Right As Rain (Complete)

Chapter 24

Guess what... you guys haven't read ANY of this yet :) BRAND NEW AS OF TODAY! 08.11.17

Hudson

I've resolved to take a step back, not a huge one, just an inch or so. I have been so focused on getting Maelee's attention I've been disrespectful to her and her job. My plans for a fun all-nighter where zealous and apparently unrealistic. Aside from Ashley coming in to take Noah's labs at three, it's just been Noah, Jess, and me the entire night. It hasn't been for nothing, though. After Jessica returned and said Maelee was okay, I relaxed. Since then, things have been calm, quiet, and perfect for writing.

It's after six when Maelee returns. If it weren't for the buildings, we could probably see the sun rising. "I can't believe you're still awake," Maelee says, tiptoeing into Noah's room. She holds the handle when the door shuts to keep the lock from clicking too loudly.

Noah scratches the top of his head, marks out a few of the freshly penned notes on his sheet music, and then tells her we don't get off until seven.

"No?" she asks, laughing lightly. "What are you working on?"

"It's very important," I tell her, tapping my notebook. "Lives would be at stake if we stopped."

She sits in the chair across from me and lifts her feet to the couch beside my legs. She looks better. She's not as pale as before and the glint in her eyes has mostly returned. Other than obvious tiredness, she seems mostly herself.

"Sounds serious," she says. "What is it?"

Noah chuckles. "We aren't telling you," he says. "I know you're a closet Distraction."

"Oh, I am!" Maelee nods, the sound of her laughter bringing lightness to the room. "Very closet. Very very very closet." She looks over at Jessica in the chair beside her. "Have you been writing too?" she asks.

Jessica lifts her phone, showing Maelee her bright cartoon screen. "I've been playing angry birds," she says, shrugging. "I have no idea why they don't want my input."

Noah picks up his guitar and strums a single, random, flat, chord. "Because every time we ask you, you say, "Big pile o'cash and a bigger bag of dicks,"" he says.

The truth is, Jessica has been immensely helpful. She doesn't know that and God knows I would never tell her. For several months, I've struggled getting my thoughts into words and my words onto paper. Since Noah was admitted, I've nearly filled my notebook with musings, sketches, and –most importantly– lyrics.

Many of the pages have come from listening to Jessica. She hasn't been talking about her friend intentionally; she's been talking about her life and the things going on, on and off the screen. I find it fascinating Maelee always seems to be there, despite their different lifestyles. She's a permanent fixture for Jessica. She's done a lot for her, probably more than she knows.

Jessica shrugs. "I feel those are pretty solid lyrics."

Noah rolls his eyes. "They aren't."

He takes writing seriously. We are scheduled to start recording in a few weeks. He's been worried his time in the hospital will keep us from meeting deadlines. I promised him it wouldn't. Maybe after everything we've accomplished tonight he will believe me and relax a bit.

"Didn't I tell you, you couldn't play in here?" Maelee asks Noah, lifting her eyebrows.

Noah smiles his famous shit-eating grin and quirks his head to the side in false innocence. "No... don't think so?"