Love Me Through The Rain 2 Read online

  Rain looked on in pain and uncertainty. Why was he laughing when absolutely nothing was funny? This sarcastic attitude he had was causing her to slowly lose her sanity. She side-stepped so that she was blocking his door handle.

  He let out a frustrated breath like he was tired of her and turned to where Summer, Alex, and Jacorey were standing.

  “Aye, y’all get her so I can slide.”

  “Are you serious right now, Dakota?” Rain held on to the sides of his shirt as he tried to move, only for him to push her hands away. She felt like a fool for begging him to believe her, but she didn’t care right now. Her mind was not letting her lose the only man she’d loved since she’d been an adult.

  She heard Summer telling her to come on, but she couldn’t leave like this, her body wouldn’t let her. She grabbed at his shirt again, this time tighter. She wouldn’t let go, she couldn’t. He continuously tried to push her hands away, but she held onto it as if it was their relationship. He was fighting to get away, but she wasn’t letting him go without a fight.

  “Stop, Dakota, damn. You said you loved me,” Rain had water gathering in her eyes as she pleaded for him to hear her.

  “I thought I did.” Dakota pushed Rain with a little more force, making her stumble out of the way of his door.

  “You don’t have to push her like that. If you don’t wanna fuck with her no more, then cool, but don’t put your hands on her,” Summer said.

  Rain hadn’t noticed she was now standing closer.

  “Get her ass out my way and I won’t have to touch her.”

  Rain stood in front of him holding onto his shirt. Tears were waiting to fall as she listened to him talk about her like she was a pest or some bum bitch that was bothering him.

  “Love, don’t sit here and put all this on her like you that bent on leaving, because if you were, you would be gone by now. Rain is a buck thirty soaking wet, so you could have moved her if she was bothering you that bad.” It was clear that Summer was starting to get irritated with the way he was handling Rain.

  Love turned his head and looked back at Rain. Her eyes pleaded with him, but he looked past her and shook his head. “I’m sorry but this shit ain’t even me. I gotta slide.”

  This time, defeat sunk in and when he pushed her hands from his shirt, she let them fall. As she watched him move around her, she bit her bottom lip and willed herself not to shed another tear. When he opened the door to his truck and it bumped her lightly, she moved. She stood next to Summer and watched him get in. He cranked up and looked at her once more before pulling off.

  That was two weeks ago, and from that day to this one, it still hurt the same. She’d called his phone at least two hundred times that night and sent around fifty texts, and he’d never responded. With a pain so deep in her chest, she cried herself to sleep and had been ever since then. She lay her head to the side and let the tears escape her eyes and roll into her bathtub. She could have cried Love a river with all the tears she’s shed since their breakup. Rain grabbed her chest and just held it. Hopefully holding her heart would make it stop hurting.

  Chapter 2: When It Hurts

  Love sat at the old wooden table in the kitchen of the fire department. He had been sitting there since returning from the fire they’d put out earlier at the elementary school. He was stretched out in the chair looking around the room at nothing in particular. He had one arm resting on the table playing with the wrapper from his Gatorade bottle while the other rested in his lap. His mind was all over the place. It had been a long week and an even longer day. Why today, of all the days since he’d broken things off with Rain, was he feeling the worst? The breakup had affected him greatly, but today the weight was so heavy, it felt like they’d broken up an hour ago. All he kept seeing was the tears that were in her eyes at the club. As bad as he’d wanted to pull her in his arms and tell her everything would be all right, he couldn’t.

  He didn’t want to tell her that if it wasn’t true. He couldn’t say that he was going to be with her after knowing she’d been playing him for his friend. As bad as he wanted to believe her, Stacey had been his friend for a long time. True enough, he tended to exaggerate certain things, but he’d never lied to him before, so why would he start now?

  “Love, chief said you can go home early if you need to,” Richardson, Love’s co-worker, stuck his head in the door and said.

  “Oh, all right. Tell him I appreciate that. I’ll see y’all Monday.” Love got up from the old wooden chair that was barely making it, and headed to his locker.

  He grabbed his things and exited his job before his chief had the chance to change his mind. He drove straight home because that was really the only place he wanted to be. He took a shower and got into bed. He fell asleep instantly. He had been working nonstop for the last few weeks to keep his mind off of Rain. When he woke up, he realized he’d been asleep for almost three hours.

  It was Friday and he needed to find something to get into. He didn’t plan on staying in the house tonight, so he pulled out his phone and called Jacorey. When he answered, he heard a woman laughing before Jacorey could even say hello.

  “What’s up, boy?” he finally answered.

  “Shit. Just waking up. What you doing for the night?”

  “You tell me, nigga. You know I’m down for whatever.”

  Love heard the female he’d heard earlier laugh again.

  “Who is that you got with you?” he asked Jacorey.

  “That’s Summer’s silly ass.” Jacorey said. He must have done something else because she laughed again, this time a little harder.

  As soon as he said her name, Rain’s face popped into Love’s mind, and just like that, his mood was somber again.

  “Tell her I said what’s up.”

  Love heard Jacorey tell Summer what he said, but he didn’t hear her say anything. Jacorey got back on the phone trying to change the subject. “I thought you ain’t get off until tomorrow morning?”

  Love wasn’t crazy. “Summer must didn’t speak back.”

  “Hell nah,” Jacorey said, laughing.

  Love had to laugh at that, too. He should have known she wasn’t feeling him right now either. “I’m about to get up and get ready, just hit me when you ready to get out.”

  “Bet.” Jacorey ended the call.

  Love lay back on his pillows and ran his hands through his hair. This single shit was already getting old. He hadn’t been single for a while now, so he’d forgotten how lonely it could get. He was hungry and horny. He wanted to call Rain, but wasn’t sure if she would even take his call. After all, he hadn’t been taking any of hers. Well, in the beginning he hadn’t. She hadn’t reached out to him in almost a week and a half. She’d tried over and over the first few days after the breakup, but stopped once she realized he was ignoring her.

  Love grabbed his phone and went to her number. He looked at the screen for a minute trying to decide whether or not to call her. He wanted to hear her voice, maybe ask her how she is doing. He was about to, but changed his mind. Even he knew that was a stupid move. How did he expect her to be doing? Staring at her name and picture in his phone, Love pressed the call button. He watched the circles rotate before the signal faded alert flashed across his screen.

  Versus calling her again, he took this as a sign and got up to find him something to wear for the night. Once he figured out what he was going to wear, he ironed it and shot Jacorey a text letting him know he would be on the way to his house in a few. Once he got dressed, he sprayed on some cologne and put his Phillies fitted hat on his head. He was in desperate need of a re-twist, so he needed something to cover it up.

  It only took twenty minutes to get to Jacorey’s spot in Uptown. He parked in his driveway and got out. Love knocked and waited for him to open the door. He was momentarily caught off guard when Summer opened the door. He thought for sure she would have been gone by now. She looked him up and down with a look of disgust on her face, before turning around and walking away. She did
n’t offer any form of greeting as he stood at the door.

  “Damn, hey to you, too, Summer.”

  Silence.

  “You mad at me, too?”

  Silence.

  Love took a seat on the sofa across from her while he waited for Jacorey. The living room was awkwardly quiet as he and Summer sat together watching TV.

  “How’s Rain?” He hadn’t wanted to ask, but he couldn’t help himself.

  That question finally got her attention. Her head snapped around so fast she could have broken her neck. “Nigga, I know you didn’t.”

  “What? I can’t ask about her?”

  “Fuck no, you can’t ask about her.”

  Love shook his head. Women. “You act like I’m the one in the wrong.”

  Summer looked at him like he was the scum of the earth. “I wish you would sit here and play the victim. You know damn well that girl don’t fuck with Stacey like that. You knew it then and you know it now. You just want to be an ass.”

  “So I’m supposed to just believe her because she said she didn’t? Of course you’ll be on her side, you’re her sister.”

  Summer sucked her teeth and released an exasperated breath. “Before she started kicking it with you, my sister was expressively unattainable to niggas. She was curving everybody because she was afraid to try love again. You know her situation so I’m not even about to explain it to you all over again. What I will say, though, is you didn’t have to do her like you did. Rain is too sweet and too sensitive of a person for you to have treated her that way. Not only did you let your fuck ass homeboy talk to her any kind of way in that damn club, but you treated her like some random ass hoe, not the woman you was just professing your love to a few weeks ago.” Summer rolled her eyes at him. “You embarrassed the shit out of my sister at that damn club all because of your wack ass ego. Hell nah, you can’t ask about my fuckin sister, nigga.” Summer got up from her spot on the sofa and marched up the stairs.

  When she came back, she had her purse and keys. Jacorey was right behind her dressed and ready. She didn’t look Love’s way anymore before exiting the house. He sat in his same spot thinking about what Summer had said, while Jacorey walked her outside. When he came back in, he was smiling.

  “Bruh, you’re like the number one nigga on her shit list right now.”

  Love laughed. “I know. She chewed my ass up before you got down here.”

  “You don’t think I been hearing that shit these past two weeks? She be right in my ear like I want to hear the shit. Hell, what’s done is done.”

  “You think I did her wrong?”

  Jacorey held his hands up in mock surrender. “I’m not in it.”

  “I know you ain’t, I just want your honest opinion.”

  “Aight, it’s like this. Yeah, I think your ass did her wrong. You know how that nigga Stacey is. His ass will hype up any fucking thing. Rain don’t even look like the type of bitch he normally fucks with. I could understand if it was my word you was taking over hers, but that nigga? Hell nah, my boy.”

  Love sat back roughly on the sofa. “Nigga, why you ain’t been said nothing?”

  “Bruh, you grown as fuck. You know what you doing. I shouldn’t have to tell your ass shit, some stuff you should already know.”

  Love thought about what Jacorey was saying, and he was right. He had to get his girl back. He hoped and prayed she wasn’t over him yet.

  “Yo that hoodie fresh. Where you get it from?”

  “It’s an online clothing shop. They shit be fresh as fuck. I stay on there getting stuff.”

  Jacorey looked at his hoodie and nodded his head. “I’ ma have to cop me one of them. Text me the website so I don’t forget.”

  “Nigga its For the Culture clothing dot com. How easy is that to remember? If you forget that shit you just slow.”

  “Just text me bruh damn. Come on.” Jacorey headed for the door with Love in tow. They rode together to get their food.

  The vibe in the restaurant was cool. When they couldn’t think of anything else better to do, they decided to go to Applebee’s near the mall and grab a few drinks. The building was packed with people. Every chair was filled with groups of friends of couples on dates. The people at the high top tables and the bar all appeared to be single. Love looked around, taking in his surroundings as he downed his second beer.

  Love had already ordered one beer and two shots of Patron. He’d polished them off before the bartender had gotten back with his second beer. Jacorey was watching the game on the big screen TV in front of them, still nursing his first beer.

  “Bruh, you might want to slow your ass down on them drinks. I ain’t carrying your ass out of here.”

  “Nigga, I’m straight, I’m just hungry as shit.” Love waved the waitress down. “Can I get an order of wings and a rack of ribs with a basket of fries and a Coke?”

  Love’s eyes roamed over the short waitress. She was around his color with short black hair. Her features were small, almost mouse-like, but she was presentable enough. She didn’t have much of a body, but it wasn’t like he was trying to wife her. Flirting would just be a little something to help time pass by.

  “You can slide me your number with that, too, if you want.” Love winked at her and she smiled nervously. “You got a man?”

  “No, we broke up.”

  “Fuck that nigga.” Love touched the side of her face as she began backing up so she could place their orders.

  Love turned back around to the bar and ordered another drink. The tip of the glass was to his lips when he was stopped. His heart thumped a little quicker as he turned around towards the door. A group of people had just come in and he could have sworn he’d heard Rain’s laugh. He looked around the entrance, but he didn’t see her. I must be tripping, he thought as he turned back around. He’d sipped a little more liquor from his glass when he spun around on the stool again.

  “Bruh, what the fuck is wrong with you? What you looking for?” Jacorey was looking at him with a confused expression.

  “I think I’m tripping. I keep hearing Rain laughing, but I don’t see her nowhere.”

  “I told your ass to slow down on those fucking drinks. They need to hurry up with your food. Maybe that’ll sober your ass up a little.”

  Love nodded in agreeance with his friend. He went back to playing on his phone and had almost gotten his mind off of her when he heard it again. This time, he got up so he could get a better look. He looked around the dining area as he made his way to the seating area near the front. When he didn’t see her, he walked outside to get some fresh air. With his hands in his pockets, he watched the cars passing by below. With the Applebee’s sitting on a hill, he had a good view of pretty much everything around him.

  Love exhaled as he tried to clear his mind of thoughts of Rain. When he felt as if he’d gotten himself together enough, he walked back inside and there she was. The way his chest felt, it was as if his heart had found her first. She was sitting against the wall facing the door. There was a small bench in the corner large enough for maybe two people. She was sitting alone, but she was talking on the phone. The wall behind her had prevented him from seeing her.

  The Nike running shorts and Fort Valley State University t-shirt she had on let him know that she wasn’t there on a date. Her hair was all down and pushed back with a headband. On her feet were a pair of CrossFit running shoes and her backpack sat next to her. The only jewelry she wore was a pair of earrings. Her face was bare and smooth. Love stood stuck in place at the door, taking in her soothing presence.

  Clearly, whomever she was talking to on the phone had her mind in another place because she hadn’t looked up at him yet. After people kept bumping into him, Love realized he was blocking the door, so he took a step out of the way and leaned against the wall. He couldn’t think of one logical reason why he was just staring at her, versus going to speak, but his feet wouldn’t move. She crossed and uncrossed her legs when she started to laugh again. She looked perfectl
y fine without him. When she finally looked up, it happened. Her gaze landed directly on his.

  Her mood changed in that instant. It was almost like the wind had been knocked out of her body. Her chest sunk in a little further and her posture as a whole slumped a little more. She looked at him for a moment before looking back down. Love waited to see if she was going to look up at him, but she didn’t, so he went to her. He picked up her backpack and sat it in his lap after squeezing his way next to her on the tiny bench.

  “What you doing in here?”

  “Alex, let me call you right back…Yeah, for a little while…I don’t know. Bye, crazy boy.” Rain shook her head and hung up her phone. “I came to do some writing.”

  Love’s chest eased up some once he realized it was Alex she had been talking to. “You can write with all this noise?”

  “Yeah. Nothing exists when I’m writing, you know that,” Rain said, softly. She ran her hand through her hair, then crossed and uncrossed her legs again. She was nervous and it was obvious.

  “I know. Your ass be in your own little world.”

  She must have felt that remark didn’t need a response because she didn’t say anything else.

  “How you been, baby doll?”

  Rain looked at him only for a second before looking around the restaurant at the other patrons. “I’m making it. You?”

  “Just been working,” Love paused. “I miss you, though.”

  Rain shook her head. “Love, don’t, please just do not.”

  Love knew what she meant so he nodded and dismissed the subject.

  “You here alone?” she asked.

  “Nah, Jacorey is at the bar.”

  “Oh, okay. Well, tell him I said hey.” Rain stood to her feet and reached for her backpack on his lap.