Rain: Chapter 1

"Do you have everything?" Paul asked. "I don't want to have to mail anything to you now."

I smiled as I placed the last suitcase in the trunk of my car. "I have everything don't worry."

It's been six years since that day and it was time for me to go to college. I had worked for an entire year after graduation and I had plenty of scholarships to pay for it. I was on my way to the University of Phoenix in Arizona and I couldn't wait to get there. This place brought about way too many memories for me to handle and I was ready for a fresh start. Part of me wished that Mark and Glenn could see me go, but I knew they had to be watching somewhere in heaven.

Paul hugged me and then watched as I went on my way to school. It was going to be a long drive so I popped in one of my favorite stories on tape. Before I completely left town I stopped at the old funeral home where I lost my friends. It was nothing more than a burned out shell now, a constant reminder of what use to be. I reached in the backseat and picked up the black roses I made. Slowly I got out of the car, ready to pay my last respects. I put up the umbrella as I walked up to the funeral home. The rain seemed to be slowing down the closer I got up to it. When I got to the front steps I looked up at it as memories of playing with Glenn and Mark filled my head.

At one point I could actually see the little me running down the steps with Mark chasing me. Gosh what a crush I had on him. I didn't know what it was about him but I loved being around him a lot more than Glenn. Don't get me wrong Glenn was a nice guy too, but Mark had an air about him that was both dark and very mysterious. He was my type of guy and I doubt I'll be able to find another like him. I sighed and placed the flowers on the bottom step.

"I wish you guys were here to see me do this…I miss you so much." I said as a tear slipped from my eye.

I was about to turn and leave when I heard something up on the porch. I looked up and saw that the door was cracked open. I looked around to see if anyone else was around and noticed that it had stopped raining. It was also very very quiet….almost as if time had stopped.

"Carmen…" I turned around to see if someone was behind me but saw no one. Suddenly the door slammed shut on the porch and I booked it out of there. Once I made it to my car, I locked my doors and then started the engine. Before pulling away, I thought I saw what appeared to be someone standing in the window looking right at me. The person was wearing all black with a black cowboy hat on his head. I quickly shook off the thought and pulled away from the funeral home to start my journey to school. Once I got away from the funeral home it began to rain again.

I ended up getting to school around five that afternoon. By then the worry of what I had saw had left my mind and I was ready to start my new life. I ended up getting my own room but I was sharing a place with two other girls.

"Hi, I'm Larissa Lang it's so nice to meet you," she said once I began to unpack. Larissa was an Asian girl with pretty jet black hair and almond eyes. She was as tall as me only much skinnier.

"Hi, I'm Carmen Smith I'm pleased to meet you too." I said as I shook her hand.

"Carmen? Is that you?"

Larissa and I looked towards my doorway and saw a shorter girl with black hair and red streaks through her hair. She had blue eyes and a bright smile on her face. I didn't really recognize her until she came closer and I saw a scar on her arm. She had gotten that when she and I rode bikes to the park and she fell one time.

"Ramie?" I said, "Girl oh my gosh what are you doing here?"

"I'm here for school of course now give me a hug!" she said as she ran into my arms.

Ramie and I had been best friends since I moved in with Paul. She was the one who showed me around and helped me make friends. Unfortunately she and I lost contact after she moved away and that's when I became friends with Glenn and Mark.

"Larissa, Carmen and I have been friends since we were little." She explained to a confused Larissa.

"Oh ok, well I hope I can become just as close with you two. This is my first time in America."

"Well your English is great so you will definitely be fine here." Ramie said. "You know what, after we finish unpacking why don't we meet in the sitting room and get to know each other a little better."

"That's a great idea," I said.

Larissa smiled, "Yes it is, well I better go finish unpacking then."

We all agreed with her and then started setting up our rooms. Within a few hours we were all done and ready to chat. I learned that Larissa was from Shanghai, China and she was the same age as me. As for Ramie, after we lost contact she moved to Jacksonville, Florida with her parents and went to hair school on the side.

"Well that explains the red streaks," I said with a smile. We all shared a laugh and then I told them my story. I didn't want to share the story about Glenn and Mark so I told them how I basically focused on school work and other activities to get me away from that town.

"What was bad about the town? I thought it was pretty nice from what I remember." Ramie said.

I looked away from her, "it's not the town that bothered me in particular…"

"Ok so what was it?"

I was about to answer her until my cell phone started ringing. "Sorry girls, I have to take this one. It's my foster dad."

They nodded and continued their conversation while I went back up to my room to talk to Paul.

"Sorry I didn't call you when I got here but I was tired and the girls wanted to chat for a little bit."

"It's alright darling…I just miss you that's all."

I smiled, "Paul it's only been a few hours." I laid across my bed and stared up at the ceiling.

"I know honey, but I'm really worried about you. I can tell that you still haven't gotten over what happened six years ago,"

I sighed, "That's why I came here. It will help me start over you know?"

"Yea I suppose,"

"Look if something happens I'll let you know ok?"

He sighed, "Alright. So how do you like your new friends?"

"Oh I love them, Ramie is here."

"Oh she is? That's nice,"

We talked for about thirty more minutes before I finally got off the phone. Instead of rejoining the girls I decided to take a nice hot shower. My muscles needed to relax and so did I. After my shower I blow dried my hair and then decided to call it a night. In the middle of the night I ended up having a dream about the funeral home and the figure I saw in the window. In my dream, his face was a little more clear to me and he kept calling my name in a deep yet sexy tone. I walked up closer to the funeral home, feeling like I was being drawn to it. I got close to the stairs before looking down and noticing that the roses were missing from where I left them. When I looked up towards the porch…the door swung open and….I woke up.

Rain was pounding against my window and heavy winds blew in the night. My lamp was still on lighting up my room. I caught my breath and then laid my head back down so I could get back to sleep. I had no idea what that dream was supposed to mean but I knew that it scared the hell out of me.