Page 21 of As the Rain Falls
Nothing happens.
Tilting my head up, I blink confusedly while deep blue eyes stare back at me.
“You’re good?”
“A-ham!”
Better yet, I’m safe. Safe and being pulled up, up, up until I am standing on my two feet again. My neighbor’s hands. Warm, steady, reliable fingers around my waist, keeping me from falling again.
I should really not be thinking about how large his hands are right now.
Stop thinking about his hands!
Beckett Evans scratches his chin, seemingly bothered about something. “You know, you could really hurt yourself by walking around in this weather.”
“I know,” I whisper, wincing as he holds me by the arm. “But I’m late to school.”
“School?” Beckett echoes, sounding almost alarmed. “Cass, that’s really not a good enough reason for you to go outside right now.”
“Nathaniel can’t drive me,” I explain sadly, gasping with pain. “Well, at least not today.”
Beckett frowns suspiciously at my words, and my cheeks start to redden immediately.
“He is such a useless fucker.”
“Be nice. That’s Nathaniel you’re talking about,” I point out, holding his shoulder to keep myself from slipping again. “No matter what, he’s still my brother, remember?”
“Yeah, well. It is what it is.” He lowers himself to inspect my scratches, brushes his fingers gently over my knees, and cleaning up the dirty water that’s around the wound. “At least I’m not saying it behind your back.”
“I guess you’re right,” I smile weakly because I do appreciate his honesty.
“Of course, I am.” Beckett pulls his hair back, fingers dragging to the back of his head and neck in a hurry, before he stares at my house.
A second later, he locks eyes with me again.
I try not to stare back at him for too long, but it’s impossible not to. His eyes are made of a deep blue, almost indigo with the poor lighting, whereas mine are always a bright green. His are definitely prettier.
My umbrella is flying away, rolling onto the grass and being dragged by the harsh wind.I motion to pick it up, but Beckett does it for me.
“Let me help you.”
“Sure.”
I won’t complain about being helped, not when my uniform is almost entirely wet. Helping is what boys like him are for, after all.
The blue pleated skirt and the white cotton chemise are sticking to my skin. The black sweater I picked to wear on top of it is ruined by the rain too.I feel disgusting.
Beckett slips the umbrella over our heads, and the rain falls above the pink nylon fabric. I dry my face with the back of my hand, my back shuddering.
God, it’s really amazing how much you can notice about someone when you really want to notice something. He wears a tight black t-shirt and oversized grey sweatpants hanging low around his hips, looking like he just rolled out of bed.It’s a good look on him, but seriously, Beckett looks good wearing just about anything.
“Why didn’t you knock? You know I can just drive you.”
When I don’t say anything, he just shakes his head.
Thunderstorms again.
Louder this time.
