Saving Rain

by Kelsey Kingsley

“Hey, Levi,” Billy said, talking to him like they were pals but I knew better. “Do you have any of those … you know …” Levi looked me over, his gaze meeting mine with a hardened edge I didn’t understand. What was his problem? I barely knew him, and we never spoke, so I couldn’t figure out why the hell he’d be looking at me like he couldn’t trust me. But then, he pulled his eyes away from me to give the girl a kiss on the temple. She didn’t seem to notice though. Her gaze was on me, just as his had been, but hers lacked the judgment his held. Instead, she looked hungry as she bit her lip. I didn't think I liked it, but then again … I found I maybe liked it a lot. She raked her eyes over me as she asked, “What’s your name?” I watched Billy hand his ten dollars over to Levi with a heavy dose of confusion as I replied, “Uh … Soldier.” She laughed like she thought I was kidding. “No. Are you serious?” That was when I decided I didn’t like her at all as I glowered at her and her sarcastic grin. “Yeah. Why?” “Just making sure.” She looked over me from head to toe as she licked her lips—in a different way than Mrs. Henderson had—and there came that stirring again between my legs. “How old are you, Soldier?” she asked me. “Thirteen.” “Hmm, too bad,” she replied with a pout of her pink lips. “You're a really big boy.” No. I definitely didn’t like her.