What Happened Then

01 | If Truth Be Told

"Bye! Thank you so much for dropping me off!" Rachel waved wildly at her best friend, with a big grin on her face.

"Goodbye! Love you lots, I'll see you soon!" shouted Ami from her window.

As Rachel watched Ami's car pull away from the family friend's house she's staying at, her mind was immediately filled with thoughts about the conversation they just had. Rachel wondered, what would've Ami's reaction been if the truth of the story was told right after the incident happened?

Immediately, she was brought back to that very moment right after she told Ami about kissing Seth at the summer camp. She shuddered at the thought of her doing so, even though it was over, there was still a slab of guilt that she just can't shake off.

In all honesty, Rachel really didn't know how Ami would've reacted, even though Rachel was reassured that nothing would ever make Ami mad at her. Rachel knew Ami long enough to know that she was telling the truth, but she also knows her well enough to know that Ami was still very much in love with that boy even when she said she was over him back then.

Rachel knew that Ami must still love Seth now, even if she never brought it up again after the well-known fallout between Rachel and Seth after the camp.

Rachel's heart sank as memories flooded her about why they had a fallout, even if Rachel and Seth used to be super close, even way before Ami and Seth met and started dating back then.

What she wondered more though, was what Ami's reaction would've been if Rachel actually told the whole truth about the incident just now.

***

It was late, way later than the usual late.

In darkness, there was only one burning question floating around Rachel's head.

Do I like Seth?

This question has never seriously confronted her until yesterday, when Seth and Rachel drove down to his hometown together last night. To have been friends for quite some time, of course she had asked herself if she would ever like Seth, but always came to the conclusion that she can't ever picture herself with him. Though she does acknowledge that he's someone with an attractive personality, but that's about it to her.

Never in her interactions with Seth in the past has ever made her feel what she's feeling now. Rachel feels completely safe, even oddly physically attracted to Seth. In that moment, it just felt right. Weirdly, all she wants to do is to tell him that she likes him. Mixed feelings rippled through her body as waves crashing into water. Another part of her warns against doing so, deep down, signaling her that it would be a bad idea. No, a terrible idea. She felt confused, but it just felt so right.

"Seth?"

"What?"

Rachel hesitated before continuing, "You know how you were asking me what was on my mind yesterday?"

"Yeah," replied Seth, as he turned to look at Rachel.

"I think I've decided to tell you," said Rachel.

"Okay," said Seth, still focused on driving but also turning his head occasionally.

This is it, Rachel thought to herself, her heart pounding, with a slight pang of anxiousness in her chest. She pulled both her feet up onto her seat and rested it in front of her chest.

"Seth..." said Rachel, pausing.

"Yes, Rachel?" replied Seth.

"I think I like you," said Rachel.

Finally, it was out. She peeked to her left to see Seth's reaction, to her slight disappointment, nothing. Seth didn't say a word.

***

Rachel shuddered again at that memory. That was the starting point of when things between her and Seth started to fall apart, though none of them knew at that point. In that moment, it was a sweet moment to savor, for Rachel was the kind of person that Seth wanted to be with, though he never thought that someone would be Rachel herself, especially after her rejection that happened a year ago.

None of Rachel or Seth's friends would have ever guessed that one day these two best friends would come to a day that they wouldn't be talking to one another.

Maybe Ami was right, Rachel thought, maybe it's time to clear the air with Seth.