Feels Like Rain

Chapter 3: Fiction

Jet

I knew Kalista was approaching me before I even looked up from my tray. She was so nervous; I wondered what she was about to tell me that could make her feel the urge to throw up. I was surprised when she brought up Grandmama, which was part of the reason I snapped at her. Who did she think she was, talking to me and about her, of all people? LaFontains and Brogans were like oil and water-coexisting when necessary, but never mixing.

I royally pissed her off when I mentioned her dad, which made me feel guilty once I felt how bad my words hurt her. I guess I was gonna have to overlook the fact that she was a LaFontain, especially since she was so damn cute... and one of the few girls who'd built up enough nerve to talk to me.

I don't know why I intimidated people. Maybe it was the fact they could sense that I was reading them-feeling them out, whether I wanted to or not-and it made them uncomfortable. I'd always sat with my best friend, Zander, and a few of our friends, but they'd all graduated last year and now I sat alone most of the time, which was how I preferred it, anyway. But I had to admit, I wouldn't care to sit with Kali a little more often. I actually liked letting her in, feeling her kaleidoscope of emotions flow through me. I also liked how that kaleidoscope reacted to me; my smile, my rudeness, my stare.

As I drove home, going slower than usual, hoping my new tires would keep me from hydroplaning, I couldn't seem to get Kali out of my mind. I'd disliked her by default for so long that having any other kind of feelings toward her felt strange. Having feelings toward anyone, for that matter, was new to me. It seemed that girls' emotions were usually complicated, too much for me to handle, and hadn't been worth suffering through to maintain a relationship with any of them. I wondered if Kali would be any different or if it would even be worth the effort to find out.

Once I got home and finished working on the farm, I scrolled through the books on my BAND for one to read once I laid down, knowing I would need one to help me escape the day. The fact that I couldn't get Kali out of my mind didn't sit well with me.

"Ya did good today," Dad told me as he walked out onto the back porch. "I didn't think you'd get finished, but ya did." He smacked my back a bit too hard as he added, "I'm proud of ya."

I hit at his hand, knocking it away before he could pull his chair out, which started a bit of a wrestling match at the table, which Mom quickly put a halt to it. "Boys, not at the table."

"He started it," I told her.

"I'm sure he did," she replied, looking at him like his immaturity was the cutest thing ever. "So, how'd your day go?"

"Pretty good." I couldn't help but smile, which made her stop mid-bite.

"Good?" she asked, obviously surprised.

"I said pretty good. There's a difference."

"No, when it comes to you, good is good. So," she paused and smiled at me, "what happened to make today not royally shit?"

Her use of my descriptive words made me laugh. "I talked to a LaFontain."

Dad dropped his roll. "You did what?"

"It wasn't just any LaFontain, either; she's the tyc's daughter."

"She?" mom asked with her eyebrows raised, still smiling.

Dad's reaction was yin compared to Mom's yang. "Ya don't need to mess with her, John Thomas. Conversin' with Chance's daughter is like feedin' a wild animal."

"How so?" I asked.

"Well, it might seem like the right thing to do at the time, but once they no longer fear humans, we're in trouble."