped me this morning. "I'm sorry, you have my full attention... I promise."

She inhaled deeply, pacing again. "The little prick won't leave me alone. He's diving me crazy and my patience isn't exactly becoming more lenient with him."

My eyes narrowed. "Who are you talking about?"

She hesitated, then lowered herself to a chair across from me. She gritted her teeth, trying with everything she had to stop herself from saying his name. "Gar."

"Gar?"

"Yes, Gar, Garfield Logan, the idiot that hangs around us all the time. The genius who decided dying his hair green was a smart decision."

I nodded. "Alright, so... what exactly does he do to bother you so much? You seem... really angry at him for something."

Rachel lowered her gaze as if guilty her own emotions were true. "He ... everything he does infuriates me. I can't ... I can't stop... thinking ... about him."

My mind flashed alert now. Did I just hear her correctly? I know that I had been out of the loop with Rachel lately as a result of Dick, but this was entirely unexpected. I replied in a stutter. "Wha- what?"

She rolled her eyes, hating herself for admitting it. "I can't explain it. Somehow his idiocy ... entices me." She looked to me with rage. "I hate it. I hate him."

"I believe you." I replied confidently. She was glaring, and while I'm not certain if she knew it, this is how conflicted she was with herself. "So... have you told him?"

Her eyes flashed red now. "Are you crazy?"

My eyes were wide now too. "I... no, I just.. I don't know."

"I can't tell Gar that I..." she shook her head gagging slightly at her own words. "...I can't even bring myself to admit it out loud."

"What are you going to do?"

She looked to me now and inhaled deeply. She returned to her seat and lifted a book from the table. With a shrug she said, "Nothing."

There was a brief silence. Rachel's composure had cooled and she had receded into the world of fantasy in her newest novel. I remained quiet, instantly aware that she had only confided in me to have someone she trusted enough not to judge or leek the knowledge. She just wanted someone to know her more frustrating thoughts, as if now we were both burdened with the truth of her thoughts and not just her alone. I knew she would open up to me more about Gar and what exactly happened between the two for her to be in this mood, but... for now... I was too exhausted to worry about it.

I fell asleep quickly while Rachel remained on the opposite side of the living room, her book promoting silence.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

(A/N) This chapter was much longer then the others but I really enjoyed it. Im excited for next chapter where I finally incorporate Rachel's POV. I had a lot of fun with it so I'll be sure to update soon. =]