The Last Time the Rain Fell

I was still not used to the walls that surrounded me, they were a light lilac color chosen by my aunt whom was kind enough to let me stay in her home while my mother was still back home in New Orleans packing up our old lives. I pulled the pearly green comforter off of me and shook the body next to me. My best friend, and cousin, Adam opened just one of his blue eyes that matched my own and groaned.

"Is it time to get up already?" he asked groggily while rubbing his eyes.

"Unfortunately it is, you better get out of bed. Drew's going to be in here any moment now to wake us up." I told him.

Adam whined and snuggled closer to me.

"Liv," he began in the nickname that only him and Drew were allowed to use, "I don't want to go to school today."

I chuckled and pushed him off of me. We both got out of bed and went our respective ways to get ready in the morning. I dug through one of my suitcases and pulled out something to wear after I took my morning shower. Adam and Drew walked in the room fully dressed just when I finished putting on my makeup on, Adam mocking Drew and I for having similar outfits on. The three of us went downstairs and piled into my aunt's car, Drew sitting in the front as Adam and I sat next to each other in the back. We got to the school in no time, the sign I had only seen once before being a clear-cut giveaway as the car slowly pulled to a stop and Drew turned in his seat to look at me.

“Can you promise me something before we go in there?" he asked me.

"That depends on what you have in mind.” I joked, my fingers nervously toying with the hem of my shirt.

“Just promise me that no matter what happens, you’ll make it through this.”

I smiled and looked up from my hands.

“Of course I will make it through, whatever it takes.”

The three of us piled out of the car, my aunt calling to us when we were just a few feet away.

“You guys can have some friends over after school, you too Olivia.” she said, directing the last part purely towards me.

I turned around, still walking backwards towards the school doors.

“I have no friends!” I called to her.

She smiled a bit and shook her head before pulling out of the parking space. I turned around, Adam’s arms wrapping around my shoulder as Drew walked away from us and towards his girlfriend Bianca whom he had introduced me to yesterday. Adam and I walked to my locker which, luckily, was right next to his. We gathered the books we needed and closed our lockers before returning to our previous position with his arm around me.

“I really don’t want to be here.” I said, my thoughts choosing to project themselves.

“I know, Liv. But at least next year we’ll be seniors.” he said, attempting to cheer me up.

I nodded my head and smiled at the thought of almost being done with high school and I wrapped my arm around him slim middle as he took the books I was holding from me.

“Hey, Adam,” I heard a voice say from behind Adam and I, “Who’s your girlfriend?”

Adam chuckled a bit and turned around to see three people, a tall boy with short brown hair, a girl with big blue eyes and curly brown hair, and another boy with dark brown hair and green eyes.

“Hey guys,” Adam said happily as he moved around a bit to hold my hand carefully as he walked towards the group, “This is my cousin, Olivia. Liv, this is Eli, his girlfriend Clare, and her step-brother Jake.”

They each waved a bit as they were being introduced to me and Eli was the first one to speak to me.

“So, what’s your first class, Miss Torres?” he asked, holding onto the strap of his book bag with his hand.

I reached into Adam’s back pocket and pulled out the light blue paper that was my schedule, I scanned it over briefly before looking up at everyone.

“I have Chemistry in room 224.” I told them before folding the paper up again and putting in in my bag.

“We have the same class!” Jake said happily, reaching out for my hand and grabbing it before pulling me down the hallway to where I assumed the class was.

He opened a door and walked in just as the bell rang and I followed behind him, walking up to the teacher.

“Hi, I’m Olivia Torres, I’m the new transfer student.” I told her as I handed her a second yellow paper that the office gave my aunt along with my schedule.

She signed her name and handed it back to me with a smile. She reached under her desk and handed me a textbook before gesturing to the class before her.

“Take a seat wherever you feel comfortable, I know how it feels to be the new girl. I won’t start grading you until next quarter.” she said kindly.

I smiled and nodded my head, walking to sit next to Jake who smiled when he saw me.

“Continue what you were doing last class, tomorrow we start a new topic.” she said.

I watched as everyone went to work except for Jake.

“Aren’t you supposed to be working?” I asked and I looked at him.

“I finished it last class, it was just a bunch of review questions.”

I nodded my head and leaned back into my chair, crossing my arms over my chest. He watched me, grabbing a lock of my hair which was a symphony of colors, toying with it in his fingers. I raised an eyebrow and turned a bit to look at him.

“You have beautiful eyes.” he said, looking into my blue eyes that were just a tad more grey than Adam’s.

“Thank you.” I said, attempting to be nice.

“I was thinking, maybe after school we can go to The Dot or something.”

“What’s The Dot?” I asked, thoroughly confused.

He smiled at me.

“It’s a café type of thing, it’s basically where everyone hangs out.” he explained.

I bit my lip, pausing to think for a second before nodding my head, knowing that my aunt would most likely be happy that I was making new friends.

“Okay, we’ll go right after school?” I asked.

He nodded his head and the bell rang signaling that class was over. I walked out and followed my schedule to the rest of my classes, solely looking forward to lunch when I could be with Adam and my new friends. Eventually, I was sitting outside at a picnic bench next to Adam with Eli and Clare across from us. We talked a bit, Adam initiating most of the conversation mainly just for me to feel more comfortable with his friends. Jake walked up to us and sat directly across from me, pushing Eli out of the way.

“Jake,” Clare began, “you never sit with us.”

“Yeah, why the sudden change of heart?” Eli asked with a bit more sarcasm than necessary seeping into his voice.

“I just wanted a change of scenery. Everything looks better from where I’m sitting.” he said.

“I don’t know if you’re complimenting me or insulting others but either way I don’t know if I’m happy about that.” I said, taking another huge bite of the burger I had gotten from the cafeteria with Adam.

I chugged a few mouthfuls of my orange soda before I felt Adam rumble with chuckles beside me.

“You’re so ladylike.” he said, nudging me with his elbow playfully.

“You love me!” I exclaimed happily, placing a sloppy, wet, orange soda filled kiss on his cheek which he quickly wiped off.

“I think I need a three hour shower when I get home.” he whined.

Everyone laughed a bit and Eli, Adam and Clare started talking about something that I was completely out of the loop for, Jake spoke up when he noticed they weren’t paying attention.

“So, I’m really excited for our date tonight.” he said.

I felt one of my bra straps pulled back before it snapped on to my pale skin, definitely leaving a red mark.

“No dating!” Drew said angrily before walking away, always one to act more like a father than my cousin.

“Dating,” Adam began, “Who’s dating?”

“Olivia and I have a date tonight after school.” Jake explained.

“And,” I began as I leaned forward and crossed my arms over my chest with my elbows on the wooden table, “Who said it was a ‘date?’”

“Well, usually when you’re attracted to someone, you go on dates with them.” he said, leaning forward to copy my position.

“You’re attracted to me?” I asked as I raised an eyebrow.

“When you’re in that position, with a shirt like that on, it’s kind of hard not to be attracted to you.”

I watched as Drew appeared behind him and slapped his back.

“Jake, stop looking at my cousin’s boobs. Olivia, stop teasing the poor boys.” Drew said.

When he said boys, I looked over at Eli whose eyes were darkened and his gaze was on my chest that I had evidently not thought about when I shifted in to this position.