The Rain
782 Words
The final bell rang just after three o’clock.
Students poured out of their classrooms, laughing as they hurried toward the school gates. Lila packed her books into her bag while Emma waited by the door.
“Hurry up,” Emma said. “My feet are tired.”
“You’ve been sitting down all day.”
“They’re emotionally tired.”
Lila laughed as she zipped up her bag.
“You always have an excuse.”
“It’s called creativity.”
The three friends walked out of the classroom together. The sky had been cloudy all afternoon, and the wind was much stronger than it had been that morning.
“I think it’s going to rain,” Noah said, looking up.
“I forgot my umbrella,” Emma groaned.
“You forget everything,” Noah teased.
“I do not.”
“You forgot your homework on Wednesday.”
“That happened once.”
“You forgot your water bottle yesterday.”
“Okay… maybe I forget some things.”
Lila smiled as they walked down the front steps of the school.
The first raindrop landed on her hand.
Then another.
Within seconds, the rain began pouring.
Students screamed and laughed as they ran for cover.
“Oh no!” Emma cried. “We’re going to get soaked!”
The three of them hurried under the small roof outside the school entrance.
“There are too many people here,” Noah said, looking around. Nearly every student was squeezed together, waiting for the rain to stop.
“It doesn’t look like it’s stopping anytime soon,” Lila said quietly.
Emma checked her phone.
“My mom says she’s stuck in traffic.”
“So is mine,” Noah replied.
Lila sighed.
“My mom won’t be here for another thirty minutes.”
For a while, they stood in silence, listening to the rain hit the pavement.
“I love the smell of rain,” Lila said without thinking.
Noah looked at her.
“So do I.”
Emma smiled.
“You two are so similar.”
“We’re not,” they answered at the same time.
Emma burst into laughter.
“See?”
Lila couldn’t help laughing too.
Just then, a loud clap of thunder echoed across the sky.
Lila flinched.
“You don’t like thunder?” Noah asked.
She looked down.
“My dad used to tell me storms were nothing to be afraid of.”
There was a brief silence.
“I still get scared sometimes.”
Noah didn’t know what to say.
Instead, he quietly took off his hoodie and handed it to her.
“You’ll get cold.”
“I can’t take your hoodie.”
“You can borrow it.”
She hesitated before accepting it.
“Thank you.”
“It’s only until the rain stops.”
She smiled.
“I know.”
Across the crowded entrance, Vanessa watched the exchange.
She folded her arms.
“Seriously?” one of her friends whispered.
“He gave her his hoodie.”
Vanessa’s jaw tightened.
“I don’t believe this.”
Just then, Emma’s phone rang.
“My mom’s here!”
She grabbed her bag.
“I’ll see you both tomorrow!”
Before either of them could answer, she ran through the rain toward the parking lot.
Lila and Noah laughed as they watched her almost slip.
“She’s unbelievable,” Noah said.
“She really is.”
For a few minutes, neither of them spoke.
The rain had become softer now.
“So…” Noah said, breaking the silence. “How’s the history project going?”
“I finished my part.”
“Already?”
“I like getting things done early.”
He smiled.
“I should’ve known.”
She looked up at him.
“What?”
“I was just thinking.”
“About what?”
“I don’t think you’re as quiet as everyone says.”
Lila looked surprised.
“I’m not?”
“No.”
He smiled gently.
“I think you just needed someone to listen.”
For a moment, Lila didn’t know what to say.
No one had ever understood her so quickly.
Just then, a silver car pulled up outside the school.
“My mom,” Lila said.
She handed Noah his hoodie back.
“Thanks.”
“Keep it until tomorrow.”
“But—”
“I insist.”
She smiled.
“Okay.”
As she climbed into the car, she looked back through the rain-covered window.
Noah was still standing there, watching her leave.
For the first time in a long time, Lila’s heart felt strangely warm.
She just didn’t realize someone else’s heart was growing colder with jealousy.
- Writer
