My boyfriend and I go to the same college, and one of the things I enjoy most is sharing a room with him. Sharing a bed. I hoped living together would improve our relationship, which has grown rocky as of late. But he's the jealous type, and I always seem to say or do the wrong thing at the wrong time. I don't mean to provoke him; sometimes I just don't think how my actions might hurt him. Unfortunately, our roommate only sees us when we're at our worst, so she thinks things are bad between us. When he's angry enough at me to kick me out of bed and I have to sleep on the couch. When he snaps at me for flirting with her, even though he knows I don't mean anything by it. She never sees how wonderful he is to me sometimes, or how perfect we can be together when we're alone. I hope her misplaced concern won't come between us. Or maybe it'll be my own stupidity that tears us apart.

I'll Take the Rain

For a long moment he watches me cry into my hand, my arm hugging tightly around my waist. I know he’s watching, I feel his gaze, but he doesn’t touch me, doesn’t comfort me, doesn’t try to lessen the pain.


I deserve this, I know. Anything to make things right between us again.


After what seems like an eternity, he sighs. “Come here, baby,” he murmurs.


Blindly I stand and stumble around the bed to where he sits. His arms are open, waiting. I fall into him, burying my head against his bare chest as he rubs my back in long, soothing strokes. “It’s okay,” he purrs. “Shh, it’s okay. Calm down.”


This is where I belong, right here. The rest of the world be damned.


When my tears subside a little, I sniffle and rub my eyes against the warm skin of his shoulder. “Let me stay with you tonight,” I breathe, wrapping my arms around his waist. If he says no, he’ll have to pry himself free. I’m not letting him go.


Still, even as I hug him tight, I sigh, “Please.”


Chapter 7