Chapter 29 Rain In The Summer Is My Guilty Pleasure
Rain In The Summer Is My Guilty Pleasure
There’s no need to say that our brilliant idea resulted in us being literally dead by midday, even after having lunch.
We’re both currently lying on the couches, and occasionally release groans instead of actual words.
But it’s not that bad, because it’s that day.
That day of summer when it rains. That day of summer when I can light up the living room and let it stay that way for the whole day, I can stay on the couch, and I can listen to my playlist for rainy days. So I do just that.
I get up from the couch and turn on the TV, connecting my phone to it.
One of the songs invades the living room, and I put it on loud.
I sit on the armchair by the window and open the curtains.
The blend between the song and the rain is perfect.
I close my eyes and just listen. But of course, this was all good to be true.
A second later, the twins burst into the room, complaining.
“It’s raining. In the summer.” Brandon whines.
I sigh, slowly opening my eyes, and turn to them, stopping the song.
“I have taken notice.” I patiently say.
“You know what that means?” Blake asks.
“It means we can’t do anything outside.” The other responds. “So you’ll just be stuck with us while we play video games.”
They wickedly grin at each other, and my life flashes before my eyes. That’s a lot of yelling, hitting, and accusing of cheating, and an endless nightmare.
When I’m about to run for my life and hide from their games, Allison groans and gets up.
“Listen, there will be no video games, and stop complaining, I need my beauty sleep.”
“It’s no lie you need a beauty sleep.” Brandon smirks.
“But we are bored.” Blake finishes.
“You little-”
“What if we play a board game?” I get up quickly to stop Allison from murdering Brandon.
“What is going on?” Paige asks as she enters the room.
“We were just discussing what game to play.” The twins say at the same time, grinning at me.
“What are we playing?” She asks, her green eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Twister.” Allison responds.
I go to the window, and beside the armchair are those games I left the other day.
I take the things out of the box and set them on the floor.
Paige takes the wheel and starts spinning.
Throughout the game, she gives instructions, and we play.
I’m trying not to fall when my sister comes in with company.
As soon as Jake lays eyes on me, I collapse.
“HA, you lost Maddie!” Brandon shouts with thrill.
I managed to fall in such a bad way that I hit my head. I growl, reaching for my head while I get up.
“You didn’t even say anything, and she’s already growling.” Alana smirks at her brother, crossing her arms, and he rolls his eyes.
I grin and make my way to the kitchen. I hear footsteps behind me, but still proceed on my path to the freezer. I take a bag of ice and put a towel around it to place on my head.
“That was quite the fall. I don’t think everyone has ever gotten so distracted by me.” Jake arrogantly says.
“It wasn’t because of you. It was because I was- Tired.”
“Keep on believing that.” He gives me a thumbs up and smirks.
I start to hear the music I paused in the living room getting louder, and I listen to the living room door opening. What is happening? I go to the kitchen door and open it. Pennies from Heaven with Michael Bublé fills the garden while my sister, Alana, Allison, and cousins dance in the rain.
“What are you guys doing?” I hate to get myself wet by rain. It’s fun to watch it, from inside.
“Come on, Mads!” Allison shouts, happily dancing.
“No way.” I shout back. I close the door because they’re a lost cause and grab the ice, putting it on my head again.
“What are they doing?” Jake asks.
“Dancing. In the rain. They’re crazy, is what they are.” I scoff, leaning against the wall.
“Call me crazy, Brown, ‘cause I’m about to join them.” He smiles and pauses. His smile slowly turns into a devilish grin. “And you are too.” Jake comes closer and closer, and suddenly, he picks me up bridal style.
“West, put me down!” I raise my voice, angry.
“I don’t think so.” He manages to pass the kitchen door, and the second a raindrop touches me, I try to get free of his hold.
“No no no no.” I mutter.
The rain is falling strongly, and in the meantime, I bury my head in Jake’s chest to at least try not to get wet.
“I’m going to put you down if you dance with me.” He reasons.
“Nope.” I firmly say.
“Alright then, my arms are your destiny for the next hour.”
“Fine, god!”
He smirks in my face. I look up, and our noses are almost touching.
“In the rain.”
“I already said yes, stop torturing me even more.”
He puts me down, and I try to run to the house, but… I instantly feel a hand grabbing my arm.
“Oh no, you promised.” Jake asserts. “I knew you were going to do that.”
I glare at him, and he pulls my arm, instantly bringing me closer to him.
To be honest, the second he grabbed my arm, I leaned more toward dancing with him.
Pennies from Heaven is long gone, and it’s replaced by Dance To This feat.
Ariana Grande. He starts to sway and do all these tricks, just like when we were dancing in the club.
I look away with difficulty and watch the others.
Alana and Lindsey are dancing side by side, Paige is dancing with his brother, and Blake is dancing with Allison. He’s looking at her with a dorky smile while she dances, holding his hand.
“I think someone has a crush.” I say loud enough for only Jake to hear, directing my gaze to them. Jake laughs and then mockingly adds, seemingly reminiscing, “Ah, your first crush…”
He lowers his eyes to mine, and a chill goes down my spine, making me tremble, and I don’t think it is the fact that we’ve been dancing in the pouring rain for the last seven minutes.
“Are you cold?” Jake asks.
I can’t even complain. I’m wearing a sweatshirt and pants, so I should be hot.
He, on the other hand, is wearing a white t-shirt and denim shorts.
The t-shirt’s soaking wet and transparent.
My stupid eyes travel down his body. The only words that can get out of my mouth in this moment are, “Uh, yes?”
“Hey, eyes up here, Brown. I’m more than a piece of meat.” He smiles smugly.
“There was a-a bug in your- Belly area.” I say half-coughing, my cheeks betraying my statement.
I could slap myself right now.
“I can’t believe you actually said belly area.
” Jake laughs, making me fold my arms and stare irritated.
He just laughs even more. But how can I stay mad at him when he has such beautiful laughter?
Like the white and straight teeth weren’t enough, when he smiled, small dimples took shape, and the left side of his lips moved a little more upwards than the right side, because of all those years of smirking.
I start to slowly walk to the house, in pilot mode, leaving him and his little giggle fit. I’m going to take a shower. That way, I can reset. And get Jake’s scent out of my head. And that way, I can let time pass by, and we can forget what happened.
* * *
When I get downstairs after an oh so good shower, I find Jake and Paige staring at the TV so intensely that an explosion could happen, and they would remain still.
I try to see what they’re watching, but I don’t even have to watch to know.
I could recognize those voices anywhere. They’re watching Frozen.
“They’re kind of cute, don’t you think?” Jake asks Paige. They have changed their clothes, and they’re both in dry hoodies and dry pants.
“They are!” She responds. Oh no, she hasn’t watched Frozen either. I was planning on watching it with her this summer and seeing her reaction to the plot twist. This is gonna be good. I decide to stop watching them from afar and actually watch the movie, so I join them.
“What are you watching?” I try to join in.
“Shh.” It’s the only sound that comes out of their mouths.
What would the school people say if they knew Jacob Louis West was watching Frozen with a six-year-old and was actually into it? But they’re not here. I am though.
I let out a giggle, and the tips of his lips are turning upwards, because he heard it.
Jake moves his head towards me and indicates with a nod for me to sit beside him.
So I do. He has his legs stretched on top of the beanbag, so I have the majority of the couch to myself.
But instead of taking that opportunity, I pull my knees to my chest and let our arms rest against each other, forcing some type of chemical reaction within me.
When Kristoff appears, they start to talk again.
“I don’t understand why there’s another boy!” Paige exclaims. “Anna already has Hans.”
“I’m sensing a love triangle here.” Jake states, and I snort. “Don’t spoil Brown, and I’m trying to watch a movie here.” He whispers while pointing to the screen.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You don’t have to. I know you.”
“Whatever.” I grin.
The rest of the movie passed by, and we’re getting to the part.
“Now I’m feeling sorry for Kristoff.” Paige says. “I know he came second, but I like him more than Hans.”
“Yeah…” Jake lets out, pensive.
Anna is lying on the couch, and Hans walks in. The iconic line is dropped, and whispers are heard. I bite my lip, can’t help but glance at them.
“He didn’t…” Jake breathes, making me giggle.
“Son of a bitch!” Paige screams at the TV. My head shoots up, and I’m so shocked, I’m close to laughing.
“Paige! I am going to kill those two.”
“My mom says it sometimes, and Jake told me I could say that when parents weren’t here!” She defends.
“West!” My manic eyes shoot lasers at him, and he’s laughing. “Don’t you dare laugh!”
“You’re no saint yourself, Brown.” He smirks. That’s it.
I grab a pillow and throw it at his face. I instantly let out a laugh and cover my mouth with my hand quickly.
“Oh, what a mistake.” He warns.