A thousand nights

XVII

Rain was odd.

It could be so reflective sometimes. It hypnotized you to the depths of unconsciousness, making you somehow numb but aware of things nonetheless, lullabying you to a state of complete powerlessness.

The colors were gray and smudged in the rain, distorted to a few pallid shades that seemed to take new life right under your gaze.

And of course, it made you wet.

Sometimes rain was like being alone in a desert and holding tight on the small amount of water you've been able to collect in your dirty palms just to watch it slowly and mockingly find its way through the cracks between your fingers.

So you lay there, thirsty, and lost, longing for just a drop of that water.

Other times though, rain would just fall down until you're overwhelmed.

I shook my head in an attempt of removing the thought that had formed in my mind. I didn't know why I was standing in front of Villa Age with my umbrella forgotten between the books in my red backpack, and the rain falling on me like a thousand pins and needles piercing my cold skin.

'MOVE!'

The barking of a small dog brought me back to reality, a bitter and too wet reality. The owner of the dog was shouting profanities at the small chihuahua who simply wiggled its tail while it jumped excitedly around me.

'Are you stupid or what? Fucking move!' the owner said again, he walked to the dog and picked it up, holding it tight around his arms.

'Sorry mate, this dog doesn't seem to get when enough is enough' he laughed, his breath a mist of smoke and coffee. He nodded his head as a goodbye and disappeared behind a corner. I have never doubted my weirdness but never it occurred to me that some people could be weirder than me.

I kicked the small rock on the floor and continued my pitiful procession towards home.

'I'm back!' I gently shut the door behind me. The sweet warmth of home was always welcoming after a day in the cold winter. I left my drenched shoes under the radiator and moved towards the kitchen where I could hear soft voices talking animatedly. I gaped inside and I saw dad, Lauren and Luke talking like old friends. It was both heartbreaking and beautiful to see the peace in the room, the same room in which every damned nightmare started.

'That's stupid, why would anyone do that?' Luke asked shaking his head as he tried to reason with everyone else. Lauren was laughing, like totally stomach gripping laughing. Her laugh was so different from her usual neutral expression, her face lightened up, her cheeks turned naturally red under the layers of makeup, making her seem more approachable, more human even. Dad laughed with them too, something even stranger. His shoulder shook as the fast fruity chuckles came out of his mouth, it was all too much.

'Hey Park, what happened to you?' Luke asked finally noticing me. He motioned me to come in 'Did someone push you in a swimming pool or something?'

I absentmindedly scratched the back of my head, forgetting that I was soaking wet. 'Huh, it's raining outside, and I forgot my umbrella' I lied. My eyes locked with dad's, all I could see was the hardness in them.

'Park, go get a shower if you don't want to catch a pneumonia' Dad said sipping his drink.
I nodded, not even bothering to open my mouth, he was already having a great conversation before I butted in anyway. Who wants their kid ruining their perfect moods? I might as well had stayed a little longer in the rain, I thought, maybe I would have managed to really catch pneumonia.
I made my way up the stairs, listing all the possible things I could have done instead of coming back home when the calm voice of Lauren halted me.