Hello again :)
As per the tradition of publishing a story on Rachel Mason's birthday every year, this story is a very old story I found in my documents for the occasion. This fic was inspired by the song 'Say My Name' by Bebe Rexha. I hope you enjoy :)
The walls were starting to close in on her. Did Eddie really love her? Was Melissa lying? Rachel didn't know what to think anymore. The room was spinning, the suffocating silence engulfing the space around her becoming unbearable. But she did know something; she had to get out of the room, and the school, the invisible band around her chest starting to suffocate her as her breathing became increasingly ragged with each second that passed.
Out of the corner of Rachel's eye, she could see Eddie staring at her with an indecipherable glint in his eyes. It made her shudder uncomfortably, she used to be so good at reading his attitudes and emotions by only looking at his expression and body language, but she couldn't read a single thought. Even looking him in the eye was fruitless as it forced her to look at the loneliness in his eyes. His smouldering iris' revealing his inner turmoil and truly broken soul had brought tears to her eyes. He was her best friend, her soul mate, how had they become so distant? This particular thought encouraged Rachel to practically run from the room, she couldn't handle the look on Eddie's face, and couldn't stand to even look at Melissa as the whole situation washed over her. It engulfed her thoughts, the feeling of loneliness rapidly spreading through her body like an ice-cold gush of water, filling her veins until she was left with an emptiness that could only be filled by a particular person, Eddie.
The past tense of Melissa's revelation made her heart shatter into a thousand pieces. 'I know you loved Rachel', maybe Eddie had loved her, but he loved Melissa now. They had been distant since the start of term. Rachel had been unable to look Eddie in the eye since she had revealed her scar to him. She thought he was different, he told her she was special. If she was special he wouldn't have started dating her sister less than a week later. She could leave Waterloo Road, that was a reasonable possibility. With a bit of luck, they would instate Eddie as the new headteacher, the kids had been through enough, they didn't need a brand new headteacher to add to it. Eddie was supposed to have the role instead of her anyway.
The silence of the corridor didn't help her uncontrollable thoughts, the only sound present being the fast-paced click of her heels. She just needed to get her belongings and get out of this school, trying not to break down entirely until she was in the peace and tranquillity of her office.
Rachel only just managed to close the office door and move her way over to her desk before she broke down into uncontrollable tears, her heart breaking even further from each sob that erupted. The tears trickled down her porcelain cheeks and dripped off her chin onto her crisp white blouse. How had things gotten so complicated? Before the fire, she had thought herself and Eddie were getting close, Eddie had asked her out on what she suspected was a date on the last day of term.
Laying her head on the desk, Rachel took a few calming deep breaths to compose herself before she grabbed her handbag and walked out of her safe place to face the dreadful world surrounding her. She couldn't let anyone see how much this was affecting her. Not anyone. Apart from Eddie, the irritating voice in her voice reminded her.
The car park was quiet as she power-walked to her Mazda. Her home was her sanctuary, the only place where she could be alone and drown her sorrows. She knew she had a bottle of wine waiting for her, it may be a school night but she was too upset to think of the consequences. She heard the faint sound of footsteps behind her but refused to look around, carrying onto her car until she heard an all too familiar voice call her name.
"Rachel!" Eddie shouted, desperate to stop the woman in question from driving away. He had carried on his argument with Melissa, calling her out for how selfish she was and that he loved Rachel the whole time. Then he had thought of Rachel, how she must be feeling after the entire situation and had gone to find her, seeing her heading to her car.
"Eddie? Aren't you supposed to be with Melissa?" They both heard the way her voice changed at the mention of her sister's name, it couldn't be missed.
"No, I'm sorry Rach, for the first day of term. I was an idiot, it was always you. I love you." Eddie's voice grew in confidence at the last part, it was the only thing he was sure of anymore. He loved Rachel Mason, and he was proud of it. He didn't know what he had been thinking to date her sister when Rachel had been in front of him all along. Love is blind, he realised, internally cursing his stupidity.
"Say it again," Rachel murmured.
"I love you."
Their lips met in a desperate kiss, both of them staggering until Rachel was pressed against the car she had previously tried to escape in. Their tongues battling for dominance, her arms around his neck while his hands located themselves around her hips.
"I love you too," Rachel murmured breathlessly between kisses. His lips trailed down from her lips to her neck, locating the sensitive juncture between her neck and shoulder, delighting in the moan that escaped from Rachel's lips. Their lips connected again, the shock of being so close to each other not wearing off.
"Eddie, I do love you, so so much. But don't you think this is too soon? You only just broke up."
"No, I don't. I never loved Melissa or really knew her, I was just lonely. And as for the loving you, I think it's a bit obvious from that mind-blowing kiss, don't you think Mason?" Eddie winked at her cheekily as she giggled at his statement. No, things weren't completely forgiven but he could only see the future improving.
"I think, Mr Lawson, that you are far too cheeky." Smiling, Rachel brought her arms up to wrap around Eddie's neck to embrace him again. She could practically feel the security and love he held for her in the loving embrace they were currently in.
"Is this you inviting me round your house for coffee?" Eddie smirked as he wrapped his arms around her hips suggestively, grinning as Rachel nodded, guiding him to the passenger seat of her car so they could drive to her house.
Yes, it was soon, but they had technically loved each other since they had met. And as Eddie sent a smile at her and placed a hand on her leg, Rachel knew she was finally happy. She could finally show Eddie Lawson how much she loved him.