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RA 22: The Umbrella

A/N: I forget what day it is in this flashback, it's still the day of the Cassandra chapter maybe the 30th of September '98. Either way, the events lie below:

The last flashback though, I forgot to include one very important detail. 

When our teacher was approaching us after our mini argument in the halls, he was deeply offended that we, students, weren't seated and ready to start the school day. Instead, we decided to battle it out in the halls. We weren't allowed back into the classroom without a firm disciplining loud enough for everyone in the halls to hear. 

Thus, we had to spend a very boring, wasteful hour after school with a bunch of other students where we got a lecture on how to behave. Henry was there and I made sure to stay as far away from him as possible. The whole time I was super anxious to get out. We weren't allowed to do anything but listen to the lecture in complete and utter silence. Homework was included. I had a million and one things to do at home and this was not helping, not to mention the fact that my mom wasn't contacted. She'd have a whole fit to know that I'd arrived late. It's not like she would be home in time to know that. No, my little sister would proudly get me in trouble - free of charge!

I had to pee too and I had a weak bladder. If I did not watch the clock tick for tock, I would probably end up losing focus, stop the tapping of my foot - the only thing keeping things dry - and pee myself. 

When we were finally dismissed, I ran. Not without being called out though because apparently the only thing staff around here was concerned with was running in the halls and arguing in the halls. 

Needless to say, I did not make it on time. I was holding my backside, unable to cut off the flowing stream as if that's do something other than block other people from seeing me. 

When I finally sat (yes, SAT!) on the toilet I was relieved, but not for long.

There was pee on the floor, in my pants, on the toilet bowl, running down my leg...looking back on it, there was not that much pee, but as someone that had not succumbed to the "age bladder" yet, it was a lot!

I sat in the bathroom for ages with a shocked expression on my face. How could I have done that? Me? The girl that was potty trained at 4 months?!

Still in a rush, I tried drying my pants under the hand dryers but it just made the pants smell...off, so decided not leave that bathroom until I was sure everyone important was out of bounds.

Peeking out of the bathroom there was no no one and no sound. I was in the clear.

Walking into the halls without a single soul around to see my drenched pants was worth the extra hour. That is until I hear rain start pouring on the building. 

Rain and the cold and walking didn't mix in the best of circumstances. Today it wasn't any different. The only upside was that I had a single, child-sized umbrella. 

Waltzing out of the building I could not escape the fact that no matter how dreadful it is to be outside while it is raining, the sound of the raindrops splashing onto everything in sight was calming. Stepping outside, I couldn't miss out on the chance to breathe in the air. 

And when I took the first step away from school grounds after opening my eyes, I could hear squeaking to my right. 

The sound was coming from Henry. It was pouring on him as he was hunched over a rusty old pickup truck fiddling with whatever was under the bonnet.

It was starting to get really freezing out and he had nothing by a long sleeved shirt on. The parking lot was void of any vehicles. I couldn't picture anyone helping him any time soon. And suddenly I couldn't see myself heading anywhere soon.