How it Happened

Nine

I burst through the door, and gain all the eyes in the waiting room, but I only allow myself to focus on one. I splay my hands out across the white desk while the women behind it eyes me warily.

"James, Avery James," I pant out before sucking in a few deep breaths as the women continues to blankly stare back at me. "I had an interview." The sentence finally comes out, but it's calmer than my whole demeanor, calmer than I feel, and that's when the woman finally begins clicking on the desktop in front of her. Her lips form a thin line as she taps away and I tap my fingers anxiously waiting for her to finally say something.

"Oh." Her mouth forms the word before her eyes finally meet mine again. "I'm sorry, Ms. James, but your interview was scheduled for ten minutes ago."

"Ten minutes-" My eyes widen on their own accord, but I quickly shift my expression back to neutral. "I see, but I'm here now and as you can tell I was caught up." Her eyes move around my face and then to my soaking wet attire before meeting my gaze again. I can't decide whether it's sympathy, or just pure pity that sags her shoulders for a second before her lips form a line again.

"I'm very sorry, but as you can see, we have a line." Her eyes fall behind me and I glance over my shoulder to find some gazes are still on me while others are turned to pretend as if they never were.

"I see." My shoulders slump and I readjust my purse strap as I turn back around. "Is there any way I can reschedule?" The woman clicks away on her computer again for a few seconds before turning back to me with a solemn shake of her head. "Okay, well, thanks anyway." I nod before finally pushing away from the counter and slowly trekking my way back out of the office.

The weight of the glass door is seemingly heavier than when I came in and my already aching wrists scream in protest when I attempt to push on it. I do manage to open it just a crack and then use my shoulder to ungracefully shove myself out the rest of the way. The cool rain pours over me again and I tilt my head up towards the sky, allowing it to fall freely down my face. It washes away whatever little makeup I put on, but it sadly doesn't wash away my disappointment.

Usually I enjoy the rain amid endless sunny days, but today it only enhances my dampened mood. I accept it, though, as I begin walking back down the sidewalk. There's nowhere specific I want to go, but I also don't want to be here, traveling under my own personal storm cloud of self-pity and yet, I just can't seem to stop.

The sting in the corner of my eyes won't go away. Even when the rain drops seem to puncture deeper into my skin and send shivers up my spine. Even when my bottom lip trembles and my teeth clench down on it in attempt to cease the movement.

My brain is quiet for once compared to the mess it was only moments before. It decides to be numb when it'd usually provide me with some form of positive reinforcement, some logic, something-anything to carry me forward. Instead, it's decided to take a backseat while my legs continue to robotically carry me forward, and I attempt to swallow down the lump in my throat. Some would call it tears, but I know it's just the aftermath of all the leftover adrenaline. At least that's what I keep trying to remind myself as I finally find my hand swiping at my cheeks.

The water is cold on my fingertips the first time I flick my hand across my skin, but the second time the water's warm, and that's when I know I'm not just wiping away raindrops. I stop in my tracks and tilt my head up towards the grey sky again. I slowly suck in a deep breath, filling my lungs up to their maximum capacity, before slowly letting it go. The lump may still be settled in my throat, but at least the muscles in my back are a little bit more relaxed.

I slowly peel my eyes back open only to find an army green jeep pulling up to the curb a few feet ahead of me. Once again, my legs move on their own accord and I catch a glimpse of my drenched reflection in the passenger window before it's rolled down.

"How did you-what are you-?" The broken sentences are almost whispers as they leave my lips, but Nate only sends a small smile my way as he remains hunched over the steering wheel.

"What kind of guy would I be if I left the girl with the broken smile out on the corner in the pouring rain?"

A smile immediately tugs at my lips at his choice of words, but my eyes quickly settle on his leather seats. "Are you sure?" Instead of responding Nate only leans over and pops open the passenger door himself. "Thank you," I finally say after sliding into the seat and slamming the door behind me.

"You're welcome."

Silence immediately wraps around us, but with my mind still processing everything that has happened so far today, I gladly accept the theoretical blanket. My gaze falls on the windshield as the wipers rhythmically move up and down, sloshing the rain every which way, before I reach up and pull my hair over to one side. I squeeze the ends on my already wet jeans before rolling the wet tendrils up and tying them in a low bun at the back of my head. Nate reaches behind him, straining to grab something behind the passenger seat, before straightening back up with a small tissue box now grasped in one hand.

"Here." Nate hands me one and I accept it, using my pointer finger to swipe at the leftover mascara underneath my eyes. Once I'm satisfied I crumple the soft napkin material in my hands while Nate clears his throat. "So..." The pause is long enough for me to watch three cars pass by and count five seconds as I hold my breath. "Want to go get some food?"

The tissue falls out of my fidgeting hands and I'm momentarily dumbfounded as to why he isn't inquiring about my disheveled state, but that feeling quickly transforms into relief as I exhale a breath.

"Sounds good to me."

"Yeah?" His eyes hold the question, and I let out a little laugh.

"Yeah, as long as you're okay with being seen with..." I trail off and gesture to the wet material of my top and how the white material is now basically see through. "This."

His wholehearted laugh is the only confirmation I need before he shifts the car into gear. "I'd go anywhere with you, Avery James."

I know he's teasing, but I still raise my brows in serious question. "Are you sure?"

"Well..." His eyes widen in judgment as they blatantly move over my form and I slap his arm in response. "I'm kidding." He laughs again as he glances beside us one more time before finally pulling the car away from the curb.

"Sure." I drag out the word in mock annoyance before reaching over and flicking the dial on the radio. "I'll pick the music." I say the words only to annoy him, but still start clicking through the channels.

"Hell no." Nate is quick to wave my hand away. "Considering the crap you made me listen to last time, never again."

"But-"

"My car, my music."

"My car, my music," I mock back, but only laugh when we stop at a red light and Nate removes his hands from the wheel for a second to grab at his temples.

"You're killing me, Avery James." The groan is only halfhearted and I smile because banter is the key component that glues our slightly forced, annoyingly random, yet abnormally enjoyable, friendship together.

"Likewise, Nathaniel Graham." Likewise.