How Do I feel About What?

"Ms. Love, how do you feel about depression?" Mr. Johnson asked.

Rain looked confused. "Me, how do I feel about what?"

"We're talking about emotions today. Emotions can cause reactions in people. Some are big and some are small. Which is why I'm asking you how you feel about this particular emotion." He explained.

"Depression is an emotion?" Rain asked, confused. "It can cause a lot of emotions." He replied." Do you know someone who has depression? A friend, family member, or maybe it's someone you would never expect."

Rain seeing that he wasn't going to be letting her off the hook soon let out a sigh. The class quieted down and looked at Rain waiting for what she was about to say. "I mean, isn't that normal though. It's human. I get sad a lot but I don't think I've ever had depression. Wait, why are we talking about this anyway?'

" This is English class. We are here to write. Happy stories and sad ones. Just think about it, we have so many stories with happy endings that we almost forget about the ones that don't end well. Not every story is going to have a fairy tale ending." Mr. Johnson explained.

"Is the homework going to be related to this topic?" A student asked. "Actually yes, I want you all to bring me a short story with an ending different from anything you've read before. It needs to be 5 pages long, typed, and on my desk for the next class period." Mr. Johnson announced.

Mr. Johnson stared at Rain with an unknown feeling. It could have been a pity but that wasn't quite it. Rain was truly one of the most gifted students he had ever taught. Mr. Johnson slowly cleared his throat and straightened his tie. "Rain next class I want an answer."

Rain nodded her head before going back to her own little world.

The bell rang and Rain sat up remembering that she needed to talk to Tye today. She packed up her belongings and took a quick picture of the homework on the board. She bid Me. Johnson goodbye on her way out and headed out the door.

Rain was about to head to the cafeteria but was grabbed from behind. She whipped her head around feeling to see who grabbed her and was surprised to see The smiling at her with that snide smirk of his. She gave him a quick glare and crossed her arms.

"Were you waiting for me?" She asked. He shrugged his shoulders casually. "Maybe, it depends. Were you expecting me to be waiting?"

Rain gave him a quick jab to the stomach. "No, but it's a nice surprise. I was just about to come to find you in fact."

"I know." He said after recovering from her semi-brutal blow.

"Really? You knew I was looking for you. How?" Rain questioned with squinted eyes.

"You just told me." Rain jabbed at him again. Tye's eyes turned cold. "Yo, chill out stop hitting me." He warned.

Rain felt a small trickle of fear. She decided to back down from her attacks since some people could not take a joke."Sorry." She mumbled quietly. Tye's eyes softened and he gave another careless shrug.

"It's alright, so why have you been looking for me?"

"I just wanted to talk to you about what you asked me last time we met up." Tye let a small grin slip on his face. "Let me guess, you're agreeing to go on a little date with me." He said smugly. Rain felt heat rush to her cheeks and looked down at the ground.

"Shut up." She stuttered.

Tye let out a small laugh and slugged his arm around Rain's shoulder. Rain felt her heart pound a bit and blushed deeper. "I knew you were going to agree. We're going to have fun, just wait."

Rain raised a brow. "Who said I was going to go?"

Tye gave her a look and Rain looked away. "Exactly that's what I thought." He said satisfied.

Rain shoved his arm off of her shoulder and rolled her eyes. "I'm leaving now." Rain muttered and walked off as he silently laughed at her.

~•~

"Why are you so happy today? You're at school." Darnell asked Rain, confused.

Rain was eating lunch with Darnell in the library again. The library was like their spot. Just like when Shaneil and Rain eat outside under the oak tree. It's where they hung out together for the three years that they've attended high school. To have their spot taken from them would be as though they were trying to break tradition.

"I can't be happy today, is that what you're saying." Rain said taking a bite out of her sandwich Darnell packed for her. Darnell frowned and handed her a bottle of Sprite before replying. "Of course you can be happy. I'm just saying, you keep zoning out on me today. I'm trying to get you excited about my first basketball game, but you are not listening to me."

Rain looked up at him with a bright smile suddenly. "Wait, your first game, you're playing? My best friend is about to be playing on the court! When?" Rain basically shouted excitedly grabbing his arm.

Darnell looked down at the hand on his arm and feigned disgust before plucking it off of him. He dusted off the place where she touched him before receiving a smack on the back of his head. "Ouch! Dang it women, stop hitting me!" He shouted, grabbing the back of his head.

Rain ignored him and turned him around to face her. "Shut up and tell me when your game is."

"You're actually going to come to it, right?" Darnell asked doubtfully.

Rain narrowed her eyes at him and let out a small laugh. "If I didn't come to the game, what kind of friend would I be? Of course, I'm coming to your game. I'll even sit in the top row so you can see me." She promised.

Darnell leaned against the bookshelf and crossed his arms. "Well if you insist on coming, I'll tell you. My game is next Friday."

"Next Friday," Rain mumbled to herself. "I'm available and I'll be there."

"You better be there," Darnell whispered. Rain smacked him again and he winced in pain.

"I heard that." She said glaring while he muttered out an apology.

"Okay, so what's with this happiness today. Let me guess, you found out that there are more than 50 flavors of Oreos?" Darnell questioned unsurely.

Rain sat up straight quick. "There's more than 50 flavors of Oreos! Where?" She asked, dozing off. Darnell snapped his fingers in her face, bringing her back to reality.

"Focus on me," He scolded before going back to thinking. "Hm, okay so it's not the Oreos, could it be, no there's no way, maybe it's her hair." He rambled to himself.

Rain started at him glowering. "I wish he'd stop prying." She thought to herself. It wasn't that Rain wanted to hide anything from Darnell, she just liked the thought of it being a secret. Besides, Rain knew Darnell wasn't really fond of Tye in the first place and really didn't want to deal with any of their confrontations. But seeing as though Darnell obviously wasn't going to give any time soon, she knew she would have to tell him.

"I got a date," Darnell froze and turned around looking at Rain with shock in his eyes. "You have a date? With who?" He asked slowly.

Rain twisted around her watch nervously and glanced up at him from her hooded lashes. "Tye, the guy you met at the diner."

Darnell's eyes closed and he looked up taking a deep breath. His playful manner was completely gone and tension started to fill the air. "Oh, from the diner, I see." Rain bit her lip as she prepared herself for him to snap at her.

"Do you like him?" He asked, suddenly catching Rain off guard. Color filled her cheeks and she looked down. "I don't know yet. I mean he seems like a good guy and we have some things in common, I guess."

Darnell gave her a stern look. "Are you serious right now? This is so typical of you. You don't even know if you like him. Yet, you still want to go on a date with him?"

Rain nodded her head and Darnell let out an agonizing groan. "Love, what's even going on in your head right now?" Rain stayed silent.

Darnell let out a sigh. "Listen I don't like the vibes he gives off. I know you are probably confused right now, about how you feel and I don't know what to tell you. But Love, you need to think really carefully about what you're doing. If he turns out to be a bad guy, I don't want to see you get hurt."

Rain turned her head away. She knew she shouldn't have told Darnell. Now she was about to get a big lecture. Besides, Rain really didn't want to listen to anything he had to say about Tye. He had just met the guy and already hated him.

"Rain, I need you to look at me," Darnell ordered.

"He's never called me by my first name before." Rain thought shocked. For as long as Rain had known Darnell, he had always called her Love. When Rain asked him why he would shake his head and say," you radiate love, so why wouldn't I call you that." This let Rain know that whatever Darnell was about to say, had to be serious. She turned her head to face him and sure enough, Darnell was serious.

"I'm not trying to tell you what to do. I know you can make your own decisions and I respect that. But you know, I do love you. I would do anything for you. I don't trust him. I don't like how he looks at you and something's off about him. Your actions have consequences and those consequences affect everyone around you. I need you to think about what you're doing." Darnell finished placing his hand on her shoulder.

"It's just a date." Rain said unsurely. Darnell gave her a small smile before cupping her face and placing a kiss on her forehead. He stepped away and picked up his backpack. "I'm going to class now Love. I'll see you around."

He spared Rain a farewell before heading out the door. Rain leaned against the bookshelf with her cheeks burning. She had no idea what Darnell meant. But he sure got her thinking. Maybe a date with Tye wouldn't be good after all. Darnell was onto something. Tye didn't give off good vibes but Rain doubted that he was a bad person.

At least she thought he wasn't.

~•~

"So when are you going on your date?" Shaneil asked, strolling through her messages.

"I don't really know. He said he would tell me later." Rain explained checking out her hair in the bathroom mirror.

"My little girl is growing up." Shaneil chimed excitedly. "At least someone is excited for me." Rain thought sourly.

"Come on we have to go see your mother dear today. Don't you remember?" Shaneil said, clapping her hands.

Rain groaned in irritation. "Ugh do we have too."

Shaneil shot her a glare and Rain raised both hands in surrender. "Your mama worked too hard all day and night just so you can have a roof over your big head. You have the audacity to act ungrateful. Get up now before I lose it." Shaneil warned.

Rain's eyes widened in fear and she stood quickly, gathering her belongings. She knew that an angry Shaneil wasn't a nice one. Who knows what horrors could happen to Rain for disobeying?

"Crazy." Rain mumbled under her breath, following behind Shaneil.

Rain tripped over her own feet. "I heard that," Shaneil responded, smirking.

"Of course you did." Rain pulled herself off the ground with a pout. Shaneil was so mean to her. They've been friends for a while and in Rain's mind, she could at least be more gentle. But that was just how Shaneil was: very aggressive, strong, and absent-minded.

Arms wrapped around Man's waist and tears wetted her hoodie. She looked up to see Shaneil crying and patted her back gently. "I'm sorry Rainy. I didn't think you'd actually fall." She cried out.

Rain let out a small chuckle. Shaneil was such a drama queen. But Rain knew, she wouldn't have it any other way.