R A I N E

"Well, this is quite a lovely change of scenery, isn't it?" Irfana leans against the brick wall.

"Uh, Fana? We're in a jail cell, if you haven't noticed." I point out, my fingers wrapping around the bars.

"She was being sarcastic, gumass," Chloe says, handling a spider that was crawling on the floor.

"Eww!" Angel exclaims, hiding behind me. I scrunch up my nose. "Chloe, you better not let that thing anywhere near me."

She scoffs but doesn't say anything, turning her attention back to the creepy crawly.

"When is Laurel going to be here?" I groan, wiping the grime from my hands onto my pants. They needed a wash, anyway.

"Soon, I hope," Kris pats her growling stomach. "I'm starving and tired."

"You just ate about twenty chocolate bars. The big ones, too." I say.

She shrugs. "I'm not fat yet, so you can't stop me."

I laugh. Kris will be Kris.

"My parents are going to kill me for getting into trouble," Julie sighs, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jeans. "They're probably going to take my phone and laptop away again, and I won't be able to stalk Tom Holland for a full week."

"I need to pee," Chloe blurts.

I smirk. "There's a toilet right there, go do your thing."

She makes a face and shakes her head, pacing around the small cell. "I think I'll try to hold it."

I shrug. "Suit yourself."

"Really? Why am I bailing you guys out again?"

Laurel's grumpy voice makes us all grin like we were just given free aeroplane tickets to Paris. The six of us tackle her into a bear hug before skipping out of the cell with proud smirks. Angel even waves at one of the prisoners, who responds with a grunt.

As we're about to pass through the doors, I catch a glimpse of two officers, along with a boy and a girl who look like they are around my age. The guy looks like he's going to explode, while the girl is nervously biting away at her nails. She's pretty, with her long black hair smoothly changing into a bright purple at the tips. Her olive complexion compliments her hazel coloured eyes. She's definitely shorter than I am, standing at five feet four, at most. The guy, on the other hand, I recognize instantly.

Aidan Greenwood. Also known as my longtime crush. Well, amongst the other twenty-six crushes I have. You could say that I'm a bit of a player, except I don't actually make any moves because I'm not quite bold enough just yet.

Anyway, back to Aidan, it would be insane for anyone to not notice how attractive he is. From his chocolate brown hair that gets in the way of his beautiful dark eyes to his six foot one frame, he's drool worthy.

"He's harassing her! It's been going on for a full month, how am I supposed to stay silent about this issue?" Aidan pulls at his hair with his teeth clenched, clearly frustrated with the two officers. Boy, he looks really mad.

"Sir, I know how difficult it must be. But please, do re—"

"No, you don't know how difficult it is! You don't know what my little sister has been through, and you don't know about the shit she's been dealing with for the past four years of her life! But now once that's all settled, it happens again, and you people don't even give a damn!"

Geez, what's that all about?

I force myself to tear my gaze away when I realize the group is already out the door, except for Kris, who's pulling me away from the scene. She tries to hold in her laughs, but that only makes them turn into snorts.

"Come on, Rainy. You don't want the guy catching you making goo-goo eyes at him, right?" Kris pokes my stomach.

"Oh, hush," I say, feeling my face burn from embarrassment.

"Alright, what did you do this time?" Laurel asks us. For a second I'm confused by her question, but then I remember how we were just thrown into a jail cell not too long ago.

"Oh, you know, the usual. Breaking and entering. Blah, blah, blah, that stuff." Angel counts away at her fingers, as if making sure she actually has ten.

"Was it the grocery store again?" Laurel sighs, waiting for all of us to get into her van.

"Nah, it was the mall," Julie says.

Laurel frowns, shaking her head. "I can't believe I wasn't invited. I really wanted to use my karate moves on a security guard."

"Seriously, Laurel?" Fana laughs from the passenger seat.

She nods, attempting to hide her famous smirk. "And who's idea was this?"

Everyone, including myself, starts to point and yell Chloe's name. She sits at the very back with a pout on her face, glaring at us and mumbling the word, "traitors," under her breath.

Laurel starts the vehicle and gives her a pointed look through the rearview mirror. "No ice cream or cake for a full week."

"WHAT?!"

"Make that two weeks for not inviting me."

"HAHAHAHA, LOSER!" Angel exclaims, laughing in Chloe's face.

"Angel," Laurel's tone is low in a warning. Angel huffs and sticks her tongue out.

"B-But that's torture! Hmph, just watch me. I'll find a way." She shoots an ice cold glare at Angel, who responds with an innocent smile.

"Uh huh," Laurel rolls her eyes.

"What was Aidan and his sister doing at the station?" Fana questions, her face scrunched up into a confused expression.

Kris shrugs. "Beats me. Ask our professional stalker. She seems to have a particular liking towards that boy, eh?"

I lean over Julie to smack her arm, except Jules suddenly shifts and I end up slapping her face.

With Chloe laughing like the lunatic she is, I don't stop apologizing until Julie tells me to shut up.

"Right. Um, I heard him yelling . . ."

"About?" Julie presses, waiting for me to elaborate.

"Something about his sister and some dude harassing her." I frown.

Kris gasps. "What? Really?"

"Kill him!" Angel shouts.

When Laurel shoots her famous death glare her way, Angel sinks back into her seat and mutters an apology.

I shrug. "I don't know, but I'd rather not get caught up in their drama."

"I second that," Fana says, poking her nose out the window of the car. The chilly air from outside travels devours the warmth inside the vehicle, raising goosebumps on my skin.

"Fana, you idiot! Close the stupid window before we all turn into icicles!" Angel scolds her, scowling as she shivers.

"Okay, okay! Sorry," She scrambles to pull on the button that rolls the window back up. Another icy breeze makes me shudder, so I pull at my sweater's sleeves to cover my hands.

"I hate this place," Chloe mutters, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her olive jacket.

"We know," Julie rolls her bright blue eyes.

"The snow is so beautiful, though." I smile, admiring the snowflakes that fall with such elegance and grace. It's almost like they're dancing, just before they create a sheet of pure white on the ground and hide the dead grass and sidewalks.

Laurel snorts, turning left as she does so. "It's beautiful now, sure. Just wait until it all turns into brown slush. You girls better be wearing your gloves, by the way."

We don't call her Mama for nothing.

"Pfft, gloves are overrated." Kris breathes on the window, only to draw a smiley face with her finger.

"This weather is only going to get worse once we get into January . . . Which is only, like, four days away." Julie complains.

"I just can't wait to go to school while there's a goddamn snowstorm." Chloe glares at the small blocks of ice outside, sarcasm dripping from her every word like venom.

Fana snorts. "The stupid school never closes."

"Hey, look on the bright side. At least we'll get to see all those guys who look like models every day." I sigh dreamily, picturing the drool-worthy faces of my many crushes.

Don't judge.

I watch Laurel rolling her eyes in the rearview mirror while Angel scrunches her nose, faking a gag.

"Ew, no thanks. I'd rather have winter break for the rest of the school year. It's too bad there's only a few days left of it." She says.

We reach my house first because it's the closest to the police station. Just as Laurel parks the car in my driveway, I spot the light in my sister's room turn on. She definitely knows I disappeared in the middle of the night. Great. Now I just hope she doesn't run off to tell my parents.

I wave goodbye to my friends and hop out of the vehicle, opening the front door to my house as quiet as I can. When I get to the top of the staircase, I almost fall back down when my sister pops out of nowhere, glowering at me in the dark with her arms crossed over her chest.

Heh . . .

RIP me.

"Hey, Candy. Shouldn't you be sleeping?" I whisper, hoping she doesn't wake up our parents with her banshee-like scream.

"I could ask you the same question." She narrows her eyes at me. "Where were you?"

Oh, you know. Just breaking into a mall and stealing all the snacks from the vending machine.

. . . And breaking it.

. . . And getting arrested.

. . . Again.

"I was just hanging out with the girls," I say, hoping she doesn't ask more questions.

"You suck at lying, Raine. Did anyone tell you that yet?" Even in the dark, I can see her rolling her eyes. "Whatever. I don't really care unless you got me some of the stolen snacks."

"But—what?! How—"

She puts up her hand, cutting me off. "Chloe's so loud, dude. I heard everything she said when she busted into your room. I'm surprised Mom and Dad didn't hear her."

Dammit, Chloe.

"Ah, well, um . . . I ate all the snacks already." I lie.

What? I'm not about to tell her that the cops took them all away and ate them themselves! She'd realize I was arrested, and then she would definitely snitch.

"Of course you did," Candy scoffs at me. "I still wonder how you guys get away with this stuff without ever being caught. It seems impossible, with your goofball friends and all. No offense."

I have to thank Laurel's mother for that. She is the chief of police and the most respected person you can come across here in Toronto. Luckily she has a soft spot for us troublemakers. Thus, she somehow manages to keep our records clean.

"None taken, I guess." I yawn, rubbing my tired eyes. "I'm off to bed. You should go to sleep too, Candy."

"Yeah, okay. Goodnight." Her voice is quieter than it was two seconds ago. She's about to walk back into her room, but then she suddenly turns around and pulls me into a bone-crushing hug. "Please, just be s-safe, okay? I know y-you and your friends can be very reckless sometimes but just be safe. I-I don't want to l-lose another s-sister."

I feel the wetness of her tears against my neck as I hug her back. With a shaky sigh, I pull away and wipe the tears from her face. "I promise."

We don't exchange any more words before retreating to our bedrooms. Once again, I am left alone with my thoughts that torture me each night as I lay on my bed, under my covers with the same pillow that has soaked up all of my own tears. I replay both depressing and joyful memories from the past in my head, over and over again as I usually do.

Somehow, the happiest ones sadden me the most.

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Ahhh I loved writing this chapter. How'd you like it? The next one will be posted tomorrow ;)

Don't forget to vote and comment!

Chloe ❤