Summary: That same painful day that Charlie experienced in Episode 4 is retold here from the perspective of this twin sister Rachel as she goes on a date with her boyfriend Dave O’Donnell. Little did she know that her day would be just as painful as her brothers.

Rachel sat in front of her makeup station brushing her hair whilst humming a soft happy tune. She had just dried her hair after getting out of the shower. She was dressed only her in bathrobe as she wasn’t in the least bit cold because outside the sun was splitting the rocks and melting the tar on the roads. As soon as she was done brushing her hair into a silky shiny doo she walked over to her chest of drawers and began to put on her underwear.

As soon as she was done that she walked to her tall wardrobe and stared into it. She couldn’t believe that he hadn’t even decided what to wear for her day out with Dave the night before. But at times she even surprised herself when it came to planning. She browsed carefully, eyeing each outfit as if she were buying it for the first time. She found something perfect, girly yet elegant an pretty.

It was a pink high waisted skirt with a black under dress, matching blazer and black tights with a grey tank top. She smiled to herself as she had completely forgotten that she had even owned such an outfit. She tried to remember when she last wore it, maybe once, twice before? In the long run she knew her boyfriend Dave would love it.

Ah Dave O’Donnell, the centre piece of her life.

Nearly fifteen minutes later she totted downstairs in full outfit, smiling gleefully to herself. She went to the kitchen where her mother, Mary was cooking a fry-up by the gas cooker. She looked worn, tired and her hair was in a mess. She was still dressed in her pyjamas She turned to her daughter and smiled.

‘’Morning Rachel!’’ she said.

‘’Good morning Mom!’’ said Rachel as she took her place at the table. ‘’Hey where’s Charlie?’’

Mary turned to Rachel with the frying pan in her hands and unloaded the bacon, eggs and sausages onto her plate.

‘’Oh he left early this morning with some red headed girl and went into town,’’ said Mary tiredly.

‘’Must have been Julie,’’ mumbled Rachel as she cut into her egg.

Mary closed the refrigerator door with a pint bottle of milk in her right hand. She pursed her lips as she always did when she didn’t know what Charlie was up to. She sat down across from Rachel and poured the milk into her glass.

‘’You’d think he’d tell his family if he had a girlfriend!’’ stated Mary, her eyes bulging widely.

‘’You know the way he is Mom,’’ said Rachel. ‘’He keeps those sort of things to himself.’’

Mary hummed lowly and began to dig into her breakfast. The clock was barely passed the stroke of 11:30.a.m when a car horn sounded from outside. Rachel’s face lit up as she jumped off of her seat and pulled on her stylish pink and black blazer.

‘’I thought he wasn’t picking you up until ten!’’ said Mary.

‘’I guess he couldn’t wait!’’ smiled Rachel as she headed for the front door.

Mary got up and followed her down the hallway.

‘’Well do — do you need money or something?’’ she asked urgently.

‘’No it’s okay Mom. I won’t need money today,’’ said Rachel as open the front door.

‘’Oh — well okay then,’’ said Mary, dumbfounded by the hastiness of her daughter. ‘’Well have a good day then sweetheart.’’

‘’Bye Mom!’’ beamed Rachel.

She turned and walked down the front path. The closer she got to Dave’s car the giddier and more frantic her posture and walk became. Mary stood at the doorway with her arms crossed as she leant up against the wooden frame.

‘’Hi Mrs. Smith!’’ shouted Dave.

Mary gave a wide fake smile and a wave before the car sped off down the road. The second she could no longer see the car her face dropped into a sorrowful yet angry expression; she rolled her eyes and shut the front door.

‘’Misses Smith,’’ she scoffed.

She looked down the silent hallway of her home and gave a weary sigh. She walked back into the kitchen and sat at the table staring into a trance. It was over five minutes before she broke away from her stare. She shook her head and blinked several times. The watery moisture in her eyes burned as water squeezed out from between her eyelids and dripped down over her dark sags. She sniffed as she dragged the chair across the floor and stepped up on top of it. She turned towards the wall where the air-conditioning vent was. She lifted it off and pulled out a small box of cigarettes. She sat down at the table once again, put one cigarette between her lips and raised the lighter to the tip. She hesitated for a moment because she felt that somebody else was in the room judging her.

But there was nobody else there. She was alone, so very alone. She flicked the lighter and flames ignited. The tobacco sizzled and burned as she inhaled deeply. The smoke went straight to her head and her lungs warmed up like a stove. She exhaled out through her nose and gave a slight choke, not because of the smoke but because of the tears.

***

Dave swerved his blue Ford Fiesta around a sharp corner which led onto the motorway. Inside the windows were rolled all the way down and the radio played upbeat dance music to reflect the wonderful summer-like day. The warm breeze blew through Rachel’s hair as she stared at her boyfriend with love and awe. He turned to her and took her hand into his. He drove down the straight motorway with his right arm controlling the steering wheel.

‘’So where are you taking me today Mr. O’Donnell?’’ smiled Rachel from ear to ear.

‘’I told you already that it’s a surprise!’’ beamed Dave.

‘’But I’m no good with surprises!’’ claimed Rachel. ‘’You can surprise me now and get it over with! Save us both the hassle!’’

He looked ahead to see if he was gaining on any vehicles. He then leaned in and gave Rachel a warm yet quick and loving kiss on the lips.

‘’I’m afraid that will have to keep you going until you get your surprise!’’ said Dave, gently letting go of her hand and returning to the wheel.

She looked at him for a few minutes. She felt like the luckiest girl on the planet at that particular moment as she observed his big strong arms, broad shoulders and his brown gelled hair. For a teenager who had just turned seventeen he had the build of a man in his prime physical state.

He drove way past the city and into the countryside. He kept his word and said nothing about the surprise. Rachel waited with great anticipation and couldn’t help but nag Dave to tell her where he was bringing her. He took a turn off at an old side road which trailed up alongside a tall mountain. Despite how much trust Rachel put in her boyfriend she felt a little worried. Why was he driving her into a completely remote area?

He’d never do anything to hurt me, would he? Rachel thought.

The tiny car pulled itself up the steep hills and through a patch of tall forest trees atop of a wide cliff ledge.

‘’Why are you bringing me all the way out here?’’ asked Rachel. ‘’I’m going to be honest I’m getting a little freaked out here!’’

‘’Don’t worry beautiful! You know I’d never do anything to hurt you, trust me. You’ll love it!’’ said Dave.

By calling her beautiful Rachel immediately fell under his lustful spell once again. The car turned up a steep road alongside a crater with no fence to prevent vehicles from falling off. It was rather frightening. Then as the little blue car reached the summit of the mountain, leaving a long trail of dust behind, the sky became clear once again as loomed over the hill.

Then, to their complete and utter awe they were presented with the most spectacular sight to behold. They felt like gods as they stared down upon the distant city before them. The glorious sun beat down its boiling hot rays over the metropolis whilst the sky retained a healthy cloudless tint of blue.

Rachel stepped out of the car completely breath taken with amazement. Dave chuckled as he climbed out of the driver’s seat.

‘’I told you you’d love it!’’ he smiled.

Rachel ran to her boyfriend and brought him in for a passionate kiss. She draped her arms around his shoulders whilst he rested his on her skirted hips. His lips were warm and soft against her full yet cute and pouty ones. They broke apart after a few moments of staring into each other’s eyes.

‘’You are so beautiful,’’ said Dave.

Rachel couldn’t help but squirm because she knew by the tone in his voice that he truly meant it. She pecked him once more on the lips.

‘’And you are so handsome!’’ she smiled.

Like a proper gentleman Dave set up a picnic by the cool green grass. Rachel lay down on the blanket and stared down at the view. Her eyes watered against the glistening sun as she let herself fall on her back. Her hair spread out across the blanket as she hummed with sheer warmth and happiness. She felt as if she had gone to heaven.

Dave was over by the car boot gathering cups, plates and food. As he looked through the trunk he spotted something in the corner. A pile of video tapes and a folder bursting with photographs and paper. He went all red and poked his head out of the boot to see if Rachel was nearby.

‘’For Christ’s sakes Dave,’’ he muttered to himself.

When he saw her lying on the blanket he sighed with relief and opened the spare tyre cabinet. He placed the tapes in the centre of the wheel and covered it with the carpeted board. He gathered his things, closed the boot and joined Rachel by the view.

‘’You are a really good guy,’’ said Rachel as he lied down next to her.

‘’Shhh the suns just going to your head,’’ joked Dave with a smile.

‘’No I mean really,’’ said Rachel, leaning up on her elbow and looking down on Dave. ‘’A really good guy and I’m so lucky to have you.’’

She kissed him on the lips and he returned it with more affection. They lay there together immersed in deep conversation for the remainder of the day as they looked down upon the wondrous view. But Rachel did most of the talking. Dave just lay there nodding and smiling as if he weren’t really listening.

Really? Wow! No way! You kidding me? I know what you mean! Hmm mm. Yeah. Nope.

After a short while Dave was starting to change. He became irritable, snappy and above all else really, really strange. He kept trying to move in on Rachel by kissing her repeatedly on the neck and feeling up her breasts.

‘’Dave, stop it!’’ Rachel would giggle. ‘’Please aren’t you listening to me?’’

‘’Of course babe,’’ grunted Dave. He lay back down facing up towards the bright blue sky with a sour look on his face. ‘’You were on about your brother?’’ he sighed sombrely.

‘’Yes!’’ exclaimed Rachel. ‘’He’s been acting really strange lately. I don’t know what to think of it.’’

‘’Really?’’ said Dave in an unconvincing bored tone. ‘’How?’’

‘’Well for one thing he barely looks at me in the eye anymore and he’s so god damn defensive, always snapping at Mom and me!’’ she said.

‘’Well maybe he’s got something to hide?’’ said Dave actually sounding a little bit more interested.

‘’What do you mean by hiding something?’’ asked Rachel in a suspicious tone.

‘’Jeez I dunno Rachel!’’ snapped Dave. ‘’Charlie’s obviously got a secret! Everyone has secrets! Just leave him be and he’ll be alright!’’

Rachel sat up and looked down at Dave with great concern on her face. ‘’What’s wrong?’’

‘’…nothing,’’ replied Dave darkly.

‘’Don’t do this. Don’t shut me out,’’ said Rachel getting closer to his face. ‘’I’ve been blabbing on about my problems all afternoon. Let me help you.’’

Dave shut his eyes and breathed through his nose angrily. He then opened his eyes to Rachel’s surprise they were filled with tears. He looked as if he were about to burst if he repressed them much longer. Rachel’s mouth hung open with shock but her eyes looked as if they were about to pour down with tears too.

‘’What’s wrong?’’ asked Rachel softly.

He closed his eyes and tears streamed down his cheeks like a water fall.

‘’It’s j-just -,’’ he sobbed. ‘’I d-don’t want this to end.’’

Rachel shook her head slightly with confusion.

‘’I mean us — you and me — together,’’ he said shakily. ‘’I don’t want it to end.’’

An expression of disturbance, pity and sadness spread across Rachel’s face. She was completely and utterly speechless. Dave choked back his tears and took a deep breath.

‘’P-Please say something,’’ he stammered.

‘’I — I don’t -,’’ stuttered Rachel. She was lost for words. She did not know how to comfort something when the shock of it was thrown straight at her. She was never prepared for this. The mere thought of Dave crying was ludicrous but there he was, lying on the blanket weeping like an infant child. Sure she had strong feelings towards Dave but even she was mature enough to realise that what they had wouldn’t last forever. They were just kids. ‘’Look — I — I’m going to be honest here Dave -,’’ she started. ‘’ — but I wasn’t prepared for this whatsoever. I mean -,’’

‘’You don’t love me?’’ said Dave like a lost innocent boy as he sat up at last.

She had hoped that he wouldn’t use that word. Even though it was boiling hot outside she felt her chest freeze over like ice as a wave of pity and awkwardness engulfed her heart. ‘’L-Love you?’’ repeated Rachel. ‘’Dave I really, really like you I do and I -,’’

‘’Yes or no?’’ demanded Dave.

‘’Dave you’re scaring me,’’ said Rachel, sliding away from him.

‘’Just answer the god damn question!’’ he roared.

Rachel got up on her feet as did Dave. She looked into his infuriated eyes searching for the boy she had feelings for but for some reason he wasn’t there all of a sudden.

‘’What’s happened to you?’’ said Rachel as her eyes welled up. ‘’Why you acting like this?’’

‘’Stop changing the subject and tell me if you love me or not!’’ Dave shouted.

‘’We have been going out for just a few months and you’re already questioning if we are in love?!’’ cried Rachel tearfully. ‘’Why are you doing this all of a sudden?’’

‘’Because I LOVE you Rachel!’’ bellowed Dave. ‘’I don’t ever want to be away from you! I want you to be by my side everyday and it pains me when you’re not! I want to make love with you but all these months you’ve been restricting us from progressing as a couple!’’

Rachel backed away from her boyfriend in fear as she looked into his crazed face. She could feel her windpipe close in as her heart ached with sadness. Her eyes quickly caught the bulging erection poking out in Dave’s jeans. Now she was really frightened.

‘’What has happened to you Dave?’’ she said as tears streamed down her cheeks. ‘’I thought we had something special b-but all along your feelings for me has just been some crazed obsession to have sex with me?!’’

‘’So you don’t love me?’’ said Dave darkly.

‘’P-Please,’’ sobbed Rachel. ‘’Stop this! Why are you destroying what we already have?’’

‘’Why am I -,’’ started Dave. ‘’YOU’RE THE ONE WHO HAS RUINED EVERYTHING!’’

He then lunged forward and grabbed Rachel tightly by the wrist.

‘’Dave please! You’re hurting me!’’ cried Rachel.

He looked into her terrified eyes for a few moments. His hand twitched as if he were repressing himself to smack his girlfriend across the face. He managed to let go of her but the crazed psychotic expression on his hardened face remained.

‘’Take me home!’’ Rachel screamed. ‘’NOW!’’

Dave scowled at her and walked past her to go and pick up their stuff from the ground. Rachel was left standing there. She raised her hand to her mouth as she began to ball her eyes out silently. She couldn’t believe that he was acting this way. Was he actually showing his true side for the first time or is something else bothering him deep within?

They drove home together in bitter silence. The tiny ford fiesta moved down the mountain, leaving a large dust cloud behind as it swerved onto the old country road. The day was beginning to change into evening as the transition of dusk commenced. The warm breeze gushing through the car did not help Rachel’s excessive tears flowing back her cheeks. Dave drove violently often taking sharp corners that would throw Rachel into the door. He had a look on his face that said ‘’kill’’ as he swallowed back his sorrow and anger.

His dramatic change of personality came to be a shock to Rachel’s system. Dave, the perfect boy who always listened to her, held her and told her how much she meant to him seemed to have vanished into thin air. When he grabbed her by the hand back by the mountain he had a maniacal look in his eye that for one moment she thought he was going to rape her. The thought just made her more upset as she wiped away the flood of tears from her red raw eyes.

‘’Will you please stop crying!’’ snapped Dave as he turned off at a junction which led to the motorway.

‘’I can’t!’’ sobbed Rachel. ‘’Not until you tell me what’s going on!’’

‘’You don’t want to know the truth,’’ replied Dave in a dark moody tone of voice.

Rachel quickly turned her head to the window so she could hide her face from him.

Why is he doing this to me? She thought.

The sky was beginning to turn a slight shade of pink as the sun became more orange and radiant than ever. As soon as the wind swept away Rachel’s tears she rolled up the window and turned to Dave.

‘’Let’s be honest with each other for a second,’’ she said calmly.

Dave looked like he was about to explode as she said this but he took a deep angry breath and mumbled, ‘’…okay then.’’

‘’What has brought all of this on?’’ asked Rachel, half scared, half concerned.

It took a moment for Dave to answer. It was as if he couldn’t tell the truth because he was too embarrassed or something similar.

‘’Then that’s it,’’ said Rachel. ‘’If you won’t tell me then we’re finished.’’

Dave nearly crashed the car into an oncoming truck as she said this. He swerved out of the way, roaring his head off as the truck honked its horn loudly. He managed to get back into position on the right side of the road. Rachel’s knees were shaking erratically.

What a horrible day it has been for her.

‘’You don’t mean that,’’ said Dave. ‘’Please, please don’t say that!’’

‘’Then tell me why are you acting like this?’’ plead Rachel. ‘’If you tell me we can work it out!’’

‘’I — I just want to be with you forever that’s all!’’ he stuttered.

The line sent shivers down Rachel’s spine. Forever. She now knew the truth and she couldn’t believe how well Dave kept it from her. All along she thought he was giving her love and affection and she did the same in return but it was all just some sort of sick obsession. The way he grabbed her on the mountain, the erection, the crying, the pleading, the begging, the creepy lines, the piercing stares, the constant texting, and the unexpected surprise arrivals to the house, it all added up now. He wasn’t in love with her. His was infatuated with her.

They spent the rest of the car journey at one another necks screaming and roaring their heads. Despite the fact Rachel was defending herself constantly she felt incredibly unsafe around Dave now. It was as if her feelings for him had suddenly vanished and his had excelled beyond the boundaries of what people call love.

Dave pulled up outside Rachel’s house blowing his top off.

‘’Please we can work this out!’’ he cried.

‘’No, no, that time has long passed!’’ shouted Rachel pointing at Dave as if her finger were a gun.

‘’You know this is all your doing!’’ roared Dave. ‘’If you just told me you love me then -,’’

‘’LOOK JUST BECAUSE WE’VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR A WHILE DOES NOT MEAN THAT I OWE YOU EVERYTHING!’’ shrieked Rachel, waving her arms about.

She thought she had burst her own eardrums as a loud ringing formed inside her ear. Her face was red, her eyes were raw and her makeup was all smudged and messy. Her hair was frazzled and her outfit was out of place. She opened the door of the car and said in a low threatening tone, ‘’I don’t want you to ever talk to me again! You are a sad, horrible pathetic little man and I will never love you!’’

‘’Rachel ple -,’’

She had already slammed the door and was opening the garden gate. Dave pressed his foot down hard in a fit of fury before speeding off like a lunatic down the cul-de-sac driveway. Rachel barely noticed that her brother Charlie was standing midway up the path, dressed for going out with a look of concern and innocence on his face. He must have been watching them.

‘’Rachel what happened?’’ he asked.

‘’Buzz off Charlie!’’ sobbed Rachel.

She opened the front door and slammed it behind her. Before her mother could get two words out of her mouth Rachel had stormed up the stairs and shut her bedroom door behind her. She dived into her soft cushiony pillow and cried. The pillow seemed to soak up the muffled sobs and wet tears like an emotional sponge. Her head pounded terribly from an agonising headache due to all the crying.

She didn’t stop until she fell asleep.

***

Vrrrrrrrrrrr Vrrrrrrrrrrr Vrrrrrrrrrrr Vrrrrrrrrrrr Vrrrrrrrrrrr Vrrrrrrrrrrr Vrrrrrrrrrrr Vrrrrrrrrrrr

Rachel’s eyes slowly opened to the vibrating noise coming from her handbag. It was her phone. She groaned as she slid over to the edge of her mattress, reached down and rummaged for her phone in the bag. The vibrating continued and it was making her increasingly angry. Her eyes were blinded was she stared at the little screen. It took a moment before she could open her eyes fully.

It was Dave.

37 missed calls. 12 text messages.

And it was just past six in the morning.

Rachel turned off her phone and slipped out from beneath the blankets. She guessed she must have been in a very deep sleep. She was still dressed in the same clothes as the day before. She felt extremely miserable as her head ached with pain. She could hear the faint creak of the front gate opening outside. She swung for the window, fearful that Dave had arrived at the house. She scurried for the window and parted the curtain to see Charlie walking up the front path looking even worse than Rachel did.

She sighed with relief, stepped back from the window and wondered what he was doing home so late. She was tempted to go down and talk to him but she felt she couldn’t bring herself to face him. A few moments later she heard his bedroom door closing.

She opened the curtains and looked out across suburbia. The sun was rising and the sky was beginning to lighten up. The memories and experiences from the day before began to tune into her mind once again, the mountainous view, the hot weather, the fight, the revelations and the overall disturbing nature that lay within her now ex-boyfriend, Dave.

Rachel couldn’t take her eye off of a bird which circled the sunlight sky squawking and tweeting to announce the new day. For some reason she wished she were the bird at that moment…

She went to the bathroom, stripped down, showered and dried herself off in her room. She then sat on the bed and buried her face in her hands. She exhaled deeply, her palms becoming damp with warm breathing.

‘’How could you have done this to us?’’ she mumbled.

She sniffed gently and choked back the tears. It hurt her throat to swallow down the painful emotions. She sat there for a long while just looking at her feet immersed in deep thought. She felt confused, disorientated and above all else lost. She did not know how she felt for Dave anymore. Despite the fact he turned out to be a very strange guy she still had feelings for him. Of course she did. But she felt as if she could never forgive him. It was truly over between them…

Later that afternoon Rachel went to the supermarket with her mother. Rachel’s face was a sickly pale and she looked very different as she wasn’t wearing makeup. She was dressed plainly in a hoody, tracksuit bottoms and uggs. Mary knew something was up with her daughter but she didn’t bother asking because of Rachel’s sensitivity. Besides, she was much too occupied talking about Charlie.

‘’Did you hear him come last night? Well I didn’t!’’ exclaimed Mary. ‘’It must have been very late when he got home! I was so worried!’’

As soon as they were done in town they went home, again in silence. Rachel shut the car door, helped her mother carry the bags into the kitchen and went upstairs to her room. On her way down the corridor she walked by Charlie’s open bedroom door. She stopped dead outside as the corner of her eye caught Charlie sitting on the edge of the mattress with his face buried in his hands.

He looked up to see his sister looking at him. His eyes were wide, bulgy and watery.

‘’Oh, Rachel,’’ he said, standing up and sniffing back the tears. ‘’I’ll be out in a second.’’

He closed the bedroom door on her face and turned away. He took several deep breaths and rubbed his eyes.

‘’Charlie?’’ said Rachel softly on the other side of the door. ‘’Charlie, are you okay?’’

She slowly opened the door and crept in as if her brother were about to attack her. He turned around with a forced crooked smile.

‘’Hey Rachel, where were you and Mom gone to just now?’’ he said casually.

Rachel closed the door behind her and leant up against it. She stared into her brothers eyes for the first time in a while. He looked to be in terrible pain, hurt and very angry. Her eyes trailed around the room. She took a quick glimpse at the broken phone, smashed into tiny pieces across the floor. For a moment they interlocked eyes as if they were connecting somehow.

‘’I broke up with Dave,’’ said Rachel, softly staring into her brother.

Charlie swallowed his sadness down and nodded once. His stomach gurgled as his heart climbed up his throat. The inside of his mouth suddenly felt warm and stingy.

‘’I uh — I don’t know what to say to that,’’ he said in a broken tone.

They didn’t say a word to one another for a moment.

‘’What happened to your phone?’’ asked Rachel, looking down at the broken shards.

‘’I sort of got a little bit out of — I got uh —,’’ stuttered Charlie. It was as if he couldn’t find the right expression.

‘’It’s okay,’’ said Rachel softly. ‘’I understand what happened. You don’t have to say anything.’’

They sat down together on the bed.

‘’Did she hurt you?’’ asked Rachel.

‘’She did more than that,’’ Charlie scoffed. ‘’She doesn’t even realise what’s she has done to me.’’ Charlie was finding this whole situation awkward yet strangely comforting because he usually didn’t share his feelings with Rachel. He turned to Rachel and said, ‘’You know I never trusted that Dave guy. He seemed a little off to me right from the very beginning.’’

‘’You don’t even want to know what kind of person he really is,’’ said Rachel in a low serious voice.

‘’You’re probably right,’’ said Charlie.

Then, to his surprise Rachel put her arm around him. It had been a long time since she had done that but he responded with the same gesture. Their heads bobbed against one another as they both felt one another’s pain equally.

Little did they know that the worst was yet to come . . .