𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐋 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃

05

Song:
the machine- reed wonder, aurora olivas
slowed + reverb

LEENA

I walk into the school building as I make my way through the crowded and loud hallway towards my locker.

While I'm grabbing my things from my locker, Lilith walks up. "Hey Leena!"

I turn my head, flashing her a quick smile before turning my attention back towards my books that I'm grabbing. "Hey."

"Mind if I walk with you?" She asks as she leans against the nearest locker.

I nod as I shut my locker. "You look nice," I say, starting to walk down the hallway with her.

Today she's wearing a white cropped tank top paired with a light gray zip-up hoodie, light gray fitted leggings, and a pair of white sneakers.

"Thank you, you look nice too."

I come to a stop, turning my body so that I face her. "I'm literally wearing a hoodie and jeans and you're telling me that I look nice?" I give her a look of confusion as she stares back at me.

"Of course, you always look good no matter what you're wearing." She flashes me a smile before continuing down the hall. I move to catch up with her and we eventually part, heading to our own classes for the day.

***

"Oh you have got to be shitting me."

My attention turns from my test score as I glance at Reyna. "What's wrong?"

She sighs, "My parents are going to kill me, that's what's wrong."

I raise my eyebrow, looking over at her paper before my eyes fall onto the red marking at the top of the page.

"Damn," I snicker, not even bothering to hold in my laugh.

Not even a second later, I'm whacked with her paper. "What was that for?"

"You're making fun of me. What happened to being there for your friend?" She playfully glares at me before dropping her paper back onto her desk and leaning back against her seat.

"You got a zero out of twenty questions, that's concerning Reyna. As your friend, I am very much worried for you. You didn't get a single question correct, I don't even know how that's possible."

Look, I'm not exactly smart myself, but a zero out of twenty is absolutely outrageous. I mean seriously, you have a higher chance of guessing one of the questions correct than to get all twenty wrong.

"Let me see yours," she says, gesturing for me to hand over my paper. I scoff before handing it over.

"You got a ninety?" She stares at the score in shock. Okay, now I'm really concerned.

"I could've scored better but it's something," I say, grabbing the paper back from her.

I know anybody else would be satisfied with a grade like that, but me? Absolutely not. Why would I settle for less? How could I be satisfied with a score like this when it's possible that I could do better? This mindset always made its way into my head no matter how much I tried to fight it off. It's why I made it my goal to do well academically.

"Okay but for math? I could never." She stands up from her seat and I do the same, grabbing my things before we exit the classroom.

Eventually, we go our own ways and I exit the school building, getting ready to head home for the day. Unfortunately, it starts to pour down rain.

"Oh come on," I mutter to myself as my clothes begin to get soaked. I quickly jog to my car, unlocking the door before getting in and shutting it behind me.

Once I start the car and pull out of the parking space, I begin to drive out of the lot. Before I can drive off, though, I notice a figure walking on the sidewalk in the pouring rain.

I pull over, rolling down the window. "Do you need a ride?"

The person turns their head at the sound of my voice and it's then that I notice that it's Angel.

Not even a second later, he continues trailing down the sidewalk. I slowly drive up to him so that I'm matching his pace.

"It's pouring down rain and you're walking? You'll get sick." Traces of concern linger in my voice as I try to speak loud enough so that he can hear me over the rain.

"I'm fine." It's barely audible, but my ears catch his words.

Despite his words, I ignore him. "Just get in the car. Please?" I'm practically begging at this point. I'm worried that he'll get sick.

He comes to a stop, turning to face me before staring at me for a long moment. With a sigh, he walks in front of the car and makes his way over to the passenger door, pulling open the door before lowering himself inside.

I sigh out in relief before driving off. "Where do you live?"

After a second, he gives me his address. The drive is quiet for some time, the only sound coming from the soft pitter patter of the rain against the windshield and the windshield wipers moving back and forth.

I have a love and hate relationship with rain. I love the sound of the droplets when they fall against the window. But then there's times when the droplets feel like tears, tears that make me feel sad. Sad about mom. Sad about everything.

Eventually he breaks the silence. "I'm Angel."

"I know," I say softly.

Lilith liked to chat a lot, so it was natural that I knew practically everything about her friend circle.

"You do?" He asks, a hint of curiosity in his voice but hidden beneath the stoicism.

I shrug. "Yeah, Lilith told me about you."

"And you?" At his question, I turn my head, meeting his gaze before focusing back on the road.

"Leena."

I pull into the driveway of his house before I speak. "We're here."

"Thanks for the ride," he says, exiting the car and heading to the front porch.

The house. It looks... lifeless. It looks more like a house than a home. It's about two floors and is made of brick. You'd think there's more I could say to describe it but that's really all there is. It's sad, almost.

I notice that the driveway is empty aside from my car.

I make sure that he gets inside before pulling out of the driveway and back onto the road.

I don't dwell on it and instead head home. God, I'm hungry.

After entering my house and finding something to eat, I walk into my room, taking a shower before crawling into bed.

My thoughts roam to my mom. I quickly wipe the tears from off my face while attempting not to ugly cry.

I didn't want to wake up with puffy eyes in the morning, that would surely draw attention and that was the last thing that I needed right now.

I just wish she was still here.