Lanterns in the Rain

Chapter Six: A Shared Secret

The next morning, the rain was relentless, battering against the school's windows in heavy sheets. Rae had arrived early, as she often did, seeking refuge in the quiet before the school halls filled with noise and people. Her hood was soaked, droplets clinging to the edges, but she didn't mind. The storm outside mirrored the steady rhythm in her mind.

She slipped into her classroom, the sound of her shoes squeaking faintly on the tiled floor. It was empty, save for Henry, who was already sitting at a desk near the back, spinning a pen between his fingers.

Rae paused in the doorway, surprised. "You're early."

Henry looked up, flashing her his usual grin. "Couldn't miss a chance to beat you here."

She rolled her eyes but walked toward him anyway, dropping her bag onto the desk next to his. "What are you even doing?"

"Thinking," he said simply, leaning back in his chair.

Rae sat down, raising an eyebrow. "About?"

He hesitated for a moment, as though debating whether to answer. "About how people end up the way they are," he said finally, his voice quieter than usual.

The unexpected seriousness in his tone made Rae pause. "That's... vague."

Henry laughed softly. "I know. It's just... I've been thinking about you."

Rae stiffened. "Me?"

"Yeah." He set the pen down, his brown eyes meeting hers. "You're not like anyone else I've met, Rae. You're quiet, sure, but it's more than that. It's like you've built a fortress around yourself."

Her first instinct was to snap at him, to push him away with sharp words and cold stares. But something in his expression stopped her. He wasn't mocking her or prying—he genuinely wanted to understand.

"Why does it matter to you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Because I think there's more to you than what everyone else sees," he said, leaning forward slightly. "And I want to know what that is."

Rae looked away, her hazel eyes focusing on the rain outside. The storm blurred the world beyond the window, making it feel distant and unreachable. "It's easier this way," she said finally. "Keeping people out means they can't hurt you."

Henry was silent for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "But it also means they can't help you."

The words hung between them, heavy and unspoken. Rae swallowed hard, her chest tightening.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked, her voice sharper than she intended.

Henry shrugged, his smile soft and sad. "Because I've been there, too."

Rae turned to him, surprised. "You?"

He nodded. "Not in the same way, maybe. But yeah. After my mum passed..." He trailed off, his voice faltering.

Rae's heart clenched. She hadn't expected this—not from Henry, who was always so lighthearted and easygoing. "I didn't know," she said softly.

"Most people don't," he admitted. "I don't talk about it much. But I get it, Rae. Shutting people out, keeping everything inside—it feels safe. But it's also lonely."

Rae stared at him, her walls trembling under the weight of his honesty. "How do you do it?" she asked, her voice so quiet it was almost lost in the rain. "How do you let people in again?"

Henry smiled faintly. "You start small. With someone you trust."

The words settled deep inside her, like seeds waiting to take root. She didn't know if she trusted him—not completely. But for the first time, she felt like she could.

"I'll think about it," she said, her voice steady but soft.

Henry grinned, his charming, lopsided smile breaking through the seriousness of the moment. "That's all I ask."

The bell rang, shattering the fragile quiet between them. Students began trickling into the classroom, their voices loud and jarring against the calm Rae and Henry had created.

Rae pulled her hood tighter, retreating into herself. But this time, she felt less alone. Henry didn't press further; he simply leaned back in his chair, his presence steady beside her.

As the rain continued outside, Rae found herself daring to hope—for connection, for something more than the walls she had built.

For someone who could see past them and choose to stay anyway.