When The Rain Stops (BXB)

Chapter 22

The rain's so hard that I basically have to turn up my music as loud as it can go. I can't really see the town from across the river because of the train's window. They're scratched into oblivion. But the announcement comes on the PA system that South Aberford is the next stop. I get my backpack and head to the end of the car.

Unlike summer, a few people get off. I think it's mostly college kids or people coming back from work. I'm probably the only person still in high school who gets off the train.

I don't care. I really don't care.

Main Street's lit up. The rain's making this kinda glowy mist over all the buildings. But most of the shops are dark still.

A car rolls passed me.

There's no taxi coming to get me. And I barely have enough money for the return trains back. So I'm walking Lakeside Drive by myself. At least this time, I have an umbrella. And a jacket. And my music. Thank God for that, because there's nothing more sad to me than George Harrison singing about being in love.

So, instead, I'm listening to Lonely Island trying to perk myself up.

The Dollhouse's still there. Well, not there there. It's still just a pit. The garbage bags are gone. But now it's a shallow pool of loose trash, tree branches, and whatever that green-brown gunk is.

The Cottage is empty. Everything is blue and it makes me even sadder. But it has that musty, sticky feel that makes my skin crawl, so I open the windows and turn on some of the lights. I dump my stuff in Mom and Dad's room. The TV's basically offline because of how heavy the storm is.

Dad calls to make sure I got to the Cottage safely. His voice is spotty and the conversation isn't anything important. He asks how the train was, and I say "It was fine" four times. I can hear Mom in the background grumbling. And then he hangs up.

Julia calls me, too. "Hey, where are you?" Somehow, her voice is crystal clear.

"I told you, Juls."

She takes in a breath. "You were serious?"

"...yep."

"Jacks - you went all the way to a dead town instead of coming to Florida with me?"

Yep.

"I-I wanted to talk to you. This year's been a mess; I know that, but - and, and I wanted to talk to you about it."

"Let's break up," I finally say.

"W - WHAT?" Her voice's shrill now.

"Yeah. Let's break up."

"W-wait. Jackson, are you - are you serious?"

"Yep."

She breathes nervously for a second. "I...Why? I-is this, like, payback because of Harper? I told you. Nothing happened."

"Okay." I pause. "Great." I pause again. "Let's break up."

"I-I'm not breaking up with you, Jackie!"

I cringe. "I told you to stop calling me that."

"What?"

"I told you to stop calling me that."

"What, 'Jackie'?"

"Yes."

She scoffs. Or clears her throat. I don't know what it is. "I-I'm sorry. I forget. I like 'Jackie'. I'm sorry!"

"I told you to stop calling me that."

"Jackie – "

"I told you to stop calling me that."