"Reaction" Ace Enders

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Rainie's POV

I walked in. I didn't know I was there. I wanted to be with him. I wanted to see him. I knew it was a bad idea. Especially after everything. But I figured I couldn't hide from him forever. It's been two years. My best friend is going ot end up marrying his sometime soon. There was no way I could hide from him when Bennett and Elisa finally get officially married.

Jess-ee-cah is busy raising Garrett. Her two year old son. With a steady nerdy boy. He's a smart guy. A nice smart guy. And he's going ot ask her to marry him sometime soon. It feels weird. All of my good friends planning to get married. Not me. I mean nobody's engaged. But Elisa and Bennett broke up once. They are basically married now. And Jess-ee-cah is too. They have a kid.

Me. I'm a screwed up single anxiety victim. I paused checking the clock when I pulled up to their busy house. I opened my little plastic container for my pill. I took it swallowing some water. I stop. Picking at my steering wheel. No matter how many times I say I don't need these little anxiety pills, I still take them. I'm not sick. I don't need them.

I walked up. Going inside. There are people everywhere. I walk around looking for someone to talk to. I see Elisa. But she's talking in a group with Paul which means no. I stop and look at him. He's the same. He's skinnier. He always is. And he is smiling only a little. Not a lot. He's not laughing along with Bennett and everyone else. He's just sitting there. Listening to Elisa telling a story.

His eyes flickered over to me. Swallowing me whole. I breathed. Exhaling silently. I smile a little at him. And he looks at me. Taking me in up and down. My breathing evens. And everything is smooth again.

Paul POV

I was standing there talking to Jonah and Sean. I looked over at her. She was sitting there talking to Elisa and Mike. She was laughing. Something about her.

She was beautiful. She was breathe taking. I watched her. blocking my thoguhts from me. And looking away. She was Rain. That was it. I swallowed and paid attention to Jonah talking. Trying to get my chance to talk to her. She was sitting on a counter. It was later. And people had started leaving.

It was even later before I got my chance. I walked into the kitchen and she was still sitting there. Elisa was wlaking out. Rainie sipped a beer in her hand. "Hi," She said.

I had gotten a beer out of the fridge and opened it with the counter. I looked up at her. "Hi," I said. My voice was hoarse. And I sipped my beer hoping it would wash out the scratchiness of my voice.

"How's it being a big rock star?" She asked. Her voice was so smooth and perfect.

I shrugged. "I wouldn't know." I said. I kept telling myself it was Rainie. I tried to add what Bennett told me. The fact that she had anxiety attacks. She seemed so calm. So the same. "How's the writing?"

She smiled a little less. "I'm pretty big among emo kids." She said. "You're fans probably. But it's going well." Her voice cracked I notice.

It was hard imagining her problems being more than that. We both sipped our beer. It was awkward and silent. I couldn't keep from looking at her. Making it harder to stop remembering. I felt only nostalgia and fought it more than the thought that she wasn't okay.

"Heard the new record." She said. "I liked it. I have to say: very Sunday Drive-esque."

I smiled a little. "We were going for that." I said.

She smiled a little. Bennett came in. "Hey," He said. He got a beer out of the fridge. I felt interrupted. This was my first time talking to her. Rainie Joseph. In two years. He had to barge in. But he couldn't help it. "What's up?" He asked.

"We're jsut talking about your Sunday Drive-esque record." She said. "I'm surprised though," She was now talking just to Bennett. "It sounds too much liek their first record for it to be copyrighted a little bit to you."

Bennett laughed. "Nah," He said. "I think we tried our best to capture their overall sound with our full band. An acoustic EP is in the works though. Some Sunday Drive covers too."

She swallowed some more beer. She slide off the counter. "It's late," She sighed looking at the clock. "If I stay any longer I'll be too drunk to drive."

"You can stay," Bennett said. "We're going to go to IHOP. You can crash here."

She paused. "Thank you," She said. "But I have school in the morning."

"School?" I asked.

She nodded. "I'm still in college. It sucks... but you know, it's helping my writing. And I need a diploma and shit."

"See you," Bennett said.

"Bye," She said. And she walked out. Tugging at her hair a little.

Bennett looked at me. "Do you want to come?" He said. "We're leaving now."

I was looking in her direction. "No," I said. "I'm a little tired." I looked back at him.

"Kay," He pushed off of the counter. In a few minutes they were all gone. I was by myself. I wish I could go back and talk to her more. I missed her. If I was allowed to. If it was possible. I left my door open a crack. I went over starting to put on Oasis of all records for me to. I haven't listened to a vinyl for a year now. I missed the sound of them.

The door opened and there were footsteps. I paused, looking towards my door. I poked my head out and looked down the hall. "Hello?"

There were more footsteps so I followed them. I froze. "Rainie?" She turned suddenly. She jumped. Grabbing her heart. She paused unable to breathe. Looking down trying to force air out and in. I stood nervous wondering if she needed help. She started gasping. And sputtering back to normal. I was suddenly close to her. Touching her shoulder. "Are you okay?" I asked softly.

She nodded. "Yeah," She said. Her breathe smoothing out. "You just scared me." She forced a smile.

I paused pulling my hand away from her. Electric shock was stinging me all over. I breathed. "What are you doing?" I asked her suddenly.

She shook her keys. "Forgot them, again." She said.

"Oh," I said.

"What about you," She said. "I thoguht you went with them."

I shook my head. "I was tired."

"Tired, huh?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah," I said.

"Need some company?" She asked. "Maybe we could catch up."

I smiled a little. "Sure."