RAINSTORM

Ch. 49

Rachel browses through her phone while waiting for Moira and Annie, and also peeking up from time to time to see if she can catch Hector in her sight.

She hadn't shared with him yet about her talk with her parents.

"Hey."

Rachel looks up and sees Ricky. She smiles.

"When's my treat?" Ricky says.

Rachel's brows raise.

"What?" He says, "If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have talked to your parents about college. I don't deserve a treat?"

Rachel chuckles. It is true. If it weren't for Ricky she might not have found the courage to even rethink about what she wants to study in college. "Alright," she says, "What do you want?"

"Dinner," he quickly says, as if he was waiting for that question, "after the school dance. And you'll let me treat you."

She's momentarily taken aback by the request, before shaking it off. It's nothing. He doesn't mean anything by it. "But isn't it my treat?"

"Your treat is agreeing to the date with me," he says.

The minor panic returns to Rachel's face. Ricky laughs. "I won't be pulling out a ring and ask for your hand in a relationship during the dinner, Rachel. It's only a date."

There's a sudden guilt in her heart. How he always seems to know what she's thinking and is considerate of it, while she hasn't been the same to him. She doesn't want to be like this anymore. "It's a date," she says with a gentle smile.

Ricky bites his lips to stop himself from shouting in joy. She's still not his. But they have come a long way from their amicable partnership in the science competition, and her rejection two years ago.

Because of her disinterest he had thought of a lot many times to give up on his one-sided feelings. But he could never go through with it. She was a little like him. Understood him. But was also alluringly different. Warm. Kind. Whenever he's with her he feels— normal, and happy. Unlike everyone else, her words are always honest, her eyes are always gentle. If her friendship alone makes him feel this good, he wants more. Much much more.

And he'll have it.

HECTOR watches the two of them from across the parking space. He knows better than to go stand between them and upset Rachel. But it never gets easy: seeing them together.

Rachel is only being Rachel with Ricky, just like she's with everyone else. Polite and nice. But she doesn't realize Ricky is different with her.

Hector would know. He's the same. He knows Ricky's intentions, because he has those same ones.

What he doesn't know if Rachel is as oblivious to his feelings just as she's to Ricky's.

He can't be the same as him for her. He needs to be special. He needs to be closer. He needs to be her boyfriend.

His phone rings. It's his mom. He doesn't take it. She's probably calling him drunk. She has been drinking more often these days, after having found that his father is seeing someone steadily.

He silences the phone, pockets it and looks up.

Rachel had noticed him, and grins. She tells Ricky she'll see him later and walks over to Hector.

Ricky had smiled back in response with a "Sure," but as soon as her back is against him, his disgruntle couldn't be more evident on his face as he glares at Hector.

Hector returns the gesture with a subtle smirk. Subtle enough for the approaching Rachel to not notice, but enough for Ricky to get the message.