Saving Rain

by Kelsey Kingsley

I’m going to tell you something that’s probably gonna sound weird, but hear me out.” She furrowed her brow and nodded. “Okay …” “So …” I cleared my throat as the bag of groceries began to slip from my arm. I hoisted it back up as I thought about some of the letters I’d never sent but kept as a scrapbook of some kind. “You know what? Hold on. Stay right here.” I hurried past her toward my house as she nervously said, “Um, all right …” I fumbled to hold on to the books and bag as I dug into my pocket for the keys. I had to be quick. I didn’t want too much time to pass with her wondering what crazy shit was going on after she’d just dropped a bomb on me. Holy shit. I can’t believe this is actually happening right now, I thought as I dumped everything on the table and ran to my bedroom, where I knelt on the floor and dug a box out from beneath the bed. In it was a stack of letters I had written to a girl who existed for the most part in my head, where I had imagined what incredible things she might’ve gone on to do after I rescued her from a violation I never would’ve forgiven myself for had I allowed it to happen under my watch. I pulled out those letters, holding them in my hands for the first time in months, unable to believe that the person I had written them to was standing right outside. I hesitated only a moment before climbing to my feet and running back through the front door, where I found her still waiting by her steps. “Okay,” I said, holding the letters tightly in...