The ride back home was filled with silence. Rachel stared at the city lights flying by, her thoughts stuck on Laura's repeated words. Nicholas looked straight ahead beside her, his hands firm on the wheel, but the silence between them felt worse than fighting.
When the car finally stopped in front of her building, Rachel reached for the door handle without saying anything. But before she could open it, Nicholas spoke, breaking the silence.
"You don't have to believe her."
Rachel stopped moving, her fingers holding the door handle tighter. Slowly, she turned her head. "What did you say?"
His eyes, dark and hard to read, looked at her. "Laura. Whatever she told you. You don't have to believe her." there were a million and one thoughts racing through his mind but he truly hoped his words reached Rachel and did not just go in one ear and bounce off the other.
Rachel gave him a short, dry laugh, her heart still racing. "Why? Because you said so?"
