missing piece ✓

FOUR

The day flew by in a flash. I had Gym, English, then lunch with Hayden, Iris, Phoebe, and Sofie, Math, Science, and then I was finally free from this hell hole. Today I was forced to walk home because Max fucking ditched me to hang out with Stacy and Hayden at the mall, Sarah can't even drive yet, and my parents are busy at work. I was walking down the rocky footpath leaving the school. It usually takes me 45 minutes to walk to my house but when I was only 15 seconds in, I felt a drop of water land on my head.

Confused, I raised my hand until more drops fell. I inspected my now wet hand and realised it was going to rain. Yay.

I had to get home immediately because of Iris and Sofie. I can't ditch them, not after Hayden and Phoebe did. Otherwise, them two sitting there together at a table would be extremely awkward. I literally had to get home, no matter what it took. The rain started to fall more frequently but I didn't give a shit. It's rain, what's the big deal? I started to quicken my pace with my hands over my head as the rain began to thicken otherwise my hair would get all messed up and I'm not going in to a restaurant with wet, messy hair. That's just fucking embarrassing.

I was about to give up and start sprinting until I heard a very familiar voice call out to me. "Hey! Cupcake! Wait up!"

It's him again.

"Um hello?" I muttered awkwardly as he started to walk beside me with a black umbrella. "What are you-"

"Here." He stretched his arm out to me with the umbrella raised over my head whilst I was drying up and he was starting to get extremely wet. We both stopped and looked at each other and he gave me a warm smile, even though he was getting soaked. "Take it."

I hesitated, looking into his deep eyes for a moment. I was confused at first because he didn't even seem to mind that he was getting soaked, it was like he just wanted to keep me dry. "No, no. It's okay. I feel bad-"

"Take it. I insist." He interrupted calmly, stretching the umbrella over my head even further. I nodded with uncertainty as I felt my lips curl upwards to match his warm smile. I took ahold of the umbrella, slightly grazing hands with him as he stood there patiently, still getting soaked.

I felt a bit dizzy but managed to thank him. "Thank you."

He nodded and walked back down the footpath to where he ran from. I couldn't help but stand there for a few minutes processing what just happened. Liam Lundin - the sketchy fuckboy by the way - just gave me his umbrella so I could walk home. His shiny, black umbrella. I gripped it tightly and continued to walk down the footpath but this time the raindrops were hitting the umbrella, and not me.

***

I arrived home just as the clock struck 4PM. My brother was still out at the mall, whilst Sarah and Rosie were home doing whatever the fuck girls do on a Wednesday afternoon. Sarah was looking after Rosie because Mom and Dad were both out at work.

I creaked the door open and as soon as I stepped foot into the house and placed the umbrella down I was immediately pushed back a bit by someone grabbing onto my thighs. Rosie.

"Blakey! You're back! I missed you so so so so so so sooooo much!" She beamed still gripping tightly onto my legs. I bent down and pulled her off to embrace her into a real hug. "I'm turning six on Saturday. Six!" She let go of me and shoved one hand out with three fingers sticking up. "See? Six! That's such a big number, I'm going to be a big girl soon!"

I chuckled. "Yes you are Rosie but first," I pulled up the rest of her fingers and one other from the other hand so that she was properly holding out six fingers now. "Now it's six."