THE GIRL AND THE RAINDROPS

"The rain is beautiful, isn't it?" my words were mostly neglected thoughts that found their way to my lips. The rain poured harder, feeling the cool glass on my palm.

"If you mean dreary and depressing, then yes, it's marvelous," he snickered back, looking out the same window as me.

I gave him a look, not anger or annoyance, from his snarky comment, but pity. "You really don't see its beauty?" I felt sad for him.

He gave a grimace, "Not really. Doesn't rain mean Mother Nature is crying or something?"

My eyes studied the window, looking back at the view. The train was going hundreds and hundreds of miles at this point, but the nature of Oregon never disappointed their quick guests. "Mother Nature isn't exactly crying," I spoke. "She's renewing everything, giving everything a fresh chance for things to blossom."

I could feel his eyes on me, staring at another view. "After the storm, it's a rebirth of everything. Everything blooms together. That's why it's beautiful," I looked at him.

He didn't say anything, allowing me to keep up with my mindless tatters of thoughts.

Thunder trailed as I turned back to the window. "I've always admired raindrops. They don't mind falling because they never fall alone."

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One train trip, two teenagers. Elaine Mennick, an witty, rambling Senior, heading to San Francisco to visit her grandmother, to fill the void of her mother's death. Aiden Rollo, a snarky, arrogant, yet insidiously intelligent boy touring colleges, is leaving Seattle to head back home to the city of angels. Two completely different strangers stuck together on twenty four hour train ride. From mindless chatter turned to their deepest thoughts. It's easy to admit things to a stranger you'll never see again, but what if you don't want them to be a stranger anymore?

Their story should have ended after the train ride, but it didn't.
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started: may 26th 2020