IMPRINTS OF UNSPOKEN LETERS

YOU MAKE MY HEART FLUTTER

Jackson

Later that day, when it was time to go back home, I saw Rachel sitting on a seat outside the shelter while zoning out.

"Sasa, you are fine?" I approached her and sat beside her. "Oh! Yeah." She held something in her hand that she kept inside her purse as soon as she heard my voice. "Umm...I have a feeling something's wrong." I muttered under my breath and saw her biting her lips.

Rachel seemed worried about something. She looked at me and blinked, "It's nothing, let's go."

She insisted that we leave the shelter, and I couldn't protest, then I insisted that I would drive, and she couldn't protest, she knew she was distracted with something that she did not want to tell me about.

We walked the bike and suddenly the weather started to turn bad, "You think it will rain?" I asked and she nodded, "It seems like that." She shrugged and hoped on behind me, "You don't like rain?" She shook her head while putting her helmet on. As I drove, I felt water droplets fall on me. "Tsk." The sound escaped Rachels lips without awareness. "You don't have to be irritated because of rain, it's great." I didn't get a response, eventually, the rain got heavier making it hard to drive and both of started to get drenched.

"It's getting hard to drive right? Let's go to your house, its closer right?" I heard Rachel say when I sneezed loud.

Like that I took her to my house for the first time ever.

We entered the apartment soaking wet, both of us were now shivering. I went inside to get her a towel and asked her to get comfortable on the couch in the living room. I handed her the towel and she immediately started to wipe her red hair that gave off a blood red color due to the water in it. It took me a while to realize that I was standing in front of her and staring at her wipe her hair.

"You're not going to change?" She said in her voice so warm I forgot that I was shivering wet for a while. I shook my head unconsciously, "Come sit down." She held my hand and pulled me towards causing her to land on her back and me above her while facing her. The couch started to get wet because of my dripping hair. Suddenly, we heard a door open. "You came back Jackso--" He stopped seeing our position and I immediately got away from Rachel, she also stood up while wiping her wet clothes like there was any dust. I slid my hair back with my fingers.

"Are you alright Sasa?" I mumbled and she nodded. We looked at Dan. "Hi, Rachel?" He smiled awkwardly at Rachel. "Hi." She waved. "I guess I'll go back inside, you both can continue." He smiled and turned around, entering his door he shut it tight.

"ITS NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE." "He's not going to believe." Rachel smiled at me making my heart drop to my stomach.

--------1 month later--------

I got my degree but instead of working in any designing company I starred in full time art; I earned well just through the internet. Rachel started visiting me more and more, other than the weekends she had visited my house twice already and bought Yoora to the shelter with her about four times. I didn't say anything as whenever she bought Yoora she would be busy with herself and talked to me very less. I couldn't help but feel jealous at times.

She seemed to be worried about something the first few days after that paper incident but then she turned extremely carefree and became cheerful making me feel better, one thing I realized was that I really liked her presence, it was oddly comforting.

I liked peace and I felt peace with her.

Today, we again went to the shelter. She didn't have her college for a month as it was session break.

"Oh Darling! It's so nice to see you again." Ms. Rosewood greeted us enthusiastically, she hadn't been visiting the shelter for a while and thus, we didn't see her. "So did you think about visiting San Diego?" I looked at her and shook my head, "We didn't really talk about it but," I turned to Rachel who was busy swinging a kitten in her arms. "Do you think we should actually visit San Diego? Since I, Dan and Charles got our degree, and you and Yoora are finally last year, we can celebrate it together." She looked at me a little astonished, maybe she didn't expect me to actually consider that.

She took a while to process what I said and then nodded her head. "Sure, but why do you add Charles in everything, he literally lives miles away." I shook my head. "Just because he had to live away from us doesn't make him any less of a friend to me. I agree at times there are misunderstandings." I crouched down and started caressing Daisy's head while I continued speaking. "Both me and Dan don't feel as close to him as we were during school but still, he is a part of our friend group, and I don't think that we should exclude him from a great event like getting a degree." She nodded understandingly. "I had a friend, she shifted to France when we graduated high school, I haven't spoken to her ever after that. We were very close; I wonder how she's doing now." I heard her voice crack; she was lost in thoughts.

I told her that not all relations are meant to stay forever, some survive even if they are miles away and some crack even if they are millimeters close. It depends.

"What's her name?" "Jamie James." The name seemed familiar, I frowned and thought for a while. OH, That's my ex! "She must be doing really well in life." I muttered and stood up.

"So, San Diego? Let's go day after tomorrow?" I continued.

" I am fine with anytime, just ask everyone and why don't you tell Charles and Dan to bring any of their friends as well, Dan had a girlfriend right?" She said and I nodded continuing to stand up and welcome the new animals that were joining the shelter form today. "This is Poly, a hamster." Ms. Rosewood introduced the cute little being to me.

I was dying to go as soon as possible just at the thought that Rachel would come on a trip to another city with us, but I had to wait for a few days so that Charles could arrive here from France.

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Min Hanna