Cliché to Original

Chapter 3

"I haven't seen your parents around lately," Madi said, taking a seat on the stool by the island in the kitchen. "How are they?"

"Busy. They work all the time, so it's usually me and Ashley."

"Now I know why you're always trying to find something to do."

I smiled. "Yup. I have to find something to do because they'd end up with one less daughter if it was just me and her the entire time."

She laughed. "I see."

I smiled even wider and got out a bowl of fruit for the two of us. And by bowl, I mean the size of a mixing bowl.

"Where is Ashley?"

"I think her internship. What's today, Thursday?"

"Yeah."

"Then that's where she's at." I adjusted my tribal print infinity scarf and tucked my bangs behind my ear. I took a strawberry out of the bowl and mentally debated about telling Madi how many times Michael has messaged me since two night ago.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, fine."

"You don't seem fine. What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing."

"Mhmm, sure."

"Im fine, really."

She glanced down for a second before looking up and smirking at me. "Have you been waiting for a reply by a certain someone?"

"What?"

"Michael. He just DM'ed you."

I sighed and hit my home button to see what he's said.

"What'd he want?"

"He asked me if I was okay."

"Why would he ask you that?"

"Again," I mumbled.

"Again? Rachel, what is going on?"

"He's been trying to get me to respond to him since I followed him.."

"You haven't replied to him yet?"

"No."

"How many DM's has he sent you?"

"I don't know, like thirty."

"Rachel!"

I cringed.

"You have to say something to him. He's probably freaking out!"

"I'm freaking out!"

"Then two of you can freak out together!"

I sighed, and started scrolling through all the messages, laughing at a couple where I could tell he was especially nervous.

"Why haven't you responded yet?"

"Because I don't know what to say."

"How about 'hey Michael, I just wanted to tell you that I am the girl you ran into in the airport and I'm in love with you too?'"

"I'm not in love with him, and he's not in love with me." My phone buzzed in my hand and I looked down.

I'm probably bothering you, but if you could just tell me if you're the girl or not, it would make me so happy.

"Aww," Madi said. "Rachel you have to tell him."

"You're right. I feel bad." I started to typed something back when there was a knock on the door. "For fucking real?"