November (DRAFT)

V

CHAPTER V.
An Unlikely Friend

What draws
people to be
friends is that
they see the
same truth.
they share it.

- C.S. Lewis

Rain splattered against the concrete and wet down the ends of my golden hair. The roof barely hung over the side of the library wall and covered the rest of my body from the rain. It didn't aid in trying me off.

A migraine throbbed against the side of my head and my fingers itched the fabric of my pockets where I used to keep my cigs. I ditched them last night and now I paid the price from lack of nicotine in my system.

Withdrawals were a bitch.

I wasn't sure why I stood in the rain, there was a perfectly warm building just behind me, it's beckon was quite persuasive. But, for whatever reason, I stood outside. Impatient and ticked off.

That is, until she appeared. The girl from before; November. She lifted a rain jacket above her head instead of wearing it and walked briskly toward the building.

Relief washed over my head like the shower of rain that engulfed my head once I pushed off the wall and waited at the top of the steps till she met me at the top. No words past between us, I held the door open and, together, we both rushed inside.

She huffed, clearly out of breath, her almond colored skin was tainted with a rose color when she pulled the coat off her head. It was clear that it didn't do her much good. Her fine hairs on the side of her face were flattened, raindrops coated her glasses, and a dark spot trailed off the baggie shirt around her shoulders.

"Nice weather," I said disdainfully and gestured toward the grey sky. "Is the weather ruining your mood like it is mine?"

"Actually, I'm a pluviovile," she stated simply, wringing out her wet hair and tied it back into a bun. "It means that I lo-"

"I know what a pluviovile is," I hated whenever people assumed I wouldn't know something.

November didn't say anything, instead she pulled her glasses off her face and wiped them dry with the bottom of her sweatshirt.

I could spot a fair amount of freckles dotting along her nose and just below her eyes.

"You're not smoking," she stated once she set her glasses down on the bridge of her nose.

"And you're not texting and walking," I retorted with a grin.

"Did you run out?"

"Yes," I suppressed the urge to cringe at the lie. I still had four cigarettes left and I could the absence of their usual place in my back pocket.

"I left my phone at home," she said, a ghost smile fluttered along her lips.

How interesting. "Coincidence?"

She shook her head, but I caught that smile. "Are you coming inside or will we go back in the rain?"

"I thought you liked the rain," I said, pointing at the sky, but followed her deeper into the library. The smell of pages mingled against the fresh rain scent that clung to my clothes. It was oddly pleasant. "You made that clear just a couple minutes ago."

"I'm fully aware, Apollo," she said and pushed her wet rain jacket against my arms. I frowned at her. "What? I don't want to carry it."

"You're awfully funny," I narrowed my eyes, but instead of giving it back, I threw the coat over my shoulder. The water soaked into my hoodie. I gave a small shiver.