RAINSTORM

Ch. 29

"It's nothing like that. I'm not interested in anyone," Hector says.

"Don't lie to us, boy. Your ears are as red as my woman's lips," Lil' Joe says.

Hector leans back shaking his head at the ridiculous metaphor. When he turns to his side, he sees the valley. It can be seen fully only when they have reached the summit. But this much of it is still breathtakingly beautiful.

"Why don't you bring her here one day?" Jay says, "That'll seal the deal."

Hector scratches his neck. "I don't know. I think she would be scared to ride on a bike this far up on a mountain."

"She would be scared to ride with you or you are scared to ask her to?" Jay says.

Hector is sure of which one but he doesn't share that with the guys.

The bikers reach the summit just in time to catch the sunset. Hector looks around him. Some of them had brought their girlfriends for the ride, and tourists are here too, most being couples.

Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to bring Rachel with him one day, Hector thinks.

RACHEL'S MOOD BRIGHTENS even more as she steps into the sun's orange evening light near the Expo's exit with Ricky. "Wasn't that great?" Rachel says of the Expo, "especially the Mars corner?"

"Yeah, that interactive panel was pretty cool," Ricky says, "You know, I think you are more into space than law."

Rachel looks at him surprised. She's not sure how he could've possibly known what she wanted to apply for in college.

Ricky understood her reaction. "I read your college evaluation form last year," Ricky says.

"My parents want me to be a lawyer," she says.

"What do you want to be?" Ricky says.

"I don't mind becoming a lawyer."

"That's not the answer to my question," Ricky says.

"I don't know."

"It's still not too late to make up your mind. You don't have to settle for what your parents want just yet. Both back in the observatory, and today, I saw you have fun."

That's true, Rachel thinks. It's been a while since she felt childishly happy about something. "I'll think about it," she says.

She turns to the space rocket balloon and takes a picture of it.

"Here, come," Ricky says, pulling her closer to him. The two of them face the camera while the rocket is at the backdrop. Ricky presses a button at the side of his phone. The camera clicks.

Rachel watches him post it on his instagram, tagging her. She's a little uncertain about it since others might misunderstand the two of them hanging out together like this outside of school.

Then she sees Ricky's smiling face as he adds the caption. Like he said before, it was fun today for Rachel and not only because of the Expo.

Feeling thankful for his company, Rachel takes out her phone, finds the photo and taps a like on it.

They both laugh at each other, finding the whole thing silly, and head for their car while discussing what to have for dinner.