A rumble in the distance. A dark cloud overhead. A flash of lightning bright as day. A drop landing on my hand, then my thigh, and my shoulder. Soon it's a downpour.
None of these things happen no matter how hard I wish they would. I'd pay to leave. The sun is burning my eyes as well as my pale skin. Plus the sand is itchy and gross. It feels like grim between my toes and under my fingernails. My friends stare at me while they play volleyball a bit farther away from where I sulk. 'Vampire' is what they call me, but I know it's not that uncommon to hate the sun. I glare at the glorious sandcastle we made together. I imagine tiny dark drops falling on to it, until the rain completely melts it like the Wicked Witch of the West. I sigh and lay down on my back. I'm not trying to be negative. How would they feel if I dragged them out into the rain? Besides, some colour would stop random people from asking how I stay so white.
Nope! Never mind. Barely two minutes in and I'm already fed up with tanning. Where did I put my sunscreen? Ah, there it is. I try to pretend it's raining as I lather it on. I smile as I remember the feeling of cold drops on my skin. Dark skies drive people away, so the streets would be empty. Just me and God and my thoughts. Soaked from the rain is different than being soaked from the lake. I look into the sky, just to be blinded by the sun despite my shades. Storm clouds are beautiful, like pieces of art. In a range of colours from black to blue to even purple. You can't even look at the sun. And it's just boring yellow. All. The. Time. Everything is better. The streets glow, puddles form and raindrops bounce off the ground like a thousand skipping stones. I close my eyes and replace the sound of waves with the sound of huge water pellets on a roof. And the smell, the smell in the air right before a storm that's misty and cool and familiar.
Stop it, I tell myself. It's a beautiful day, you're here with your friends so enjoy it. I open my eyes and look around. Kids are splashing in the water, waves rolling in, warm days on my skin, soft sand covering my feet... This isn't so bad.
Well, I mean, if everyone else here can put up with it, why can't I?
"Hey, Vampire, wake up. Actually it looks like you got a burn. Hey! We have to go!" I sit up and look at my friends. Had I fallen asleep? "What's going on?"
"Look at the sky" they reply, and I do. Dark clouds rolling in. No more sun. I hear a rumble in the distance. "Come on, can't we stay just a little longer?" I was just getting to like it here! "I haven't even gotten in the water yet"
"Well if we wait any longer, we'll all get soaked anyway" Sure enough, as if God had heard His cue, the Heavens open up and dump down all the water in the world.
And suddenly, I am at home.
