Rachel finished one of her first shifts at Herbal Magic, a tea shop that wasn't too far from her house. After finishing her shift, she did the additional work an employer would have to do, like cleaning the bathrooms, restocking food items, and washing dishes.

Rachel says to her co-worker, "Hazel, I'm out for the night."

Hazel was at the counter, disinfecting it. She was a young woman, about Rachel's age. A chestnut colored complexion, brown, full eyes, dark, thick hair dyed with ginger highlights; and the average height. She also wore glasses, and a soft facial expression. Hazel was one of the first people Rachel met at Herbal Magic, and so far, the nicest.

"Oh, alright. I'll see you later, Rachel. I'm taking off this Friday, so I won't see you until Monday. Right… This Friday is tomorrow… my bad," Hazel's lips curve into a smile as she giggles. "But, have a good weekend, alright? Be safe and get some rest."

Rachel responds as lightly as she could as she exits the store, "You do the same, Hazel. Good night, see you Monday."

When Rachel leaves the building, a heavy downpour is occurring outside. She pulls up the hood of her sweater, and opens her umbrella. She stands on the side of the street, waiting for her ride.

The heat of Rachel's blood under her skin against the cold rain makes her feel comfortable.

The rain created a chorus of onomatopoeias while paving a glistening film on the roads and sidewalks. The wheels of vehicles shifted through the water seamlessly. The traffic lights and other road signals made the rainfall and night time appear vibrant.

Rachel was always someone to admire rain. It's silent presence, and rich character was unique.

After a while, Rachel gets impatient.

She takes out her phone, her damp fingers barely able to operate the screen. Rachel calls her ride four times, then finally they pick up on the fifth call.

"Why are you blowing up my phone?!"

"Because I've been waiting for you for about twenty minutes, Ace. In the rain." Rachel's tone is sour.

"You sound like a bitch, and I don't like it,"

Before Rachel could retort, Ace continued.

"I thought you were gonna be done by eight?"

"I remember telling you that I finished earlier tonight, seven thirty to be exact—because someone switched out a shift. So," Rachel glances at the time. "It's almost seven thirty, and you still aren't here."

Ace snarls, "Rachel, you're lucky I'm coming to get you. Don't smart mouth me."

Rachel holds back her words, feeling her body tense.

She ends the call with an angered click, "Just pick me up."

Following another ten minutes, Ace finally pulls up in his car. Rachel opens the door, and gets in the car silently.

"So, you jus' gonna come into my damn car and not say nothin'?" Ace speaks roughly.

Ace was a brunette man with a fair complexion and blue eyes. He had a few tattoos on his face, and his disposition was always austere.

Rachel throws her sodden umbrella and bag on the floor of the car. The rain from her hood drips onto her lap, and the seat.

Her amethyst eyes, cold and bothered, met his.

"Do I look like I can take any of your crap right now, Ace?"

"God, stop fussin', I picked you up, ain't it?"

Rachel states, "Stop acting like you're doing me a favor, because you know damn well I can find my own way home. Hell, I live only a few blocks away from work. You're only here because you want me to be. No other reason."

Ace shrugs nonchalantly, "What about it? I want you when I want you, and I get you when I want you, that's how it is. Don't whine over that, too. Be grateful somebody out here wants your ungrateful ass."

"You…"

Rachel suppresses a string of curses and a burst of anger. The negative emotions make her breathing change, and a twinge to twist in her stomach.

"Ace, none of this is necessary. You picked me up late, after I stayed in the pouring rain for about a half hour, and after calling you five times. If I missed five of your calls, you would lose your top, but that is another conversation for another time. You should take my frustration into consideration. Either admit your mistake, apologize, or both would be close to a luxury right now. But, you've always got your head shoved up your ass, so you'll only resolve correctly when pigs can talk. Which is never."

"Shut up. Here, take this." Ace shoves an expensive Louis Vuitton bag in her lap, then starts driving off.

She throws the bag in the back seat without saying a word.

"Yo, that's how you gonna treat a thousand dollar bag and cash?" his tone escalates.

"That's exactly how you treat me. You use me, and fling me to the side whenever you don't feel like dealing with me."

"You never appreciate anything I do!" he shouts.

"Lower your voice when you talk to me." Rachel demands in a stern voice.

He makes a sharp left turn, "It's not like you talk to me any better."

Ace always listened to respond, he never listened to hear and understand Rachel.

"In that case, you're simply getting a taste of your own medicine. Now that we know that you don't like it, maybe consider changing your behavior. When I'm upset, what do you do? You shut me up, try to flip the situation so you're the victim. We do this every damn day, I'm giving, you're getting. Everything you break, I gotta fix. You know what, drop me off, right there." Rachel commands, pointing to the side of the road.

Her cheeks are burning in scarlet, her eyes are brimming with tears, and her feelings are a disarray.

"No."

"Do it, right now."

"I said "no"."

Her voice breaks, "And I said to drop me off in the damn street! I'd rather walk in the rain by myself, then be in a car owned by an asshole."

"Rachel, come on, baby, I didn't mean—"

"Don't "Rachel" and "baby" me. Now, you wanna switch sides, because you won't get to bully me. Drop me off."

"I'm not—"

"I don't care. Do what I asked you to."

Ace replies, "You're gonna fuckin' pay for this."

"Literally or figuratively? Because either way, you're still planning to get your greedy hands into my paycheck."

He furiously parks the car.

Ace gives Rachel a hard-hearted stare. His words are selfish, he only cares to benefit himself.

"You better get your ass over to my place tomorrow. No excuses, I don't want you around anyone, out doing anything, I want you with me. If not, you better hope there's some mercy in me."

Rachel snatches up her belongings, and leaves the car by slamming the door.

She grumbled miserably, "I wish I slammed that door hard enough so that you'd have to do a window repair. All four windows, front windshield, and the rear one, too."

Rachel was full of hot, burning anger. Her blood simmers, some areas of her face flush in a tempered red. Warm, unpleasant tears fell down her face, and into the corners of her mouth. Her grip on her bag and umbrella was so tight, her knuckles turned a pallid white. She hisses angrily through her teeth, repressing the cries that threatened to escape her throat.

Her tears mixed so well with the rain, her eyes could barely tell the difference.