Rainy Day Rescue

The Monday after the science fair felt quieter than usual.

Maybe it was the clouds hanging low over the schoolyard, or maybe it was just that everything had settled down. We didn’t win a big prize, but something between Jamie and me had changed. We still didn’t talk a lot during class, but every time I looked over, he’d give me a small smile. And every time he did, something fluttered in my chest like a paper bird trying to take flight.

By lunch, the rain started.

It wasn’t just a sprinkle—it was the kind of rain that soaked your socks and made the pavement shine like glass. The sky turned almost purple, and lightning forked in the distance. Everyone groaned when the lunch monitor announced indoor recess.

I found Jamie by the windows, sketching again. I sat beside him quietly.

“What are you drawing?” I asked, trying not to sound too nosy.

He flipped the page so I could see. A raccoon, as usual—but this time, it wore rain boots and held a tiny umbrella, standing under a thundercloud.

“It’s me,” he said, smirking. “Trying to walk home today.”

I laughed. “You forgot the soggy backpack.”

He chuckled. “Good point.”

A moment passed. Then he added, softer, “I hate storms.”

“Me too,” I said. “They make everything feel... heavier.”

He nodded, and for a second we just listened to the patter of rain against the windows.

By the end of the day, it was still pouring. My mom had texted me during last period to say she was stuck at work. I'd have to walk home. I stood at the front doors, clutching my hoodie tight around my shoulders, trying to time my sprint between the puddles.

“You walking?” Jamie asked, suddenly beside me.

I nodded. “Yeah. Mom’s late.”

“I live near here. You wanna walk together?”

I blinked, surprised. “Sure. If you don’t mind.”

He shrugged. “I’ve got an umbrella. Sort of.”

His “umbrella” turned out to be a small, bent one with a broken hinge, but it was better than nothing. We squeezed underneath it, walking close enough that our arms brushed sometimes. I hoped he couldn’t hear how fast my heart was beating.

Rain dripped down our sleeves. We laughed when a car sped past and splashed a puddle all over our shoes.

“Disaster,” I said, looking down at my soaked socks.

“At least we’ll have a good story,” Jamie said.

About halfway to my house, thunder cracked louder than before. Jamie stopped walking.

“You okay?” I asked.

He didn’t answer right away. Just stood there, holding the umbrella tighter.

“My little brother used to be scared of storms,” he said. “We’d make up stories to distract him. Like the clouds were just bowling.”

“That’s cute,” I said. “You have a brother?”

“Had,” he said softly.

I froze. “Oh.”

He looked over at me and gave a small smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “He passed away last year. I don’t talk about it much.”

Something inside me ached. I wanted to say the right thing, but I didn’t know what that was. So I just nodded and said, “Thanks for telling me.”

We walked the rest of the way without speaking. But it wasn’t awkward. It felt... important.

When we reached my house, I turned to him at the front steps.

“Hey,” I said. “If you ever want to talk more... I’m good at listening.”

Jamie looked at me, eyes steady. “Thanks. I might.”

Then he handed me his sketchbook.

“Here,” he said. “You can borrow it. Just don’t judge the early raccoons.”

I smiled. “Deal.”

As he turned and walked off into the rain, I felt something shift. Not just in the air, but in me.

This wasn’t just a school project anymore.

This was something real.

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