Chapter 7 Nothing Special

Mollie

Rain hit the roof like pellets, hard enough to wake me up. I realized I did not have to set my alarm anymore, because no matter what, something was bound to drag me up at five thirty every blessed morning.

I peeled my tender body off the mattress. The first thing I did was scoop Bow up and carry her outside. She made it very clear she did not like the rain. I waited until she finished pooping, then let her back in. You would have thought she was a dog.

Once my tea finished brewing, I poured a mug and stepped outside to check my plants. I did not want the rain to wash away my hard work. That would be awful. I would lose money, and I could not afford that right now.

I was never shy about rain. I loved the drops hitting my face. It felt like being replenished. Who needed a spa?

I tipped my head back, letting the rain run down my neck. I pushed my fingers through my hairline and dragged them through the length of my hair. I loved it. The rain here was purer than the rain in the city. You could taste poison in city rain. Here, it felt like a warm shower. It did not give me goosebumps. It soothed me.

When I saw my crops would be fine, I leaned my back against the front of the house and let myself sink into the wet grass. Water poured off the roof and hit my calf, splashing everywhere. I did not care.

In the distance, I saw that boy who looked like Paisley with Lanna. They rushed into the town restaurant, but before they went in, he teased her with a kiss. They looked like they were in love.

I tilted my head, confused, lost in thought. I had never really seen love. I never had a father. I was raised by a single mother. She was single because she was raped in a park, and that was how I came into the world. I was not just a mistake. I was a reminder of the worst night of her life.

The man who raped her carried HPV. It turned into cancer.

Even though I came from something horrible, she loved me anyway. She loved me with everything she had. But she was gone now.

And I was still here, more alone than ever.

And judging by the hospitality on this island, I would be alone for a long time.

Right on cue, one of the biggest assholes I had ever met strutted down the path toward the animal shop. He did not seem to mind the rain, but his face said otherwise. He moved fast, headed straight for the animal barn. His shaggy silver hair was weighed down beneath his hat. It looked unfairly good. His wet black shirt stuck to him in all the right places.

“For someone so attractive,” I muttered as I sat up to start my day, feeling grass and mud stuck to my backside, “he’s got a rotten personality.”

Vaughn

“You’re fucking kidding me,” I muttered as I squinted toward the farm.

There in the distance, if my eyes were not lying to me, the stupid ranch girl was sitting out in the pouring rain in her pajamas.

I scowled. Girls never wore pajamas outside here. It was inappropriate. No one wanted to see what you wore to bed. That was personal.

I shook my head, yanked my hat lower, and stormed inside. I had no time to worry about her. She took up enough of my time yesterday.

Elliot was sitting on the sofa. I shot him a nasty glare as I passed and headed into my room. For whatever reason Julia wanted him, I would never understand. I tried to set her up with my buddy Gray once, but their attitudes clashed. Gray was a good guy. Julia was annoying as sin.

I pulled my hat off and stared out the window. Black clouds swallowed the sky. Looks like a lightning storm.

I smirked when thunder rumbled in the distance. Thunder was one thing I did approve of. It made people nervous. It made them crawl indoors. I liked that.

“OMG, Elliot!” Julia screeched from the hall. “I HATE THUNDER!”

I pictured her clinging to him like a barnacle.

Julia was a drama queen. Always had been. She was not afraid of thunder. When I first met her, she told me she liked falling asleep to storms. She just wanted an excuse to crawl into that loser’s space.

I snickered as I started packing. I left tonight, so I might as well get my stuff together now and relax later.

Mollie

Another giant clap of thunder hit the moment I pulled the last weed from the field. I knew I should not be outside. But the flashes through my window were distracting me, and those weeds were worse. I would not relax knowing they were still out there.

“That was nothing,” I muttered, wiping my dirty wet hands together. They smelled like dandelion. I made a mental note not to touch my mouth. Dandelion tasted awful.

I crawled back inside, killed time with a bubble bath, and made vegetable soup.

I was bored out of my mind.

An hour passed. Then two. Then three.

I stared at Bow and whined, “I am bored.”

What did I do during storms in the city? I hung out with Paisley. Or sat on my balcony in the rain.

I glanced at the mirror, then at Bow in my lap. She was a warm little ball of sunshine. I smiled.

Bow was my first pet.

My eyes widened. How did I not realize that?

Mom was always sick. We could never afford an animal. I clapped my hands and squealed. I expected my first pet to be a cat or a dog, not a sweet innocent chick.

“You’re special, little girl,” I whispered.

Then I saw my red bandana in the mirror. I looked at Bow.

An excited smile lit up my face. Finally, something to do.

“Hey, little guy,” I said, “how would you like to be twins?”

I dug out a needle, thread, scissors, and an old red sexy firefighter outfit.

“Voila,” I said, grinning at the mirror.

Bow now had a tiny red bandana tied around her neck.

I could not stop smiling. She looked ridiculous and adorable.

The excitement faded, and I ended up sprawled on the sofa again, staring at patterns in the oak ceiling.

I wondered what Paisley was doing right now.

I missed him. He always made me laugh. He always kept me grounded, even with my messed up past. He would love hearing what I was doing now, even if he would not believe it. He would laugh and call me full of it.

I smirked as my brain mimicked his voice.

I wanted to call him. I would not tell him people were being unpleasant. He would come here, and I could not have that. He was one of the biggest things I had to leave behind.

I grabbed my phone and punched in his number. Reflex.

“Hello?” a female voice answered.

Of course. Typical Paisley.

“May I speak to Paisley?” I asked.

“Oh, sorry,” she said. “He moved out last spring. I’m the new tenant. Sorry.”

“Oh.”

He moved?

“Alright. Bye.”

I hung up and stared at the screen.

Where did he go? Did he quit the club? Did he owe money? Was he hurt? Did he meet a girl?

I spent ten minutes building possibilities until I forced myself to stop.

“I have to stop doing this,” I said out loud. “He can take care of himself.”

I knew that was a lie. I just would not let the thought rise.

I left. Why could he not leave too?

I checked the clock. It was almost seven.

If I stayed inside, I would not sleep tonight. I pulled on cutoff jeans and a long-sleeved black shirt, then opened the door and let my bare feet lead me where they wanted.

I knew where they would go.

My favorite place so far.

I passed the cafe and heard laughter again. The young crowd must meet there every night. It would not hurt them to invite me, not that I would trust it anyway. I would expect a prank.

I shook the thought away and listened to rain tapping the cobblestone, sharp and clinking. When I reached the beach, the rain sounded deeper, heavier.

I collapsed onto the wet wharf until my back lay flat against the boards. I closed my eyes and took a slow breath.

This was the life.

Heavy boots thudded on the wood.

I felt someone’s presence.

I did not look up. I just crossed my fingers and prayed it was not who I thought.