HYMN OF THE RAIN

It's Long Gone

"Are you sure about this?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Linda eyes me carefully as if she's trying to spot any trace of doubt on me. But when she finds none, she sighs in defeat.

"It's worth a month's work."

"Yep. They need it more than I do."

She finally smiles, "That's nice of you, Sash. It really is."

"They won't accept it from me, especially him," I reason, hoping she'd understand why I'd drag her into his, "That's why I need your help."

"I understand." she nods, "I'll figure out how to give it to him. I really hope he's not that adamant to refuse."

"He's a difficult one." I admit.

The door opens and we both go straight back to work.

I look at who it is and I almost jump when I realize who it is. Linda and I exchange a knowing look and to be honest, I don't know whether Linda will just give it to him or not.

"Do you have 'Brown Horses?'" he quizzes Linda and she nods. Then after thanking her, he goes straight to the child's section.

I immediately hold two nearest books I can find, having my back against him at the racks. After a few moments, he finally acknowledges my presence.

"Sash?"

I turn around, still holding the books, "Yeah?"

"Can you help me? I can't find it," then an amused smile grows as he realizes the books I'm holding, "Oh, there it is."

I look down at the books and sure enough, one of them is the book he's been after. I chuckle, "Yeah, here it is. Is he done with the books I gave him?"

Jo nods, "He likes them."

"Yeah?"

"Mhm. Maybe you can recommend some next time."

"Or maybe I can give them some more."

He shakes his head, "No way. You've given enough."

Then he heads to the cashier after saying he needs to go. I bid him goodbye before he's off to pay his book.

Even with my back against them and my hands busy arranging the books, my ears are perked up to hear Linda's words.

She can't possibly just hand it over without a plan. Yet somehow I'm anxiously waiting for the bomb to drop.

When the door closes though, I turn to look at my boss who sighs. She looks at me with a weak smile, "You really have to pray for me for this one, Sash."

◐◐

Megan stays at our house last night.

She's leaving tonight and so Mom asked me to come home early. 

It's only 4 p.m. and I'm already on my way home.

I can already hear Mom's laughter from the living room. When I get to the living room, the women in the house are lounging on the sofa as they're watching 21 Jump Street.

"He's so hot."

"As hot as Peter?"

Rachel flips a finger to Megan, who's sitting across her. Mom scolds her, while Megan is busy laughing.

"Where's that dude anyway?"

"I've broken up with him, remember?" Rachel hisses, but that doesn't stop Megan from asking further.

"Yeah, but your Mom told me he visited and had dinner here, right?"

"I'm not going back to him!"

Megan notices me while I try to slip quietly upstairs, "Sasha, do you think your sister will get back to Peter?"

"Probably not."

She feigns hurt, "Why are you on her side?"

I share a look with Rachel before joining them, "I'm not. But from the looks of it-"

"Sasha, you can't just say there won't be any possible reconciliation just because she says so."

"Hey!"

"She doesn't like him anymore." I shrug.

"Well I bet," Megan puffs her chest, ", they'd get together."

Rachel rolls her eyes while Mom joins Megan, "How about you, Sash?"

"I don't think so." I crack a smile and Megan quickly points at me with her index finger.

"You owe me 20 dollars if it happens!"

It's my turn to roll  my eyes at her childish attempt to win over the situation, "Okay, Megan."

When the film is over, Mom rushes all of us to get ready for dinner. 

All of us are piled into Mom's car except Miles and gran, who want to stay home. Then after debating about where to eat, Mom drives us to her favorite pizza restaurant.

The conversation over dinner is pretty much the same.

Megan tells Mom about her friends, then she attempts to convince Mom to let Rachel visit her some time.

"I bet my friends will love her, Dot," then she goes on, "She'll go home with a boyfriend."

Rachel chokes on her iced tea, before coughing for some time. I pat her back as she scolds her best friend, "You can't be serious Meg."

"But I am!"

"Then I'm not going to go!"

"Now, now Rachel, she doesn't mean it." Mom calms them down, while I hardly believe her. Megan is exactly the type of friend who'd do so. But at the same time, her cheerfulness makes it so easy to like her.

"You really need to get yourself a boyfriend before helping me."

"I already have one, dummy. That's why I want one for you so we can go on a double date."

Rachel rolls her eyes, "You never told me."

"It's still so early, I'd rather not run around and tell people."

Then Megan turns to look at me, "What about you Sasha? Anyone catches your eye?"

I answer at the same time as Mom does, "No, Meg."

"She definitely is seeing someone."

I glare at Mom, while she innocently shrugs.

"She just won't admit it to us." she pretends to whisper to Megan, who in turn excitedly asks me.

"No, Meg. Mom is saying absolute nonsense."

"Oh, Sasha! First, it's Rachel then it's you. What's with you two and trying to keep it all a secret?"

"She's telling the truth." Rachel backs me up on this one and I shot her a grateful look.

It's no use trying to stand against those two though. In the end, Mom gives in when Megan urges her to tell about Jo. I eat my way through it, while Rachel seems very tired to see those two gossiping in front of us.

"That's why I don't want them together," Rachel admits when we both go to the toilet, "They're an annoying combo."

"I know." I look at her with pity as I remember the times I used to leave those three alone in exchange as some alone time.

I loved playing my Nintendo alone as a kid without giving a single thought about what's happening around me. I should've stood by poor Rachel as she got teased by those two.