Leigh's Lifesaver

Chapter three

The rain didn't stop until the next morning.

I savor the peacefulness in the house in the morning, listening to a group of birds chorus in a song. Looking out of the window, I see several branches that have fallen from a nearby tree, signaling that the storm last night was pretty intense, the sky was still gray. Blanketed in dark puffy clouds that looked as if they were about to burst.

"Do you like the rain?" a voice says from behind me, startling me a bit. I turn and spot Collin take a seat at the kitchen table, his older brother and Luke are probably still asleep,

"Actually, yeah. Why do you ask?"

"Well, when it was raining last night, you were always looking outside the window. What is it about rain that you like so much?"

"It's just really peaceful, I guess. And it's an excuse to stay home."

"You don't have much friends, do you?" he says softly.

"You're really curious. Observant, too."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that," he says quickly.

"No, it's okay. And to answer you question, I don't. I don't have any, actually, only Luke, and he's just my brother."

"Really? I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't be friends with you. I mean, you're extremely nice and I bet you're way smarter than me. And you're way too funny and you just seem like a great friend."

"Thanks. That really means a lot, Collin, but that's not what the other people think. I mean, if you're gonna show up at school with me as your friend, they'll make fun of you, too."

"I could care less, as long as I'm friends with you. Let's just make it through school together, yeah?"

"Okay," I say with a smile, a warm feeling inside of me. It felt reassuring to know that Collin would actually go through practical torment just to be friends with me.

"Make me coffee," I hear Luke grumble from the top of the stairs.

"Good morning to you too," I reply, walking over to the coffee maker.

"So, it's finally Saturday and Collin and Callum are with us. What do you guys wanna do?"

"Let's go to an amusement center," Collin blurts from the table.

Callum strolls in the kitchen, joining the conversation. "Let's go to what?" He asks, confused.

"An amusement center," Luke answers. "Uh, we have this place a couple minutes away called Red's. Leigh and I used to go there a lot as kids, it has a bunch of trampolines and a ball pit and everything. I can drive," he ways, sipping his coffee.

"Great," Callum says. "Let's go, then?"

We all gather at the door, but stop when we hear my mother's voice. "Where are you going?

We all gather at the door, but stop when we hear my mother's voice. "Where are you going? And who's with you?"

"This is Callum and his younger brother Collin. They're my friends," Luke replies. "We're going to Red's."

"Oh," Mom says, her tone softening. "Well, have fun."

"Uh, Mom?" I say quietly. "Why are you and dad still here?"

"This is our home."

"I know, but aren't you supposed to be at work?"

"Well, we wanted to sleep in, just wanted to relax."