Love at Last Sight

Chapter Four

                Sunday evening I left the comfortable warmness of my house for the disagreeable chill of my car. Even though it was still only the second week of September, the temperature at night was steadily dropping. To make things worse, a few threatening rumbles of thunders rolled overhead, promising rain in the near future. As I stuck my key in the ignition, the first few drops hit my windshield. 

                I flipped my wipers on, shifting my car into reverse and backing out of my driveway. The rain was lashing down now, falling faster and faster. My windshield wipers were going as fast as they could, whipping from one side to the other. Luckily for me, Chace's house was only down the street. Still, my palms were sweaty as I carefully drove down the road. The lingering threat of having one of my attacks while I was driving terrified me. But I couldn't not drive. I had places to go, places to be, friends to hang out with... 

                Chace's house was almost impossible to see through the downpour. The only things I could make out on it were the lights coming from the second story window on the far left. Not wanting to leave the shelter of my car, I settled for blaring my horn. A minute later I saw his athletic form jogging toward my car, an umbrella in his hand. I wrinkled my nose. I wished I thought of bringing an umbrella. 

                "Hey, Rosie, nice weather we're having, isn't it?" Chace greeted as he slid into passenger seat. To reinforce his words, a brilliant streak of lightning lit up the sky. 

                "Oh, definitely," I agreed sarcastically. "We should have had a picnic." 

                Chuckling, he snapped his seatbelt and dropped the wet umbrella on the car mat on the floor. "At least we're going to be inside." 

                "Yep." 

                "You don't sound that excited. Is there something wrong?" 

                "Huh? No," I said honestly, doing a three-point turn on the narrow street. "I just don't really enjoy the rain." 

                He smiled at me understandingly. "Oh. Me either." 

                I smiled back. "I'm excited to go bowling with you though." 

                "That makes two of us then." 

                I laughed, returning my attention to the road. It was only a ten-minute drive to the bowling alley and for the whole duration Chace told me about how his college life was going. Apparently soccer practice there was rough. I wasn't surprised. College sports were a lot different than high school sports. He showed me a disgusting black and blue bruise on his forearm from where someone had accidentally kicked him, and then another cut on his shin. By the time I parked the car in the closest space near the building, I thought I was going to be sick. 

                "I also have a bruise on my upper thigh, but I'd have to take my pants off to show you that one-" 

                "That's okay," I told him, forcing a smile. While the prospect of him taking off his pants left me wondering, I really couldn't stomach seeing another gruesome injury. Not only did blood and I not mix, bruises and the like didn't either. 

                He smirked at me. "You can't handle it?" he guessed correctly. 

                "Let's just go bowling," I urged, unlocking the doors. "And maybe buy a slice of pizza. I forgot to eat before I left." 

                "Too excited to see me?" 

                "No, I just figured if I ate and then saw your face I'd throw it back up," I teased.