Eight
2173 Words
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Copyright © 2021 Cassey9
Third Person
Rain’s mind is off the ongoing call, ensnared by the glimmering surface her phone projects. The desk lamp casts a soft glow of her surrounding as she intently stares at the device, its unbothered state taunting her.
The phone call to Karey had been on a whim, her longing for the professor finally catching up to her. Carl’s chat had effectively tipped Rain to the edge, giving her the courage she needed to finally act. And it had been worth the effort. Hearing the professor’s voice felt like coming up for fresh air after being immersed under water for years. Like experiencing a bust of liberation after being chained down for so long.
She hadn’t felt anything quite so overwhelming in a long while and hearing Karey’s voice gave Rain that. Harassing her state of mind with consuming emotions and thoughts she believed dead. After that, one thing remained constant, she wanted more. Needed more of that thrill.
Rain mutters along to the words flowing from the other four participants in the video call as her eyes roam to the wall before her. The gallery board was bare most of her photos taken down and stashed away. She’d minimized the pictures pinned up due to her anger towards William and Sophia. Looking at their happy faces every morning while getting ready only served as a bitter remainder of their betrayal. Rain had since reduced the once cluttered wall to a single photo.
The lone picture that she couldn’t bear taking down. Rain smiles sadly at the photograph of her once complete family. The sole reminder of her parents, their home and her stable life before everything fell apart. William had gifted her the picture for her seventeenth birthday.
“No backing out,” Rain hears the statement from Bella and nods nonchalantly.
“Yes Bella. No last minute back outs. Do we all agree,” Vanessa emphasizes which Rain continues to stay silent. They’d gone over the same statement over and over and she feels exhausted from affirming the same question.
Zoning out again Rain’s hand moves to her phone. She slides her fingers over its smooth surface, the featherlike touch causing the screen to light up. The intense urge to call Karey settles heavily on Rain as her heartbeat picks at the thought of hearing the professor’s melodious voice again.
“Rain!”
“Rain! Come on! Are you even listening,” Vanessa snaps at her friend’s inattentiveness.
Rain jerks from her trance and concentrates on the faces of her friend’s on her laptop screen, “Where did you go for a while?” Bella questions laughing lightly.
“I’m sorry guys. I’m just tired,” Rain answers as she moves back relaxing in her chair, “I’m sorry guys. We’ll talk later…”
“Hold on!” Vanessa halts Rain departure, “We’ve all agreed no change of plans or of the date. Are we clear on that Rain?”
Rain deliberately holds back her answer wanting to evoke a rise from Vanessa. Even through the screen Vanessa’s agitated features are prominent making Rain bite back her amusement, “Rain?” Leon drags out.
“She’ll be there Van. She’s just playing…”
“Ugh…fine. I heard you Vanessa. Loud and clear,” Rain finally utters. Her words bringing great relief to the rest of the group, “I’ll see all of you in a week’s time. Tuesday, um, Fairmont Hotel for lunch at 12 noon. Did I get everything?”
“Yes!” Bella and Leon reply in unison.
Their conversations peaks as Vanessa somehow steers clear of Rain’s probing questions. Their sudden convening had Rain curious of the news Vanessa wanted to share with all of them but above all she was particularly happy to get the chance to meet her friends again.
The calls ends and Rain settles in bed to watch a documentary film Warren had been ranting about for weeks. Too engrossed in the television playing before her Rain fails to hear the knocks on her door. William nervously steps in, the bowl in his hand shaking a little, “Hey?” William calls his greeting catching Rain’s attention, “I brought you something.”
He approaches the bed as Rain pulls into a sitting position. The air is heavy with silence and tension, something that was hard to get used to especially for him. William sits at the edge of the bed extending the bowl to his sister, “What are you watching?” he starts trying hard to keep the conversation between him and Rain flowing.
“A show,” Rain mumbles shortly. Looking at the bowl, she smiles and looks back at William who is already staring at her, “Thanks…for this.”
“I know you love it and I tried to make it for you,” William replies chuckling nervously, “Though I’m sure it’s not as good as yours.”
“Did you scrape the cream off the biscuit completely and crush them to smaller pieces?” Rain asks to which William nods firmly, “Did you…um…did you use vanilla flavored yogurt?”
“Yes.”
Taking a spoonful, Rain delights at the sugary bust in her mouth. Crushed Oreo biscuits mixed in a cold vanilla yogurt always topped the chart of her all-time favorite snacks.
William’s heart gladdens at Rain’s ecstatic state, the sight a sore one for him. Relaxing on the pillows, he’s content to watching Rain enjoy herself. The scene before him reminding William of the countless times he’d done this for Rain. Especially after their arguments. Oreos and yogurt was a sure peace maker.
“Do you want some?” Rain asks turning to offer a scooped spoonful to William who turns it down, “Why? It tastes so good.”
“Sugar before bed is not a good combina…”
“Then why did you give this to me Will?”
“Do you want me to take it back?” William mocks causing Rain to retract the bowl from his face, “Besides you sleep like a log. With sugar or no sugar in your system.”
His words though coy bring a halt to her eating. Rain lets a hollow sighs and sets the bowl on her lap. If William only knew of her night time struggles. Sleep was the last thing that ever occurred whenever she was in bed.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m just tired.”
“Well…I’ll sit with you till you fall asleep like old times. If…if that’s alright with you.”
“Its fine William,” Rain mumbles handing the bowl to her brother. She falls on her pillows dragging her body down as William works on tucking her in, his actions filling Rain with a sense of déjà vu.
“I love you sis,” William whispers leaning down to plant a kiss on Rain’s cheek. As he pulls back a lone tear races down her cheek. As much as William was trying to mend the rift between them Rain knew things would never be the same again.
Deciding it to be the best time to inform him of her impending trip Rain turns to face William, “What is it,” William coos rubbing the tears from his sister’s face, “You can tell me anything. You can talk to me Rain.”
“I’m going to Crestview William.”
The words are like a bomb dropped in his universe. Shattering any stable thought within his mind. William stays quiet willing his mind to filter the words uttered by Rain, “What?” he asks desperately wishing he’d heard Rain wrong.
“William I’m going back to Crestview, in a week’s time.”
“No. No you’re not going back there,” he states seriously. Wiping the last of his sister’s tears William moves away, pacing back and forth before Rain’s bed. He grips his head in frustration pulling at the short strands whilst brainstorming of the next course of action, “You are not going anywhere Rain. Especially back to Crestview. Why would you even want to go back there after what happened the last time.”
“That’s in the past William.”
He chuckles dryly stopping to look at Rain. His disbelieving look scorning Rain, “I don’t think so. I mean you want go back to that woman. Is that why? Is that why you want to go back!”
“No William!”
“Tell me the truth! Did she get in touch with you! Did that woman talk you into doing this Rain! Huh? Tell me right now!”
“No!” Rain screams back kicking off the covers from her body, “I’m only going to meet my friends William. This has nothing to do with her…it has nothing to do with Karey. You know she’s back with her husband…”
William sharply turns at Rain words, “Husband? Oh? That didn’t stop you the first time, did it? How many times do I have to tell you! Warn you Rain! You have no future with that cursed woman.”
His words are like thorns sticking through her heels, breaking her already broken heart, “Stop,” she cries in a broken voice.
“No! You have to get it through your head. She’s not for you!”
“Stop it William!”
“She doesn’t love you Rain!” William barks stepping up to his sister, “She never loved you. She was only using…”
Unhinged by his hurtful words Rain launches forward shoving William back forcefully. They both end up on the floor William grunting in pain at the hard landing but still managing to securely hold Rain above him, “Shut up! Just close you big mouth William. You don’t know s**t and you can’t say s**t! Shut…”
The door ahead opens with a storm. The wood hitting against the wall startling both William and Rain, “What’s going on in here!” Sophia demands the scene before her hilarious but seeing the hard looks on the sibling she holds back any laughter, “Are you two fighting?”
“No!”
“Yes!”
“Huh?” Sophia questions her eyes darting at the two still fiercely locked in clashing gazes. Walking to them Sophia tugs Rain off of William. Using as much force to remove a fired up Rain from her husband.
Things between the two had been escalating and this proved Sophia’s worries. She watches William pick himself noting a contorted look as he rubbed his back, “Are you okay honey?”
“Yes,” William drags out rubbing his rear, “Rain please listen to me.”
“No. I’m going William. You won’t stop me and if you try…if you try and stop me,” Rain mutters more tears rushing forward at the intensity of what she was about to utter, “If you try and stop me, I’m never coming back William.”
“What’s going on,” Sophia asks worriedly stepping between the two.
“None of your business Sophia,” Rain mutters rudely leaving Sophia tongue-tied, “So, if you’ll both excuse me. I need to sleep. I have a long day tomorrow…”
“Rain?” William calls in a broken voice. He feels his walls cave in, burying him between a rock and hard place. The thought of losing Rain feeling like a sword thrashed through his chest. “Rain please…” William begs trying to reach forward for his sister only for Rain to widen the gap.
Caved and in anger William sharply turns delivering the wall a heavy punch. A thud resounds as the walls caves in at the force. William’s tears finally fall, the pain at punching the wall resonating in every nerve cell in his body.
Without another word William turns exiting Rain’s room in defeat. Even from far away, the woman still managed to affect his relationship with Rain. Karey was like a damned curse in their lives. A curse that couldn’t be broken.
He was at the verge of losing Rain again, losing her little sister to a woman he barely knew and it felt terrible. His anger wins over and William walks over to the wall, furiously punching at it as he visualizes it being Karey’s face. Pounding her till she seized to exist. But the pain becomes unbearable and William sinks to the ground his hand feeling as if it been immersed in lava.
“William?” Sophia calls sinking next to her husband on the floor. Holding tightly to her husband, she helplessly watches him crumble again. A scene similar to one that happened four years ago in the hospital.
“I can’t…I can’t lose my sister Sophia. I can’t,” William chokes out reliving Rain’s words in his mind, “I won’t allow it…”
"Shh..."
"She won't take my sister again."
- Writer
