All the days collided one less perfect than the next
I was stuck inside someone else's life and always second best
----------------
Rain yawned, sitting up slowly in her bed. She glanced over at her alarm clock and guilt punched right through her chest. She threw the covers off in one quick motion before realizing that it was Saturday... She didn't have school. Halloween was tomorrow, and it felt like her first two months of school had flown by in the blink of an eye.
But time always did seem to for her. Because she always seemed to be lost in something. The date held no relevance when your days were so strictly scheduled that it became less about the day of the week and more about getting to each thing on the list.
She searched through the blankets on her bed for her phone, not even sure what she was expecting to see... Or what she wanted to see.
Nash had handled the news about her transfer to London surprisingly well. She had held to the sentiment that they had almost a year left together, and she could see her on breaks.
She also was holding firmly to the belief that there was no question that Rain would get in. That she would be leaving for London next fall, and nothing else could be considered.
In the end that just equaled out to Rain feeling like she had someone new to disappoint if she didn't.
-Are you ready for tomorrow?!-
Halloween had never been a day that Rain enjoyed much. She was seventeen now, and the idea of dressing up and getting candy didn't really appeal to her anymore.
And her best friend was all about partying for it. Which Rain didn't do. She'd never had alcohol, she'd never smoked or touched any kind of drug. Any time Nash had taken her to a party, she stood awkwardly in the corner and watched people act stupid until she could safely make an escape home.
But she tried to echo back her best friend's excitement, although she knew her reply was probably completely transparent.
-I can't wait, love.-
She had another text message, but she wasn't sure who it was from. She didn't even know how anyone could have gotten her number. She politely asked who it was before her breath caught in her chest at the response.
-It's Ryan, and I heard there's a Halloween party tomorrow, and I demand to be invited.-
That was news? But at least that solved the problem of how he got her number. It could have been a number of people.
-Why would you want to go to a teenager's Halloween party?-
The answer appeared in moments.
-Because you're going to be there. And I happen to like parties.-
Well, that makes one of us.
She hesitated a moment before responding, laying back against the massive pillows along the top of her bed. Maybe it would give her someone to talk to while Nash was busy hitting on everything that moved and drinking way too much for a seventeen year old girl.
-Okay. You can come. But I'm not wearing a costume.-
-Cool. I'd say that I'm not, but my costume comes already intact.-
She wasn't sure what that meant... But she wasn't sure that she wanted to know either. She assumed it had something to do with whatever all the Hunters were. It was obvious with the way they all acted when their families were together. They weren't like normal humans.
That's because they're vampires, stupid.
"Oh..."
She said the word quietly as her own mind remembered that tiny fact. She tossed her phone amidst the collection of blankets on her bed, pulling one of her pillows over her face.
"A vampire thinks I'm beautiful. I'm in Twilight now."
I was stuck inside someone else's life and always second best
----------------
Rain yawned, sitting up slowly in her bed. She glanced over at her alarm clock and guilt punched right through her chest. She threw the covers off in one quick motion before realizing that it was Saturday... She didn't have school. Halloween was tomorrow, and it felt like her first two months of school had flown by in the blink of an eye.
But time always did seem to for her. Because she always seemed to be lost in something. The date held no relevance when your days were so strictly scheduled that it became less about the day of the week and more about getting to each thing on the list.
She searched through the blankets on her bed for her phone, not even sure what she was expecting to see... Or what she wanted to see.
Nash had handled the news about her transfer to London surprisingly well. She had held to the sentiment that they had almost a year left together, and she could see her on breaks.
She also was holding firmly to the belief that there was no question that Rain would get in. That she would be leaving for London next fall, and nothing else could be considered.
In the end that just equaled out to Rain feeling like she had someone new to disappoint if she didn't.
-Are you ready for tomorrow?!-
Halloween had never been a day that Rain enjoyed much. She was seventeen now, and the idea of dressing up and getting candy didn't really appeal to her anymore.
And her best friend was all about partying for it. Which Rain didn't do. She'd never had alcohol, she'd never smoked or touched any kind of drug. Any time Nash had taken her to a party, she stood awkwardly in the corner and watched people act stupid until she could safely make an escape home.
But she tried to echo back her best friend's excitement, although she knew her reply was probably completely transparent.
-I can't wait, love.-
She had another text message, but she wasn't sure who it was from. She didn't even know how anyone could have gotten her number. She politely asked who it was before her breath caught in her chest at the response.
-It's Ryan, and I heard there's a Halloween party tomorrow, and I demand to be invited.-
That was news? But at least that solved the problem of how he got her number. It could have been a number of people.
-Why would you want to go to a teenager's Halloween party?-
The answer appeared in moments.
-Because you're going to be there. And I happen to like parties.-
Well, that makes one of us.
She hesitated a moment before responding, laying back against the massive pillows along the top of her bed. Maybe it would give her someone to talk to while Nash was busy hitting on everything that moved and drinking way too much for a seventeen year old girl.
-Okay. You can come. But I'm not wearing a costume.-
-Cool. I'd say that I'm not, but my costume comes already intact.-
She wasn't sure what that meant... But she wasn't sure that she wanted to know either. She assumed it had something to do with whatever all the Hunters were. It was obvious with the way they all acted when their families were together. They weren't like normal humans.
That's because they're vampires, stupid.
"Oh..."
She said the word quietly as her own mind remembered that tiny fact. She tossed her phone amidst the collection of blankets on her bed, pulling one of her pillows over her face.
"A vampire thinks I'm beautiful. I'm in Twilight now."
----------------
The door to the bathroom fell shut quietly behind Rain and she sighed, a much quieter atmosphere settling around her. One thing about Nash was certain: She was almost Rain's opposite. She flourished in this area. Parties, people, noise. All Rain wanted was to be back home. Practicing, or reading. Anything but in the midst of a party full of a bunch of heavily breathing teenage drunk people.
When a knock resounded from the other side of the door, Rain squeezed her eyes shut. She responded, but her voice was so quiet she wasn't sure that the person knocking even heard her.
"Occupied. I'll be out in a minute."
"Rain, it's Ryan. Are you actually using the bathroom, or are you just hiding? Because my guess is the second one."
Rain let out a breath, looking herself over in the mirror on the opposite wall. She walked over to the door, opening it just enough to see Ryan's tall form on the other side.
"I'm hiding. I don't do well with massive amounts of people."
Ryan nodded, glancing over his shoulder.
"Coming from the girl who performs on a stage in front of hundreds of people."
Rain shifted her weight, opening the door a little wider.
"Dancing is different. It doesn't feel like they're actually looking at me. Just looking at what I can do."
Ryan leaned against the frame, looking her over.
"You don't see them when you're up there, do you?"
Rain opened the door the rest of the way and took a step back.
"I don't see anything really. My mind kind of goes blank and all I'm aware of is what I have to do."
Ryan didn't move into the room, he just kept watching her. Like she was the most interesting thing he could look at at this party full of people.
"You're giving me anxiety staring at me like that. Did I say something wrong?"
Ryan laughed quietly, dropping his glance from her.
"No, Rain. You didn't do anything wrong. Do you ever?"
Rain leaned against the sink, her chest buzzing with static.
"Seems like that's all I do."
Ryan opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a random girl pushing past him. She rushed over to the toilet next to Rain and pulled the seat up, falling to her knees. Rain immediately pushed off of the sink and rushed over to Ryan, exiting the room and making her way down the hall. The last thing she wanted was to watch some girl throwing up.
Well, no, that was a lie. The last thing she wanted was to be here at all.
"Rain. Jesus, for someone so short, you're fast."
Rain turned to face Ryan, her cheeks pink and her chest still spinning.
"I have to be."
Ryan seemed unsure of what to even say. Like she left him without words.
"Why did you even come to this thing if you don't like crowds?"
Rain bit down on her lip and looked around the room. She could barely hear Ryan over the music, it made her skin crawl.
"Nash is my best friend and she asked me to come."
Her voice was almost inaudible and he still heard her somehow.
"You don't have to do things that you don't want to do just because someone asks. No matter how much you care about them."
She looked up at him and shrugged a shoulder.
"That's what I do, you know. What everyone expects of me. That's all I've ever done."
Ryan shook his head from side to side. Just once.
"Well you shouldn't.
Based on who your mother is, I don't see why you're like that. The last thing she ever would have done is what anyone else told her to do."
His words were casual, innocent. He meant nothing by them, but irritation filled Rain's stomach and she directed her eyes up to his, her jaw tight.
"Yes. I know. I'm nothing like my mother. I'm not charismatic or infectious or gorgeous. I'm not fun, or smart, or anything she was. Thank you for reminding me, just like everyone else does."
She wanted to stop speaking, but she couldn't seem to. She just kept going, the words spilling out of her throat in an anxiety ridden mess.
"Why are you even wasting your time talking to me? I'm nothing special. I'll never be anything special. I can't be what anyone wants me to be."
She twisted her hands together in front of her, tears stinging her eyes.
"I have to go."
"Rain, I didn't mean it like that."
He reached out for her arm as she turned to go, but she sidestepped him.
"I know you didn't. No one ever does."
She turned the corner and ran straight into a staircase. She took the steps two at a time to the top, putting as much distance as she could between herself and the tall boy with purple eyes.
The door to the bathroom fell shut quietly behind Rain and she sighed, a much quieter atmosphere settling around her. One thing about Nash was certain: She was almost Rain's opposite. She flourished in this area. Parties, people, noise. All Rain wanted was to be back home. Practicing, or reading. Anything but in the midst of a party full of a bunch of heavily breathing teenage drunk people.
When a knock resounded from the other side of the door, Rain squeezed her eyes shut. She responded, but her voice was so quiet she wasn't sure that the person knocking even heard her.
"Occupied. I'll be out in a minute."
"Rain, it's Ryan. Are you actually using the bathroom, or are you just hiding? Because my guess is the second one."
Rain let out a breath, looking herself over in the mirror on the opposite wall. She walked over to the door, opening it just enough to see Ryan's tall form on the other side.
"I'm hiding. I don't do well with massive amounts of people."
Ryan nodded, glancing over his shoulder.
"Coming from the girl who performs on a stage in front of hundreds of people."
Rain shifted her weight, opening the door a little wider.
"Dancing is different. It doesn't feel like they're actually looking at me. Just looking at what I can do."
Ryan leaned against the frame, looking her over.
"You don't see them when you're up there, do you?"
Rain opened the door the rest of the way and took a step back.
"I don't see anything really. My mind kind of goes blank and all I'm aware of is what I have to do."
Ryan didn't move into the room, he just kept watching her. Like she was the most interesting thing he could look at at this party full of people.
"You're giving me anxiety staring at me like that. Did I say something wrong?"
Ryan laughed quietly, dropping his glance from her.
"No, Rain. You didn't do anything wrong. Do you ever?"
Rain leaned against the sink, her chest buzzing with static.
"Seems like that's all I do."
Ryan opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a random girl pushing past him. She rushed over to the toilet next to Rain and pulled the seat up, falling to her knees. Rain immediately pushed off of the sink and rushed over to Ryan, exiting the room and making her way down the hall. The last thing she wanted was to watch some girl throwing up.
Well, no, that was a lie. The last thing she wanted was to be here at all.
"Rain. Jesus, for someone so short, you're fast."
Rain turned to face Ryan, her cheeks pink and her chest still spinning.
"I have to be."
Ryan seemed unsure of what to even say. Like she left him without words.
"Why did you even come to this thing if you don't like crowds?"
Rain bit down on her lip and looked around the room. She could barely hear Ryan over the music, it made her skin crawl.
"Nash is my best friend and she asked me to come."
Her voice was almost inaudible and he still heard her somehow.
"You don't have to do things that you don't want to do just because someone asks. No matter how much you care about them."
She looked up at him and shrugged a shoulder.
"That's what I do, you know. What everyone expects of me. That's all I've ever done."
Ryan shook his head from side to side. Just once.
"Well you shouldn't.
Based on who your mother is, I don't see why you're like that. The last thing she ever would have done is what anyone else told her to do."
His words were casual, innocent. He meant nothing by them, but irritation filled Rain's stomach and she directed her eyes up to his, her jaw tight.
"Yes. I know. I'm nothing like my mother. I'm not charismatic or infectious or gorgeous. I'm not fun, or smart, or anything she was. Thank you for reminding me, just like everyone else does."
She wanted to stop speaking, but she couldn't seem to. She just kept going, the words spilling out of her throat in an anxiety ridden mess.
"Why are you even wasting your time talking to me? I'm nothing special. I'll never be anything special. I can't be what anyone wants me to be."
She twisted her hands together in front of her, tears stinging her eyes.
"I have to go."
"Rain, I didn't mean it like that."
He reached out for her arm as she turned to go, but she sidestepped him.
"I know you didn't. No one ever does."
She turned the corner and ran straight into a staircase. She took the steps two at a time to the top, putting as much distance as she could between herself and the tall boy with purple eyes.
-------------
"Rain, why are you in here alone?"
Nash knocked on the door frame after speaking, completely defeating the purpose. Rain was sprawled across her best friend's bed, flipping through a magazine. She sat up quickly at the sound of Nash's voice, guilt in her chest.
"I'm sorry... I just. Parties."
She said the word quietly, her eyes on the magazine instead of Nash's face.
"I figured. I'm sorry. I thought you might have fun, but I should have known this isn't really your thing.
Have you been crying?"
Nash crossed the room, taking a seat on the bed next to Rain. She smelled like alcohol and the vanilla perfume she always wore, and it was oddly comforting.
"Maybe."
Rain reached up to her face, pulling her fingers under her eyes, trying to wipe away what must be left behind from the tears. Nash took Rain's hand with her own, smiling softly.
"You didn't have to come, love. You could have stayed home. I wouldn't have been mad. I'm your best friend, I know you hate this stuff."
Rain looked up at Nash, shrugging a shoulder.
"I know. I tried. I just... gave up after a little while.
Are you mad at me?"
Her voice cracked on the question and Nash's brow furrowed.
"No? I'm not ever going to be mad at you for who you are, silly."
She pushed a piece of hair out of her face, getting to her feet again and dropping Rain's hand.
"Come on, let's get you a ride home."
Rain pushed herself off of Nash's bed, pulling her shoes onto her feet. But as she was tying the laces, a panicked female voice brought her attention to the doorway.
"Nash. A fight broke out downstairs. Some guy literally fell into your TV. There's glass everywhere and some kid is bleeding."
Anxiety found its way back into Rain's chest as Nash scowled, heading for the door.
"Who the hell was it?"
The girl glanced over at Rain, and back at Nash.
"Her brother."
What?
--------------
WHY HAVE I NOT READ THIS UNTIL NOW??
ReplyDelete(Rain so sweet and precious babe omggg ;-;)
But I really like (love) Rain and Nash's friendship, so awesome!
(Rain and Ryan slowly killing me with that cuteness...)
Honestly, I was waiting for Thaddeous to do something. I had suspicions but again I could never see anything coming from a mile away with this legacy.
Amazing chapter as usual and I'll be catching up on the next ones!
~ sam