Rain Rain Go Away | #ONC2021

Chapter Ten

Chelsea and I had maybe two more hours in the cabana before the wind began to pick up and rain started falling. Our conversation dwindled to silence; she no longer discussed Jason or Tony Marino and I was left trying to figure out what it all meant.

From what Chelsea was insinuating, it didn't make sense. I don't know why Jason would have a reason to be so angry with Tony that he would ever need to turn violent. That wasn't the Jason I knew. Yes, he and I had had a private conversation at the graduation party, and yes, I may have let him kiss me despite the fact I had every intention on spending the night with Tony and not him. But it was only one night...

Wasn't it?

And Jason...

He had to have known that. He left after he considered our conversation over, not looking back. And he left the party— or, at least, I assumed he had. He stormed out of the room when I told him I wasn't interested and I didn't see him again. Not for five years. Until two days ago.

But Tony...

What had happened to Tony?

He and I had planned on spending the night together— it wasn't supposed to mean anything. Just one of those things we both wanted to try before we went our separate ways and lost the chance to do it ever again. I mean... that's what teenagers did, right?

And Jason... the reason I didn't want to sleep with him was because he meant more to me than a stupid high school one-night-stand. I didn't just want to have him be a checked-off box on a dumb personal bucket list. He meant more to men than that.

So that's why Tony and I did what we did... I think.

The harder I tried to think about it, the more it became harder to remember. Like a dream just after waking. In fact, the entire summer between the graduation party and leaving for college was like a blur, just on the peripheral of my memory.

"Jason's got a dinner reservation for us."

Chelsea's unexpected announcement about food plans jolted me from my thoughts. She held up her phone as I looked over to her for additional clarification.

"He at least had the forethought to make sure we could eat tonight at someplace that didn't look like the 50s threw up on the walls." The phone buzzed again and she frowned. "And we need to be ready by 5 o'clock."

"Which is in...?"

"About three hours."

It seemed I was losing track of time as well as my memory. But none too soon thunder rolled in the distance. With a glance to Chelsea, we started finishing the end of our drinks and rolling up our towels. We knew the storm was coming— the dark clouds in the distance since we had arrived ensured it would be inevitable— and now we had no choice but to make the best of it while we had to.

Maybe locking myself in the room with both Chelsea and Jason with nowhere else to go would finally help me sort through my thoughts and give me the answers I was looking for.

Maybe that and booze.

Another rumble of thunder had us heading towards the hotel but not before I cast a glance towards the very breakers Jason said he would be hiking up that day. If he was able to get a text back to Chelsea I assumed it was a good sign that he was doing alright, but there was still a knot in my stomach that only seemed to tighten as I was the waves crash violently against the craggy rocks... and would continue to do so until I saw him safe again.

Thankfully he was already waiting for us back in the room, answering the door only in jeans and toweling dry his hair as if he had just taken a shower while Chelsea was fumbling for the room key.