Make believe

Chapter 2

I didn't think. "No" was just an automatic response. And that's what I said. I remember thinking how different he looked. That was the first thing I noticed; not his deep brown eyes, nor his wavy brown hair, or his beautiful smile, but just his complete and utter difference as a whole.

He was just interesting. Plain and simple.

As I watched him looking back at me from the window of his car, I couldn't help but feel a quick jolt of regret. Instantly wishing I hadn't been so quick to say no, but un wanting to explain and take it back.

He looked like the not-so-searious type, but for a quick moment, he did, and he leaned a little out the window and said,

"Are you sure? Because I'm sixty three percent sure it's already raining, and I'm thinking that maybe you should let me be a gentlemen and let me take you home."

I raised an eyebrow.

"To your house." He quickly added, blushing. And that's when it started to pour.

"Your only sixty three percent sure about the rain?" I joked, not caring about getting wet. I loved it, actually. Rain is one of my most favorite things in the world, the way it looks as it falls, the way it sounds as it lands, the way you feel so free being in it.

In all honesty, I wouldn't have minded walking home.

But I would have minded not taking this boy up on his offer.

"Yeah, well, I'm no meteorologist." He says, cocking a wide grin. I was about to take him up on his offer when his face stiffened. Averting his eyes, he mumbled something inaudible and looked at his hands, which were folded together, settled on the open window.

"Wh-what?" I asked, suddenly shy and confused.

"You, your shirt." He said, barley glancing up to meet my eyes.

My eyes widened in shock, and a cold feeling ran through my body like a lightning bold, and it wasn't because of the rain. Glancing downward, I now noticed the rain had made my light pink shirt completely see-through, allowing my beige bra to be easily exposed.

I'm sure my face was cherry-red. I'm sure my eyes were wide and bright with great embarrassment. And I'm positive that by the look on his face, I must've been a sight to see.

I stood there, awkwardly trying to cover myself when a jacket was flung my way. Catching it, I caught the boy's eye, and he gestured to the passenger seat beside him.

"Get in."

I scrambled to get the black jacket on, then walked around his car to the other side. He unlocked the door, and then I was in his car.

Settling in to the cold leather seat, I adjusted the jacket and took a deep breath. Isn't this the kind of thing that parents use to warn us not to do? Talking to strangers, getting in to cars with them, etc.

I took a quick moment to observe his car. It was nice; irritably clean, actually. As if just by my sitting down made the car seem less tidy. Then I looked out the window, and saw that the sky had now formally opened up, and was now crying down on us. It was a mess out there. A beautiful mess, at that.

I heard the clearing of a throat.

I jumped slightly, and turned to meet those brown eyes. An amused expression was settled on his face, then he said to me,

"You really get lost in your thoughts, don't you?"

I looked around awkwardly, not knowing what to say. I realized I had been quietly observing the rain, and then felt silly and child-like. Who gets so excited over rain?

Me, I guess.

"I asked you what your name is." He told me. "Twice actually."

I reddened at the last comment, and replied "Laraine." Then as an afterthought, asked "and you?"

He started the car, and we began moving.

"I'm Ashton. Ashton Irwin. Nice to meet you Laraine." He threw me a side smile, then continued driving.

"Sooooo Laraine, where to?"

"Um, it's actually just a little farther down this road, then turn left, and we're there."

"Alrighty then." Ashton smiled, and turned the radio up slightly. Some song that I had never heard of consumed the small space, and my nerves were bouncing off the walls. The short ride to my house was a beautiful mixture of the soft music being played, Ashton softly humming along, all the while, rain struck down on the windshield, creating a melody when mixed in with the music.

"That one, right there." I interrupted the peaceful music, pointing to my tall, white house settled on the end of the road, nestled between trees on all sides.

"This is the one, eh? Nice place." He said, and I wondered if he was being sarcastic or not. Yes it was big, but it was in no way, shape or form "nice". Not unless "nice" meant ancient.

 "Oh yeah? Thanks."

I opened the door, and stepped outside in to the sheet of rain. As I turned around to thank him, he leaned forward to pull the door shut, then rolled the window down.

"Thanks for taking me home. You really didn't have to do that." I told him.

Hechuckled. "No worries."

I didn't really know what to say after that. And although I would've loved to stand there and talk more to that endearing stranger, it was raining. Hard. And I was late getting home, so I really needed to be inside.

But instead, I stood there a little longer, and just watched him smile at me as I smiled back. Then he said,

"Well, see you around Laraine."

"Bye Ashton." I waved as his car drove off, then turned around and started down my sidewalk and up my stairs. I walked through the front door, and in to the foyer. My house is big, but not the gorgeous, lavish kind of big that you may see in magazines.

No, my house is spacious, and old and creaky and musky. But it's home. I guess.

I walked up the stair and on to the first landing. Then I walked up more stairs on to the second landing. (My house has a lot of stairs.)

I walked in to my room, and immediately got ready for a shower. Starting the water, steamy air filled my bathroom, creating goosebumps on my arms, which were exposed to the cold of rain just earlier.

I had stepped out of my shoes and began taking off my jacket when I realized, this isn't my jacket. Ashton's jacket. My mind raced, thinking of ways to get the jacket back to him, and I worried, hoping it wasn't a favorite of his.

I didn't even have his phone number. Or his las-wait. He did say it. 'Irwin.' That's his last name.

Ashton Irwin.