17. C H E L S I E

SEVENTEEN

C H E L S I E

“I can’t believe Mum and Dad would do something like that.” Ruby ruminates on Simon's sudden appearance at last night's dinner as she aggressively sweeps the floor.

It’s shocking to me that she’s shocked. I mean, isn’t this the norm by now? Chaos. There hasn't been a dull moment since I’ve arrived in Crawley. Why would this be any different?

Every time Ruby and I talk, I always seem to have something to update her on. Frankly, I don’t know how she’s put up with me for this long. Everywhere I go, drama seems to follow. That drama being Simon.

I didn’t get back to Ruby’s until 2 AM last night, and even then, I laid awake till the daylight rolled in, attempting to understand Simon’s motive.

I know he’s just trying to intimidate me. Pressure me. Simon’s always craved one thing his whole life— power . And with that power, a part of me fears that he’ll use it to spill the beans of my double life to my parents, yet in my insomnia, I couldn’t help but find this unsettling sense of peace in the fact that he won’t.

Why?

Because this sliver of truth is the only thing he has left to hang over my head, and if I know anything about Simon, he won’t give up without a fight. I just wish my parents weren’t a part of the collateral.

“Well, believe it.” I lean up against the counter, staring up at the ticking clock above my head. “They did. It’s like they want me to get back together with Simon. What were they even thinking?”

Ruby stops and slumps her shoulders. “I mean, to be fair, Chels. Mum and Dad have no idea what actually went on between the two of you. They probably just thought that maybe you two had a fight and wanted to see if they could find a way to bring you both back together. Does that mean it was right? No . But still, they don’t have the full picture. Do they?”

I let out a breath. There’s merit to what she’s saying, but even then, they shouldn’t have invited him. It was wrong of them to spring him onto me like that—regardless of whether they know the truth or not. At the end of the day, this is my life. My choices, and all I want is for them to respect them.

“Do you want to know the worst part?” I change the subject matter momentarily as she looks over at me. “That I had to sit on a train for eight hours in one day .” I watch as the little hand circulates around the clock. “It was excruciating.”

“As excruciating as talking to someone whose eyes are glued to a clock?”

Ruby’s counter forces me to immediately jolt my attention away from the time. It’s nearly 3:30 PM, and even despite the fact that Gary's week of swooning has long passed, I can’t help but long for his arrival.

It’s stupid to think that he’d show. It’s been forty-eight hours since our date came to a dramatic end, and I haven’t heard a peep from him since. Mind you, he doesn’t have my number, and I just told him I needed time to think. But still, does this lack of communication mean that we’re done? Was what I said enough to push him away without looking back?

I don’t know.

All I know is that I haven’t stopped thinking about him—the distance away from this town did nothing but lure me back in and make me question why I even left to begin with.

“What exactly are you looking at it for, anyway?” Ruby questions. “Are you trying to get out of work early or something?”

“No.” I shake my head, rubbing along my brow. “I’m just…” Thinking about Gary . “Zoning out,” I opt for instead. “That’s all, I’m sorry.”

I slump my shoulders back, resting my elbows on top of the countertop, opting to stare out at the doorway in fantasy instead.

“ Ugh .” I see Ruby toss the broomstick to the side in my peripheral vision. “I promised myself I wasn’t going to get involved.” She walks her way over to me, completely fed up. “But you’re making it impossible. With your sad expression and repeated sighs. How can I not tell you?”

I peer over at her in interest. “Tell me what?”

“That someone came by to see you yesterday.”

There’s an immediate shift in the room. All at once, the air feels lighter, brighter, and without even realizing it, I pull back from the countertop and stand up straight. Ruby doesn’t even need to confirm that that someone was Gary. I know in my heart it was.

“That seemed to brighten your spirit, now didn’t it?” Ruby is visibly pleased with herself as she folds her arms in front of her chest, shifting her weight from one side to the other as she raises a brow.

“Gary came by?” I have to ask just to be safe. “He… came here?”

“Well, not here per se,” Ruby clarifies. “But to the house, yes . Yes, he did.”

“Why?” I’m reluctant to ask but desperate to know.

“I mean, isn’t it obvious?” she retorts. “He wanted to talk to you, duh !”

“Talk to me about what?”

Ruby’s face drops. “Chelsie, be for real. He obviously came by because he wanted to talk about the way things ended the other night. You just missed him too. He came by not long after you left for Mum and Dad’s. The poor guy looked like he had hardly gotten any sleep.”

I’m left speechless—hell, the air that once felt lighter now feels like it’s now been sucked out of the room as Ruby explains Gary’s desire to speak to me. All the while, I can’t help but visualize his face, his eyes, and his immediate willingness to try to make things right between us.

Had he, too, been thinking about things just as much as I haven’t been able to stop?

Is he still thinking about it?

“And… uh…” I nervously play with the strings of my apron as they fray away. “What did you say to him exactly?”

Ruby pouts. “Well that, that stays between Gary and I.”

“ Gary ?” It’s strange to hear her call him that, despite the fact that it’s the only thing I’ve ever called him.

“Yeah.” She reaches back for the broom. “You were right. Gary is much better than Wilks.”

I watch her regain the broom from the ground and sweep for a few seconds longer before the impatience gets the best of me. “So, you’re really not going to tell me what you said to him?” I mimic her once-folded arms. “What he said to you?”

Ruby stops. “How about rather than worrying about what I said to him or vice versa, you go and talk to him yourself?” she suggests with a coy smirk. “You know, instead of staring up at the clock waiting for him to show. He’s not going to, Chelsie. He’s not.”

I catch my breath in my throat. There’s nothing worse than the truth when you’re vulnerable. I knew deep down he wouldn’t come by today, but hearing Ruby saying it out loud suddenly makes it that much more real…

Am I delusional?

“That was harsh,” Ruby revokes her comment almost instantly before my thoughts can escalate. “I didn’t mean it like that. Listen…” she attempts once more, softening her voice. “Crawfield is playing tonight. Maybe you should go?”

“To watch the game? No way.” I’m quick to talk myself out of it without even really considering it as an option. “Thanks for the suggestion though, Rubes, but I’ll pass.”

“Why not?” Her smile is replaced with a frown. “I mean, it’s obvious you like him, Chelsie. So, what’s the big deal?”

“The big deal?” I repeat back to her. “The big deal is that I ruined things between the two of us the other night because I couldn’t get out of my own head. He’s probably had enough of my teeter-totter of emotions. Besides, you said it yourself. He’s not coming here.”

I attempt to work my way around her, but she blocks me, now placing a hand on either side of my shoulders to steady me in place.

“Listen, Chels,” she speaks. “The only reason I said he’s not coming here is because I told him not to. I told him to let you take the lead. To call the shots. And maybe that was wrong of me, and I’m sorry if I overstepped, but I just thought that maybe if the ball was in your court, it would be easier?”

My eyes widen at her truth. “And uh—what did he say to that?” I can’t help but seek some clarity.

She smiles. “Let’s just say that that boy would give anything for you to give your relationship a chance.”

My heart flutters, and all at once, it’s like the choice becomes abundantly clear. I need to see him. I need to tell him that whatever this is between us, whatever uncertainty I might feel, I don’t want it to end before it’s even properly begun.

I meet Ruby’s eyes with a newfound sense of determination, one she smirks at.

“What’s that look for?” she asks with a cautious look on her face. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking,” I tell her. “That you’re going to need to give me the address to where Crawfield plays.”

“Excuse me… pardon me… sorry, can I just get by?” I’m left profusely apologizing as I squeeze my way through the bustling crowds of people waiting outside of Crawfield’s stadium.

I’m no stranger when it comes to pushing my way through a crowd. Most of my teen years were spent taking the train into London to watch my favorite bands at Wembley. But little did I realize that Crawfield Football Club was practically the One Direction of the town.

Everyone is decked out to the nines in some sort of Crawfield merchandise, and don’t even get me started on just how many jerseys I’ve seen with “Wilkinson” on the back. Quite frankly, I’ve lost count.

It’s astonishing—thinking about how much of a big deal Gary is around here. People really love him, look up to him, and truthfully, I can see why.

He’s got a good heart and, hopefully, an even better rebound rate.

“Um, excuse me?” I finally manage to squeeze my way towards the front of the crowd, catching the attention of a lady who supports the staff members with scanning tickets.

“Hi,” she cheerily responds with an American accent, placing both of her hands on top of her very pregnant belly. “How can I help?”

“I’m sorry,” I can’t seem to stop myself from apologizing. “Is there uh—any way I could buy a ticket? I know it’s last minute, but I really need to see this game.”

Her face drops as she flashes me an empathic frown. “I’m so sorry,” she speaks. “But we’re all sold out. We’ve been selling tickets like crazy. But I’ll tell you what, give me your number, and I’ll make sure you get tickets for the next one, I promise.”

Well, shit.

I’m left ruminating on what to do next when my eyes steer off course and gravitate towards the green of the pitch, where not only can I see the team starting their warm-ups, but amongst them, I can see a familiar frame with the word “Captain” branded around his arm as he leads the team— Gary.

God, it’s only been forty-eight hours since I’ve last seen him, but oh, how I’ve missed his face.

“Let me guess. You’re here to see, Wilks?” My attention is pulled away as I’m met with a look of sexual mischief.

“Uh, yeah.” I reluctantly agree, taken aback by her ability to hone in on my gaze so intently. “I wanted to watch Gary play, but that's okay,” I admit. “I know it’s last minute, and there’s no denying just how busy you guys are?—”

“ Gary ?” Her eyes light up as a suspecting grin spreads across her full lips.

Heat rushes to my cheeks. “Sorry.” I’m reminded of the fact that no one around here seems to call him that. “I meant to say, Wilks . I’m just… not used to calling him that, that’s all.”

“Are you, by chance, Chelsie Windsor?” The woman says my name like she’s heard it before. Like she knows exactly who I am. I run her face through my mind hundreds of times, yet I still can’t seem to place it.

Have we met?

“I’m sorry.” She apologetically raises her hands, visibly picking up on my confusion. “That was extremely stalkerish of me. My name’s Delaney, maybe Wilks… Gary ,” she corrects herself. “Has mentioned me? I’m dating his Coach—Warren Park.”

Delaney .

Gary’s alleged sister.

The supposed cake dropper.

His easy scapegoat.

How could I forget?

I’m left nodding eagerly as a way to suppress the urge to laugh. “Yes, Gary did mention you. It’s so nice to finally meet you, Delaney. I was the one who made the cake for your baby shower. Congratulations, by the way.” I gesture towards her swollen tummy.

“That was you?” Her eyes widen in delight. “Oh, it was delicious. I’m still dreaming about it to this day. Wait, so does that mean Ruby is your?—”

“Sister,” I finish her sentence. “Yep, that she is.”

“Wow.” She scans my face, delight in her eyes. “I thought you two looked alike.” She folds her arms on top of her stomach. “Small world, huh?”

“Small world or small town?”

“You got me there.” She laughs, a lingering sense of delight in her eyes. “I can see why Wilks likes you so much, Chelsie,” she admits. “You’re beautiful.”

I start blushing. It’s one thing to get a compliment from her—Christ, I can only wish to look half as stunning as her when I’m about ready to push a baby out, but what strikes me more is the meaning behind her words.

Not only did Gary mention me to her, but he told her he liked me. Gary doesn’t seem like the type to bring someone up unless he’s serious about them.

Is he serious about me?

“You’re too nice.” I’m left nervously shying away as I attempt to rid the questions from my mind. “Really.”

“Yeah, well, because it’s true!” she fires back. “I mean, look at you, you’re stunning. Oh…” She places a somber hand on my arm. “I’m so sorry if I made him late for your date the other night. I hope he wasn’t in the dog house. I take full blame.”

“It’s okay.” I place an equally assuring hand on her shoulder. “Things happen, I know he was just giving you a hand?—”

A grumble that comes from behind me prompts me to cut my sentence short and look back. By now, there are masses of people I’m holding up who are waiting to get into the stadium.

“I better not hold up this line any longer, Delaney,” I tell her, feeling a sense of remorse. “It was great to meet you. Thanks again.”

I’m about ready to step aside and let the next person walk through when Delaney shouts, “Wait!”

I cock a brow as she reaches out for my hand. “Come.” She guides me through the turnstiles. “I just so happen to have somewhere that you can sit.”