Summer Rain

[7] Lila

The next evening when the sun was going down, I was unpacking my room. I was sorting through my box of pictures, deciding which ones to put on display in my room, and which ones to stuff in a drawer somewhere. All the pictures of my old friends went in a drawer. When I moved, I didn't leave behind friends, just empty shells of friendships. I didn't want friends after my dad died, I didn't want anything except him back.

My phone vibrated, breaking me out of my thoughts, I picked it up, and it told me I was getting a call from Zach.

"Hey" I answered casually, placing a family picture on my desk.

"We're hanging out" He said immediately.

"Hey, what if I already have plans?" I asked, teasingly. Obviously, I didn't. 

"You only know me and Luke, Lila" He said slowly, "You don't have plans"

"Caught me" I laughed.

"I'll pick you up in ten" He said with a smile in his voice, and hung up.

Ten minutes? Boys don't understand what it's like to be a girl. I ran to my box of shorts and pulled out a pair of black yoga shorts. Then, I threw on an oversized red v-neck with a pocket. I quickly applied my makeup, and Zach texted me he was outside in perfect time.

"I'm going out, bye mom!" I said, rushing outside before she could respond. I quickly slid into Zach's passenger seat. Rain was pounding down on the windshield and the wipers were going fast to keep up.

"Hello gorgeous" He smiled.

"Hey Zach" I answered. 

I looked around his car, and it was immaculate. Honestly, I expected it to be a huge mess just from my impression of him.

"You're surprised that my car is clean" He said, reading my mind, "Lila, who knew you were such a stereotyper?"

"Oh shut up" I rolled my eyes, but smiled.

We drove along in silence until I realized I had no idea where he was taking me.

"Where are we going?" I asked him.

"Beach" He said calmly.

"Zach, it's raining out" I said slowly.

"So?" He asked, raising his eyebrows, "Live a little, Lila. The only time the beach is deserted is when it's like this outside"

I frowned thoughtfully, wondering if he knew about my rain thing.

"Did Luke tell you about how we met?" I asked him. 

"No actually" He shrugged, "I usually would have interrogated him, but I was preoccupied with the party. You could tell me though, and save me the trouble"

I studied his face hard. I didn't know him well but he didn't seem like he was lying.

"I was sitting on the playground in the rain, and he came to see who would be sitting in the pouring rain" I explained briefly.

"Well then, I take it you won't have a problem with sitting on the beach in the rain" He said, hint of a smile on his face,

"Nope, not at all" I nodded.

He parked in the lot, and pulled out an old sheet and a sweat shirt. The beach was predictably completely empty, as it was raining and getting dark.

We laid out the sheet close to the water, but not close enough to get wet. Zach handed me the sweat shirt and told me he had brought it for me.

"What about you?" I asked him, looking at his t-shirt.

"I don't need it" He said in an odd tone.