Why Does Rain Fall

Henning

Henning went from the coolest football star with the head cheerleader to the boy no one knew. He was still on the football and basketball team, and he was still amazing at it, but no one noticed. He had a falling out with all the football players. Someone framed him, and he hated it.

The day it all fell apart, he was trying to get his things together for school. It started out a normal day.

"Mom!" He frantically yelled, "Where are my shoes?"

"In the closet? Where else?"

In his haste to get ready, he had forgotten what a closet was. Real smart, Henning, he thought. He wanted to check on his sister before he left. As he ran up the stairs to speak to her, the devil popped out from the cabinet. He screamed.

"What that hell, Lily?"

She was laughing. "I got you good!" She doubled over, Henning thought it was funny, too, but he didn't show it.

"Hah, hah." He noticed a gleam in her hand. "What's that?"

She stopped laughing. She held up a glass tube with a ball on the bottom, filled with green plants.

"Really?"

"I needed something harder."

He snatched the glass from her hand. Lily didn't stop him. She just stood there, empty eyes and all. She was wearing a t-shirt, all the scars on her wrists on display for the whole family to see. He wanted to help her, to do anything to make his sister feel better. He missed the old Lily so much.

"Henning, the bus is here!" His mom called from downstairs.

"Stay safe. Aren't you going to work?"
"I'm eighteen." Lily rolled her eyes. "I have all the time in the world to work."

"Henning, come on!" His mom yelled louder than before.

He didn't know what to do with the glass he was holding. He wracked his options, he could smash it on the floor, lock it in his room, throw it away. He picked the worst one. Shove it in his bag and go to school.

"Hey, Hen!" Emma was walking up to him, smiling the brightest smile. Jace was behind her.

"Hey, Em. Hey, Jace."

"Is everything okay? You seem a little down." Jace put his hand on Henning's shoulder and walked with him. Emma grabbed Henning's hand.

"I'm okay. Lily is just being..." He stopped as his mind wondered.

"Lily?" Jace chimed in.

"Lily's always being Lily." Emma sighed. "I'm sorry you have to go through that."

"It's not a problem. I'll see you guys later." Henning waved, and Emma gave him a kiss goodbye. Jace waved and hugged Henning like the best friend he's always been. Henning started walking to morning football practice.

The hallways of his middle school were particularly small. Students had to cram their way into every little space in there. The teachers tried to keep them on both sides of the hallway, away from the middle. Kids didn't exactly care, but some tried to follow the rules. Henning was one of them, he didn't think it was very respectful to just disobey the teachers when they probably have a million grey hairs just because of the stress that they gave them. He respected that in teachers.

He finally got to the lockerrooms after a long walk through chaos. Honestly, he liked the chaos. It felt comforting to hear people laugh and be happy, he liked that about the school, and he liked that about the students. They were all happy. Of course, there were a few who would have bad days, but even they would be happy at the end of the day. He had an optimistic view of life.