It's Raining Somewhere Else

4

    Del rolled over in bed to find a note from Christine on her bed table. "Hey Del, left for work at 8. Have a great day with Trace!! I'll try to make it to your performance. Be safe. Have fun. XOXO
-Christine"
    She sat the note down and rubbed her eyes. She looked over at her alarm clock that read "11:52 am". She quickly sat up and ran out her bedroom door. She didn't waste time opening the front door to find Trace already waiting for her. "Hey there sleepyhead..." he laughed. Del pulled him into the door and sat him on the couch. "It's not 12 yet. I got time!" She said stumbling back to her bedroom. Trace laughed at his silly friend. A sudden knock on the door confused Trace. He slowly walked over to the door and opened it. It was that guy from the other day. "Oh...uh Hi there. I'm Adam, Chris told me to wake Del up if she wasn't up and 11:30, but I kinda over slept." Adam embarrassingly scratched his head as he explained himself to Trace. Trace saw that he acted very similar to Del. "Heh, I'm Trace. Del woke up 3 minutes ago and she's getting ready now." He said. "Oh, so you're Trace. Can't believe we've never formally met before. I mean the girls have lived here for a while now." Adam said walking in the door. "What do you do for a living?" Trace asked to kill time. "Well next week I'll be the manager of my parents restaurant a couple blocks away." He sighed. Trace was confused by this. "Hey that's really great. Why are you upset." He asked him. "My older bro is really pissed off at me, but it wasn't my decision. Plus, I'm not the one was screwed up his life that's all on him, but that's a whole different story Trace." He smiled weakly looking into his eyes. "Woah man, I hope I didn't come off as rude for asking." Trace apologized. "Nah. It's alright." He paused, "You seem like a real nice guy. Glad the girls have someone like you watching out for them." Adam smiled. "Hey you too bud." He said shaking his hand. Del ran into the living room into the kitchen with nothing but pants, her hat, and a sports bra. She was struggling to brush her hair and teeth at the same time. "Sorry! In a hurry!" She yelled speeding past them. "DEL WHAT THE ACTUAL- PUT SOME CLOTHES ON!!!" Trace yelled at her. Adam just sat back in the couch and laughed. "With her, honestly, I'm not even surprised anymore." He told Trace. Trace walked over to her bedroom door and knocked. "Del lets go!" He called out. A second later she walked out completely neat. "Chill guy, I'm ready." She laughed exiting her room. Trace followed her to the front door. "Yoooo Adam! You gonna stay here and eat our food like a lazy freeloader all day?" Del asked jokingly. "You know it." He said, barely looking up from the show he was watching. Del laughed and opened the door before they could leave Adam called for them. "Wait! Del! Who was that guy that Christine was talking to downstairs earlier?" Adam asked. "Tall guy? Blonde hair and glasses?" She questioned. "How'd you know?" Adam asked. "I knew it. Come on Trace." Del said grabbing his jacket sleeve and pulling him out the door. Trace stumbled behind Del who continued to drag him down the stairs. She walked over to the counter where Christine was giggling at Cooper. "Hey sis. Hey Cooper." Del said smugly. "Oh! Uh...Hey Del! I was just stopping by to grab some lunch." Cooper said surprised. Christine wasn't catching on that Del knew she had a thing for her new drummer. "Del I thought you would have left by now. It's 12:17." She said confused. Del knew she was just trying to get her to leave so she could continue to flirt with Cooper. "Yea Del, we should go." Said Trace walking to the front door. "Have fun on your daaaattteee!" Christine teased. Before the door closed Del looked at her sister and her drummer and smiled smugly. "And you two have fun on yours." Del laughed before leaving. "Del who is that guy?" Trace asked. "That's our new drummer, Cooper." She started, "He's been making goo goo eyes at Chris since he met her the other day." Del laughed. "He seems nice." Trace said as he opened the car door for Del. "He really is, but I hope this blows over. Otherwise Christine is going to break his heart." Del sighed. "What?! Why!" Trace asked starting up the car. "She hasn't dated anyone since the 12th grade! She takes her acting career very serious, and she sees boys as a distraction." Del said popping in a Queen CD. "That sucks." Trace started. "Well Del. Where to?" She kicked her feet up on the dash. "Surprise me, T." She sighed, relaxed. Trace smiled and pulled out into traffic. Del was singing along to track 7, and Trace was navigating through afternoon lunch rush. "Taco John's?" He asked. "Heh you know me too well." Del smiled.

    They walked in and set in the same booth they always did. Trace ordered them both lemonade, just like they always had. "Remember the first time we came here?" Trace smiled. "Yeah! We were both still in high school." Del said excitedly. "Every 1st Saturday of the month." Trace started. "Rain, sleet, or snow." Del smiled. Trace sighed, "What happened to hanging out all the time?" "We both got busier. You started going to community college, and me and Chris had to get jobs after mom and dad passed away." Del said sipping her lemonade. "Are you ever going to go to college?" Trace asked. Del adjusted her hat and sighed. "Eh...I don't know guy...I got a lot on my plate with the band an-" "You know the band may not last forever...Right? He interrupted. "Of course I do." Del smiled, "I just don't know if college life is for me. I wasn't the smartest kid in grade school. I don't even know what I would do." She laughed. "I just want you to have a good future." He said softly. "Eh, if things don't go right I'll be all right." She started. "I can just live with you forever!" Del laughed, causing Trace to blush a little. Little did he know, Del may very well mean that.