Falling in Love + other Conditions of Living

Chapter 23

© kelliekook

"I love you."

Rachel stepped back. "What?" She managed to rasp.

Nathan ran a shaky hand through his hair. "I know it's sudden and people usually say the big three words when they are actually dating the person, but Rachel, you and I stopped being just friends when you kissed me. And goddammit, you just don't seem to see it – whatever it is – between us." He smiled slightly, "You're so different from anyone I've ever met. Always focused and determined, but at the same time completely clueless to what's going on around you." She scowled and he laughed. "I mean it in a good way."

When she didn't respond he took a deep breath, "Say something? Please."

Rachel blinked. The words seemed distant, unreachable, as she stood there utterly dumbfounded and floundering for any sort of stability.

Had the whole world gone mad?

One minute she was dancing with some creep, the next she's standing mute and on the verge of hyperventilating in the middle of the dance-floor.

Perhaps she should run to the nearest window and check to see if there were any pigs flying or throw herself into a wall to thoroughly make sure she wasn't dreaming, because this could not be happening. Not to her. Not to Rachel West.

Oh god, what was she doing? Was she having a panic attack? It wouldn't be a completely illogical assumption to make, people snap quite often really, although, not usually because they've just had some dream-boat declare his love for them. 

Her throat seized up at the thought of love, a strange sense of euphoria and complete fear making her stomach churn.

This wasn't a dream, or some fantasy, somehow it was reality, and Rachel realised that what she really needed right now, was air.

And she needed it now.

Grabbing his arm as casually as she could manage, she quickly pulled him off in the direction of the doors, ignoring the steady gaze of her friends she could feel boring into her back.

Nathan seemed startled, but walked silently beside her.

They strode through the open doors and out onto the patio, but it was crowded with mingling guests. Cursing silently to herself, Rachel searched for an escape route and spotted a tree hung with lanterns in the distance – she made a beeline for it.

It was only as they got closer that she noticed the couple making out under it. "Oh," she murmured as the couple looked up, "woops, sorry about that."

She hastily dragged a chuckling Nathan away from the tree and right into the gardens. The sun was well below the horizon, but the gardens had been specially decorated with lights.

They stopped by the fountain, Rachel noticed one couple walking through the roses section, but otherwise there seemed to be no one else around.

Alone at last, she let go of Nathan's arm and took a few steps away from him, deeply breathing in the floral-scented air.

Feeling considerably calmer, she turned to face Nathan and found him watching her.

"Better?" He asked.

She nodded, then smiled sheepishly.

"Would you like to take a seat?" He gestured to the quaint little bench by the fountain.

She shook her head.

"Are you going to speak at all?"

She started to nod then laughed nervously. "Sorry."