The Crazy & Stupid

Chapter 6

The wind howled as the firm glass on the closed windows creaked.

The sky wore a shade of dark grey concealing the sun from the land below. 

The library which was bustling with students until yesterday wore a deserted look today. 

Well, who would tread anywhere close to school after the last exam and the first day of summer? 

I know what you are thinking, me. 

No, I wasn't a nerd.

 I was here because just by chance, I had qualified for a State level quiz which was in a day, and I was here preparing where as everyone else was doing everything except being close to any book with study material. 

Some were home staring at any digital screen, while some were probably leaving for another party after barely recovering from the one they visited last night. 

Just like, Alex.  

He had persuaded me to come with him last night and that he would make sure I was home in time to be able to wake up early, but I knew how things would go. 

Since last year, the beginning of high school, he started hanging out with the kind of people I wouldn't hang out with for too long, faking to get along is very draining. 

And just because he was my best friend didn't mean he couldn't be friends with anyone else. We worked out a balance just like that, it faltered sometimes, but nothing is perfect. 

The thunder bolts through my chain of thoughts. I shut my book and stand up. I should leave before it begins to rain and given the thick dark clouds, it is going to be heavy and not one to stop any time soon.  

As I make my way to the librarian's desk, I notice she is getting ready to leave too. "Ah, there you are I was just going to come to you. It's an hour before closing time, but the weather doesn't look really favorable." she says taking my book. I give her a simple nod with an understanding smile. 

I walk through the empty corridors to the main door, and I first hear the rain loudly crash against the ground. I go outside the door to the little porch we have outside the school overlooking the deserted parking area save for a car or two. 

My dad had dropped me on his way to work and I had planned to walk back, it was a 15 minutes walk but right now I couldn't even see beyond the parking clearly. 

I wasn't even carrying an umbrella. The sun was beaming at me in the morning. 

If not stop it would at least thin down a little, I just had to wait for a while. 

As the water continues to hit the ground with all it's might, I slowly slump down by the wall. This was going to be long. 

I check my watch to realize that 30 minutes have passed by. Wasn't the Librarian leaving too? I could maybe hitch a ride somewhere closer to home and have less to walk. 

I am debating to go inside and check, when I hear a thump of footsteps meddled with the hard beats of the rain drops. I see a blurred figure with an umbrella in the rain walking through the parking lot. I squint my eyes to see which lost soul had found their way here at this time. 

My heart skips a beat. 

He is here. 

For, me. 

His steps fastens as he gets closer. I am too surprised to even get up. His slightly damp hair fall on his face as he smiles at me. "What are you doing here?" I ask even before I get up.

"I was expecting a more heroic grand welcome, like you flying in the arms of your savior." Alex says rolling his eyes.
A smile creeps up on my face as I stand up and lightly slap his shoulder. 

"That is all that you will ever get. But honestly, what are you doing here?" I ask him as we start walking and we try adjusting under the umbrella. I give him a glare, "What now I was suppose to think that we would need two?!" he says irritated.

I stretch my right arm over his waist and he holds my shoulder with his left arm so we are both under the umbrella. 

"Again, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be heading to the country side? " I ask with the dropping raindrops now a part of our conversation. 

He rolls his eyes again, "Can't you just be glad I am here?" "No" I promptly retort.

"I was leaving, Luke had come to pick me, I saw your mom worried on the porch with her plastered leg, so I went and asked, she told me you were gone and didn't have a ride or an umbrella. So, I said I would go get you, she said I didn't have to but I said I wouldn't want you to die by floating away in the rain drain, so I came." He states it in a bored, doesn't matter tone. 

But, it matters to me. A blush lightly crawls on my face and despite the rain, warmth spreads all over me. 

"Why would I float away in the drain?" I ask trying my best to hide all the sparks that were erupting within me.

"Because you are stupid." He replies, not noticing the puddle he was walking straight into and I pull him away with my hand that was strung around him. 

"We both know who is stupid here." I reply with a victorious smile. "I saw it, I was going to jump over it." He explains himself. "Sure you did." I say. 

"Oh please, just accept it that you are stupid."

 "Why should I when I am not?" 

"Because you always have been." 

"Shut up."

"You shut up, stupid." 

"You are stupid."

The walk back home that I had been so worried about just like that turned into one of the most best walks of my life. 

Since he had missed his ride, Alex stayed back and helped me study. He also came for the quiz next day and was my greatest support since my mom couldn't make it and my dad had a really important meeting with his clients. 

Again, the two days I had been slightly upset about being left out turned into one of the most memorable days of my life. 

Because, I had him. 

Just like that, by fate or time. 

I had him by my side, always.