�It Should've Been Easy� Chapter 8: You Must Understand

The next morning�

Rachel awoke the next morning on the couch. Josh sat across from her watching her sleep.

�Good morning beautiful,� Josh said as he moved over to the couch.

Rachel pulled her head up and kissed Josh. �Hey baby. I�m so glad you�re here,� Rachel reached up and hugged him.

Josh hugged her back. When he pulled away, he realized she was crying. He sat on the couch and pulled Rachel into his arms. �Shhh, it�ll be okay, Rach. I�m here now. Everything will be okay.�

Josh held her for what seemed like an eternity. He hated to be stuck in the middle. He was angry with Dan because he had put him in this situation. He felt compassion for Rachel because he loved her with all his heart. He needed her to know that.

�Rach, I�ve got to talk to you,� Josh treaded on thin ice and he knew this. He had to tell her though.

�Yeah, Josh. Talk to me,� Rachel looked deep in his eyes. She saw that he was struggling with something.

�Rachel, I�ve been meaning to tell you this for a long time now. I just� didn�t know when the time was right,� Josh stopped to look at her innocent face. The face that hid how much her heart was breaking on the inside. �Rachel, I love you.�

Rachel gasped. �Great. Here comes Josh to make things a whole fucking lot harder on me. Peachy. Thanks a lot Josh. Thanks a whole hell of a lot.�

Josh kept looking at her waiting for her reply. �Why is it taking her so long? How long does it take someone to tell them that they love that person too? Does she love me? Maybe I shouldn�t have said anything. Shit, Josh. Great way to screw up a perfect relationship.�

�Um, Josh,� Rachel didn�t know what to say. �I love you too, I guess.�

�You guess? What kind of response is that?� Josh asked.

�No, Josh, don�t get angry. I don�t need another person that I love mad at me,� Rachel rubbed her temples. She was suddenly forming a large headache.

�Another person you love?� Josh�s temper was escalating. �You love Dan too?�

�I didn�t mean it like that,� Rachel came to her own defense.

�Then how did you mean it?� Josh moved away from her on the couch.

�Josh, Dan means so much to me. I don�t want him to be mad at me. I want to be his friend and O-Town�s manager. I love him. And not just because I have had the biggest crush on him forever but because I respect him as a musical artist and as a person.�

Josh rolled his eyes. �Rachel, it�s obvious to me that you and Dan will never be more than friends no matter how hard either of you try. And by being their manager it will just put more stress on you to see him every day and know that you and he will never have a future.�

Rachel glared at him. �You�re just saying that so that I will forget about him and be with you.�

�No, Rachel, I�m not. As much as I wish I was, I�m not,� Josh said moving closer to her again. �I love you and I just want you to be happy. I don�t like the way that he�s tearing you up inside.�

Rachel considered this for a few minutes. �Yes, Josh. You are right. We will never be a couple no matter how hard we try. You�re also right that I love you and want to make us work.�

�Then you know what you have to do,� Josh said holding her hand close to him.

�I hate that it has to come to this,� Rachel said.

�I do too, but it�s the only way. For both you and for Dan,� Josh told her.

�I love you,� Rachel kissed him.

�I love you,� Josh replied kissing her back.

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