The water was cold, pattering down onto your clothes, seeping through and dampening your skin. The gusts of wind only worsened the chill, but you could hardly focus on the feel of the rain with your blinding rage. Carl was the absolute bane of your existence, since day one— so why, why did you kiss him? All because it was truth or dare, and in a party with half the cohort’s girls pressurising you into doing it? When you did surprise him with one, he instantly shoved you off, yelling ‘freak’ as you stumbled backwards, shocked. For some reason…that hurt. More than it should’ve. All you thought to do was run.

So there you were, in the cloudburst, caught in the middle of the road with him gripping your wrist, stopping you. How dare he? After what he did, why bother going after you? His grip was tight, unyielding as you both glared and yelled. Irritation was all you knew then. Your voice screamed against the roaring downpour: “Why come after me at all?!” He replied, his voice loud and dripping with frustration, his brows furrowed and free hand clenched tight at his side.

“Because I fucking love you, dumbass!”

Silence. You gave a black stare, his eyes hard and soaked face determined. For a moment, you swore you saw a hue of red glaze over his cheeks. His words rang deep within you— and suddenly, the rain didn’t seem so bad. The anger faded. And in its wake, a feeling of love.