By the time I had my eyes dried and gave Phineas one last hug, final period was coming to an end.
I stepped out of the nurse's office, waiting for the parade of students to pass by me patiently-certain that I wasn't going to repeat today's earlier incident.

Stepping out into the empty hallway, I made my way to my locker- there was that far away bustle of any lingering teens mixed with the squeak of my sneakers against freshly polished grey tile, echoing off the white walls of the wide walkway.
I rummaged through my locker in no rush at all, pushing a gym bag over to grab my rain coat and a small umbrella.
It was something my mom picked out for me last year, deep mauve with a belt I never found myself buckling properly and, a hood that always seem far too big for my head. It came down to my knees and was made from some sort of plastic fabric. I slid my bag off my shoulders to slip into the jacket, burying hands in the pockets and-

Wait a minute.

I curled my fingers around the object, hearing it crinkle as it caved in on itself. My heart stopped and I instantly tore my hands up to examine the paper.
To my dismay- it was a candy wrapper.

"Oh." I heaved a loud sigh, tossing the small piece of trash into my locker, slamming the door after it.

What was I expecting?

I gave my head a few shakes before feeling at the gauze still taped to my head. I figured it was going to be a few days before I could safely remove the bandaging. I decided that I had taken all the time I needed to loiter in the hallways and began to make my way out to the front doors.
Passing through a narrow hall with smudgy windows on either end I could see that the rain was still coming down hard. Pounding onto the pavement like a distressed child. The sound reverberated through the entire school and it almost sounded like thunder on its own, thunder in a long continuous rumble and no lightening.

No lightening..

I suppose the worst is over and all we'll get is rain now.

I thought quickly to myself as I approached the main foyer, pushing open the heavy metal door into the small glass incased waiting area.
The floor was plastered with a chunky mess of dry dirt and slick mud, caking in the divots between tiles and the rug laid for such an occasion was leaking water onto the ground like a bloated sponge. Its fabric was beginning to acquire a sheen from the puddles soaked in.
The windows surrounding the final exit were stained with years of various fingerprints and smudges the custodians could just never quite scrub off and the small room was cold.

But these things all dissolved when I noticed a tall stalk of a boy leaning against the wall, dark hazel eyes gazing out into the storm lethargically.
His green crop of hair clinging to the sides of his face as he must have just come from outside.

"Ferb." I blurted out, my voice cracking in surprise-earning a look of brows knit and lips tugged down into a frown as he glanced back at me.

"Isabella." He stated in a much more practiced manner than I did. I chuckled finally taking a few steps toward him.

"Wh- What uhm, are you? I mean, what are you doing here? Oh- wait I wanted to thank you, for earlier. In the hall. When I totally took that spill."

I sound like a moron.

I chewed into my lip trying to stifle my unnecessary giggling and he flashed me a small modest smile.
"It was nothing." Ferb nodded to me as he continued, "I was just finishing some costume designs in the drama room."
"Costumes, huh? Wow, that's cool, I thought you were just, uh acting?" I raised my shoulders into a shrug, upturning my palms for effect and he only smiled wider at me.

Pulling me in.

"Django was behind since his helper was aiding a fallen woman." I paused.

Fallen wo- Oh no!

"Ah! I'm so so so –" He shook his head and in a moment I was silenced, I felt like some sort of puppet, unable to control myself without his guidance.

"Don't be. I covered."

I released a long breath of relief and discontent. I feel like an idiot-if I hadn't taken that stupid fall Ferb wouldn't be here, having to work late and soaking wet and-

"Hey, how did you get so wet?" I asked in a manner that was more continuing from a conversation in my head than speaking to Ferb directly.

He took a smooth stride towards me, closing the gap between us as he inspected my face.
"Delivering boxes back to the storage portables for Django." I stared up at him with wide eyes, I could feel my face getting hot as he raised his hand to gently prod the gauze on my forehead.

"It is not too bad, is it?"

My mouth went dry as I searched my brain for coherent words. He was too close and his eyes were burning into my skin. I shook my head slowly and tore my eyes away to stare at the floor. He hummed a content response and we both stood in a long silence, a sense of urgency hanging in the air.

I just want him to-

I squeezed my eyes shut and ignored the creeping mental images; I stiffened as I heard Ferb begin to shift away from me. When I opened my eyes he was gazing back out the windows again, longingly. The rain was pouring down onto the road and grass in waves, it was like we were behind a waterfall watching as it washed over everything. It was beautiful.

It didn't take very long before the silence was beginning to get to me, despite the fact I was prepared to face the rain I didn't feel right leaving Ferb here alone. And he didn't feel compelled to make conversation.

"So, uhm," I began with absolutely no direction whatsoever, it still earned me his attention, "heading home?" he glanced back out through the glass speaking up faintly.
"Attempting to."

"I have an umbrella." I offered before reeling once again, trying to sort my sentences so they made sense. "I mean, we could... share?"

I felt an urge to back it up with the fact that we lived on the same street, as if trying to convince him that spending time with me would be worth it, but the small smile tugging at his lips was all that I needed.

"A Fireside Girl is always prepared, hm?" I could have corrected him, but I giggled instead, removing the umbrella from my pocket.

"Hm, yes, that's right!" I smiled up at him and taking a step towards the door, allowing him to follow me into the schoolyard. I tugged the Velcro back and slid my hand up the length of the rod, opening the umbrella with a small click.
He quirked a brow at me as I held the purple umbrella above our heads, catching rain water as it padded down onto the fabric. It was then I noticed just how much taller than me he was, my arm was nearly outstretched above my head when he finally took the plastic handle from me.

"Allow me." He mumbled and I blushed with a guilty chuckle, "Sorry." I offered, but he shook his head and started onto the sidewalk home.