life's rain // bruno mars

chapter seven

chapter seven

It was a Saturday morning. Once out of the bathroom I went into the kitchen, opening the fridge but there was barely anything in it. “Steph!” I called, picking up a plastic container of last night's dinner then tossing it back inside. “Stephanie!”

“What the hell do you want?” She appeared wearing a tank-top and pajama shorts. Her black hair was in a messy bun, and I felt a pang of jealousy. My hair would never look like that in a messy up-do, just plain messy and frizzy like a lion's mane that's been electrified. I raised my eyebrow and  opened the fridge wider so she could glimpse at the emptiness.

“Oh, that. See, my mom was laid off three weeks ago. Money's not coming as flowingly anymore.” She shrugged as though it was nothing and proceeded to grab a bowl from the cabinets. 

“Three weeks ago, Steph?” I shut the door. “And you're just telling me?”

She shrugged again, pouring herself a bowl of Lucky Charms. She opened the fridge then slammed it. “No milk. Damn it.” She sighed, walking back over to her bowl. “I didn't want to tell you because I know you're saving money for your capturing device.”

“Your parents are paying for me to stay here, of course I would help feed their daughter. What else are you hiding from me?” I could tell she wasn't telling me something, the way she busied herself so she wouldn't have to look me in the eye.

“There's a guy in my room,” she said.

“The truth.”

She rolled her eyes. “We might have to move in a couple of months. Apparently, my mom likes staying at home and this place is too expensive for my dad's fat ass pockets.”

“Oh.” I leaned against the granite counter. “I don't mind that.”

“Whatever,” she muttered, taking her bowl of dry cereal and leaving. Seconds later the door to her room slammed shut. I sighed, heading to my room and powered up my computer. There's a history paper due Monday, and I had yet to start it. By the time I was a quarter finished my phone rang. “Hi Chris.”

“Ms. Lena,” he greeted. “May I ask you of a favor?”

*

I would've taken Stephanie's car and driven to meet Bruno and Phil at the studio, which I usually did on Saturdays, but ended up taking an extra shift at the pawn shop all the way into the afternoon because Arlene had left early from sickness.

I was in the back collecting my things from my locker when I heard Chris’ booming voice: “Lena, visitor!” Before I had the chance to even go see who it was Bruno rounded the corner. His hair was hidden under a fedora and his shirt had HAWAII printed on the white fabric. I took out my bag and slung it over my shoulder, ignoring the dancing of my insides. “Bruno, what are you doing here?”

“Wanted to see you.” His keys were jiggling in his pocket as he walked closer to me. He must have driven here. “Sucks you have to work on Saturday.”

I closed my locker and we began to leave, both of us saying goodbye to Chris as we did so. “It does. But that's how life is. You do things you don't want to do to get the things you want.”

“Like becoming a producer and putting your lifelong dream aside?”

“Exactly.” Bruno's car was parked on the side of the road. We climbed in, and rolled the windows down to cool the hot air around us. “Where's Phil?”

“Home.”

It was late into the afternoon, and the sky was streaked with vibrant pinks and yellows. I watched the ominous clouds drift over them. It was going to rain soon.