𝑊𝑅𝐴𝑁𝐺𝐿𝐸𝑅 , tyler owens

TWO

PRESENT DAY

THE RAINDROPS fell leaving traces of droplets on the huge glass windows of Shawn's office. New York City is beautiful—minus the constant honks from the cars. Shawn Brown worked in the National Weather Service in New York City. Not the best she could do, but the offer back then seemed incredible and she took it. She did miss chasing tornadoes though. Instead, now she only sits behind the desk and sees overviews of such natural disasters, making calls yet still trying to help people.

   "You're late," Shawn said to her best friend.

   "I was at the subway station but left my bag at home so I had to come back to grab it, so stressful,"

   "Kate, why do you live so far?" Shawn chuckled.

   "It's expensive to live closer to the city!" Kate smiled back at her best friend. The two met 4 years ago in this very office. Shawn, who had worked there for a year already was assigned to show Kate around. When they found out that they were both from Oklahoma, their friendship blossomed. What are the odds that they could find someone from home so far away from it.

   "I told you that you could move in with me!" Shawn said.

Kate rolled her eyes, "And stay in the room where Henry stayed? Think I'll pass," Henry was Shawn's roommate that kept jars of his bellybutton fluff who has left 6 months ago due to complications with the landlord. Thank God he left, Shawn shudders just thinking about how gross that man was.

   "Fair point," Shawn grimaced and walked back to her desk. That is when she noticed their colleague, Ben, standing up.

   "Kate, there's a guy here to see you. He's in the conference room," Ben said.

Shawn looked down to her watch on her wrist, it was 9AM, who would meet up that early? She looked over to Kate and the latter furrowed her brows.

   "Shawn, you're coming with me," Kate pulled Shawn by the arm towards the conference room.

   "What the fuck, Kate?" Shawn snickered.

   "What if it's Ben?" Kate said.

   "No way!"

They arrived at the conference room and the door was opened. There was a guy in a black suit.

   "Hi, I'm Kate,"

The guy turned around and Shawn saw Kate's eyes widening, "You know him?"

   "Hey Kate," The guy said.

   "H-Hey,"

   "It's been a while," Kate and said guy hugged. But Kate was speechless. That is until Shawn smacked Kate's arm.

"Are you going to introduce me?" She asked.

"O-Oh, yeah... Shawn, this is Javi... Javi, this is Shawn Brown," Kate mumbled and Shawn eyes the guy in recognition.

Shawn nodded, "Javi, huh? I've heard a lot about you,"

Javi narrowed his eyes in suspicion towards Shawn but then looked back at Kate, "C-Can we speak somewhere else? How about I treat you- Well, both of you to breakfast?"

The two girls agreed and Javi led them out of their office to a cafe. Other than almost getting ran over by a taxi, the walk there was fine. Once they sat down at a table for 3 for breakfast, Shawn got to know Javi a little bit more. He joined the military and got to operate radars which Shawn was impressed with.

"Levelled up from Dorothy," Kate said, giving back Javi's phone to him.

"Dorothy?" Shawn piped up.

"Our project- Many levels. This thing was so powerful and so fast, I could watch a moth fly from like a mile away. But I kept asking myself, what if we point this thing at a tornado?" Javi stated. And that is when the entire idea of how they should go back to Oklahoma to chase some tornado was born. Javi explained that there was a way to get a three-dimensional scan of a tornado and that Kate was the only person that could get them close to one. But Kate was hesitant. Of course she was. She lost 3 friends (one lover) to an EF-5 five years ago. She didn't want to go back to that life. She has a better one in New York City now. Shawn looked at her best friend and held her bicep, squeezing it to let her know that she was there for her.

"Javi, I... N-No, I don't chase anymore," Kate tried to smile but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Come on, Kate... What are you even doing here? Sitting behind a computer screen? Like...The girl I know she'd be going into the storms while everyone else was running away,"

Shawn was deep in thought. Javi's words got herself thinking. What was she doing in New York? Yeah, she got a job offer, but that was years ago. Now her work doesn't seem fun anymore. She missed the adrenaline, the fun, not thinking and just doing things.

"Well, I'm not that person anymore," Kate said.

Javi leaned forward, "You have a gift... I can't do this without you,"

But Kate still declined the offer. She pulled out a couple bucks to pay for her food and Shawn's. They both stood up as Kate walked away faster.

"Kate!" Javi yelled, "You ever wondered why it was us that made it out of there?"

Kate stepped out of the cafe, not even bothering to answer Javi. While Shawn stood wide-eyed at the man.

"Low blow, Javi..." She muttered, "Nice to meet you,"

Once they both stepped out, they went back to the office. Kate was deep in thought and Shawn was looking at her best friend in concern.

"You good?"

Kate looked up and smiled softly, "I'm okay,"

• • •

Shawn was woken up by multiple calls from her best friend. Her phone buzzed on her bedside table. She stretched her arms and grabbed her phone from the nightstand. She squints at the name that popped up and pressed the green answer button.

"What?" Shawn yawned.

"I'm going," Kate said abruptly.

Shawn raised an eyebrow as she was confused why her friend was speaking so weirdly, "Huh?"

"I'm going to Oklahoma with Javi,"

"Woah? What made you reconsider?"

Kate huffed, "Javi sent me another article from back home and these tornadoes are getting worse... They're coming for the people we love, Shawn. And I think I can help,"

Shawn sighed but quickly came up with a plan.

"Can I come too?"