Waiting for Rain

Chapter 3

"What are you wearing?" Delina asked.

Liv gave a quick look downwards. "It's prep. Why does nobody in this place have any fashion sense?"

"Hundred degree weather, that's why. And you're sure you don't want to change? Because you're about to put the sweat in sweater."

Delina's dark waves swayed lightly as she took a peek out of the window. "Well, looks like the choice is made for you. Vernon's here."

As she shimmied into the backseat of his, thankfully, double cab truck, she gave a lazy, "Good morning, Mr Stewart." She rolled her eyes internally at the thought of how awkward it was to catch a ride with her English slash Spanish teacher.

He gave a weird laugh, his voice trailing off into squeaks here and there. "Oh, you sweet city child. We're a tiny town, formality is a foreign concept here. You won't get detention for calling us by our names."

"Right..."

***

She'd tied her sweater around her shoulders by ten o'clock. The day couldn't go by slower. Delina said a lot of words in the class, but none of it was processed into anything. Vernon jumped around as he tried to get them to have an interest in poetry.

By lunch time, Liv's head was spinning. It was even worse when she got to the teeny cafeteria.

It wasn't that she worried about sitting alone, in fact some solitude would have been welcome. It was more that every table was packed with happy, chattering people. Balancing the tray on her hands, she turned on her heel and marched towards the bathrooms.

Before she could realise it, the day had passed and her tutoring session was fast approaching. Liv weighed the pros and cons mentally, tallying them up to a resounding "ditch the session".

With Liv trailing behind her, Delina raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you and Rain meeting up to study?"

"Yeah, he had to cancel. Something with the football team," Liv lied smoothly, her stomach twisting.

"Well, okay. I just have some things I have to get done, but you'll be alright at home?"

Finally back at the tiny house, and in peace, Liv paced around the kitchen, eyeing the landline phone that was stuck to the kitchen wall.

She needed to call him. She dialled his number, and hope swelled within her as the phone rang. It clicked with the pickup.

"Hello?" His deep voice sounded. Liv leaned against the doorframe to keep herself from swooning over it.

"Hey babe. It's so good to finally hear your voice again."

"Who is this?"

"It's me, Liv, duh."

"Oh hey," he said, his speech transforming. "Baby I miss you so much. I can't stop thinking about you." He stayed silent for a moment before continuing in a lower tone, "I can't stop thinking of that last night. You're so hot. I need you. Like right now. Shit, Liv."

Her heart dropped a little, and she cleared her throat. "I... uh, I really miss you. It's so... different here. I don't think I really belong... I just need–"

He sighed on the other side of the line. "Ooh, I gotta go."

Before she could even say goodbye the phone disconnected. Before she knew what was going on, Liv muffled a scream into her pillow. Her inability to breathe clearly lulled her into the deepest slumber she could manage since she arrived.

"Liv! LIV!" Liv jolted up, awake from the alarm that was Delina's sharp tone.

She made her way to the door in a rush, and caught herself on the doorframe, cursing the rug that almost cost her her front teeth.

Liv saw Delina's tight smile when she caught sight of her. "Help me unpack groceries?" Delina held up the small bags. She held one out to Liv, starting to retrieve things once she was left with only her own. "You know, I just had the most interesting conversation at the mart."

"What? Someone tell you where baby sheep come from?"

Liv didn't know which reaction she expected, but it wasn't what Delina was giving her. Delina turned her face away, her lower jaw moving to the side. "I saw Rain there. He asked me if you were sick... because you never showed up at the library."

"I'm so–"

"No. I'm not having it. I don't want to hear your excuses. Everytime you say anything, it's either a lie or an attitude."

Delina waited to have Liv unpack the bag, then sent her to her room. Even the next morning was dead silent that almost made the spread of butter on the toast sound unbearably loud.

At school she just sat at her desk, letting the chatter around her become an incomprehensible buzz. Everyone went quiet as Delina walked in.

"Good afternoon. Pack away your things," she ordered, before looking at Liv. "Pop quiz."

_________________________________A/N___________________________________________

Hi there! 

So finally a new chapter. I have to be completely honest, everything is quite a mess now. We have officially entered the silly season part of the year. I promise that I am really trying to put out chapters as fast as I can, but I'm struggling with some writer's block (can you believe?) because it feels like I've got nothing up there anymore. 

Anyhow, I hoped this chapter was alright. The next one will have a bit more happening, I promise ( ; 

Please remember to vote and to save this to your library to get notified when I finally update.

Have a good one!