RAINSTORM

Ch. 15

Rachel narrows her eyes at the price of the dress and moves on. Annie appears from behind the curtain in a purple satin dress. "This?" She says.

Both Moira and Rachel approve of the dress for Annie's first date with Lyle, the senior in the photography club who Annie has had a crush on for a while.

The shopping moves to the next shop, then another and another. They enter a luxury leather shop since Annie wants a handbag to go with her date dress.

While her friends are browsing through the handbags aisle Rachel's eyes land on the corner across her — men's leather jackets.

Twisting her lips Rachel walks over to that corner. She pinches the helm of the first jacket on the rack and pulls it out. Black shiny leather with silver details. She lets it go.

Rachel goes through the rack. Finds nothing that she likes. Then she moves onto the ones hanging near the wall. A tan jacket grabs her interest.

It's pale. Has a tinge of grey. Rachel takes it off the hanger. It's not as heavy as she remembers Hector's jackets were when she picked them up.

The brushed metal brass hardwares look beautiful too. Rachel slips out the price tag and takes a look.

Instantly she replaces the jacket back on the hanger and walks away.

Annie says, "What you were going to buy one for Hector?"

"I was just looking," Rachel says while pulling out a couple of bags and pretending to be interested in them.

"What is going on with you two anyway?" Moira says.

"Nothing," Rachel says.

"It's not nothing. Do you like him?" Moira says.

"I don't. I just thought we were becoming friends."

"Were?"

Rachel sighs. "He's very different from me, after all."

"So you're giving up?" Annie says.

"I told you, there was nothing to begin with in the first place. Have you picked what you want or not?"

Her friends don't ask her anymore about it.

After shopping is over, Rachel visits her sister.

When Agatha opens the door, Rachel sees Agatha's friends smoking in the living room. Looks like weed, what they are smoking.

Rachel gives Agatha the white polythene bag. "French fries and pizzas," she says.

Agatha takes the bag. "Come in," she says moving from the doorway.

"No, I'm going home," Rachel says.

"Come on, get in. I got you that Italian movie you wanted to see," Agatha says.

"I'll come next week."

Agatha grabs Rachel's wrist to pull her in. Rachel angrily yanks her hand back from her sister.

"What's the matter?" Agatha says, "I thought you wanted to watch that film today."

"With a bunch of strangers who are high?" Rachel snaps back.

Agatha steps out of the apartment and closes the door behind her. "What's this about? Why are you mad?"

"I told you in the morning I'll be coming by after shopping to hang out with you, and you invite in your buddies for a smoke. What do you think I'm mad about?" Rachel says.

"They came uninvited. But for that I can't just kick them out. And so what they are here now? If you would just take a second to get to know them instead of judging them from the door, you would know they are amazing to hang out with."

Rachel scoffs. "Get to know them? I don't even get to know you anymore," she says and turns around and leaves.

"Rachel!" Agatha calls out.

Rachel keeps walking. She comes out of the apartment building and walks to the bus stop.

Rachel stands there, with tightly pressed lips and glistening eyes as she tries not to cry.

Her phone rings. It's Agatha. Rachel rejects the call and pockets her phone.

As she waits, a familiar bike appears on the road. It stops in front of her.

Hector takes off his helmet and looks at Rachel. "Waiting for the bus?" 

End of chapter