Chapter 63 STRANGELY HEAVY

Chapter 63 STRANGELY HEAVY
RACHEL
“Just relax. I'll figure something out,” she said, sounding calmer now. “I just know I can't go home tonight, and you're the last person I could think of calling.”
“Shit,” I muttered, looking through the windshield. “I'm literally outside your place right now, but it's fine. We'll meet you at home instead.”
I quickly turned to Jay. “Jay, please take us back home. Tiara's waiting there.”
Jay frowned, obviously wondering what had happened, but he didn't ask. “Cool,” he simply said before starting the engine and shifting gears.
“Wait. You're with Jay?”
“Yeah. Something happened. I'll explain later." My thumb rubbed absently against my index finger.
A sigh came through the speaker. “I know I've got my own problems right now, but you have a lot to explain to me, Rachel Angelo.”
I rolled my eyes, my fingers tightening around my seatbelt. “Fine. I'll see you there.”
The call ended. I didn't even get a chance to put my phone away before Jay broke the silence.
“So...” His eyes remained fixed on the road ahead. “Want to tell me why I'm suddenly driving you back home?” He hesitated before saying it. “We both know that's probably not the best idea right now. I mean, I don't want to be the reason—”
“Jay, please.” I cut him off gently. By the time I turned to look at him, our eyes met briefly before he looked away first.
“I know you're talking about Thane, but can we not? Please?”
For the second time that night, he looked genuinely concerned. And maybe that made me feel a little guilty for shutting him down so quickly. But I had too much on my mind already.
So… neither of us said anything. The silence returned again. But maybe I wasn't actually angry at Jay.
Okay, Rachel. Just admit it. You're angry at Thane. You're angry that you still haven't heard from him. You're angry that a part of you still wants to forgive him after the way he treated you. And you're really angry because staying mad at him somehow feels harder than forgiving him.
And maybe what made it worse was knowing that the second you looked into those dark, stupidly soft eyes of his again, your resolve might disappear all over again.
I shut my eyes for a moment. Then slowly, my thoughts drifted back to Mum. To what Sally had said at the hospital. Maybe I really had been so busy drowning in my own problems that I never noticed just how much pressure Mum had been carrying all this time. And maybe that made me a terrible daughter.
I breathed out sharply, squeezing my eyes shut.
"I guess the conversation will have to wait then," Jay said quietly beside me.
I opened my eyes. Yeah. About Ciara. I hadn't forgotten. I just knew this wasn't the time anymore. Or maybe, if I was being honest, a part of me felt Jay was still holding something back. Maybe the real truth was buried somewhere beneath everything he wasn't saying. Which meant I was still left with only Thane's version of the story.
And somehow, that felt just as impossible to trust as it was to ignore.
Finally, the car rolled to a stop outside the gate. The headlights landed directly on Tiara standing outside.
I quickly unbuckled my seatbelt and pushed open the door, completely forgetting my phone was still resting on my lap. The moment I moved, it slipped and landed on the floor with a clatter.
"God..." I muttered, leaning back into the car to grab it. At the exact same moment, Jay bent down too.
Thunk!
"Ow!" Our foreheads collided hard enough to make both of us jerk back.
"Shit. Are you alright?" His hand immediately reached for my forehead, rubbing the spot gently.
I froze. His face was suddenly far too close. Barely an inch separated us now.
His eyes searched my forehead before finally lifting to mine. "Did that hurt?" he asked softly. His breath brushed against my skin.
I pulled back a little too quickly. "Yeah. I'm fine." The answer came out much faster than I intended.
He seemed to notice it too because he pulled away almost immediately and bent down to pick up my phone instead.
"Here." He held it out to me.
"Thanks." The words came out as little more than a mumble.
Okay. That was awkward. What somehow felt even more awkward was the look in his eyes afterward. Like he wanted to say something.
"Rachel." My name sounded strangely heavy coming from him.
I turned back. For a second, he didn't speak. His tongue darted out to wet his lips before he looked away briefly, as though arguing with himself.
“Can I..." The words died halfway. His lips pressed together before he tried again. "I know it's probably the last thing you want right now, but… would it be okay if I stayed here tonight too?
My brows shot up. Wait. Did I just hear him right?