RUMORS AMD RAIN
720 Words
Chapter 4 – Rumors and Rain
By Monday morning, the school hallways were buzzing with a new round of rumors, like bees swarming a hive. It wasn’t unusual—Rosehill High thrived on whispers and side-eyes—but this time, Kaira’s name was part of the static.
“She’s working with Zion Reynolds now?”
“Did you see them at Brew House?”
“Maybe it’s just for the campaign.”
“Yeah, right. That girl? With him?”
Kaira didn’t need to turn around to know who was talking. Whispers followed her from her locker to homeroom like a trail of gum stuck to her shoe. She kept her head down, hugged her sketchbook tighter to her chest, and prayed for invisibility. But high school wasn’t merciful. Not to girls like her.
“Hey.”
She turned a corner and nearly ran into Zion.
He looked slightly rumpled—hair damp, hoodie half-zipped, backpack slung low—but his grin was intact.
“Did you hear—” she started, but he cut her off.
“Yeah. Loud and clear. Tasha cornered me during first period to ask if we were ‘a thing.’” He rolled his eyes.
Kaira felt her cheeks burn. “And what did you say?”
“That we’re working on a school campaign,” he said simply. “Which is true.”
Kaira nodded, unsure whether to feel relieved or... disappointed? She quickly pushed the latter away.
“But,” he added, tilting his head with a teasing smirk, “I also said I’m not ruling anything out.”
Her heart jumped, then immediately scolded itself for reacting.
“You’re not helping,” she muttered.
“What? I like keeping people guessing.”
“I don’t.”
Zion paused. “Then I’ll stop. For real. If it’s messing with you.”
That caught her off guard.
“You’d do that?” she asked.
He shrugged. “I don’t want to make your life harder. We’re already up to our ears in deadlines.”
They walked together in silence, slipping into the art room for a quick prep meeting before class. Their video presentation was scheduled for the following week, and the pressure was building. But even amid the stress, Kaira found herself watching him when he wasn’t looking. Not because he was Zion Reynolds—the guy with swagger and charm—but because he was slowly, strangely, becoming her friend.
Later that day, clouds rolled in.
It was the kind of gray afternoon that made everything feel slower. Classrooms turned cold, students moved sluggishly, and by the time the final bell rang, fat drops of rain were pounding the pavement outside.
Kaira stood under the school’s awning, hugging her hoodie closer. Her bus was running late, and she debated whether to make a run for it or wait it out.
“Need a ride?”
Zion’s voice came from behind her, as usual. Casual, warm, oddly comforting.
She turned to find him holding an umbrella, his car keys dangling from one hand. He looked at her like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Kaira hesitated. “You don’t have to.”
“I know,” he said. “I want to.”
And something about the way he said it—quiet, without any teasing or pressure—made her nod.
“Okay.”
The car ride was filled with soft music and city rain. Zion didn’t talk much, which surprised her. She expected some running commentary, jokes, or stories about basketball practice. Instead, he let her choose the playlist. He tapped the steering wheel in rhythm and asked questions about her art, her favorite books, her weird obsession with mango-flavored gum.
By the time they pulled up outside her house, Kaira almost didn’t want to get out.
She stared out the window, watching raindrops race each other. “Thanks for the ride.”
Zion looked over. “Anytime.”
She opened the door, stepped out, then paused. “Hey, Zion?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m... glad we’re doing this. The campaign. I thought I’d hate it, but it’s not that bad.”
His smile was soft this time. “You’re not that bad either.”
She shut the door before she could grin like an i***t.
- Writer
