Finish Line

28

Raelynn Mae Klain was one of the most talkative people I had ever met in my life. Not to mention one of the most passive aggressive too. 

"So you're the infamous Raimy Daniel everyone keeps talking about," She smiles at me, as if she has some sort of advantage knowing my identity. 

"I guess that's me," I laugh nervously, suddenly caring a bit less about my charger and more about getting back to my safe apartment. 

"Honestly, may I just say that it's really cool what you're doing. I mean, flying across the country to run a magazine headquarters at 19 is insane," She cackles, "are you still at school too?" 

"I'm taking some online courses with my university. We've set up a system so I can graduate early and get all of my classes over within the next year, in case we keep the Boston relocation permanent," I explain. 

"Yeah, I've been modeling here since I was 13. They wanted to move me out to LA but I told them if they wanted me that badly, they'd have to come here," She flips her hair as she talks. 

She was pretty, no doubt, however her cocky attitude and rude remarks throughout the conversation made it clear her outer beauty was overcome by her inner ugliness. Talking to her was like trying to make conversation with a bear. 

"Sounds like fun," I smile uncomfortably as I wait for the elevator to arrive downstairs. She smirks at me as if she is defeating me at some sort of contest. 

"Oh it is. It's pretty cool actually. So have you hear the news?" She asks me. 

"What news?" I ask in return. I assume she is going to tell me something about her and Dylan. However I wasn't expecting what she told me. 

"Dylan's contract with Nascar? He didn't tell you?" The smirk still plays on her lips as she says this. As if once again, she's winning the game of Dylan Keely. 

She doesn't know that nobody wins the game of Dylan Keely. She doesn't know that no matter what other person she's beating, she'll never take Dylan down. He plays his own game well, he constantly rewrites the rules. It's an interesting experience, an interesting game to play. 

"No, he didn't mention it. Then again, I hardly know him so it's not a huge deal. Our parents are friends, no big deal," I laugh it off and pretend as if Dylan hasn't been one of the most influential people in my life. I role play as if we were just friendly housemates over the summer, nothing more. 

"Oh, I thought you two were closer than that? From what I've heard you two were a bit more than just sweet nothings," She acts as if she has the upper hand in an argument. She carries herself with confidence however it seems to be jealously masked by the deception of confidence. I smile back at her. 

"Nope, we talked maybe twice throughout the two months I was in Seattle," I laugh at her as the elevator dings and the doors glide open, "it was nice meeting you Raegan."

"It's Raelynn," She calls out after me as the doors begin to close behind me. I smile at myself. It was a low blow, but it felt good to slide that little dig in there. 

As I walked to my car I realized that Dylan really had moved on. I didn't want to stand in the way of his contract or his life here. His life here is with Raelynn and Duce. His life here is with whatever Nascar thing he has going on. I can't just storm into his life and ruin everything for him. I will admit that I was a little hurt to hear that he didn't tell me about the contract. However, it's not like we were ever best friends who shared everything. More of highly attracted people who found their way together at times. 

I retrieved my charger and took a walk up the stairs. I really wasn't about to have another elevator run in. After striding up what felt like millions of stairs, I reached my apartment. I opened the door and crept in quietly, as if I was sneaking home from a high school party.