It's been a summer full of rain here in Breeland. So much so it makes you wonder if it actually is in fact summer at all. Dark rain clouds paint the sky almost every day and the droplets that fall heavily from them make it hard to see when you're out, but I don't really mind. I love the rain. Whenever I have the time to stop and admire it from the window of my bedroom, I take it. There's a certain beauty to rain; the way it can fall from a cloud and hit the ground, giving life to something in need. Most people find rain to be unlucky. But I think just the opposite.
"Brad!"
Mother calls my name from downstairs. I quickly shut my window and walk over to my bed, gathering my books and shoving them neatly into my leather messenger bag on top of my bed. I throw it over my shoulder and exit my bedroom. In a rush, I make my way downstairs and into the kitchen. Knowing I won't have enough time to sit and eat breakfast, I walk over to the table and cut myself a slice of toast from the center of the table. I marinate it with jelly and take a bite from it before walking over to the refrigerator to grab a bottle of apple juice.
"I expect you to be home right after school to help at the bakery, no later than 3:00." Mother says, cutting the roses from her garden shorter to fit in her favorite glass vase. She always cuts them shorter, but never removes the thorns. She always leaves those on.
"Yes, Mother." I nod.
I make my way out of the kitchen after saying my goodbye to Mother and stop at the front door. I get my coat from the coat rack and slip it on before exiting. When I make it out I notice that the rain has stopped and the clouds have slowly started to disappear from the sky. I take this as a sign to leave my coat home, but I know better. It will start to rain again sooner or later, and the last thing I want is to walk home in the rain with nothing but a knitted sweater to protect myself with.
I start to take my normal route towards school and look around me as I see the same people from the previous years doing the same. All of them are in their own conversation and I cant help but feel alone. This is the first year of high school where none of my older brothers will be with me. Normally, Jack and I would be walking together right now. Like we did every first day and almost every day after that. Jack doing the talking, me doing the listening.
I'm not really one for talking, which is why Jack would do me the favor of doing it for the both of us. The oldest from my two brothers, Zac, never walked with us. He was a senior when I was a sophomore and Jack was a Junior, so he had his own friends to walk with. So did Jack, but he walked with me out of kindness and pity, although he would never admit to me that the second reason actually existed.
Reaching the end of the third block I spot that familiar brown coat followed by those golden locks. Smiling, I see her turn around and I watch as she looks around, her hands tucked into the pockets of her coat.
"Brad!" she smiles, finally seeing me. "Hey!"
It is no secret that I am not popular among my peers. To no one, not even my parents. It has just always been that way. The only person who I can say I have a solid friendship with is my best friend Bella, but the only time I get to really see her now is during breaks and before school. Lunch time, if we have the same lunch, and after school, if she has time. I understand she has other friends. Friends with Mothers that permit them to do things after school. And to be quite honest, friends who are better than I am.
Her smile is bright as she walks towards me, giving me a firm hug once she reaches me that I kindly return. I smile back down at her as we pull away from each other, happy to see her. It's the first time I have seen her in weeks.
"How's it been?" she asks. We begin walking the remaining blocks towards school and I answer her question, asking her the same after. She tells me about the two week vacation her family took to California to visit some family members and then the last week of vacation and how she spent it with friends. I could have done some of those things, I think to myself as she talks about them. But I quickly remember the bruise I got under my left eye after I wouldn't stop insisting to Mother if I could when Bella would ask.
