Perpetual Rain ✓

Story

"Love participates of the soul itself. It is of the same nature. Like it, it is the divine spark; like it, it is incorruptible, indivisible, imperishable. It is a point of fire that exists within us, which is immortal and infinite, which nothing can confine, and which nothing can extinguish. We feel it burning even to the very marrow of our bones, and we see it beaming in the very depths of heaven..." The page hissed slowly like leaves blown across the pavement as you turned the page of the book and let your tired eyes scan each word as it flashed before your eyes.

Les Misérables, a book by Victor Hugo that you had checked out from the library weeks ago but had never gotten around to really diving into. A love story that involved prison, heartbreak and a troubled past. You chose it off a whim, just hearing in passing that it wasn't half bad and decided to give it a try out of boredom.

Curling deeper into the fortress of pillows you had created against your bed's headrest you continued to read on as the rain trickled outside. Your house was quiet, Father likely at work and Mother either cleaning the house or sitting quietly in the living room as she watched some morning talk show.

You had no siblings that ran amuck, you were an only child. From what you understood from your friends that had siblings, it was a blessing. Though from time to time you questioned how your life would have been altered if you would have had a brother or sister to grow alongside. Perhaps that was why your parents were so strict with you, wanting your life to pan out a certain way despite your own desires. Maybe it would have been better if you had a sibling they could have focused their time on instead of inflicting their law only on you.

It was already well past ten in the morning and you had not left your bed. The book you consumed was resting on your nightstand when your eyes fluttered open and just like the whim that caused you to rent it, it was that same whim that caused you to read it that morning. It seemed less stressful than surfing the internet in search of a way to place yourself in debt.

Though your body began to grow stiff with lack of movement, having been in your bed for nearly twelve hours now. You wrapped your fingers around its cover and closed the capsule of literary words, the pages puffed as you slammed it shut. You slipped it back onto the nightstand and finally peeled back the covers of your bed to let your legs slip from underneath them.

The tips of your toes brushed against that familiar cold wood floor before you planted your soles onto the earth and climbed from your bed. Lips spreading thin as your jaw seemed as though it was going to come unhinged, you yawned widely as you dragged yourself toward the bathroom to freshen up. A shower wasn't needed, since you had immediately taken one after getting home from your adventures of yesterday.

Taehyung had insisted on walking you home once the rain had calmed down, though you had driven to the coffee shop that morning. So, he just walked you back to your car instead. Before getting inside he asked if perhaps the two of you could meet again. You weren't sure why, but you had told him sure and offered him up your phone number to let him text you details of time between his college schedule and he offered you his number in return.

The smile he showcased after that was something that stuck in your memory, even after a night's rest. It wasn't wide, and it didn't shine bright but, that closed lip smile seemed content, and that was just as good to you.

Leaving your private restroom you wandered through your bedroom, rounding your bed as you headed for your door. Loose fitting cat printed pajamas brushed against your ankles and a baggy white shirt hung freely against your frame. You were the type to stay in your pajamas all day if you had no intention of leaving your house, and so far you didn't.

Though right now you could only feel the growl of your stomach as it begged for food. Your hand rubbed at the area just under your t-shirt as your other rubbed the sleep from your eyes. You managed to carry yourself into the kitchen, finding it empty but clean. Mom was awake, it was clear. The sink was wiped clean and you could smell the lingering odor of the strong brew she had made for your dad that morning.

You reached the cabinet and pulled it open. You pulled out your favorite porcelain mug to set on the counter as you reached for the bags of tea. You cracked open the paper package and plopped the teabag into the cup. You filled the mug with water from the sink and moved to the microwave as you placed it inside and set the timer for two minutes. Probably not the most elegant way to make tea, people normally boiled the water first but, who cared? There was no one there to judge you.

"Y/N..." A voice called out behind you, nearly scaring you straight out of your skin. You jumped and quickly turned around to see your mother standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

"Geeze, Mom you scared the crap out of me!" You breathed, placing your hand over your racing heart. You braced yourself against the kitchen counter as you caught your breath.

Mother folded her arms, tucking her hands away into the fluffy blue morning robe she wore. Similar to you, she liked to stay in her pajamas for a while. Her frame leaned against the entrance way, head tilting to the side as she leaned it against the wood. The look in her eyes was worn and tired as if she hadn't slept in days.

"Hey, are you okay?" You questioned as soon as your heart rate calmed, standing up straight. Her somber appearance put you in a state of worry, but she didn't answer you.

Her teeth sunk into her lower lip and her head hung low, as if she was fighting back tears. Her hair shadowed her forest green eyes.

"Mom?" You called out, taking a step closer as if moving too quickly would cause her to break. "Is this about Dad and I?" You asked, another foot inching closer.

You hadn't spoken to your father since that night in the car. Seeing his face, you knew it would just send you into a rage because he wasn't one to let subjects die if it was something he was dead set on and you were the same. So, you had admittedly been avoiding him.

She always took things harshly, her emotions more heightened than your own. Though you felt things strongly, you didn't tend to let it show. Your mother on the other hand, she became upset easily. Sometimes you would even find her in the living room at night crying because of a sappy movie she had seen a thousand times. But you tried to piece together what was wrong now.

"Look, we're both just being stubborn, Mom. It's not like we won't ever talk again. He just has to understand that this is my life to live, not his." You kept your words soft, trying to sooth her unease. Her long fingers raised, covering over her eyes as you watched her shoulders shake, the tears starting to fall, though you couldn't see them you knew they were there.

"Mom, come on. It'll be okay." You started to approach a bit more quickly, wanting to grab onto to her hoping that your embrace would get her to stop. You never knew what to truly do when she acted like this. "Look, I'll try and talk to Dad soon if it'll make you feel better. Just please stop--"

Your words were interrupted by the rapid beeping on the microwave as it signaled the end of its cycle. You whipped your head around to see the electronic light flashing 'END'. You turned your head back to your mother only to see her back as she started to walk down the hall toward her bedroom, and quickly disappearing inside. Damn it...

A low sigh left your lungs as they deflated, and you couldn't help but feel bad now. You weren't playing the silent treatment to try and hurt her, you were just trying to prove a point to your father. Turning around, you approached the microwave and pulled your cup free, carefully since the porcelain had heated along with the water.

You drained the teabag, letting it dip into the water a few more times to get the rest of the herbal mixture into the piping hot liquid. A bit of sugar and milk, and you had your preferred morning drink.

You took a sip as the scent wafted into your nostrils, helping to wake you just as much as the brew. You questioned if you should go after her, try and calm her. Then again, walking to her in this state never warranted any results, so it was best to let her calm down first.

You took your cup and began to head back to your room, thinking maybe you would just finish your tea and read a bit more before trying to tread into sensitive territory. The door shut softly behind you with a click of the latch as you moved around your bed and sat your teacup down on the woven rope coaster you had made in fifth grade.

Your fingers curled around the spine of the book, pulling it from the nightstand and climbing back onto your comfy bed clad in deep blue blankets and pillows. Sitting in its center, you reopened the tail of Les Misérables...