A/N: I had planned on updating last week. But my church does this big
production called Judgment House every year and this year I finally got a
major role. I think I spent more time at my church and school last week
than at my house. I got home around eleven every night and I was so
exhausted I fell asleep before my head hit the pillow each night. I was
also grounded from the computer for the week because I was on the Internet
instead of practicing my piano before school. Well enough with my excuses
on why I didn't update. Now for the real reason you're reading this. The
third chapter.
Rain and Domon climbed into Domon's car. Rain felt nervous and excited at the same time. She had never known cutting school could be so exciting. Domon looked so calm driving his jeep out of the school parking lot. She knew he had a lot of experience cutting school. He was absent from the classes they had together all of the time. He rarely showed up. It wasn't that Domon wasn't smart. Rain knew that very well. She and Domon had always been competing to see who could get the best grades all of the time in elementary school and middle school. Rain felt a pang in her heart as she thought of their younger years. She and Domon had almost been inseparable. Why was she feeling bad? He was the one who decided that they couldn't be friends anymore. As they pulled out onto the road Rain's mind traveled back to several years before, the day Domon had decided that they couldn't be friends anymore.
**Flashback**
Rain twirled a stray lock of her hair around her finger. She was standing next to her locker watching the coach post the results of the cheerleading tryouts. She was all but positive that she hadn't made the squad. All of the other girls had been so good. Her best friend Domon stood next to her. Domon hadn't really said much to her lately. She almost thought he was upset that she had tried out for the cheerleading squad. That couldn't be it though. They had talked only days before about how they were going to make names for themselves in high school. If she made the squad Domon would be happy for her. At least, she hoped he would.
Domon looked over at Rain. Her clear blue eyes were focused on the bulletin board. He secretly wished her name wasn't on that list the coach had just posted. Cheerleading would make Rain popular and that might change her. She'd probably give up skateboarding. He was sure if she made the squad it would be the end of the world as he knew it. Of course, he'd never tell Rain his secret wish. If she didn't make it he'd hide his happiness and comfort her by telling her that the coach wouldn't know talent if it came up and introduced itself. Then she'd laugh and be over it. Then they could both join the skate team and everything would be fine.
Rain walked over to the bulletin board and looked back at Domon uncertainly. He gave her a small smile and she smiled back. She scanned the paper for her name. There it was at the top of the list. She smiled and excitedly turned back to look at Domon. He could see she had made it just by looking at her. Her blue eyes sparkled happily as she ran over to him. "Domon I made it!!" she cried happily. "I actually made it!!!"
"I knew that you would," Domon said with fake enthusiasm. "You did great at the tryouts. The coach would have to be crazy to not pick you." He could tell by the look on her face she could see right through his act. Tears started forming clouding her beautiful eyes.
"Domon why aren't you happy for me?" she asked puzzled. "You knew how much I wanted this more than anyone."
"I'm happy."
"Then why doesn't your smile reach your eyes? Talk to me."
"You wouldn't understand."
"I can't if you don't tell me what's wrong. We've always been able to talk to each other. Why is this so different?" Rain asked him puzzled.
"Cheerleading is going to change you." Domon stated simply.
"What do you mean?"
"You'll be popular."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because."
"Because why?"
"Maybe we shouldn't be friends anymore."
"Why not?"
"You've changed already."
"Domon you're not making any sense," Rain said as tears started spilling down her cheeks. "You're my best friend in the world. Why can't we be friends anymore?"
"Just don't talk to me Rain," Domon told her sternly.
Rain took one final glance at him and ran. She ran all of the way home through the pouring rain just to realize that she didn't have her keys with her. She sat on her doorstep soaked to the skin and getting wetter. Rain sat there sobbing as if her heart was breaking. In all truth it was. Although she had never told him, she had been in live with Domon for a very long time. Now he would never know.
**End flashback**
Domon looked over at Rain. She was just sitting in her seat staring out the window. He could tell her mind was someplace else. He had no clue that she was thinking of the day they had stopped being friends. Now he regretted that day almost more than anything. There was one thing he regretted more, the day they made the agreement never to help each other again. He'd never forgotten the pain in Rain's eyes that he'd seen that day. It looked as if part of her had died. He never told her that part of him had died that day too.
**Flashback**
Domon walked into his first period class. Rain was in her usual seat right next to his. Her face was completely void of emotion and she stared down at her hands that she had neatly folded in her lap. There were dark bags under her eyes as if she hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before. There were even traces of tears on her pale cheeks. He felt terrible about causing her so much pain. He slid down into his seat next to her and looked over at her.
Rain looked up at him. Her expression didn't change even as her eyes locked. He could see this great sadness behind her eyes though. She tried so hard to hide her pain but Domon knew her to well. She looked as if she was dying inside. He gave her a small smile and she tried her hardest to smile back. Yet her smile didn't reach her eyes. It barely came to the corners of her mouth. He could tell she was in a lot of pain.
Several hours later Domon sat in math struggling with a difficult problem. Rain looked over at him and saw his frustration. She walked over to him and knelt beside his desk. "Do you need some help?" she asked gently.
"I don't need help," Domon told her through clenched teeth. "So why don't you leave me alone."
"Is that what you really want?" Rain asked him, pain shown out through her eyes.
"That's what I want."
"Fine, why don't we just leave each other alone," Rain suggested. "For good."
"Fine!"
` "Fine!"
**End flashback**
Domon pulled up into Rain's driveway. They both quickly climbed out of the jeep and quickly made their way into Rain's house. They decided her house was safer since her dad wouldn't be home until several hours after they were supposed to get out of school. They got inside and Rain locked the door behind them. They got some snacks from the kitchen and settled back onto the couch to watch TV.
Rain and Domon climbed into Domon's car. Rain felt nervous and excited at the same time. She had never known cutting school could be so exciting. Domon looked so calm driving his jeep out of the school parking lot. She knew he had a lot of experience cutting school. He was absent from the classes they had together all of the time. He rarely showed up. It wasn't that Domon wasn't smart. Rain knew that very well. She and Domon had always been competing to see who could get the best grades all of the time in elementary school and middle school. Rain felt a pang in her heart as she thought of their younger years. She and Domon had almost been inseparable. Why was she feeling bad? He was the one who decided that they couldn't be friends anymore. As they pulled out onto the road Rain's mind traveled back to several years before, the day Domon had decided that they couldn't be friends anymore.
**Flashback**
Rain twirled a stray lock of her hair around her finger. She was standing next to her locker watching the coach post the results of the cheerleading tryouts. She was all but positive that she hadn't made the squad. All of the other girls had been so good. Her best friend Domon stood next to her. Domon hadn't really said much to her lately. She almost thought he was upset that she had tried out for the cheerleading squad. That couldn't be it though. They had talked only days before about how they were going to make names for themselves in high school. If she made the squad Domon would be happy for her. At least, she hoped he would.
Domon looked over at Rain. Her clear blue eyes were focused on the bulletin board. He secretly wished her name wasn't on that list the coach had just posted. Cheerleading would make Rain popular and that might change her. She'd probably give up skateboarding. He was sure if she made the squad it would be the end of the world as he knew it. Of course, he'd never tell Rain his secret wish. If she didn't make it he'd hide his happiness and comfort her by telling her that the coach wouldn't know talent if it came up and introduced itself. Then she'd laugh and be over it. Then they could both join the skate team and everything would be fine.
Rain walked over to the bulletin board and looked back at Domon uncertainly. He gave her a small smile and she smiled back. She scanned the paper for her name. There it was at the top of the list. She smiled and excitedly turned back to look at Domon. He could see she had made it just by looking at her. Her blue eyes sparkled happily as she ran over to him. "Domon I made it!!" she cried happily. "I actually made it!!!"
"I knew that you would," Domon said with fake enthusiasm. "You did great at the tryouts. The coach would have to be crazy to not pick you." He could tell by the look on her face she could see right through his act. Tears started forming clouding her beautiful eyes.
"Domon why aren't you happy for me?" she asked puzzled. "You knew how much I wanted this more than anyone."
"I'm happy."
"Then why doesn't your smile reach your eyes? Talk to me."
"You wouldn't understand."
"I can't if you don't tell me what's wrong. We've always been able to talk to each other. Why is this so different?" Rain asked him puzzled.
"Cheerleading is going to change you." Domon stated simply.
"What do you mean?"
"You'll be popular."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because."
"Because why?"
"Maybe we shouldn't be friends anymore."
"Why not?"
"You've changed already."
"Domon you're not making any sense," Rain said as tears started spilling down her cheeks. "You're my best friend in the world. Why can't we be friends anymore?"
"Just don't talk to me Rain," Domon told her sternly.
Rain took one final glance at him and ran. She ran all of the way home through the pouring rain just to realize that she didn't have her keys with her. She sat on her doorstep soaked to the skin and getting wetter. Rain sat there sobbing as if her heart was breaking. In all truth it was. Although she had never told him, she had been in live with Domon for a very long time. Now he would never know.
**End flashback**
Domon looked over at Rain. She was just sitting in her seat staring out the window. He could tell her mind was someplace else. He had no clue that she was thinking of the day they had stopped being friends. Now he regretted that day almost more than anything. There was one thing he regretted more, the day they made the agreement never to help each other again. He'd never forgotten the pain in Rain's eyes that he'd seen that day. It looked as if part of her had died. He never told her that part of him had died that day too.
**Flashback**
Domon walked into his first period class. Rain was in her usual seat right next to his. Her face was completely void of emotion and she stared down at her hands that she had neatly folded in her lap. There were dark bags under her eyes as if she hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before. There were even traces of tears on her pale cheeks. He felt terrible about causing her so much pain. He slid down into his seat next to her and looked over at her.
Rain looked up at him. Her expression didn't change even as her eyes locked. He could see this great sadness behind her eyes though. She tried so hard to hide her pain but Domon knew her to well. She looked as if she was dying inside. He gave her a small smile and she tried her hardest to smile back. Yet her smile didn't reach her eyes. It barely came to the corners of her mouth. He could tell she was in a lot of pain.
Several hours later Domon sat in math struggling with a difficult problem. Rain looked over at him and saw his frustration. She walked over to him and knelt beside his desk. "Do you need some help?" she asked gently.
"I don't need help," Domon told her through clenched teeth. "So why don't you leave me alone."
"Is that what you really want?" Rain asked him, pain shown out through her eyes.
"That's what I want."
"Fine, why don't we just leave each other alone," Rain suggested. "For good."
"Fine!"
` "Fine!"
**End flashback**
Domon pulled up into Rain's driveway. They both quickly climbed out of the jeep and quickly made their way into Rain's house. They decided her house was safer since her dad wouldn't be home until several hours after they were supposed to get out of school. They got inside and Rain locked the door behind them. They got some snacks from the kitchen and settled back onto the couch to watch TV.