Dance In The Rain

~8~ Chippy

As I continue sitting by the fan, Holden paces the tiny living space, wearing the tattered carpet down even further.

After several minutes of silence he comes up to me and crouches down, balancing on the balls of his feet. His piercing eyes meet mine, and I see something that surprises me.....There's a level of despair that I wasn't expecting to see.

"Annie, please forgive me. I have done nothing right. I was late to get you guys, that stupid conversation you overheard, letting you walk alone in a town you don't know—Hell, I haven't even had you for 24 hours and I've got you resembling a lobster....."

Tate rolls his eyes from his spot on the sunken couch, and I suppress a smile. I kinda remember Holden being funny and witty

"Can we please walk to the drugstore and see if they have some cream or something to put on this? You are so burned, blisters will be popping up soon."

When I nod once, he takes my hand and pulls me to stand. "Want to come, Tate?"

"More than anything," he spits as he sprawls out on the couch and closes his eyes.

Holden ignores him as he gives me a small crooked smile. "Ready?"

I follow him out and we walk down the rocky path, and I try to memorize landmarks so I don't get lost again. There's a lighthouse over there

With nothing but the sound of rock crunching under our feet, Holden clears his voice. "I want to get to know you, Julianne. Is it too soon to ask you questions about yourself?"

When I look up at him, all I see is a stranger. I don't know him at all, and I have no interest in telling him my deepest, darkest secrets.

"Yeah"

I don't look at him to see if that hurts his feelings, but the long stretch of silences makes me believe it did.

"I teach English over at the high school. Do you like that subject?"

It's only my favorite subject ever

"It's okay"

I see him nod as he turns right toward Dock Street, and heads toward a tiny brick building that I'm assuming is the drugstore.

When we enter, the cold air from a running air conditioner stuns me for a moment and makes me shiver. Holden notices and gives me a sad smile. When we get to the counter, a little old lady with bright red hair and equally bright red lipstick gives him a huge smile.

"What in the devil are ya doing here? It's Saturday!"

I give him a weird look and he ignores me as he grins at the woman.

"No fishing for me today. Chippy, this is my sister Julianne."

Her eyes bug out when she takes in the sight of me. "Chippy?" I ask as I look between Holden and the odd, eccentric woman with dangle earrings that go past her shoulders.

She laughs in a whimsical way that makes me want to roll my eyes. She's weird

She holds out all ten fingers to me, and I see that each one is covered in at least one ring, and I'm not sure what she wants me to focus on.

"When I was a girl I was obsessed with bright orange nail polish, and I couldn't imagine using a different color. When I ran out, my parents couldn't afford to buy me more, so the polish started to chip. Kids at school made fun of me, and called me Chippy....It stuck."

"That's kinda stupid," I accidentally say, causing Holden to shift uncomfortably.

"Sorry Chippy," he mutters as he clears his throat.