Fall With Me (UIC 2022)

11 - The Storm

They were halfway through a bottle of wine when the storm rumbled in. Caleb glanced up at the darkening sky with a frown. "Shit, your mom was right."

"Guess so," Sawyer replied, flinching as a fat droplet of water splattered on the back of her hand. Another droplet struck a napkin on the picnic table; a third landed on the top of her head. She glanced up at Caleb and he nodded.

Without speaking, the two of them sprung into action. Sawyer swept up the garbage, dumping everything into a large black trash bag, while Caleb went to attend to the fire pit.

A large rumble of thunder rolled over the tops of the trees, causing water in the hot spring to ripple outwards. As if waiting for its cue, the sky opened up and a torrent of rain fell on the campsite.

Sawyer squealed and began slamming Tupperware containers closed as sheets of water surged down her face and back. She'd spent too many years on the edge to let good food go to waste. Behind her, steam erupted from the fire pit, hissing like an angry dragon.

"Leave it! Leave it!" Caleb shouted over the downpour, grabbing her by the upper arm.

Twisting out of his grip, Sawyer snatched the wine bottle, corked it, and grabbed her backpack. Holding the wine bottle under her arm, she zipped the backpack closed and ran for the tent.

Ducking inside, she crouched down near the entrance, water streaming from her hair and pooling on the floor. Cursing, Caleb leaped in beside her, throwing his own backpack in the opposite corner. He spun around on his heels and grabbed the tent flap, struggling to zip it shut as the wind made an appearance, nearly ripping it out of his grip. With a snarl, Caleb closed the flap and fell back on his ass with a wet squelch.

"Shit," he swore, scowling.

Sawyer stared at him, dark red hair plastered to his head and soaked to the bone. She should have been annoyed—well, she was, but the sight of Caleb sitting there like an angry wet dog proved too funny. She began to laugh and rock back and forth, droplets of water swinging from the tips of her lavender hair.

"What?" he growled, twisting around to glare at her.

Sawyer giggled and shook her head, not at all upset by his reaction. Hunched and pissed off Caleb was almost too much to bear.

Caleb realized the absurdity of it all, too, as his expression swiftly changed from annoyance to amusement. The two of them sat there, soaking wet, laughing hysterically as rain pounded down on the roof of the tent.

"You are so wet," Sawyer chuckled, reaching out and pushing a damp lock of hair out of Caleb's eyes.

Snorting, he looked down and pulled at the front of his blue T-shirt. It came free from his skin with a slight sucking sound. "So are you," he retorted with a smirk, reaching down and grabbing the hem of his shirt, and pulling it over his head. Turning slightly, Caleb tossed it by the tent flap. "Good thing I brought the big one," he noted, nodding at the puddles forming all around them.

Sawyer looked back to where she had spread out the blankets and pillows. Yes, thank the goddess it was designed to sleep six.

Caleb was looking at her as she turned around, a slow smile stretching across his face. "Aren't those wet clothes uncomfortable?" he asked softly, irises glowing orange.

A large rumble of thunder passed overhead, shaking the tent. Despite the dampness setting in, Sawyer flushed. "Yes, and cold, too," she replied, tilting her head suggestively.

Caleb closed the short distance between them on his knees. He reached out, took a handful of her sodden hair in one hand, and squeezed it out onto the tent floor. "Would you like me to warm you up?"