You & I Collide

Paul

I raced home through the woods, feeling absolutely no regret as I left my brothers behind me. Selfish, yes, but while you can run from what you fear, you can't run from fear of the truth. I ducked behind an overgrowth of trees that encroached on the edge of the Blacks' backyard and phased quickly, stepping into a pair of beige shorts. Then I darted to the front door. I didn't even knock, I just went right in. Love erases everything else - including sensibility.

Rachel's room was right across from the kitchen. Her door was covered in her sketches, as were the walls of her bedroom. I was about to barge in there, too, but as I put my hand on the doorknob to turn it, I heard a faint weeping coming from inside. I bit my lip. This whole mission was hurting her, and that was agonizing.

Tentatively, I knocked.

I heard a sniffle, and then Rachel asked in a whimper, "Who's there?"

"Someone who wants to make you feel better," I replied.

I heard her get up off the floor and then she flung the door open.

"Paul!" she cried, throwing herself at me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and held on tight. I put my hands on her back and led her back into her room. Kleenexes were scattered all over the floor. I sat down on the bed and set her in my lap.

"Oh, Paul, are you okay? Are you hurt?" she cried, looking up at me and patting frantically on my head. Her hand brushed over my forehead as she examined a faint scar hidden near my hairline. The expression on her face demanded an explaination.

"Tree branch," I assured her, and I was telling the truth.

I looked pointedly at the disarray of Kleenexes and then back at her. Now I was the one wanting an explanation.

She sighed. "You don't know how hard it's been...waiting. I didn't want you...to see. I didn't want you to know how hard it is for me when you're off hunting a..." she didn't dare say it.

"I'm always careful, Rachel. For you. I love you."

"I know. And I love you, too."

"I know."

Rachel looked up at me with those irresistable brown eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it and turned away. However, that was not before I saw a flash of pain in her eyes.

"What?" I asked with concern, putting my hand under her chin and turning her head to face me.

"It's nothing," she said, though I doubted her for some reason.

"Rachel," I began, "you can tell me anything. Everything. You don't have to be afraid to talk to me about things. I don't want you to ever feel like that."

"Some things are better left unsaid," she murmured.

I could live with that. I would have to. Because Rachel would tell me what was on her mind, right? Right? Of course she would. Of course....

"Is Jacob still out there?" she asked, looking straight ahead instead of up at me. Her voice was dull and emotionless. I guessed that she was trying to keep the terror out of it, for of course she knew the answer.

"Yeah. Sam let me leave so I could come back to you, but Jake suggested it. He'll be back soon, Rach. Don't worry."

"That's easier said than done," she muttered, her tone sardonic.

I tried to brighten the moment a little. "You know," I said, "there's this beautiful girl that I know, who I'm, to be honest, in love with. She's smart and unique and kind and caring...and guess what? You know her really well. And I've been meaning to give her something...something that I've given her before."

My plan worked; a smile flcikered across Rachel's face as I leaned in to kiss her soft, round lips. I wound my hand in her hair carefully, then parted my mouth from hers.

"You're all I want right now, okay?" I told her.

"Okay," she said, and leaned her head against my chest.

I don't know why, but for some reason I felt like it wasn't okay. A stupid overreaction, I instinctively thought, on the defensive. But was it? Of course it was, of course....