�It Should've Been Easy� Chapter 7: When Will It Be Okay?

Later that evening�

Rachel�s cell phone rang for about the hundredth time that night. She sighed and checked the caller ID. It was Dan once again. And once again, she didn�t answer it. But this time, he left her a voice message.

Rachel debated whether she should listen to it or not. Curiosity got the best of her and she broke down. She dialed her voice mailbox number and listened for the new message alert. Dan�s message began shortly after.

�Rachel,� Dan�s tearful voice pleaded. �I am so sorry. I never meant to hurt you the way I have. I need to talk to you. Please call me. Please.�

Rachel started sobbing. She didn�t know why hearing his voice tore her up so badly. She cried for a good half hour. As she was drying her last tears, her phone rang again. Only this time it wasn�t Dan; it was Josh.

�Josh,� Rachel sighed as she answered the ringing phone.

�Rach? Are you okay?� Josh asked her.

�No,� Rachel sobbed to him.

�Rachel, please tell me what�s wrong,� Josh�s voice softened ten times to comfort her.

�Oh Josh,� Rachel paused. �Josh, Joshie, Joshua.�

�Rach, please,� Josh begged.

�I had a fight with Dan,� Rachel began crying again.

�Rachel, I am so sorry. Whatever you fought about couldn�t have this much of an affect could it?� Josh asked.

�J, we fought about you,� Rachel confessed.

�What? What happened?� Josh asked unbelieving.

�He doesn�t think you�re good enough for me,� Rachel dabbed at her eyes with a tissue.

�He what? I�ll kill him!� Josh seethed.

�Oh Josh, its okay. I�ll take care of it,� Rachel tried to calm him down.

�Rachel, I�m flying there,� Josh told her.

�You�re what?� Rachel asked.

�I�ll be there as soon as I can,� Josh said.

Rachel welcomed the thought of seeing him. She needed him with her but she also wanted to handle this herself.

�Okay,� she relented knowing there was no use arguing with him anyway.

�I�ll see you soon,� Josh said.

�K, bye,� Rachel hung up the phone and set in on the counter.

She started to walk away from it. She turned back and stared at the phone for a minute. She knew Dan had tried to call while she was talking to Josh. She could feel it. She needed to talk to him before Josh showed up.

Carefully, she dialed the number that would connect her to the O-Town house. (A/N: For security reasons, I cannot post that number here. Dan doesn�t want rabid fans attacking the four bozos he works with. He and I are tight, you know? lol. I�m just messin� with all of you! And if you didn�t know that, then I think you�ve been spending too much time with Jacob.) She only had to sit through one ring before Dan answered.

�Rachel?� Dan asked desperately into the phone.

�Hi Dan,� Rachel said meekly.

�I�m so glad that you called,� Dan sounded relieved.

�Yeah well, I was going to have to talk to you sooner or later,� Rachel�s voice was dry. �I am your manager.�

�Rachel, I am so sorry for everything,� Dan paused, not sure if he should continue.

Rachel heard his voice tremble and knew he wasn�t finished. She swallowed. �I accept,� Rachel replied trying to urge him to continue.

�Rach, I love you,� Dan blurted pushing his luck.

�Oh Dan, no,� Rachel fumbled for the words.

�But I do Rachel and I thought you loved me too,� Dan�s voice cracked.

�I do� I mean� I did,� Rachel shook her head trying to clear it.

�Well, what is it? Do you or don�t you?� Dan asked agitated.

�Don�t pressure me!� Rachel screamed. �I can�t do this!�

Rachel slammed down the phone. She pulled at her hair in frustration. Why did he have to push her so far? Why was he making her so crazy? After a few minutes of fuming and screaming, the reality set in. It finally registered to Rachel that she would have to choose.

She would have to choose between her boyfriend, Josh Hartnett, and her long time crush, Dan Miller. Rachel sat down slowly on the floor. She blinked a few times trying to see clearly. She tucked her knees to her chest and laid her forehead on them.

�Why me?� she asked the empty room. �Why me?�

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