Standing in the Rain

Thursday finally came. Besides the extremely awkward talk with Linda it was a complete bore-fest. Well not complete. Ryan of course came everyday after school and Thursday night Amber and Korey stopped by.
Korey brought a huge box of chocolates.

“It’s the least I could do,” He shrugged. “You guy did end up winning me 100 bucks.” They didn’t seem to question me living here now. I figured they would since we were all in my room. I was on my bed leaning against Ryan. Amber was stretched out across the bottom of the bed and Korey sat next to us in the desk chair.

Korey smiled. “Boy have I got a story for you.” Amber groaned. “So Monday, our dear friend Kayleigh, took it upon herself to practically throw herself on Ryan. See with that little stunt you pulled in class last Thursday and then both of you not being there Friday kind of peeked her interest.”

“You should have seen her face when we said you weren’t there.” Amber added. I leaned my head to look up at Ryan, he simply smiled at me and kissed the top of my head.

“So there we were in sixth period, because she tried at lunch but Amber ‘spilled’ her soda onto Kayleigh, and she comes in, clean clothes of course.” At this point Ryan groaned lightly.

“I’ve heard this story so many times over the past few days, I think Korey and I can re-in act this for you.” Amber said standing up and walking over to the door.

“But who’s going to play me?” Korey asked. Clearly, he had some part of this and was quite proud.

“Hey guys.” Cole said from the doorway.

“Cole, quick.” Amber pulled him into the room and sat him on the bed. “We’re reenacting what happened with Kayleigh Monday. Not the soda part.”

“What does this have to do with me?” Cole asked clearly confused. “I wasn’t there, and neither were you.”

“Like you haven’t heard the story a million times.” She rolled her eyes. “You be Ryan.” The real Ryan groaned.

“You guys have really got to find something else to do with your lives.” He said wrapping his arm around my waist.

“Hey Ryan.” Amber said from the doorway batting her eyes like crazy. I laughed at this. Cole just stared at her blankly. Amber pulled the desk chair to simulate the desk and sat in it so that she faced him. She leaned over closer to him with a big smile on her face. “I was wondering if you were busy tonight.”

“Yep.” Cole said mimicking doing work.

“Well then how about after school? I just got the cutest little bikini that I’ve been wanting to wear, I was thinking we could swim or something.” Watching Amber mimicking Kayleigh was hilarious.

Ryan leaned his mouth to my ear and whispered, “She has nothing on you.” I felt a blush spread across my cheeks and watched as Cole shrugged at Amber.

“That’s nice.” Cole said and pulled out his phone to check it.

“Hey Kayleigh!” Korey said loudly Amber turned to look at him and crossed her arms an annoyed look on her face. “Did you hear the good news?” She shook her head. “Ryan and Tallie have declared their undying love for each other and are now a couple. As in he’s taken. So quit acting like such an idiot. Because even if he wasn’t with her he doesn’t like you.” Amber bugged her eyes out and turned around in the seat sitting with her arms crossed. “See Tallie?” Korey patted my leg. “I have your back.”

“Thanks.” I sighed.

An hour later they had all left and it was now just Ryan and Me. Linda and Dave had gone out for date night, the didn’t want to but I insisted I would be fine. Their son was here to take care of me after all.

“I am so glad to be out of the hospital.” I was laying on my back, Ryan next to me his head propped up with his arm.

“I am too, I just wish you never ended up there in the first place.” He stretched his free arm across my stomach wrapping his hand around my waist. “You know what I really missed?” He said lowering his face to mine. “This.” He pressed his lips to mine kissing me slowly at first then slowly speeding it up. With my good arm I slid my hand to the back of his neck pulling him closer to me. He worked his hand under my shirt sending a fire through me. The kiss deepened becoming more passionate. And then it stopped.

“What’s wrong?” I asked as he pulled away, nothing of us breathing heavily.

“Nothing. I just didn’t want thing to go too far.” And then I noticed the pillow he had pulled over his lap. “I don’t want you to feel awkward, or pressured, or anything. I don’t want to rush things between us.” He looked at me now, his face a light shade of pink.

“Ryan,” I said softly grabbing the pillow and removing it. “I don’t. If it gets too far for me I’ll tell you we need to stop. If it gets too far for you, then tell me. Ok?” He responded by gently pulling me closer to him. I was laying on my good arm, and even if something did happen to the bad one I wouldn’t have noticed with the amount of nerve blockers they had put in there before I left the hospital. I wrapped my leg around him and felt him press into me. I let out a soft moan before his lips came crashing down on mine.



I woke up the next morning wrapped in Ryan’s arms, the nerve blockers clearly having stopped working. I was still fully clothed and so was he, but my arm hurt like hell.

“Ryan.” I didn’t mean to sound so pathetic. His eyes opened lazily. “Could you get my pain pills?” I whispered. He got up quickly, carefully so as not to jostle me. I looked at the clock, 6 am. He would be leaving soon while I would be stuck here.

The pills took about 20 excruciating minutes to kick in. I was so relieved when the finally did.

“Tallie.” Dave said softly from the door. He held the paper in his hand and looked quite pale.

“What?” He walked in and sat on the edge of the bed handing me the paper. I looked at the headline and my breath caught.

WOMAN SLAIN BY HUSBAND. DAUGHTER AND HUSBAND ARE MISSING.

And there, beneath the headline was a picture of my mother, one that had been taken a few years ago when she had to renew her license, and the house. Blocked off with police tape.