RAINSTORM

Ch. 37

Rachel notices the bandage on Hector's forehead when he enters the cafeteria. The sound of glass breaking during her call with Hector comes to her mind. She takes out her phone and brings up his contact on the message app. She looks up. He had taken his seat with his friends. Everyone's laughing.

Rachel puts away her phone.

Later, at the last period, Rachel is in the college counselor's office for her appointment. Mr. Truman says, "You have remarkable grades, Rachel. And you have a history of competition wins, which is great. A really good collection of extra curricular activities, too. I'd say there's really not much help you need in your applications. However, I want to ask if you still want to pursue law? Because when I look at the clubs you have been in the last year, nearly all of them are science clubs."

"Uhm..." Rachel tries to think.

The counselor puts down the papers in his hands. "Sometimes I come across this issue among the studious ones," he says, "they are very good at studying and get top grades in every subject in their curriculum. Because of that they may not have paid any attention to which subject exactly is their favorite. What discipline excites them the most? So here's what I recommend, why don't you take a few days to answer those questions and get back to me with an answer, then we can confirm your top three college choices."

Rachel nods.

After school ends, she waits at the library for her friends. Both Moira and Annie have after school club activities today. Rachel flips through the notes Mr. Truman gave her, lost in her thoughts.

"Thought that was you," Ricky says, pulling out the chair next to hers to sit down.

"I'm waiting for my friends."

Ricky notices the notes in her hand. "So how did the counseling go?" He says. Rachel tells him what Truman told her.

"I agree with him," Ricky says, "Remember when I said you are into more space than law at the Expo? I still think the same."

"Physics is not exactly what my parents have in mind for me."

"Did you talk to them?" He says.

"No."

"Will you?"

Rachel picks at the corner of the papers in her hand.

Ricky gently holds her hand, stilling her fingers. "You should give it a shot. I'm sure they will understand," he says.

"I will talk to them," Rachel says, nodding and slowly taking her hand back. "What about you?"

"Has there ever been any choice other than being a computer geek for me?" He says, making her laugh. "Although I'm interested in business, too," he adds.

The two of them talk until her friends arrive. Rachel then hangs out with her friends for a while before driving to her home.

On her way, it suddenly starts to rain. At the red light, she rolls down the window and shows her hand outside, catching the raindrops. There's so much going on in her head, but of all that, the most overwhelming is the feeling to want to talk to Hector.