Come in with the Raine | Teen Ink

Come in with the Raine

July 28, 2012
By Allicat001 SILVER, Waukesha, Wisconsin
More by this author
Allicat001 SILVER, Waukesha, Wisconsin
6 articles 0 photos 170 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Love is not someone you can live with, love is someone you can't live without."

"Always stand up for what's right even if that means you're standing alone."


Author's note: I began writing this story on a whim one day and ended up taking it and running with it. This was kind of an experimental piece for me so constructive criticism is more than welcome.

The author's comments:
The names at the top of the page represent whose point of view the story is being told through.

My legs were trembling as I made my way down the stairs, I could feel my heart pounding within my chest as I navigated my way towards the kitchen. I could hear the flow of my blood pulsing in my ears; my breathing came in fast, shallow intakes. The thermometer on the kitchen wall read eighty degrees Fahrenheit, but to me, the room felt as if its temperature was drawing nearer to absolute zero every second.

I leaned against the refrigerator for support as I slowly opened the door to the pantry, but just looking at the array of food boxes stored on the shelves was enough to make me feel nauseous. I eased the pantry door shut as I held my mouth clamped shut, praying that I wouldn’t vomit all over my mother’s gleaming kitchen floor. I honestly couldn’t remember ever being this anxious about anything ever before in my life. But at the same time, I couldn’t exactly put my finger on what I was nervous about either. It was just something about today, some kind of subconscious prediction of what would happen today, that scared me all the way down to the inner depths of my being. Looking back, part of me thinks that half the reason I was so terrified, was the fact that I just woke up on edge; not knowing why I was so afraid was what scared me the most. But nothing I told myself, nothing I tried to distract myself, could ease my mind from this sixth sense that something was wrong.

My fingers refused to stop shaking as I tried to squeeze the last bit of toothpaste onto my toothbrush. Part of me didn’t know why I was even bothering with attempting the task, I hadn’t eaten anything since the previous afternoon, skipping dinner over a similar uneasiness that I was feeling on that morning. But not allowing myself to leave the house without doing so, I finally managed to get my toothpaste to stay on my brush after four tries. But even as I was brushing my teeth, every part of me was hypersensitive to the world around me, The slightest sound forced me to freeze and listen until I was absolutely sure that the noise was a familiar one. It was this paranoia that had sent me into a choking fit when the doorbell rang and I swallowed too soon.

My eyes were watering as the coughs kept coming, I was desperately gasping for what little air I could take in, in between coughs, though only getting enough to barely survive. I was leaning against the sink for support as my vision started to blur and my head began spinning faster than it already was. I hadn’t even realized that someone had entered the bathroom until I felt two swift, hard blows being delivered to my back. The effect was immediate, I coughed violently twice more before the fit finally subsided and my desperate gasps were bringing in more air. The room around me slowly began to stop spinning, and my heart rate slowly began to march to its normal beat.

“You alright, Midget?” I slowly turned around to see my savior leaning against the bathroom wall with his arms crossed and a glisten in his eye, a glisten that resembled laughter, almost, whether a mocking laughter or not was impossible to tell.

“D*** you, Adam!” If there’s one thing I hate more than being without chocolate, it’s being saved by anyone other than myself. I attempted to maintain a straight face as I looked up into Adam’s azure eyes, but the way they sparkled, the satisfied grin on his face, made me bite my lip to keep from letting an embarrassed smile slip across my face.

“Hey, watch your language!” Adam teased, tapping my leg with his foot, “besides, without me around, you’d be lying on the floor dead right now.”

“I would not be dead,” I argued, rolling my eyes as I tightened my ponytail, trying yet again to save it from falling out completely. “Just maybe passed out on the floor until someone came in and found me.”

“Which by then you’d be dead,” Adam said matter-of-factly, the gleam in his eye only getting brighter as he saw my reaction, I could tell that he was inwardly laughing at me as he began walking outside the bathroom, motioning for me to follow him out. “What could you have possibly done to hurt yourself brushing your teeth anyway?”

“Don’t ring the doorbell next time you get here in the morning, okay?” I didn’t need to look at him to know his reaction to my reply; the way he chuckled and fell back in his stride said it all.

“Oh Raine, you are the most squirrely person I have ever met in my life,” Adam chuckled as he slid past me and made his way to the pantry, casually drawing out a box of Corn Pops from the tiny closet and making his way over to the cabinet and selecting a bowl from the shelf.

“Oh yeah sure, feel free to just take and eat anything you want in here, it’s not like I care that you’re raiding my pantry.” I said sarcastically as I reached across the counter and popped a kernel of cereal into my mouth, but regretting it the second I did so as my stomach rudely reminded me of my feelings of anxiety.

“You say that as if you didn’t come over to my house and do the same thing just yesterday,” he didn’t even hesitate as he reached into the fridge and grabbed for the milk.

“We’re not talking about me right now,” I replied, finally calming down enough to let a quick smile slip across my face. But it only lasted for a split second; and then it was gone.

“I’ve just made it so that we are,” Adam remarked, “and by the way, you’ve got toothpaste on your chin.”

I could feel my eyes widening to black discs as my hand flew up to my face, desperately searching for the slippery texture of a stray droplet of toothpaste. It wasn’t until Adam burst out laughing beside me that I realized his bluff. I couldn’t stop myself from letting out a few choice words before Adam came over to me and placed his index finger over my lips, ultimately silencing me.

“Loosen up, Midget,” Adam’s smile was no longer mocking, but one of subtle concern as he took his hand away from my lips and placed his hands on my shoulders. “What’s making you so tense today?”

I quickly sifted through a list of things that realistically could be bothering me before replying, seeing absolutely no point in admitting that I honestly didn’t know what was wrong, “I just didn’t sleep well last night, I couldn’t stop thinking about the test in Landcaster’s class.”

Adam tilted his head in momentary confusion as he considered this, “That test was today?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, biting my lip as I realized that Adam wasn’t the only one that forgot to study for the geometry test last night. It was Adam’s turn to utilize a few of his choice interjections before he finally made a reply for real.

“Well I guess there’s always a retake,” Adam brushed the matter off with a flick of his hand and a shrug of his shoulders as he stepped away.

“Is there a test you haven’t retaken this year?” I asked pointedly, though the majority of my thoughts were contemplating whether the only reason I was nervous was because of the geometry test I’d forgotten about.

Adam raised his eyebrows and looked up at the ceiling as if mentally calculating the number of tests he’d taken versus the number of tests he’d retaken, he didn’t look down from the ceiling as he slowly shook his head, “No, I’ve only retaken the last two geometry tests,” he remarked, shrugging once more before looking back down. “I dunno why you always freak out about these things, you don’t even need to study on half the tests to do fine.”

“It just makes me feel better,” I replied with a shrug as I turned my head to read the clock on the kitchen stove, realizing with horror that we had to be at school within ten minutes. I didn’t waste time speaking as I took off running down the hall and up the stairs.

“What do you think you’re doing, Midget?” I only had time enough to see Adam leaning over the railing as he hollered up the stairs.

“There’s no way we’re making it to school on time.” I replied irritably, hearing Adam’s reply though not actually interoperating what it meant as I slammed the door shut behind me, grabbing the first shirt and pair of shorts I saw to clothe myself for the day.

It’s always amazed me at how anxious Raine could be just on a daily basis; she’d always been hypersensitive to sudden sounds and movements and absolutely hated surprises. But for the life of me I could not figure out what was making her so upset today, the only thing I knew for sure was that she was lying when she said that Landcaster’s test today was what was bothering her. I knew it shouldn’t have bothered me that Raine was so jittery, it wasn’t exactly a novel phenomenon, but something about the particular way she was acting up today, something about the way that she was hiding something from me bothered me. Raine and I had known each other since before we could walk and we’d never hidden anything from each other before. I shook my head, forcing myself to push the thought to the back of my mind, if something was really bothering her, Raine would have told me.

I emptied my cereal bowl and leaned against the kitchen counter, watching the clock on the stove for approximately three minutes before Raine came tip-toeing into the kitchen, I guess tip-toeing wasn’t exactly the correct term; Raine had been walking with a normal stride---for her anyway. But there was always something about the way she walked, the way her bare feet never made a sound as they paced across the floor, the way she stepped so lightly, elegantly almost, never failed to remind me of a ballerina tip-toeing about the stage at an evening show.

For only spending a matter of five minutes up in her room, Raine’s appearance had dramatically changed. The previously sleepy look in her cobalt eyes were replaced by a bright, intelligent, almost mysterious gleam. Her platinum blonde hair previously falling out of a loose ponytail was now a waterfall of gently cascading locks down her slender back. Her sports bra and p.j. shorts were replaced by a light blue Aèropostale T-shirt and a pair of cut-off shorts. A simple outfit, but Raine didn’t need a high-end fashionable shirt to be thought of as attractive. Her legs, though miniscule compared to mine, were long in proportion to the rest of her body, long and slender and elegant. Her waist looked absolutely tiny in the baggiest of shirts, but the shirt that she was wearing highlighted just how small she was by the way it gently clung to her sides, showing off their slender curves. But it wasn’t as if she was anorexic or anything, her bones weren’t nearly as prominent as some of the girls I’ve seen around school, Raine was just simply made up of a tiny complexion.

“Does my hair look at least somewhat okay?” Raine observed my expression uncertainly, running a nervous hand through her hair and biting her lip as she waited for a reply.

“Somewhat,” I replied, struggling to keep a straight face as I regarded her in the seconds that followed.

Her face momentarily fell before it took on an expression of complete and utter distress as she turned on her heel to duck into the bathroom. At this, I could not help but burst out laughing as I reached for her arm to stop her “Relax, midget, you look fine,” I smiled as I squeezed her hand before letting go. To this, she eased up the slightest bit, but the uneasiness was far from departing from her slender face.

“We’ve got three minutes until school starts, there’s no way we’re gonna make it,” Raine tentatively stared at the clock and bit her lip.

“We’ll be fine; who do you have first hour?”

“Worthers,” Raine replied shortly

I couldn’t help but look at her and frown in confusion, “Then what are you worried about? He loves you! But either way I have Landcaster, and he hates my guts, not to mention we’ve got that bloody test today.” I replied, for the first time today feeling somewhat uneasy about something. It only took a moment for Raine slip her backpack, which had been carelessly thrown onto the kitchen table the night before, over her shoulders and was out the door in a matter of five seconds flat. I took my time as I adjusted the straps on my backpack and slipped out the door after her, wondering how pissed Raine would be if I waited inside the house too long before leaving, and wondering if she would have taken her car and driven to school without me if I took too long on her watch. It wasn’t until I heard the engine of Raine’s Ford Edge rev that I finally made my way out the door and stepped into the muggy atmosphere of Raine’s front yard.

Driving to school I still didn’t know exactly why I was so nervous, but it by no means made its way to the back of my mind as I white-knuckled the steering wheel, creeping into of the parking lot at Lincoln High School. The SUV shook and jerked abruptly as it stumbled over indistinguishable potholes in the parking lot’s spotted asphalt. On any other day, this would have barely registered to me as I slipped in the spot between Mick and Tracey’s cars, but for whatever reason, this particular day was different, every bump, every jolt, every car door opening, set me on edge.

“Raine, you okay?” Adam raised an eyebrow at me as he regarded me his eyes intently searching my face as he awaited my reply, making my even my innermost feelings exposed to him as I redirected my gaze to stare determinedly at the finger-printed glass doors leading into the school.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I replied, perhaps a little too quickly as Adam silently held the door open for me.

“Midget, I honestly can’t figure out what’s wrong with you today,” Adam slipped his arm over my shoulders and pulled me into him as we headed down the vacant hallway leading towards our lockers.

I shrugged, “I just don’t really know how I’m gonna get through Landcaster’s test alive, that’s all.”

“You’ll manage,” Adam replied nonchalantly, “And even if you do fail, it’s not like anyone would be particularly surprised anyway,” he said, a playful smile began to slip across his face as he replied, his eyes gleaming with immature satisfaction as he saw me raise an eyebrow at him.

“Are you calling me an idiot?” I replied, returning the teasing tone as I tried to force myself not to look into Adam’s eyes, for if I looked into his sparkling azure eyes I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep a straight face.

Adam chuckled and squeezed my shoulder before taking his arm off of me as we approached his locker, “I think the politically correct term is imbecile, but if you prefer idiot, sure.” His eyes were glistening with light-hearted laughter as he regarded me, absently spinning the dial on his Masterlock with his thumb.

“Either way when you look at it, I guess I am an imbecile, I mean I let myself associate with you after all,” I replied, laughing as Adam swore and dropped the Masterlock against the rusting locker door.

“Wrong locker,” he mumbled as he looked up at the number posted on top of the locker and slid to the locker on the left.

“Proves my point exactly,” I replied laughing as Adam eyed me in a mock-threatening fashion, a sly smile slipping across his lips.

“You won this time,” he said, dropping his backpack to the floor as he opened the door to his squeaking locker, “But just you wait, I’ll win the next round to the game of wit.”

“We’ll see about that,” I said with a smile as I pulled my biology textbook out from my shelf in the locker I’d organized for him, my unexplained uncertainty finally pushed into the back of my mind for the first time and last time of the day.



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JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This book has 8 comments.


on Sep. 1 2012 at 1:12 pm
Shadowpomgurl PLATINUM, Canton, New York
22 articles 0 photos 126 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I was NEVER that drunk." -Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow

holy...! incred! five stars, baby! i couldnt stop at the first two chapters...read four!! :)

on Aug. 28 2012 at 7:40 pm
Allicat001 SILVER, Waukesha, Wisconsin
6 articles 0 photos 170 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Love is not someone you can live with, love is someone you can't live without."

"Always stand up for what's right even if that means you're standing alone."

Thank you so much! :)  You are a very talented writer as well.

on Aug. 27 2012 at 6:15 pm
jmac1780 BRONZE, Staten Island, New York
2 articles 0 photos 30 comments
check*                   

on Aug. 27 2012 at 6:14 pm
jmac1780 BRONZE, Staten Island, New York
2 articles 0 photos 30 comments
wow you're a great writer! I'll be sure to chek out more of your work! :) Never stop writing, you have TRUE TALENT.  xoxo

on Aug. 21 2012 at 9:06 am
Allicat001 SILVER, Waukesha, Wisconsin
6 articles 0 photos 170 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Love is not someone you can live with, love is someone you can't live without."

"Always stand up for what's right even if that means you're standing alone."

Lol, thank you guys so much!  I really appreciate the feedback :)

on Aug. 20 2012 at 8:05 pm
KatelynnGilbert0 BRONZE, Palm Desert, California
3 articles 0 photos 58 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The only thing holding you back is yourself."

BWHPDNEM!!!! That was you BLOWING MY MIND! Like holy bejesus that was good, so good I can't wait to read the whole book. Keep up the good work.

elizamc83 GOLD said...
on Aug. 8 2012 at 7:07 pm
elizamc83 GOLD, Concord, Massachusetts
17 articles 0 photos 84 comments

Favorite Quote:
"From now on, I don't care if my tea leaves spell 'Die, Ron, die,' I'm chucking them in the bin where they belong." -Ron Weasley

Really nice job! It's obvious that you're a talented writer, the description and style were very good. The only thing I would change is maybe make a few main points a bit clearer, like why Raine is so anxious or who exactly Adam is (her best friend? her friend/crush?), but overall I really liked this story. Would you mind maybe reading/commenting on my story Homeless? Thanks! :)

DanielM SILVER said...
on Aug. 8 2012 at 6:22 pm
DanielM SILVER, Kent, Washington
6 articles 1 photo 245 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I would rather hated million times for what i did then loved a million times for what i didn't do." - Daniel Moto
" I've sought out to be the best i could posibly be but when i hit a roadblock in life what did i do, i had two choices either stay at the roadblock or i take this roadblock and make of it and go around it and achieve my goal. So, what will it be?"- Daniel Mathia

"People take love like its a four letter word or just a phrase that you tell people or your friends all the time. But in reality love is much bigger than a merely phrase or 4 letter word. Instead love is a genuine promise or covenant to that special person."-Daniel Mathia

“Why change yourself when you were made perfect and wonderfully by the creator of everything?” – Daniel Mathia

“If live is not hurtin then were really not living in.” – B. Reith

Allica....ohmg this is really good. I like how it's written into different point of views. Your really good writer. I take that The Raine girl has some issues or problems. Anyways your intro was awesome. Great job!!! Please write more