LIKE RAIN

by Leen Elle

  I looked intently at my new neighbors as they stepped out of the car. There was a man, tall and somewhat heavy, an average-sized woman with short brown hair that bobbed just above her shoulders, and a girl who looked to be about my age. She was short, thin, and had flaming red hair.

  I was intrigued, and so I decided to go over and introduce myself. I took the familiar path to Maddy's old house and found them still standing outside, taking boxes from out of their car. They all looked up at me.

  "Hi," I said in my most friendly voice. "I'm Nevaeh. I live across the street."

  "Hello," said the woman, showing her brilliantly white teeth. "I'm Margaret May, this is my husband Ryan and daughter Halley."

  "Hi," Halley said.

  "It's nice to meet you," said her father, shaking my hand.

  "Where did you move here from?" I asked.

  "Oh, we're from Arizona," Margaret said. "It's deathly hot there right now."

  "Well, it's not much better here," I said.

  "Oh believe me, it is," she said smiling. "So how old are you Nevaeh? You look about Halley's age."

  "Oh I'm fifteen," I said.

  "Well isn't that lucky? Halley here's fifteen too. Are you going to be a junior next year?" she asked.

  "Yep," I said.

  "Perfect. Halley too." Margaret appeared to be ecstatic about this news.

  "Well honey," said Ryan, "we need to get back to unpacking."

  "Oh right," she said clapping her hands together. "Halley, why don't you go along with Nevaeh?"

  "Mom!" Halley said, appearing rather annoyed, not to mention embarrassed.

  "It's okay," I said. "You can come with me."

  "See," Margaret said, "wonderful. I'll see you girls later. You can come over for lunch if you'd like, Nevaeh. Once I find where I packed the food and the pots and pans I'll start cooking."

  "Okay thanks," I said. "I'd like that." And then we left, on the way back to my house

  "Sorry about my mom," Halley said. "She's a little…crazy. She was worried about me making new friends. She's just thrilled that there's someone my own age near by."

  "Did you have a lot of friends at your other school?" I asked.

  "Yeah, for the most part, but my mom seems to think I didn't because I never brought them around the house. And I think you can see why," she said rolling her eyes.

  I laughed. "She's not that bad."

  "Try living with her," she said as we opened the door to my house and went inside. "She's constantly there. She never leaves me alone."

  "It's the total opposite with my dad. He's never around. Usually he's at work, but now he's busy with his new girlfriend," I told her.

  "You're lucky. You don't want them around all the time," she said. "What happened to your mom, if you don't mind my asking?"

  "She died of breast cancer when I was five."

  "Oh, I'm sorry," Halley said.

  "That's okay. It was a long time ago. I don't really remember her. But anyways," I said trying to lighten the mood, "there's not much to do around here. Come on, I'll introduce you to my best friend."

  "Okay," she said. We got up off the couch and went back out the door. "So where does your friend live?"

  "He just lives down the road," I replied.

  "He? Your best friend is a guy? That's so cool." I laughed. "Is he hot?"

  "Gorgeous," I said smiling. "But don't get any ideas. He's not open territory."

  "Got ya," she said. I wasn't sure why I was telling her that he wasn't available when he really was. I had never really admitted to myself that I liked him, and I wasn't even sure if I did. But if Halley turned out to be a new friend I didn't want her dating

  Cael.

  I knocked on Cael's door and he greeted me with a smile. "Hey babe," he said. Halley glanced at me.

  "Hey," I said. "This is Halley. She just moved into Maddy's old house. Halley this is Cael."

  "Hi," she said cheerfully.

  "Hey," he said. "Where'd you move here from?"

  "Arizona," she said.

  "Oh I bet it's hot up there right now."

  "It sure is," she replied.

  "So what are you girls up to this morning?" he asked.

  "Nothing really," I said. "You got any ideas?"

  "I might," he said.

  Cael had this way of making everyone feel welcome. He asked questions and smiled when he spoke which made it seem like he really cared. He was already making Halley feel wanted, just the way he always did with me.

  "Well…spill."

  "I know you can get away," he said to me. "What about you Halley?"

  "Yeah," she said. "It's fine. My mom doesn't care."

  "Well, if you want to run over and ask her," Cael began to say.

  "No," Halley said quickly. "I don't need to ask her." I could tell Halley was trying hard not to be a burden. She didn't want us thinking she had to ask her mommy for every little thing.

  "Okay then," Cael said. "Let's go." I got in the front seat of the car next to Cael, and Halley climbed in the back.

  "So where are we going?" I asked as we pulled out of the driveway.

  "What day is it?" he asked.

  "Huh?" I said confused, then I thought about it. It finally hit me.

  "It's my birthday!" I said. "August second."

  "Bingo," he said.

  "Oh happy birthday!" Halley said from the back seat. "How do you forget your own birthday?"

  "I have no idea," I said. "Good thing I got Cael here to keep me straight." He smiled. "But I still don't know where we're going."

  "Duh, you're sixteen years old. Where do you think we're going?" he asked.

  I looked at him. I knew where he was taking me, but I wasn't sure I wanted to go. "Cael, I haven't studied or anything. I'll fail."

  "Oh please," he said waving his hand at me like it was no big deal. "You studied with Maddy when she was going to take hers. And you're a natural driver." He was right. Maddy and I had been practicing driving for a couple months and there was no doubt that I was good. But now I wasn't sure I wanted to drive just yet. After all, that had been what killed her.

  "Yeah, but…"

  "No buts," he said. "You're taking your driver's test and you're passing it."

  "Yes sir," I said saluting him. And so I did. I took my permit test and I passed it, with a 100 percent. I walked out the proud new owner of a driving permit, and Cael insisted that I drive us home. I felt like kissing the ground when we all arrived at Cael's house in one piece. He stood almost beaming at me once we stepped out of the car. He didn't know how terrified I was of driving and that I wasn't planning on putting my permit to much use. And I wasn't about to tell him.

  Chapter Eight

  "Where have you been?" Margaret yelled when we walked into Halley's house.

  "You said we could hang out," Halley said.

  "I didn't say you could drive off to god knows where with some strange boy. You don't even know him. Haven't I taught you anything?" Halley only looked at her in disbelief. "Yeah, that's right. I saw you drive off with that hoodlum."

  "Mrs. May," I said trying to calm things down, "Cael is not a hoodlum."

  "Cael? Oh is that the dirt bag's name?"

  "Mom!" Halley screamed. "You have no right to talk about him that way! You know absolutely nothing about him. Who are you to judge him like that?"

  "And you know absolutely nothing about him either!" Margaret screamed

  "But I do," I said, slightly raising my voice. Margaret stared at me. "Cael is my best friend. I've known him since I was in kindergarten. I grew up with him. He's the best guy I have ever met, and you'll never find better. Trust me, there's absolutely nothing to worry about."

  She continued to look at me, trying to read my eyes. "Where were you?" she asked more calmly, directing the question at Halley.

  "Nevaeh went to get her permit. Today's her sixteenth birthday," Halley said.

  "Oh is it?" she said, suddenly her usual cheerful self. "Well why didn't you t
ell me before? Happy birthday!"

  "Oh, thanks," I said forcing a smile. "Well, sorry but I better get going."

  "Oh, I thought you were going to stay for lunch," Margaret said.

  "I really appreciate the invite, but I remembered I have plans with my dad," I lied.

  "Oh, that's too bad. We'll have to do it another time," she said.

  "Oh, definitely," I said. "Well, I'll see you later. Bye Halley."

  "Bye Nevaeh," Halley said.

  "Good bye honey, come again," Margaret called.

  I practically ran across the street away from Halley's house and her crazy mother. When I got inside I was surprised to find Cael sitting on my couch. He smiled when he saw me.

  "Hey baby," he said.

  "Hey," I said sitting down next to him. "What are you doing here?"

  "Just visiting," he said. "Am I not allowed to come see my best friend?"

  I smiled. "Sure you are."

  "So how's it feel to be the owner of a new driver's license?" he asked.

  "Permit. Halley's mom was pissed," I said, trying to change the subject.

  "She was? I told Halley she could go ask if it was okay," he said.

  "I know you did."

  "She probably hates me now," he said with a sigh.

  "Well she did, but I think I set her straight."

  "Oh you did? What did you say?" he asked.

  "I told her you were the best guy I ever met, and she'd never find better. I told her that she had absolutely nothing to worry about."

  "You said that?"

  "Sure I did. It's all true," I said.

  He grinned. "You're the best."

  "I try." Cael and I just sat on the couch for a while watching TV. We didn't really say much. It was a time not meant for words. We fell asleep after a couple hours. I wasn't sure how it happened, but when I woke up my head was resting on his stomach, near his chest. I wasn't sure if Cael was awake or not, but I didn't feel like sitting up to check. I just stayed where I was and fell back asleep again.

  I woke up the second time to the sound of my dad and Jasmine laughing loudly, while coming through the door.

  "Nevaeh!" my dad yelled cheerfully. I could tell he was slightly drunk. "What are you kids doing? Didn't I tell you no fooling around in the house?" Him and Jasmine both began to laugh hysterically.

  I sat up and looked at Cael. His face was blank. I could not tell what he was thinking. "So," Jasmine said, walking towards the couch on shaky legs, "who's the boyfriend?"

  "Oh, he's just a friend," I said.

  "Nonsense," she said waving her hand in the air. "I can tell when two people are in love."

  "Um, this is Cael, and we're not in love," I told her. She only laughed.

  "Maybe I should go," Cael said, starting to get up.

  "Oh no," Jasmine said, pulling him back down on the couch. "Sit, stay a while. I want to get to know you better."

  "Well, what do you want to know?" he asked.

  "Let's see…for starters, how old are you?" Jasmine asked him.

  "I'll be seventeen in about two months," he said.

  "Oh, and do you have a job?" she asked, her eyes fixed on his.

  "Yeah, I'm a cashier at the grocery store."

  "Good, good," she said. "Nevaeh, how old are you again darling?"

  "I turned sixteen today," I said.

  "Oh my god!" she gasped, putting her hand over her mouth. "And I didn't even wish you a happy birthday! How rude of me!"

  "That's okay. You didn't know."

  "I most certainly did not!" she exclaimed. "Jonathan, get in here!"

  "What?" my dad called, entering from the kitchen.

  "You didn't even bother to tell me it was your daughter's birthday!" Jasmine said.

  His eyes widened. "Oh god, I'm so sorry Nev. I completely forgot."

  "It's okay," I said quietly.

  "Shame, shame," Jasmine said, shaking her head. "Forgetting your own daughter's birthday."

  "I really am sorry," my dad said.

  "Yeah," I said. "Sure. Come one Cael, let's go. I'll walk you home."

  "Okay," Cael said. We got up and left without another word. Once outside Cael spoke again. "I know how it feels."

  "How what feels?" I asked.

  "My parents are never around either," Cael said.

  "They are when you need them and when they should be. At least your parents care about you, which is more than I can say for my dad." Cael put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to him.

  "But you know I care about you, right?" he asked.

  I looked up at him. "Yeah, I know."

  Chapter Nine

  It was just beginning to get dark when we arrived at Cael's house. I was starting to see a few stars in the sky, and the moon was shining faintly above us. It was still warm outside, even though the sun had gone down.

  "Well, I guess I better get back to Mrs. Wonderful," I said, rolling my eyes. "I'm sure she has plenty of questions for me."

  "You don't have to go back. You can come in if you want," Cael said.

  "Okay," I said. I sure as hell did not want to go back to my house. "Are your parents home?" I asked as we walked through the front door and into the living room.

  "No, they went out tonight," he said. Cael walked into the kitchen and I sat down on the couch. "You want a soda?"

  "Sure," I called. He set two pops on the coffee table and sat down next to me.

  "Um, I wasn't trying to make a move on you before," he said quietly.

  "Before when?" I asked confused.

  "At your house, when your dad came in and said no fooling around."

  I laughed. "We were sleeping. I hardly call that making a move," I said.

  "I know, but I don't want you thinking it was anything more than friendly," he said, not looking at me. Friendly. There it was again. The word "friend" just always had to sneak in there somehow.

  "Well was it?" I asked.

  He hesitated a moment, still not meeting my eyes. "I don't know," he said, shaking his head slightly. "I kind of…put your head on my chest."

  "You did?"

  "Yeah," he said nodding.

  "Why?" I asked.

  "I'm not sure," he said." I just wanted it there." He looked up and finally met my eyes.

  I stared at him for a while, trying to comprehend what he was saying. If he had more than just friendly feelings for me, then why did he always throw that word in there? I just couldn't figure him out. He was so hard to read.

  "Have you ever thought about being more than friends?" I asked him.

  He nodded. "Yeah, I have." I waited for him to say something more. "But it's probably not a good idea."

  "Yeah," I said a little too quickly. "You're probably right. Listen, I should probably go."

  "Yeah, okay," he said. "I'll see you tomorrow, I guess."

  "Yeah, see ya." I got up and let myself out. I walked back up the street to my house trying to figure out what had just happened. So Cael did think about us being more than just friends. But that had been an awkward moment, and we didn't often have those. It was just like I said it would be, weird. So maybe that was how it was supposed to be. Maybe we were only destined to be friends.

  At that moment I felt a cool drop hit my nose, then another on my arm. It started out as a slow drizzle, then became heavier. I slowed down my pace as I was soon approaching my driveway. I didn't want to go inside. I looked up at the sky and let the raindrops hit my face.

  "What are you doing?" I heard a voice call. I looked down and saw Nathan standing in my driveway.

  "What are you doing here?" I called over the sound of raindrops hitting the pavement.

  "I came to see you. What are you doing out here?" he asked.

  "I'm standing in the rain. What does it look like?"

  "It looks like you're getting soaked," he said, coming closer to me.

  "That too." He smiled at me. I smiled back. "So, you missed me already, did you?"

  He laughed. "M
aybe."

  "Is that a yes?" I asked.

  "Probably," he said. "So are we just going to stand out here getting wet?"

  "Yep," I said. He only stared at me. "Don't you just love the rain?"

  "Not particularly."

  "Oh I do. It's so pretty." I said, looking back up at the sky.

  "So are you," he said.

  I laughed. "I'm standing here in the rain. I'm soaking wet, my hair is a mess, I probably have make up running down my face, and you're calling me pretty?"

  "Yeah," he said smiling. "Beautiful."

  "And it feels good," I said.

  "What does?" he asked.

  "The rain." He stepped forward so our bodies were touching. He put his hands around my waist, leaned in, and kissed me. I wasn't sure if it was right, but I let him.

  "So do you," he said after he pulled away. "You're pretty and you feel good, just like rain."

  I smiled. "But you don't like rain."

  "I do now," he said. "Who's that?" He pointed to something behind me. I turned around and it was Cael. We both stood there completely still, staring at each other. I didn't know what to say.

  "Cael…," was all that managed to escape my mouth. He turned around without a word and walked back down the street to his house.

  Chapter Ten

  I hadn't seen Cael in three days. Nathan had left that night without a word of explanation from me, and here he was again sitting on my couch. I sat down next to him, keeping a safe distance.

  "Who was that guy?" he asked me. I had been waiting for that question from the moment he came to the door.

  "He's my best friend," I said simply.

  "Well, by the look on his face he seemed like a bit more than just your friend," he said.

  "Well he's not. I don't know what to tell you. We're just friends. We've never been more than that. I admit the situation was awkward and maybe he did look a little hurt, but I couldn't tell you why. I honestly don't know."

  "Well, do you like him as more than just a friend?" he asked me.

  "No…maybe…I don't think so." I really had no idea. Sure I'd thought about dating Cael, sure he was an amazing guy, but he'd always just been my friend, and I didn't know how to be with him any other way. I still stood by my excuse that it would be weird.