Falling in Love + other Conditions of Living

Chapter 19

© kelliekook

Early Friday morning, Rachel awoke to the distinct sound of china sliding over china, and knew, before she heard the muffled giggling, that the love-birds were up getting an early morning snack.

Glancing at her bedside clock, she read the time to be just past four, then rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling.

For a moment she simply lay there, suspended in thoughts about fittings, cake samples and men with gorgeous smiles – correction; one man with a gorgeous smile.

Why, of all the times in her life, did two of her best friends have to fall in love now?

Between helping Brianna with preparations for an event that would tie her to one man for the rest of her life, and seeing Madison completely besotted with a man who looked at her as if she were a vision of pure beauty, Rachel did not know how much more love-induced happiness she could bare.

It was selfish thinking, but she was only human.

The comfort of bed called her to roll over and return to the blissful haze of dreams, but Rachel knew better. A few more hours of sleep would mean she'd risk the chance of having to awkwardly converse with two people completely lost in one another later on.

People in love weren't exactly 'fun' to be around, especially for someone trying to convince themselves a relationship isn't worth having.

She sighed and threw back the covers, a run; she would go for a nice, long run in the park and immerse herself in the scenery.

Tugging on her gym gear she tried to move around quietly so she wouldn't alert the couple of her rising. She waited until the giggling migrated from the kitchen to Madison's bedroom before poking her head out to check if the coast was clear.

Not a body in sight.

Now for the tricky part, Rachel thought as she gently closed the door and began to make her way down the hallway as silently as her joggers allowed.

The front door was, by design, noisy but Rachel was betting on their infatuation with one another to distract them from the clang it made as it shut behind her.

She exhaled in relief and relished in the sound her footfalls made on her way out of the building.

Everything outside the apartments was tinted a pale blue as the sun just peeked out over the horizon. The air was cool and she shivered involuntarily, a jacket would have been nice but eventually unnecessary, she'd warm up soon enough.

Across the street a man with a cup of coffee walked briskly, earphones in and face grim as he no-doubt made his daily commute to work.

Together, they were the only two people on the sidewalks.

Perfect, Rachel sighed then turned in the direction of the park and settled in to her regular running pace.

Most of the small-time shops that she jogged past were closed, minus the bakery which emitted the strong aroma of fresh bread. Her stomach gurgled quietly and she made a mental note to stop in on her way back.

If there was one thing Rachel could easily binge on, it would be bread – with just the right amount of butter smeared on the top.

She caught herself licking her lips and chuckled.

How long has it been since I was able to laugh at myself? She wondered, too long, far, far too long.

Already feeling better than she had half an hour ago, Rachel picked up her pace as she reached the park and smiled as the scent of freshly mowed grass filled her lungs.