Page 82 of Always Mine

“Yes, of course I know, or are you about to give me a lecture about a time people never went in the wrong bathroom?”She had no idea what she was saying.

“A lecture?”

“Yeah, that is what you do now, right?You lecture.You tell us what it was like when you were young, and tell us how we’ve gotten it all wrong, and you’re disappointed.”

“Disappointed?”

“Stop repeating everything I say.”She stamped her foot.“For your information, we did what we thought was right, which is exactly what you would have done.If you so much as say it is not what you would have done, then you are wrong.Yes, we messed up.We hadn’t calculated the risks, and they happened to have known we were coming, but Daisy survived.She is alive, and there are girls who are safe now.I get that what we did was reckless and irresponsible, but I also thought you would appreciate why we did it.We were there, in the thick of it, in high school.We’ve seen what they are like.We saw how much Tabitha changed.”

“Are you finished?”Adam asked.

“No.”She stormed right up to him.“You are a horrible person, and I don’t even know why I have any feelings for you whatsoever.Do you want to know why you’re alone?Because you can’t see what is right under your nose, and that is why you are going to be alone.”She had every intention of hitting him, or better yet, just turning on her heel and leaving.That would have been a class act.

Only, she didn’t.

She was so close to him, and she looked at those lips, and this man she hated and wanted with an equal passion, and something just snapped.She grabbed the lapel of his jacket, and then pulled him down to kiss him.At first, Adam didn’t respond, not that she expected him to, but in a blink of an eye, he did.It was subtle, just the movement of his lips, as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulled her in close, and then gave her a real kiss she had spent most of her life dreaming about.

As quickly as it started, it ended.

Rachel didn’t linger to ask what it meant.The moment the kiss stopped, she turned and left.No questions.

Her lips tingled, and if anyone actually paid attention, they would see that they were also slightly swollen.She had just kissed Adam, and the most heady thing of all was that he had kissed her back.

****

“It’s time for us tohead back,” Tabitha said.

“Yeah, I’m sorry we didn’t get a chance to hang out much.You know, me being in a coma and all.”

Tabitha laughed.“I loved hanging out with you.It was like when you were going through your bitchy phase.You wouldn’t talk a lot then either.The only difference is, this time you didn’t complain.”

She was trying to keep a brave face on it, Daisy saw it and read right through it.

“Come here, give me a hug,” Daisy said.

Tabitha wrapped her arms around her and held her tightly.“Don’t do anything stupid like that, you hear me?”

“I won’t.I don’t think we’re going to be able to breathe out of turn.”

Her friend laughed.She didn’t let her go, and Daisy didn’t push her friend away.She had a feeling Tabitha needed this.

Time ticked by.

Anthony and Simon were not talking to one another, as they shook hands.With those two, words didn’t need to be spoken.She got it.They were still on struggling friend terms.

“I don’t know what I would have done if I lost you,” Tabitha said.

“Hey, hey, hey, come on.”Now Daisy pulled out of her stronghold.“Remember, you and I promised each other we were not going to be like this.Not now, not ever.”She cupped her friend’s face.“I get that you were worried.I’m fine now.I’m on the road to recovery.”

“And I was the fucked-up friend.”

“Stop it.”

“No, look at me, and look at you.”She sighed.“I’m a mess.You would have come to me, Daisy.We both know that.”

“And I think if you didn’t have kids, you would have been right here.I don’t want you putting me first.I never have.You have children, and they matter, Tabitha.I’d have loved to have seen Nathan, and your other one, what’s her name again?”

“Jade.”

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