After the Rain- Josh Kiszka

Chapter 1- That Night

As much as I try to forget, I remember that night as if it had happened yesterday. The smallest detail could bring me back, and in an instant the events of almost two years ago replay in my mind.

It had been pouring rain for hours. The rain was loud and the wind was strong; the noise mimicked ocean waves crashing against the shore. It's funny how weather can at times be a reflection of the state of affairs within the world— as I sat in my misery, it was like Mother Nature herself was crying along with me.

My phone buzzed relentlessly on my bedside table as I struggled to pull myself out of bed. I knew before I had even read the notification that it was a message from Teagan, begging me to go out with her that night. As much as I loved the nightlife and being social during our last few months at college, that day was not a day in which I had felt particularly enthused.

All that I could think about was my mom. It was my mom's birthday, and exactly a month since the day she had passed. Each day that I lived without her was increasingly painful, and even though it had been a month, it hadn't gotten any easier in the slightest.

I groaned as I rolled over in bed, reaching for my phone in the process. Sure enough, there were five new messages from Teagan. Just as I went to respond, her name and contact photo illuminated the screen. I swiped to answer the call but I struggled to get any words out.

    "Hello? Celine? You there?" Teagan asked, her tone laced with concern.

    "Hi," I croaked, finally finding my voice. I heard a sigh of relief come from the other end of the line. "Oh, good. How're you doing Celi?" She asked sweetly broaching the subject with caution.

    "I'm alright... I just miss her," I began, feeling my throat begin to tighten as I spoke, and tears well up in my eyes.

    "I know sweetheart, I am so sorry. I know there's nothing I can say or do to lessen the pain, and I feel terribly about it." She replied. There was a long pause on the other end of the line as if she was deliberating whether or not she should pose the question I was certain she'd ask.

"I was wondering—" she began,  "and don't feel like you have to say yes, because I will end up spending the night with you regardless— but I think it may be a good idea if you came out with me tonight. I think it'd help you to take your mind off things, and you might end up having some fun as a result. So, what do ya say?" She asked. I could tell that she wore an apprehensive smile, paired with her pouty puppy dog eyes without even having to see her.

I sat there contemplating for a moment while Teagan waited patiently for my response. I was emotionally drained and mentally exhausted, definitely not in the mindset to party, but I did think it would help for me to let my mind to wander elsewhere. Then again, I was a mess, un-showered with swollen eyes, and a puffy face from crying all day. I knew I would not want to leave my apartment if I caught so much as a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror. Just as I was about to turn down her offer, Teagan hung up the phone. I looked at the blank screen puzzled, before I heard a key jiggle in the lock of the front door.

    "You think you can hide from me?" Teagan joked as she jingled the spare key as she approached my bedroom.

    "Hey, I was just about to respond as you hung up." I held up my hands in mock defense as she sat on the end of my bed.

    "Listen— before you turn me down, which I know you were going to, hear me out." She started. I rolled my eyes but couldn't help but smile, she knew me so well. She cleared her throat and continued. "We'll go to Flex, I'll pay for any and all drinks you wish to consume, and if after so much as 15 minutes you change your mind and decide you want to come back home, we'll leave immediately with absolutely no rebuttal from me. How does that sound?" She asked wiggling her eyebrows and poking at my side.

    I squirmed away from her touch and sighed. The idea that she proposed hadn't sounded too bad. Plus, I did love going to Flex. "Fine." I huffed, as she squealed, pulling me into a hug. "Let's get you cleaned up, she said with a smile as she pulled back my comforter.

    When we arrived at Flex it was packed, and I was so grateful that Teagan had helped me pull myself together. Once we got inside, she laced her fingers through mine and made a beeline for the bar. She ordered us both a vodka sour, which she knew was my favorite, (basic, I know), and handed me my drink with a big smile.

    "Isn't this great?" she beamed. "We haven't been out together in so long. I've missed this." she said, pulling me into a side hug.

    "I know. I wasn't too keen on coming out tonight, but I'm glad that you forced me to. I'm sure it'll be fun." I said smiling back at her.

    Her eyes scanned the crowd and she gasped, grabbing me by the forearm.

    "OH my God. Celine. Chris is here, like Hot Chris, from creative writing." Teagan squealed. Chris had been in a creative writing course that Teagan and I had taken our freshman year, and she had had a crush on him ever since. He was in a friend group that we had hung out with occasionally, but Teagan, despite her usual bubbly and outgoing personality, had always been too shy to make any advances toward him.

    "Teagan, you have to go over and talk to him." I said, urging her to approach him. "The year is almost over, so you don't have much to lose. It's either now or never, and you've totally been crushing on him since freshman year. You so don't want to miss out on a potential chance to get to know him."

    "I know, I know. But I promised that I'd be here for you tonight. I'm not just going to ditch you because Hot Chris is here." She laughed, trying to play it off.

    "Teagan, I promise you, it's okay. I'll actually be mad at you if you don't seize this opportunity to talk to him. And listen, if I need you, I promise to come get you immediately, even if it requires some elaborate plan to get you out of here." I said with a smile, slightly pushing her in Chris's direction.

    "Okay." She said turning back, flashing me a bright smile as she made her way over to Chris.

Once she approached, I averted my attention elsewhere so that it didn't look like I was spying on them, as much as I would've liked to. I remained standing at the bar and looked around to see if anyone else that we knew was also there. I had recognized a few faces from around campus, but no one who I really had any inclination to talk to.

Just as I had finished scanning the room and surveying the scene, I made eye contact with an unfamiliar face. Quite frankly, the eye contact gave me butterflies. I felt like I was in middle school as the sensation arose in my stomach, and I felt a blush creep onto my face. He was handsome, with curly brown hair, and big brown eyes. He smiled wide at me, and it made my heart flutter. Despite, the nervous excitement that was growing from within, I tried to play it cool. I flashed a smile back and turned back to the bar, sending him a glance from over the shoulder. Within seconds, I felt a hand tap me on the shoulder— perfectly according to plan, might I add. I spun around to face him, and sure enough it was the guy from across the bar.

    "Hey." I said nonchalantly with a smile.

    "Hi," he returned with a smile.