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| twenty seven.

    RACHEL, Simon and Aidan hopped off yet another plane, walking out of England's airport coming face to face with two happy gingers.

    "Where's Harv?" Rachel asked noticing the absence of the blue-eyed boy. "Taking care of Duke." Zara admitted noticing the colour in Rachel's eyes fade.

    "What's wrong with Duke?" Zachary turning to Zara who nodded before saying, "He was a mess last night," Rachel biting her lip in guilt.

    "He got wasted."

    This surprised all three Holbrook's as they knew for a matter of fact that Duke hadn't drunken alcohol since the Holbrook girl had convinced him to.

    "Duke's drinking?"

    "Holy sh- is he alright?"

    Rachel stood there in guilt as Simon and Aidan continued to ask questions about the Manson boy.

    She didn't know it would hurt him this much.

    "Rachel? Coming?" Zara asked squeezing the girl's arm - in hopes of comforting her.

    Nodding Rachel and the others climbed in Zach's car before driving off to the apartment Zach and Duke shared.

    Multiple things kept on going through her head like 'what if I had just said I love you?, what if I could have prevented him drinking? what if this didn't hurt so much?'

    Aidan could see the hurt on her face as they got nearer to the apartment, taking a hold of her hand he gave it a tight squeeze before rubbing circles on her hand with his thumb.

    That's what their mum used to do to them when they got scared of their d-

    "We're here."

    Taking a deep breath, Rachel unbuckled her seat belt before walking up the thousand flights of stairs towards apartment D1.

    "Are you sure you wanna do this R?" Simon asked his sister as he noticed the jitteriness her hand had possessed.

    "Yeah... I'm fine." Turning the knob, she was met with the smell of alcohol and presence of beer bottles everywhere.

    "Holy sh-"

    Harvey walked out of the room, exhausted, surprised to see Rachel there.

    "Rachel? What are you doing here?" Harvey asked enveloping her in hug, before proceeding to hug Aidan and Simon.

    "I'm here to see my boyfriend." Harvey nodding before pointing to the closed door.

    "He just fell asleep so he'll be out for a while." Rachel walking towards the door and giving the group one last smile before entering the room.

    Duke was in fact knocked out in his bed, snoring fall asleep.

    Rachel laughing as the memories fluttered in from boarding school of the two bickering and how Zach had told him she sleeps the complete opposite of Duke.

    Pulling out a stool, she sat down, taking a seat and grabbing his hand - placing a soft kiss on his hand before awaiting his waking.

    2 HOURS LATER

    Rachel's head was found on her arm, fast asleep as Duke awoke from his nap.

    "Rachel?" He whispered running his eyes making sure it was her. Groans were heard as she sat up from her very uncomfortable sleeping position.

    "Why are you bloody here?"

    "Can't a girl see her boyfriend?"

    Duke smiled at the status given to him. Rachel placing a hand on his cheek, pulled him closer watching as the stutters began to flow out of his mouth.

    "Ra-rach-are you sure you wan-"

    Duke was silenced as her lips smashed against his, the boy calming down, quickly sure to kiss her back.

    The two pulled apart as he closed his eyes embracing the moment as the only thing he wanted to hear was spoken.

    "Duke Scott Manson, I love you."