RAINSTORM

Ch. 27

When Hector enters his home, he sees four suitcases near the entry way. A man, in his twenties, comes from inside while speaking into his phone. "You won't believe it, man. I mean sh—" the man stops talking after noticing Hector. "Call you later. I gotta go now," he quickly says and puts away the phone.

"You must be Hector," the man says, walking over to Hector and extending a hand. "Who are you?" Hector says, ignoring the gesture.

The man puts his hand into his pocket. "George Rittman. A friend of your mom," he says with a crooked smile.

Hector's mother, Eleanor, appears, dressed in a beige sundress and shades. "Oh, dear," she says to Hector, "I didn't know you'll be back so soon. Good thing you're here though. I'm going on a business trip with my friend here for a week." Eleanor wraps her arm around George and grins.

"Whatever," Hector mutters and heads for his room. His married parents' cheating habits aren't anything new to Hector or to each other.

He's happy as long as their attention is not on him.

In his room, Hector finds a large black box on his bed, signed by his mother. A parting gift before leaving for her business trip.

Hector opens it and finds a folded black leather jacket. He closes the lid and throws it to his closet's floor next to four other similar boxes.

AT THE MALL, Rachel stops by the window displaying a men's bomber jacket on a mannequin. Seeing their friend, Moira and Annie stop, too. "You like that? That doesn't look like your style," Moira says.

"Not for me," Rachel says, and Moira and Annie laugh.

"Somebody has a thing for the school's bad boy," Annie says.

"I don't," Rachel says pulling up her handbag over to her shoulder. "I just want to get him a thank you gift for paying for the repairs." The day after Rachel visited Bo's mechanic shop, Bo informed her over the phone that her payment was cleared by Hector.

"You sure he would want only a jacket as a thank you?" Annie says, bumping her shoulder into Rachel's.

Ignoring her giggling friends, Rachel enters the shop to make the purchase.

AT NIGHT Rachel takes out the jacket to look at it. Although it's not leather and isn't anywhere close to as expensive as any of Hector's leather jackets, she's satisfied with her purchase. Folding it neatly she puts it back into its bag, when her phone rings.

It's Ricky. "I have an extra ticket for the Space Expo on Saturday at SSG Hall. Do you want to go with me?"

Rachel bites her lips, thinking.

"Don't worry, it's not a date," Ricky says, "I remember your rejection just fine."

Rachel tightly closes her eyes and slaps her forehead in embarrassment.

"As friends," Ricky continues, "Want to go?"

"I would love to," Rachel says.

At the other end of the line Ricky grins. "Pick you up at your place? We can leave at nine."

"Nine sounds good. Why don't I pick you up though? You got us the tickets, the least I can do is give you a ride."

"I know it's not a date, and you might find it patronizing, but I'm not going to let a girl drive me around."

Rachel laughs. "That is patronizing. Alright, you can pick me up."