�It Should've Been Easy� Chapter 6: Running From The Pain

The next day�

�Where�s Rachel?� Erik asked.

The five guys were sitting around the table waiting for Rachel. They had their scheduled management meeting with her every Thursday. So far she was nowhere to be seen.

�She�s never late. I wonder what�s up,� Jacob said oblivious to the fact that she had been there the day before. He, Erik, and Ashley had no idea about her fight with Dan.

Trevor coughed. He knew why she wasn�t there. She didn�t want to face Dan; that was obvious.

Dan sat unusually still and silent. He wasn�t exactly sorry that he had told Rachel what he had. He was sorry, however, for the manner in which he had told her and how he had acted.

Trevor�s cell phone rang breaking the tension. He answered it already knowing who it was. �Trevor.�

�Hey Trev, it�s me, Rachel,� Rachel�s voice cracked.

�Oh hi,� Trevor said trying not to let the others know who it was. �What�s up?�

�I need you to come get me,� Rachel said. �My car is at your place.�

�Oh, that�s right. I�ll be there in a few,� Trevor hung up his phone.

The others looked at him with questions on their faces. Trevor stood up and gave them a blank look.

�I�ll be back,� he said before he walked out the door.

A half hour later�

Rachel and Trevor walked into the O-Town house. Rachel started the meeting nonchalantly. Both acted like nothing had happened. Rachel didn�t dare look at Dan for fear of crying.

�So you need to finish writing and recording for the album as soon as possible,� Rachel�s voice was flat and lifeless. �I don�t want to have to push back the album�s release any further.�

The guys nodded in response. Rachel painfully continued. It hurt her to have to be in the same room as Dan. Trevor kept giving her sympathetic smiles but it didn�t ease her pangs of sadness.

�Other than that you are on vacation and may enjoy it however you would like. That means that you can invite friends to stay for a week or so,� Rachel had to pause to collect herself. �Or you can just hang out here. Meeting adjourned.�

Only Trevor and Dan stayed at the table as the three other guys went their separate ways. Trevor was not about to let Dan hurt Rachel again. He hated that Dan was so jealous of Josh.

�Rachel,� Dan said quietly.

Rachel looked at him. �Dan.�

�Can we talk?� he asked nodding toward Trevor. �Alone?�

�Fair warning, if Trevor leaves I might kill you,� Rachel told him.

�I�ll take my chances,� Dan replied.

Trevor gave Rachel�s hand a squeeze and got up from the table. He walked toward the stairs but stopped. As he turned he shot Rachel a sympathetic smile and Dan a deathly glare.

�Dan, think about your words,� he said before continuing upstairs. Dan looked at the table then back at Rachel. He cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably.

�Talk,� Rachel demanded. �I have things to do.�

�Rachel, I shouldn�t have acted the way I did,� Dan confessed.

�You�re damn right you shouldn�t have. How dare you treat me like that,� Rachel said angrily.

�Okay, I deserved that,� Dan said.

�That�s for damn sure,� Rachel muttered.

�Rachel, I wanted to apologize,� Dan clenched his teeth together.

�Well you�re not doing a very good job now are you?� Rachel�s teeth were clenched just as tight.

Dan threw his hands up in the air and stood up. �I give up. Okay? You win! You freakin� win!�

�What�s that supposed to mean?� Rachel screamed.

�You get to be mad at me. I can�t apologize so you get to hold a grudge,� Dan yelled back.

�You think that�s what I want? You really think I want to be mad at you?� Rachel asked.

�It�s not?� Dan said incredulously.

�Dan, I don�t want to be mad at you. I like you,� Rachel�s hand flew to her mouth when she realized what she had said.

Dan was as shocked as she was. He blinked a few times deciding what to say. Rachel decided for him.

�I�ve got to go,� she said as she brushed past him.

�Rachel, wait,� Dan said following her to the door.

�No Dan, I can�t,� Rachel walked toward her car and away from her problems.

Trevor walked up beside Dan. They watched Rachel drive away. Trevor put a hand on Dan�s shoulder.

�Trev, I think I just lost the most important thing in my life.�

�No, you lost it a long time ago,� Trevor told him.

Dan turned to him with a confused look on his face. �What?�

�Dan, you lost her the second you didn�t give her another glance,� Trevor explained. �How could you be so blind?�

Dan shook his head. �That�s just it, Trev. I just realized it too late. I love that girl.�

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