RAINSTORM

Ch. 33

"I was hoping you would give me your Chemistry notes," Hector says over the phone.

"Now?" Rachel says.

"Just the ones for the upcoming test," he says.

"Okay, wait," Rachel says and nests her phone between the side of her head and the shoulder while she takes out her chemistry notes.

"The ones on isotopes?" Rachel asks. Hector confirms.

Rachel puts her phone on speaker and lays down her notes on her desk and starts taking pictures of them.

"Did your class get the announcement about the trip?" Hector says.

"Third period. Our homeroom teacher broke the news," Rachel says, chuckling while remembering everyone's reaction.

"Didn't think they would pick Disneyland of all places."

"I'm sure it'll be fun," she says.

"So, you are going?"

"I'm looking forward to it. It'll be my first trip to Disneyland."

"Hmmm."

Rachel starts selecting the photos she had just taken to forward him. "Too bad you are not going though," she says as she hits the 'Send'.

"What?" He says.

"Moira's boyfriend mentioned all the sports guys are planning to go to a baseball game. I'm guessing you would be bored in Disneyland."

Hector sits down on his bed, scratching the back of his neck. "It's not that I hate Disneyland. It's just too many crying little brats would be around."

Rachel laughs at Hector's fondness of little kids. "It's good that you don't have a younger sibling. I would've felt bad for them. Well, Moira did say she had a hard time with her little cousin when they went there. But this time it's a class trip. You'll be with your friends though."

"So you want me to come?" Hector says.

"When did I say that?"

"It sure sounds like you want me to come."

"I never said that."

"Fine. If you insist, I guess I'll come."

"Hey, I never said that."

"I know you'll miss me there," he says.

"Stop it," Rachel says, laughing, "You're such a liar. Go to your baseball game. Nobody wants you at Disneyland."

"You sure? Once I say yes to the guys for the game I can't change my mind."

Rachel hesitates for a moment. "I'm sure," she says, narrowing her eyes.

"Alright then, have a good time at Disneyland with all the crying kids."

"No one will be crying since you won't be there."

"Ouch," Hector says, "Disneyland is already changing you."

When her mom calls Rachel for dinner, Rachel tells him bye and ends the call.

At the dinner table, she wonders if she should've just asked him to go after all.

THE NEXT DAY, at sixth period, Hector and his friends enter the office at school.

"The things we have to do for our bros to get girls," Vince says while Tate asks Mr. Hemworth for three forms.

After a minute, Tate reaches his hand out to Hemworth with the filled forms, when Ricky and his friends come in.

"Four forms for the trip," Ricky says to Hemworth and notices him get three forms from Tate. Ricky looks at Hector before turning to Tate and saying, "I heard the football guys were skipping the trip for a baseball game."

"Plans changed," Tate says while the three of them head out, "Our Mickey is going after his Minnie to the Disneyland."

Ricky clenches his jaws before picking up his form and start filling it in thick block letters.