Leaving Arcadia Bay | A Rachel Amber Story

Chapter 3: Behind the Station

The sun dipped over the trees, making it much harder to see. Rachel decided it was time to find somewhere to rest for the coming night. Up ahead was a gas station. She could surely rest there without disturbing anybody. Rachel adjusted the straps on her shoulders and made her way over to the gas station. As she walked around to the back, she made sure nobody was around to see her walking to the back.

Rachel sat between the two dumpsters, pressing her back against the wall. She leaned her head on the wall and let out a tired sigh, closing her eyes before reopening them. Her legs were incredibly sore and her feet were killing her. Rachel took out her map to see where she was. And to her disappointment, she was still miles away from the Californian border. "Dammit..." Rachel muttered. She shook her head and put the map away.

Rachel took her backpack off and set it in front of her. She opened it and pulled out a few pictures she packed. The first photo was of herself and her mother.

I'm sorry, Mom. You're innocent in all of this.

Rachel felt a pang of remorse for leaving her mother. Especially since she just abruptly hang up on her during their call back in Arcadia Bay. Rachel sighed sadly, and flipped over to the next picture.

The next photo however, made Rachel feel a little more better. It was of her younger self and her old best friend, Samantha Johnson. But she always went by Sam because she hated her full name.

Rachel met Sam in Long Beach when they were kids. They eventually became inseparable, despite being two years apart in age. The Johnson's were always a wealthy family, which was something Rachel and Sam always took advantage of when mischievously buying stuff behind Liam and Sharon's backs like candies or toys. Sam also had two younger brothers, Joey and Levi.

But then the day came where Sam and her family moved away to Las Vegas. Rachel remembered their emotional goodbye, refusing to let go of each other during their goodbye hug.

That was a long time ago now. It's been years since Rachel saw Sam. They tried to stay in contact, but the distance proved to be too much and they eventually fell out of touch.

Rachel smiled at the picture in her hand, looking at her younger friend beside her. Arms slung around each other as they smiled at the camera. Rachel flipped the picture with Sam to the back and looked through more.

The next one caused a soft gasp to escape Rachel's mouth. The next picture was with Chloe. Rachel looked at the photo of them together at the junkyard.

Rachel stood behind Chloe with one arm draped over Chloe's neck and the other holding her camera in front of them. The two smiling widely.

A small smile slowly spread across Rachel's lips as she remembered taking that picture with Chloe. Rachel's smile turned into a sad frown and tears built up in her eyes. And soon, Rachel began quietly sobbing, hugging her knees to her chest.

Homesickness was taking its toll. She missed being in her own bed in her dorm room. And by now, she was so far from Arcadia Bay. And if she didn't regret it then, she sure as hell was regretting it now.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket, which was something Rachel was used to ignoring by now. But to just see who it was, she picked it out of her pocket and looked at what the message was going to say. But it wasn't a message. Instead, it was a call.

A call from Chloe.

Rachel stopped crying at the sight of Chloe's name on the screen. The contact picture of Rachel pressing her lips to Chloe's cheek shined off the screen. Rachel's thumb hovered above the green answer button, hesitating to answer. Even though Rachel told Chloe to not contact her, she was dying to hear Chloe's voice again. She let out a shaky breath and pressed her thumb on the screen and slid it across, answering the call.

"...Hello?" Rachel quietly said.

The other side was silent for a few seconds before Chloe spoke.

"Rachel...?" Chloe softly said.

"Chloe." Rachel muttered out.

Chloe was quiet again before she spoke. "Where are you?" She asked. Rachel slowly shook her head. "I'm sorry, Chloe, I can't say." She said. "Please..." Chloe whispered. "I can't." Rachel whispered back. She heard Chloe crying from the other side and all she could do was listen.

"Rachel, do you know how much this hurts? Everywhere I go, everyone is talking about you. I see your picture all around Arcadia Bay."

"I know..."

Chloe sniffed. "Rachel, please come back. Wherever you are, just come back." She said. "Chloe, I want to... I want to so bad. But I can't." Rachel said. "Why not?" Chloe asked. "I just can't, Chloe. I... I'm doing something I need to do." Rachel said. Chloe was just silent on the other end.

"It's good to hear your voice again." Rachel said. "These passed few months, I've really missed you Chloe." She said. "And I'm sorry I let things get in between us." She added with a teary voice. She sniffed, wiping away her tears.

But Chloe was still quiet. Rachel could picture Chloe, sitting on her bed with her back against the wall. Tears running down her eyes. Rachel shook that image out of her head and waited for Chloe to respond. But she didn't.

"Chloe... just know that I'm sorry. I really am." Rachel said. "I wish I could hold you again, just like I used to." She added. "I know." Chloe finally said. Rachel didn't know what else to say so she just sat there, waiting for Chloe to speak.

"I forgive you." Chloe said, finally breaking the silence. "For... letting things get in the way. I wish I tried harder, but it just happened too quick." Rachel nodded. "I know." She said. "I'm sorry, Chloe." She said. "It's okay, Rach'. It's... it's not your fault." Chloe said, trying not to get too emotional.

It was good for Rachel to know that Chloe forgave her. Rachel sighed and smiled. But her smile disappeared when she thought of the thing she was going to say. "This, might be the last chance we get to talk for awhile." Rachel told her. "You think so?" Chloe asked. "Probably..." Rachel replied. She could hear Chloe let out a sigh. "When do you think we can talk again?" She asked. Rachel pinched the bridge of her nose. "I... can't say at this moment, Chloe..." She said.

"Um... I'm gonna, try to get some sleep here. Okay?" Rachel said. Chloe took a few seconds to respond. "Okay..." She said. Rachel tightly shut her eyes, tears running down her cheeks.

"Goodbye, Chloe." Rachel muttered.

Chloe tried her best to hold back the tears, to keep herself from crying. But she soon broke and let out a sob. "Goodbye..." Chloe said, her voice cracking.

With tears in her eyes, Rachel hung up and lowered her phone from her ear. She let out a shaky breath and let the tears fall. Rachel cupped her hands to her face and started crying, her heart breaking with each tear that slipped off her chin. Rachel wiped her tears away, breathing in and out to try to calm herself down.

Rachel grabbed her backpack and put it down beside her. She lied down, resting her head on her backpack.

Rachel curled up, trying to get comfortable. With tears still falling from her eyes, Rachel closed her eyes in attempted to fall asleep. But she couldn't. So Rachel just spent the rest of her time awake crying until she fell asleep.

Rachel's sobs grew more and more quiet. Until finally, Rachel fell asleep.