Fragile Heart, Fragile Mind

All because of headphones and raindrops

Dinah POV

"I'm going on a waaaalk!" I called out to the rest of the girls, who were either sitting in the living room or at the kitchen counter. "Bye Dj! Be safe!" Camila called. "I will!" I answered as I pulled on my jacket and put in my headphones. I shut the door behind me as the cool air hit me in the face. I looked around debating which way to go before starting to walk.

I'd ended up walking a good distance away from home, having been lost in the music, and was walking through a park with no one in it, or so I thought. There was a pretty big fountain in the center of the park and I sat down to take a short break and just look around. I looked up from my phone, feeling water drops falling on my face. I looked up at the sky; it had started to rain.

Noticing that it quickly started to rain pretty hard, I stood up, accidentally pulling my headphones out. That's when I heard crying. It sounded like a kid. I looked around me, not seeing anyone in my immediate sight and walked around to the other side of the fountain, seeing a little girl sitting there. She was trying to shake the rain out of her hair as it kept falling.

I gently reached out to her, steadying her. "Hey, where's your family. Are you out here by yourself?" The little girl just shook her head again. "What's your name, sweetie?" The small girl didn't answer. "Your name?" I signed, knowing a decent amount of sign.

"L...Lawen." "Lauren, that's pretty, how old are you?" I asked her, looking up, noticing that it was raining even harder now. "One.. two.. three.. four.. five.. six.. seven.. eight.. nine.. ten.. 'leven.. twelve.. thirteen.. fourteen.. fifteen.. sixteen.. seventeen.. eighteen!" She counted out on her fingers.

"Eighteen?!" I said shocked, not believing she was any older than Regina. Lauren nodded. Lauren started to cry again, once more trying to shake the rain out of her hair. I took my jacket off, feeling the cold rain hit my arms, wrapped it around Lauren, and helped her put her arms in.

I zipped up the jacket on her and pulled the hood over her hair, causing her to stop shaking her head. "I'm gonna call my friend and she's gonna come up here and take us home." I told the smaller girl, who started shivering.

Camila: Hello? Dinah where are you it's pouring?

Dinah: The park across from that one church, can you come get me and I have someone with me, I'll explain on the way home.

Camila: I'm on the way. Love you.

Dinah: Love you too.

I felt so bad for Lauren, if she really was 18, she was super tiny, and she was shivering. "Hey, come here, you cold?" I asked, signing a couple key words as I spoke. She nodded and I opened my arms to her. She came closer and hid her face in my shirt, crying softly. I rubbed her back and waited for Camila to get here.

A few moments later, Camila pulled up and I went to lead Lauren to the car and she wouldn't let go of me, so I picked her up and carried her. I got into the passengers seat with Lauren on my lap, Camila gave me a confused, sympathetic look.

"Who's this little sweetheart?" Camila asked. "Her name is Lauren and she's 18.. all I know." Camila's eyes grew big. "18? You sure she didn't say eight?" I nodded. "Yep. She was out here all by herself in the cold.. poor thing." I said softly.

"We'll be where it is warm really soon and we'll get her some warm clothes." Camila responded, I nodded, agreeing that it was a good idea. While it was only a short drive, Lauren seemed to be getting pretty sleepy.