Saving Rain

by Kelsey Kingsley

I need to tell you something.” The sound of her voice … It was reluctant and regretful, and that wasn’t at all what I wanted to hear. Not when I was ready to bare my soul for her to steal and use at her will. I swallowed in preparation as I stood up straight and took a step back, moving my hands from her waist to her shoulders. I didn’t say anything; I just waited for what suddenly seemed like the end of the world to come tumbling down around me. Life always did have a way of taking away the good things the very moment I’d gotten a taste. Ray moved her hands to my chest and pressed them over my thundering heart, now more alive than ever. She stared ahead, watching every rise and fall of my chest, before asking, “Do you remember that night we first met?” “Of course.” “You made me promise I would never go back to The Pit.” “I know.” “And I kept that promise”—she dragged her eyes from my chest to pin me with her tormented gaze—“but you forgot that I still lived in that town.” If she couldn’t hear my heart before, there was no way she didn’t now. My jaw clenched tightly against my grinding teeth as I looked down at her, immediately terrified of whatever was going to come next in this part of her life’s story. “I think it probably pissed them off—” “Who’s them?” I managed to mutter. “Seth, his friends … you know, Levi—” The sound that rumbled from deep within my chest rivaled a growl as I tore my eyes from hers to stare at the ceiling. “Fucking Levi …” “Yeah, um … they didn’t l...