Rain: A Guardian's Tale

Prologue

        "Welcome home!"
         The chorus of voices shout to me as I open the door to find the welcome home party that I know for a fact my dad planned for me. And my mind races back to the farewell party my mother planned for me a year ago as my mother is the first one to walk up and hug me.
        "Do I even have to ask who planned this?" I mumble into her ear.
         "Nope," she mumbles back.
         "You gonna argue about this later?"
         "It will be discussed."
          So, yes.
         "Hey, Rain."
        I'm all too eager to break away from my mother and hug my best friend, Cadence.
         "Hey, Cade!"
         And then my brain remembers the farewell party. He's my boyfriend now. I'll never get used to that.
         "Hey, why didn't you write me? Or, call? Or, you know, visit?"
        He clears his throat, "They monitored everything. I wasn't sure what I could say. And I tried to visit. Court order said family only."
        I roll my eyes, "I hate that stupid order. I'm glad I never have to go back there."
        He grabs my hand and smiles, "Me, too. I thought I lost my partner in crime there for a second."
        I grin back at him, "Nah. Me? You should know better than that. You couldn't lose me that easy."
         He pulls me close to him and kisses the top of my head. My heart flutters.
        Cadence had been my best friend since Kindergarten. And to say that I had a mild crush on him since then, would be an understatement. The fact that this blue-eyed, blonde-haired, kind-hearted human being is someone to call mine, has me on cloud-9.
        Hearing a little voice argue with my mother causes me to tense as I turn to see my little sister smoothing out her princess costume.
        "But, mommy! I wanna wear this one!"
        Cadence steps closer to me and mumbles into my ear, "Careful. Don't want those kitty claws to come out again. You might go back."
        I grin at my sister, fighting the urge to be protective, "Hey, Emmy."
        "Rainy!"
        She runs into me, and the force nearly takes my breath away.
        "I missed you, Rainy!"
        "I missed you, too."
        "Emilie, let your sister breathe, dear."
         I hold Emilie tighter, and get the urge to tell my mother to stuff it when my dad calls from the kitchen.
        "Let's eat."

         Cadence and I spent the better half of the night talking, laughing, and being what we never got to be, a couple. While Emilie, herself, was the entertainment. But, all too quickly, the night ended. And now, we were standing at my doorstep.
        "Do you think your parents will argue now? With you being home, and all?"
         "Please. It didn't stop when I was gone, it won't now."
         "Yeah, I guess you're right."
         "Thanks for watching Emmy for me, though. It means a lot."
        He takes my hand, "Do me a favor, though."
        "Yeah?"
        "Text me if it gets too bad, alright? No more psych wards."
        I laugh, "Okay. I promise."
        He kisses my hand, and I swear I could melt, "Goodnight, Raindrop."
        I smile as I wave, "Goodnight, Cadence."