Summer Rains

9

A/N: Hey! This song reminded me of a certain scene in this chapter so I'll put a 🎶 where the song will play (I got this idea from another book I read so not my idea)

2017

My legs cramped from the bike ride and the clouds that began forming above gave me low hope. I rode along the busier streets and threw my hood up. Felix and I made plans to hang out today but he didn't respond to any of my texts or calls this morning. 

I had a bad feeling in my gut so I rode my way over here. My dad offered to drive but I declined, not wanting him to judge his family. Felix often told me about his mom's battle with addiction, she seemed to be getting better by the sounds of it. But I avoided talking about her, something ticked him off each time I mentioned it. 

The sky grew angrier by the minute, that notice alone had me pedaling faster up the hill. The bright green trees swayed in the light summer wind, their white blossoms raining down onto the sidewalk. I paced my a cafe, but stopped and checked the time. 10:46. I was still a bit early and I was about three minutes away from the complex. Parking my bike, I walked in. Smooth jazz music. People chatted over coffee, and despite the cramped size all the tables were filled and some people still stood up. 

"What can I get you, hun?" The woman at the front asked. Her gray hair was thrown up into a bun. 

"Could I get a butter croissant, blueberry muffin, and...." I paused searching the options. "the banana loaf." The woman nodded and bagged the items. I wasn't entirely sure what Felix liked so I got the things that looked good enough to me. 

"Thanks." I slid my card in and put the items in my bike's basket before pedaling down the hill. Cutting a corner, I rode through the backway and into a parking lot. I took the bags of baked goods and walked to an entryway that Felix said would be unlocked. 

I pulled at the handle a few times, but the thing wouldn't budge. I raked my memory trying to remember the number but gave up and slipped my phone out of my pocket to look through our messages. Once I had the number I pressed the intercom and waited for the beep. "Hello?" A deeper voice said. I swallowed recognizing the older voice of Reuben. Felix teased me for liking him, but he was gorgeous. 

"Umm, hi!" I paused, swallowing hard. "I'm here to see Felix." 

"I don't think he's up for it-"

"My names' Elle, we made plans this morning." He huffed and shouted to Felix. 

"Okay, it should open." The door clicked and I pushed it open taking in the small lobby area. No one stood behind a small desk that sat there. There was an elevator and a set of stars right by it. Taking the stairs I went to find the number. I finally came to the door. 

The door swung open at just one knock, and a woman answered. She looked nothing like Felix or Reuben, except for the slanted eyes and sharp jawline. She looked older than my mom and even more tired, despite my mom's busy schedule as a nurse. 

"Hi." I greeted awkwardly. 

"You must be Elle." She attempted to smile and leaned her head against the frame.

"Yeah." I paused looking over her shoulder. "Is Felix home?" SHe ushed off the frame and walked into the house, leaving it open for me. 

"Felix!" She shouted. When no response came I felt my heart drop. Did he not want to see me?  "He's going through something at the moment, our cat died." She explained, no remorse behind her words. 

"Henry?" She turned to look at me surprised as if Felix didn't usually tell people about his best friend. "Is he in his room?" I asked. It was then I made eye contact with Reuben who was leaning against the island counter, a bowl of cereal in hand.