RAINDROPS

Chapter 6

As I walk up to the car I see Jack tapping his fingers on the steering wheel with a concerned look on his face. When I open the door I see it flood with relief. It makes me feel even more guilty so I decide to apologise.

'I'm sorry I took so long.' I say.

He starts the car. 'It's okay.' he says. 'What happened though? Do you want to talk about it? Are you alright?' His voice is thick with worry, somehow even though we've only known each other for two days I think he cares about me.

Nick's bright, angry green eyes pop back into my mind, his bloody face. I want to start to cry all over again. Shaking my head I try to delete the image.

'No, I'm sorry.' I tell him, apologizing again. I don't want to lie to him, but I can't tell him right now. 'I just don't want to talk about it right now...' I hesitate for a second before continuing. 'Would you... Would you maybe want to talk about it later?'

He watches me with a kind and understanding look on his face. 'Okay.' He simply says, before turning up the volume to another Queen song. The song manages to distract me of what happened for a short while, but when it ends questions start to enter my mind, overtaking my thoughts.

Why did I see the secretary dead in her office? How did my parents die? What did the lady at the funeral want to tell me, before dying? Why was some random guy in my bathroom, covered in blood? Who is he? How did he know my name? How did he get those wounds? Who did that to him?

Jack's singing along to the next song, but I don't join in. Clouds are forming in the air, darkening the streets.

There is a storm coming. Beware.

A voice interrupts my thought, clear as day. I look over at Jack, who's still singing the lyrics to the song as if nothing happened, so I'm pretty sure he didn't hear it.

Before I get the chance to overthink whatever it could mean, we arrive back at the house. After we enter he notices a note from his mom on the kitchen counter.

Your dad and I will be home later, he had something come up with his job and I'm going to your grandma's. You probably don't remember me telling you...

Anyways there's food in the fridge and cabinets. You know where to find it.

Love mom

'Guess we'll have to make our own dinner.' He says to me, a smile playing on his lips. He looks excited to do it and I gladly welcome the distraction.

He starts to get pots and pans from the cabinets. I make myself useful by washing them while he gets the food that we'll need to use.

He puts me in charge of boiling the pasta as he is cutting the vegetables. I try to tell him I can't cook, but it's no use. He claims everyone can cook. I know he's just trying to get back at me for making him wait when he starts to chuckle softly.

'Jack help me out here, please?' I say, only making him laugh at me more. His eyes are sparkling and he makes no move to help me.

The pasta has been boiling for ten minutes now, and water is coming over the top. He stops laughing and quickly helps me, taking of the lid.

'I'm sorry.' He says. 'I didn't know you were this bad at cooking.'

I sigh. 'I know. I'm a terrible cook.'

The door opens and a couple of seconds later Evelyn enters the kitchen. 

'Hi guys!' she says. 'Have you eaten yet?'

She looks really happy with a big smile on her face. She throws her bag on the couch and takes a seat at the kitchentable. She looks at us and awaits a response. Jack and I look at each other and he is the first to answer.