When It Rains

Chapter 12: Orange Is An Embarrassing Color

We walked up to the street, waited for traffic to clear and walked across to the parking garage.  We passed white tolls that took our parking passes to let us in.  I had to wait a second to let my eyes adjust slightly.  The orange sun shimmered through the sliver of concrete along the walls and I felt a warm breeze sway through the entire parking garage.  I looked down the corridor and saw the back end of a light blue minivan sticking out in a slanted parking spot, "Hey Bertha!" I called out.

Dimitri looked at me then back up and called back, "Hey Bertha!"  We both laughed as we turned to the right and half way down the lane was a doorway leading to a concrete stairway.  It reminded me of when I had to drag him up the concrete stairs in his apartment building.  We climbed the floors as my legs began to burn as the signs for each floor passing slowly.  Finally we hit the top floor where a pathway let into a door that had the number "6" on a plaque attached to the wall next to it.

We walked out the door as I was still gasping for air into the refreshing open air and into the warm orange sunlight.  Dimitri didn't seem phased but turned to me and smiled as I felt like I was gonna pass out *My god, I need to start running more often.* I reminded myself.  My eyes adjusted and the top floor was completely empty except two figures that stood at the end of the against a large cement wall that looked thick but not very tall.  The medium height and striking blond hair could only be Alana and the tall skinny guy had streak black hair stood against the wall could only be Luke.  Two boards laid against the wall on the their back wheel.  One looked like a long board and the other shorter like a skateboard.

We walked up as I was still struggling to control my breathing but slowly regained my balance.  Alana watched as we walked up and raised her eyebrows looking between Dimitri and I.  I could tell she was trying to make me uncomfortable as I glared at her.  I think Luke saw what was happening and they both started laughing as Luke looked at us and took a couple steps toward us as he said at the end of his laughter, "There you two are, we were starting to get worried."

I waited a split second for Dimitri to answer and when he didn't I spoke up for him, "You just had to pick the top floor?" As I pretended to out of breathe again as a smile came across my face.

Luke laughed it off, "We wouldn't have gotten this view if we didn't!"  He threw his arm out toward the sunset as it fell over the horizon just hanging above some buildings. 

In awe I spoke almost in a trance as I watched the sun, "Ok, maybe this is worth it."

I turn back to see Alana peeling herself off the wall and both her and Luke came to join us.  Dimitri followed on my other side as we stood at the edge of the garage.  I looked back at the wall where they were and saw the boards as I asked, "I didn't know y'all knew how to skateboard."

"Mines a long board."  Alana said flat.

"My brother longboards, I always wanted to learn.  I think it's super cool!"  I said looking at her as she gave me a weak smile.

"I'm not gonna teach you."  She taunted.

"I could."  Dimitri said to my right.  I turned as he smiled.

"Wait you can long board?"  I asked.

"Well I mean yeah, Luke and I would go all the time."  He said and looked between Luke and I.

"Yeah, we would go downtown all the time."  Luke said as he came up and joined me on the edge.  "We always went down the Canal, it's fun."  He shrugged pursing his lips.

We shared a smile as I turned around to see Dimitri and Alana sharing a look.  For some reason my gut made a small twist.

Dimitri turned to me, "Yeah we would always go over to that long strip of shops all the time.  It's fun over there.  Maybe we should check it out sometime."