Thunder to your Rain (YA)

[7.5]

Rain's POV

The last thing I saw before the tears fell was Isaac walking away from me. Leaving me. Walking away from our friendship. Heavy steps crushing the earth, trudging through the grass away from me. The root of all his problems.

How could I not have seen it? Mistaken his overt politeness for just that, politeness. It didn't appear odd how much more attention he paid me than Devonte. I thought it was just his personality.

How could I have been so stupid to not notice it? I just thought that's how friends were supposed to be. He's a great fucking friend too.

I didn't realize his affectionate behavior towards me wasn't normal. I didn't realize he had ulterior motives for being so attentive. Having such a strong different gender platonic relationship was new to me.

With me his hugs were longer, more meaningful, our phone calls were longer and he actually listened to me. None of my issues were lost in translation. Now all of that is just gone. Just like that.

He was the person I confided in when I just needed advice and not judgement. I couldn't tell Gray everything. When I needed to hear a joke or rant about something that only he could understand.

I looked around before I really let the tears out. I couldn't have random people walking up to me asking me for explanations for my tears. I doubt I could even form coherent sentences at the moment.

I can't believe I'm going to lose him and I can't do a single fucking thing about it. All I can do is wait and give him time. But I have no idea how much time he'll need. And I need him. He means so much to me.

I pull my knees into my chest and cover my face with my hands. My eyes are beginning to sting because of the tears and I just wish I could fucking disappear.

Isaac's POV

I jogged back over to Devonte and Gray heart heavy, holding my own tears back.

"Gray, she needs you," I state, with a pained expression.

"What is it? Her period? It can't be, it's too early," Gray standing on her way over to Rain.

Before she passes me I stop and whisper, "I told her," Her eyes widen and she nods with understanding and dashes over there.

As much as it pains me to see one of my best friend's hurting, I need to focus on me right now. I respect that she'll never see me how I see her and I need to find a way to continue living without her being such an important part of my life.

Devonte notices my expression and takes his headphones out.

"Hey, are you crying? What happened?" He says pulling me down to sit beside him.

"I told Rain I liked her," I say laying down and getting comfortable on his lap.

"Wait what, you LIKE Rain? And I'm just hearing this NOW? For how long?" He says running a hand through my hair.

"Just a little over 3 months. But she likes him," I say pointing to Luke's general direction.

"Dude, don't point, open palm like I showed you," He starts. "I'm sorry not the time," He says shaking his head.

"Not helping dude, but keep doing that to my hair. It feels nice," I say.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asks sounding hurt. I didn't realize that keeping this from him would hurt that much.

"I thought I'd be over it quickly but after the first month I realized I was in too deep," I respond calmly.

"I didn't even see it, it wasn't noticeable at all," He comments.

"I just don't know how to live without her, she's everywhere literally she's practically embedded in the seams of my clothes." I proclaim dramatically cheeks dampening.

"Just keep doing what you've been doing, but now realize that it's just cause she's your friend and not cause you like her." He says trying to comfort me.

"But that's just it, I don't know how to do that." I replied feeling defeated.

"It can't be that hard," He replies nonchalantly.

But it's gonna be close to impossible.

Gray's POV

I definitely should've changed into my pants before coming outside. It's freezing out here. This fucking Chicago weather is irritating. It was literally in the 70s this morning. I don't understand how the temperature dropped so quickly.

I've walked too far from my backpack to run and get my sweater now. Fuck this shit.

I spot Rain underneath a tree. It looks like she's crying and when I get a closer look, I realize that she is, in fact crying. Fuck what do I do?

I sit next to her and she doesn't budge. "It's Gray, Isaac told me he told you," I say leaning on her shoulder.

That brings her out of her stupor immediately. Her eyes a red tinge and tears drying up on her cheeks.

I look down at the bottom of her blue shirt is stained from her crying.

"You knew?" She asks incredulously and in disbelief.

"Yeah," I reply nodding my head and looking down. My normally confident demeanor is deteriorating at the sight of Rain in such distress.

"I'm glad he had you in his corner when he was going through this." Rain says wiping her eyes. "I didn't even realize he was hurting this much. What type of friend am I that I couldn't even see that he was in pain?" She finishes shaking her head at herself.

"It's not your fault, he hid is so well." I say trying to comfort her. Then, I scoot closer to rub her back.

I'm not really good at this type of thing. I've never been good at comforting people when they're upset. I feel like this is something I should be able to do but why is this so hard. It's breaking my heart to see both of them like this.