RAINSTORM

Ch. 23

As Rachel walks in the hallway she notices the sky dim outside. The clouds were gone for awhile, Rachel thinks, but looks like they are coming back.

When she enters the library she sees all three boys had come, and feels relieved. She was worried Hector wouldn't, since he still hadn't called her back.

Noticing Rachel arrive, Hector meets her eyes. She smiles at him. Instinctively he smiles back, then bites his lips and tries to appear indifferent. Hector had planned to not let her affect him in any way, but finds it difficult once she's in front of him.

Rachel sits down and pulls out the study materials.

"Good to see you again," Tate says.

"I'm afraid I can't say the same," Rachel says and everyone laughs.

"Sorry, we heard the coach pushed us over to you again," Vince says.

"That's alright," Rachel says, smiling, "By the way how much did you guys score when I tutored you last time?"

Tate looks at Hector and says, "You didn't tell her?" He then turns to Rachel. "We aced the tests."

Rachel is not sure if his and hers idea of acing a test is the same. "What was the grade?"

"Him and I," Tate says pointing back and forth at himself and Vince. "We got B+. And he, A-," Tate says, pointing at last at Hector.

Rachel is wide-eyed. She wasn't expecting that. Her best guess was a C+, considering they all almost failed the previous test.

She smiles at Hector. "A-? That's incredible."

Unable to stop himself again, he smiles back at her. "What can I say? There's nothing I can't do," he proudly says.

Tate and Vince glance at each other and exchange smirks.

"Then let's aim for A+ this time," Rachel says, sliding the materials to all three of them. A thunder appears in the sky.

"Man, I thought the monsoon was over already," Vince says.

Tate says, "It's the global warming — too much of everything. So how was the weather in Chile, Rachel?"

Rachel looks up at Tate, surprised by the sudden question. She was organizing the notes. "Oh, erm, it was good. No rain," she says.

"Heard you went with Ricky there," Tate says.

"Yeah, we participated together in the competition."

"So what's the deal with you two? Is he your boyfriend?"

Taken aback once again by Tate's question, Rachel fumbles a little before saying, "What? No. Uh, we just share a few classes and are in the Math club together." Rachel wants to look at Hector but avoids doing so and looks down at the notes and continues to organize them.

"You have a boyfriend at all?" Tate says.

Rachel sighs and pushes the study materials she gave him further close to him. "Why don't we focus on studying now?" Rachel says.

"What? I was just asking for a friend," Tate says, shrugging.

Vince laughs. Rachel finally looks at Hector and Hector is looking away at the windows with his lips tucked into his mouth trying not to smile.

Rachel wonders if everyone is pulling a joke on her. What's funny about her being single? She thinks, and pushes through it and starts teaching them.

About twenty minutes later, Rachel feels someone come stand next to her. She looks up and sees Ricky.

"Heard you have to tutor again. I'm here to lend a hand," Ricky says and pulls out a chair next to her and sits down. 

End of chapter

A/N — Just checking in with you guys :) Hope you're enjoying the book so far. See you in the next update 💕