Love Me Through the Rain

by A'zayler

  Rain didn’t say anything else regarding that topic, but they did engage in conversation about other stuff. Summer loved Rain more than anything in the whole world. Even though they were sisters, they were still best friends. It had been that way since they were born. They fought like all siblings but it never lasted long. Summer had just finished setting all the food on the table when the doorbell rang. Rain went to answer it while she gathered cups and silverware for everyone.

  “Hey Bestie.” Alex hit her butt and sat his purse on the counter.

  “Hey boo. It took y’all long enough to get here.”

  “You said ten. Bitch its only five after the hour. Leave me alone.” Alex turned around and looked towards the living room. “Troy don’t let Rain talk your head off. Come in here so we can eat.”

  A few minutes later Rain and Troy came into the dining room. Rain popped Alex in the back of the head when she walked past him. Troy took a seat at one of the chairs at Summer’s bar.

  “Good morning Summer. Thanks for the invite. You look beautiful today.”

  Summer had always liked Troy. “Hey boo. I’m glad you could make it.”

  “I almost didn’t. You know how y’all friend is.” Troy nodded his head towards Alex.

  “How am I?” Alex’s voice let them all know he was ready to turn up on Troy.

  Summer walked over to the table and pinched Alex’s arm. “Leave that damn boy alone with your mean ass.”

  Alex had his mouth open about to say something but the knocking on Summer’s door stopped him before he could. Troy offered to get the door for her. His medium-sized frame disappeared around the corner. Troy was light-skinned with a low haircut and reminded Summer of Jussie Smollett from the show Empire. They shared pretty much the same demeanor too. Troy was a real sweetheart. Summer’s heartbeat sped up a little when she saw Jacorey walk in. He was dressed in all black with a black and yellow fitted cap and Air Max 95s. His bright skin had a yellow hue to it, making him appear lighter than he already was. The hair on his chin and around his mouth was such a turn on. Summer bit the inside of her jaw to keep from smiling too hard. He spoke to everyone as he and Love made themselves comfortable at the table. She had almost thought he wasn’t going to speak until he got up and walked into the kitchen.

  “Hey you. It’s smelling good up in here. What you made for me?” He was behind her with both of his hands resting on the counter on opposite sides of her body. He stood back on his legs some so that he wasn’t pressed against her.

  “Grits, eggs, bacon, hash browns, rice, sausage, and French toast.”

  “It look good as hell too. A nigga ‘bout to be fat as hell fucking with you.” He kissed the side of Summer’s face before whispering in her ear how good she looked.

  She was blushing like crazy when she heard Alex’s voice.

  “So I guess the rest of us just got invited by default since you cooked all of this just for him.”

  “Nosey much?”

  “Talking loud much?” Alex mocked Summer’s tone.

  Rain and Love’s silly asses burst out laughing. Even Troy had chuckled a little. When she looked at them, they were all sitting at her dining room table looking at her and Jacorey. Well almost everybody was sitting. Love was seated on one of the bar chairs and Rain was between his legs, leaning on the corner of the chair he’d left her. One of his arms circled her waist while the other rested on the bar.

  “Y’all really need to stop being so nosey.” Summer backed up so she could serve everyone, only to bump right into Jacorey.

  “Damn girl, don’t be throwing all this ass on me in front of everybody. Save that for later,” Jacorey said.

  Once again, all of her nosey friends started laughing. Summer couldn’t even front; that shit was funny.

  Summer punched him playfully in the chest. “Smart mouth ass.”

  Once everyone had a plate and was seated comfortably, conversation flowed easily. Summer was so happy that Love and Jacorey weren’t giving Alex and Troy a hard time. Summer had to pinch and pop Jacorey a few times to keep him from saying slick shit, but other than that everything was cool. Maybe it was because Troy didn’t act like a girl or your typical gay boy that they all got along so well. The three of them were involved in a heated conversation about the NBA championship games. Troy and Love were rooting for Lebron while Jacorey chose Stephen Curry.

  “Bruh, you not gon’ sit here and tell me Stephen Curry can handle Lebron. It ain’t no fucking way.”

  “Yes he can! Golden State can run through Cleveland if they’ll just tighten up that weak ass defense.”

  Love jumped out his seat at the same time Troy slammed his hand on the table.

  Love was so animated. “Nigga no! If Steph Curry wasn’t dropping those three pointers they wouldn’t have even made it to the finals. Fuck outta here with that shit you talking. He turned to Troy and dapped him up and pointed at Jacorey. “This nigga over here don’t know shit about basketball.”

  Rain, Alex, and Summer all sat around watching them get all hype. It was funny because they were seriously yelling and arguing with each other. That went on for a little while until Rain got up to clear the table. She emptied all the plates while Summer and Alex made mimosas. She passed out the drinks as Rain washed the dishes. Summer showed Jacorey and Troy into the living room before going back into the living room to look for Love. Alex was busy sweeping the floor but Rain and Love were nowhere to be found. She walked down her hall and she could hear them in the bathroom talking. Apparently they weren’t doing anything because the door was still open. Rain was leaning on the sink while he stood in front of her. He was leaning down so his dreads hung down, shielding their faces. She couldn’t hear exactly what he was saying, only the vibrations from the bass in his voice. Rain was giggling like a school girl so whatever it was he was saying was appealing to her.

  “Y’all do know this ain’t y’all house, right?”

  They both looked at her. Rain was smiling and he looked unbothered as he continued to rub his hand up and down Rain’s exposed thigh.

  “Don’t get quiet now Love. It looked to me like you had a mouthful to say a minute ago.”

  He pushed the locs that were hanging in his face to the back of his head and smirked. “Chill out Summer. Go keep my boy some company,” he said before stepping over some and pushing the bathroom door closed.

  Summer just shook her head and headed back to the living room. She didn’t want to leave Jacorey alone with Troy and Alex for too long. They could only behave for so long before they were back to acting a fool. When she walked in the living room Alex and Troy were sitting on the sofa but Jacorey was gone. She checked the kitchen and he wasn’t in there, so she went back into the living room. Troy informed her that he’d stepped outside to take a call. Summer felt some type of way about that because it probably was a woman.

  “Go check on that.” Alex pointed towards the door without even lifting his head from Troy’s shoulder.

  “Oh you know I am.” Summer walked out the door.

  Jacorey was standing in the breezeway talking on the phone. He talked very loud so she could hear him saying something about a rapper named Li’l Rip and having him perform today. When he saw Summer standing there he motioned for her to come to him. She moved until she was standing in front of him. Once she was close enough he grabbed her in a hug and kissed on her neck.

  “Yeah…just have his agent give me a call…no problem…come on man, you know me…alright cool, just hit me back,” Jacorey said before hanging up.

  “You trying to sneak up on me?”

  “Nah I was just looking for you and Alex told me you were out here.”

  “Yeah, I wasn’t feeling sitting in there with them like that. I know those your people but I don’t fuck with shit like that.”

  Summer leaned her head into his chest and snickered.

  “Aye I’m serious.” He wrapped his arms around her and rested them on his butt.

  “I know. I was hoping yo
u didn’t say nothing too out of the way. Alex’s mouth is ridiculous.”

  Jacorey pulled back from her so he could see her face. “You think I care about that nigga’s mouth? You wildin’ shawty. I will kill your little friend.”

  “Now you don’t have to do all that. I didn’t mean it like that. I was just saying.”

  “Well that’s how I took it, so say what you mean.” Jacorey pinched the back of her thigh.

  “I’ll remember that.” She smiled and allowed him to kiss her lips. She was so caught up kissing him, she didn’t hear her front door open.

  “But you talking about us though?” Rain was standing at the door with her arms crossed. Love was right behind her.

  They so cute.

  “Mind ya business.” Summer held her hand up and walked past them and into her house. She and Rain cleaned up while the others relaxed. When everything was done everybody began to disperse. Summer was already tired but she couldn’t wait to see what their day at the park would hold.

  Chapter 9: I Know Where My Heart Is

  “My niggas stack they money just to spend it!” Rain yelled with her arms in the air.

  “RFG Island” was blasting through the speakers of Love’s truck while she, Summer, and Alex stood on the back. Rain pulled the red jean material down from between her thighs as she sang. Her shorts were so short they kept crawling up her legs. They had been at the park for the safety forum for about an hour already and it was pretty cool. It was packed with people, and the vibe was relaxing. Shirley B Winston Rec wasn’t that big so everybody was pretty much crowded together exploring the different booths and activities.

  “Aye girl, get your ass down.” Love was standing at the back of his truck smiling at Rain.

  Got damn! This nigga fine.

  Love was dressed in the same dark blue gym shorts and T-shirt with the red fire department emblem on the side that he’d had on the day she stopped by his job. Instead of his Nike flip flops, today he topped his outfit off with his work boots. The way the sun was bouncing off his chocolate face while his dreads hung freely around his shoulders was making Rain lust. She smiled down at him before walking to the edge of the truck with her arms stretched out.

  “If I jump you gon’ catch me?”

  “Yeah I got you. Come on.” Love removed his hands from his pockets and held them out so she could jump into them.

  “Dakota, you better catch me too. If you let me fall in front of all these people I’ma knock you out. I’m not playing.”

  Love was smiling. “Girl just jump. I said I got you.”

  Rain pointed at him with one finger before she looked around to see who was watching. There were a few people looking their way but nobody really. The jump wasn’t even that high up for real but she was still kind of scared.

  “Today Rain,” Summer said as she nudged her shoulder.

  “Okay you ready Love?”

  “Yeah baby. Come on and jump.”

  Rain winked at him before jumping from the back of the truck. She slammed into his arms roughly. He stumbled back a few steps but he’d caught her. Once he was steady on his feet again he placed her down on the ground. She smiled up at him like a little child.

  “That was so much fun. I think I want to do it again.”

  “Go ahead, I’ll catch you.”

  “I’m just playing. That was enough,” Rain wrapped her arms around his waist and he wrapped his around the back of her neck. His strong arms were resting on her shoulders. They could stay in that exact spot forever and it wouldn’t bother her one bit. Dakota Love was everything.

  “If I could have this moment for life,” Rain spoke the words only loud enough for her to hear them.

  “You reading my thoughts now?”

  Rain leaned her head back so that she could see his face. She was sure not to move too far because she liked the position they were in. “You heard me?”

  “I did.”

  Rain flushed with embarrassment before turning completely around to face forward. She couldn’t even stand to look at him after that. This boy probably thinks I’m crazy. They had only been talking for such a short while. She didn’t want to run him off by moving too fast. Although what she said was how she really felt at the moment she only wished she could have said it a little quieter.

  Love kissed the top of her head. “Relax and know that we’re on the same page.”

  Unconsciously Rain scooted backwards so that she could be closer to him. When his grip tightened around her, it was then that she knew. He was just as wrapped as she was. They stood like this for a little while longer. Every so often she would catch Summer or Alex looking in their direction. Summer had even given her the thumbs up a few times, while Alex just smiled and winked like a fool.

  “I have to go back over here near the fire trucks. You coming?”

  Rain wanted to say yes, but didn’t want to seem too eager. “What y’all doing over there?”

  “We’re going to let the kids get on and beep the horn a few times. You know, nothing major.”

  “Oh okay. Well yeah, I’ll go.”

  Rain told Summer and Alex where she was headed so they wouldn’t be looking for her. Once Summer told her that Alex was about to leave and she was going to talk to Jacorey, they all parted ways. They were mixed in the crowd some when Love reached down and grabbed her hand. He pulled her closer to him so that people would stop bumping into them. Rain wasn’t blind to the miscellaneous stares she got from a few women; she just chose to ignore them. She wasn’t the one for drama first of all, and she most definitely didn’t find it necessary to be involved in mess pertaining to a man that didn’t even belong to her. She did enjoy making those bitches mad though. Every time Love looked at her or said something she laughed and smiled like it was the best thing on earth. He was feeding right into her little plan too because he kept making jokes. Probably since she was laughing at everything he said, he thought he was funny. By the time they moved across the field to where two big fire trucks were parked Love had her laughing for real. He really was funny once she actually started listening to him.

  “You want to stand right here or you want to come with me?”

  “I can stay right here. I don’t want to be in your way.”

  “You sure? It’s cool if you walk over here. Them niggas probably want to see you again anyway.”

  Rain’s raised her eyebrows. “See me again?”

  “Yeah. When you left the other day they were all making jokes about you being too pretty for me and shit.”

  Rain shook her head and looked off. When she looked back, he was still looking at her. “I think you’re beautiful.”

  Rain could tell her words made him feel good because of the way he was trying to hide his smile. She liked seeing him blush in discomfort so she kept going.

  “You’re so handsome I wish I could have you for myself.”

  “You already got me.”

  Rain shook her head from side to side and stepped closer to him. She pulled his shirt until he was leaning down closer to her face. “I mean really have you. Be mine, like nobody else’s. Ever. Just me and you. Goddess-Rain, and Sexy as all hell Dakota Love.”

  The smile left his face, as he grew serious. His light-colored eyes were staring directly into hers. Being that the sun was out, now was one of the times they appeared to be transparent. Summer was right about it feeling like he was looking at her soul. Because in that moment she felt naked. Completely nude to his gaze. Bare and open to whatever thoughts he was having of her. The feeling was exhilarating. Out of all the women in the park he could have been looking at like this, he chose her. It was her that held his complete attention. She was the one that was making him question himself in this very moment. It was written all over his face. He didn’t have to say a word; she already knew. Even if she wanted to look away, which she didn’t, she wouldn’t have been able to. The intensity between them in the park full of people made her feel alone. There was no one else there. Just the two of the
m. His aura was overpowering.

  “Say something babe,” she whispered with her lips nearly touching his.

  “You remember when I told you to mean what you say, and to always be truthful with me?”

  Rain nodded her head. Still entangled in his eyes and now his words.

  “Don’t tell me that, unless you really mean it.” He leaned forward and kissed her lips before walking away.

  Rain stood dumbfounded for a minute because that was not at all what she’d expected him to say. She’d basically just asked him to be her boyfriend and for him to blow it off like that she felt like the biggest fool in the world. Once he was out of her sight she walked off. She dialed Summer to see where she was. Once she told her, she headed in that direction. There was no way she could stand there and keep looking at him after that. She was so busy walking with her head down she didn’t even see Stacey walking up to her until she bumped into him.

  “Oh excuse me.” She looked up. “Stacey? My bad, I didn’t even see you.”

  He smiled at her. “You good. That’s the most contact I’ve gotten from you in I don’t know how long.”

  Here we fucking go.

  “I’m sorry. Like I said, I’ve been a little busy.” Rain was not in the mood for him and his begging today.

  “What you doing out here?”

  “Nothing, just hanging with some friends.”

  “Well why you by yourself?”

  “I’m actually headed to see my sister right now. I’ll catch you later.” Rain didn’t even wait for a response before walking off. Today was not Stacey’s day. She would have ate his ass up and spit him right back out. The mood she was in, would get his feelings hurt and she really didn’t want to do him like that. She scoured the crowd until she found Summer next to the stage talking to Jacorey. She walked away from him when she saw Rain and met her halfway.

  “What’s wrong boo-boo?”

  “I feel like an idiot. I just basically told Love I’m feeling him enough for him to be my boyfriend and all he said was don’t say it if you don’t mean it and walked away.” Rain imitated Love’s deep voice the best way she could.