Cloud Walking

problem. So suck it up and move on.” My voice rose and I could feel the surge of anger.

    The crying stopped instantly. “You are a complete asshole, Daniel Lowe. With everything I've got going on, I can't believe you're treating me like this. I wasted so much time with you. And just so you know, I've been sleeping with Logan for the last year and a half,” she threw at me.

    It wasn't like her words were exactly a surprise. I knew she wanted them to hurt. Too bad for her, I couldn't give a crap. “Well, go blow up his phone then,” I said just before I hung up. I smiled down at the dark screen. Damn, that felt good. I shoved the phone in my pocket and headed back to the living room just in time to see Rachel heading toward the hallway.

    “Where are you going? We've got a game to win,” I said jokingly, not wanting Rachel to leave. I could tell she was upset and call it a hunch, but I knew that I was the reason. I wanted to reach out and hold her. To tell her to stop being so silly because I wanted her and only her. But I was so damned scared to take that step. To screw up things even more than I already had.

    But Rachel was beyond angry. Beyond upset. “You know what, Daniel. I'm fucking done.” And that made me angry. Because I didn't want her to be “done.” I wanted to hear, from her, why she was so mad at me all the time. I was sick of the games. Sick of the drama. I just wanted everything to quiet the fuck down so I could think around this crazy buzzing in my head.

    Maggie immediately intervened but I cut her off. “No, Maggie. Let her say what she wants to say. Obviously I've pissed her off, again .” Okay, so I sounded like a dick. I didn't mean to sound like an insensitive ass but I just didn't know what else to do.

    Rachel got up in my face. Her mouth was an inch from mine and we were both breathing heavily. I couldn't stop myself from looking down at her lips and thinking about tasting them. God, I wanted to taste them.

    “Damn straight you pissed me off! I'm so sick of watching you go back and forth with that skank!” I was tired of her throwing Kylie in my face. Particularly when it was a complete moot point. If she'd just let me explain, for once... But I was pissed too and I didn't handle that well.

    “What the hell is it to you?” I growled as I watched Maggie and Clay try to lead Rachel away. I was goading her, I knew that. But I wanted to hear what she'd say. I wanted to know what she was thinking, more than I wanted anything.

    Maggie glared at me and told me to back off. Clay positioned himself between us, which was even more exasperating. Why was this dude interfering? It was none of his damn business.

    Then Rachel was telling me I walked all over her and I was telling her she was my friend. That I wanted to know what I had done wrong and then it happened.

    “Yes, we're friends! But damn you, Daniel! I love you! I'm tired of you hurting me!” Rachel cried out, covering her face with her hands. I stood there completely dumbstruck. She loved me? She loved me! But I needed confirmation. I needed to make sure I heard that correctly and that it meant the same thing to her as it did to me. I stared at Rachel, willing her to look at me, but she kept her face covered. Her shoulders shaking with sobs that ripped my heart out. So I turned to Maggie.

    “She loves me? What the hell is she talking about?” Please, just tell me what I want to hear , I begged my friend silently. Rachel tore away from Clay and Maggie and ran down the hallway to our room. Away from me. And then I couldn't take anymore.

    So I punched the stupid fucking wall. I knew it was a shitty thing to do, but I just couldn't keep it all inside anymore. And then I freaking left. I walked out into the freezing snow. I needed to get away from all of them. Away from the craziness.

    I headed to the lake and sagged down on a bench. I didn't feel the cold. I was too caught up in my erratic thoughts. Rachel loved me. Once she said that, it all clicked into place and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I wanted her. I wanted a chance at happiness...with her. But I was worried that I had messed that all up. How do I approach her now and say, Hey there, I love you too...wanna be my girlfriend?

    Maggie found me a few minutes later and she talked me off of that cliff, just like she always did. She convinced me that I needed to go talk to Rachel. That I needed to sort things out. I didn't lay things out for Maggie and