Rain, the girl, sat on the sill of a large window, peering out across the lawn, as the sky fell in a spring morning’s shower. She watched as the other rain danced, in streams, down the surface of the glass; like creeks with missing riverbeds. She listened to the quiet hum that seemed to fill everything around her as the whispered screams of each drop’s impact echoed from the world outside.

She noted how hard the wind was trying to be heard above it all; how it moaned through the creaks of every jutted corner of the home she now lived in. No. That wasn’t right: this was not her home. Rain frowned slightly as she thought of how miserably she was failing in her efforts to leave; much like the wind was failing to be heard above the rain.

“But at least the wind could face the rain.” She thought glumly. She and everything else was cooped inside to hide from it, yet the wind stood alone.

“Well, the wind isn’t quite alone…the trees stand as well.” She thought as she stared at the trees that shuddered in the heavy sprinkle, but they didn’t seem to be fighting the rain like the wind was. They looked happy. Having spent countless days similarly cooped, staring out at the rain, she found it surprising to have never considered the trees before. They had no faces, no mouths with teeth, and yet she swore that they were smiling underneath the weight of the shower’s pour; their branches shaking like shoulders in fits of laughter.

She wanted nothing more than to run outside to join them; sprinting back and forth across the lawn, soaking in the phenomena that she had always felt akin to. Then she frowned more deeply as she wondered if doing so would be rude. Since the trees couldn’t run, let alone move, maybe by flaunting her freedom she would anger the trees, or at least make them jealous. Perhaps she should enjoy herself in the rain just as they did: rooted in place, laughing to herself. She smiled for the first time since she woke up.

“Maybe the trees won’t mind. Maybe they’ll enjoy seeing someone else in the rain.” She hoped. It made her think of a time that seemed forever ago; when on days like this, she would watch the rain with her parents from a window much like this one. On one of those days, she had asked her mother why it rained and her mother simply laughed.

“Why not? Does it need a reason?” She had replied. When Rain nodded, her mother stared outside quietly and then shrugged.

“Perhaps the trees need company...” At the time she thought her mother was teasing her, but now felt she might understand what she meant. Even the trees that grow close to one another can never really be with each other without one of them taking what the other needs, and trees that grow far apart only know what it’s like to watch from a distance, never able to go and meet someone new. However, the rain doesn’t care where you’re planted; it happily throws itself down to be caught and to be held by anything willing to catch it. Her smile spread as she imagined that it rained only to take away the trees’ loneliness and while the wind could also make the trees dance, only the rain could make the trees laugh.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft, bashful knock at the door. She turned and slid from the sill and across the cold oak floors to the threshold but didn’t answer or open it. Instead, she waited there; silently.

“Lorraine? Are you in there? I…I thought you might be hungry.” A young man’s timid voice sounded from the other side. Rain fumed upon hearing her full designation. Her name was Rain. That was what her parents and everyone else called her. Even after she came here fearing that that would change, everyone accepted it happily. Everyone except the boy outside her door. An older girl named Madeline even called her Rainey sometimes, just like her mum did. Rain decided if he wasn’t going to use her name, she wasn’t obligated to use his.

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“Lorraine?” the boy called again as a mounting frustration seethed from her. Angrily, she snatched the door open to find the boy standing with a small platter with the morning’s crepes, toast, and sausage.

“What?!” she yelled at him, feeling just the slightest remorse for causing him to flinch so hard he almost dropped the platter. That feeling quickly faded as he then beamed brighter than she’d ever seen him do so.

“I brought you the last of breakfast!” he said excitedly, showing his usual single mindedness. Rain couldn’t remember disliking anyone before arriving to this home but, though the boy hadn’t done anything that would normally cause her to do so, she was almost always furious with him.

“You’re always like this, but I’ve told you it isn’t necessary!” She scoffed sharply.

“Just stop bothering me, and for God’s love stop calling me Lorraine; It’s just Rain!” She exploded. Her face flushed as she settled from her outburst. When she looked up Aspen’s subtle smile had fallen. He looked blankly at her for a moment then shrugged.

“Well…I can come back later if you would like.” He awkwardly turned and retreated towards the commons. Rain listened to his hurried footfalls fade down the hall. She thought maybe she should have been nicer to him since he was always nice to her, but he always made her angry with all of his fussing and especially his use of her name. Whenever she demanded he stop, he would only sheepishly shake his head and walk away. Not once since she arrived three months ago, had he let off even a little.

Rain closed her door and lumbered back towards the window, but now she couldn’t focus on the trees or even the rain. She just didn’t understand Aspen. From the very beginning, he went out of his way to try and make her feel comfortable here, but wouldn’t indulge her in something as simple as what to address her as. She was used to boys liking her and all but he was entirely different. He seemed to feel obligated in his actions like he owed her for something, but she hadn’t a clue what that would be. She hadn’t known him or any of the others before she’d arrived and most certainly hadn’t done them any favors. In any case, thinking about Aspen was as tiring as it always was and so she decided a nap was well needed.

Rain awoke more frustrated than when she had laid down, vaguely remembering a dream of Aspen chasing her with an assortment of gifts and screaming at her the name she so despised.

“Gosh! Even in my sleep he is vexing!” She thought as drew back the curtains to reveal a still drearily grey sky. The afternoon clouds seemed to be waning in strength, and instead of the forceful shower the morning brought, a light drizzle hummed against the roof and pattered on the sill. With her mood in a dismal estate, Rain thought being outside could help. With the rain letting off as it was the venture would probably be fine.

She exchanged her blouse and skirt for a sweater and denims from the drawer then moved toward the closet to fetch her favorite raincoat. She hoped the rain itself would be enough to cheer her up, but judging from the softening sound around her, it was almost over. She’d have to hurry if she wanted to catch the droplets as they fell. Rushing from her room, she raced down the hall towards the stairs to the backdoor and ran directly into the one person she was hoping to avoid.

Aspen St. Yves:

Aspen hated the rain. Just the thought of heavy clouds blocking the sun and pouring down on all that was beneath them would frustrate him so. He hated the cold and wetness of it; how it made everything difficult and generally ruined everything. Things like playing outside with his dog, or helping his dad collect leaves from the grove. His dad would take him and his brother Rowan to catalog the different kinds of oaks, alders, poplars, and beech trees that had grown there for centuries. He and his brother were named after the only two trees that had been recently planted there: an aspen between two mountain ash trees.

The barrage that begun that morning started to lessen as Aspen sat underneath the pavilion on the western lawn. He had hope it would let off soon: the walk down the garden trail would be less enjoyable had it not. Aspen stood to go inside to fetch his collection box and was surprised at how stiff his legs were, but a glance at his watch brought a surprise of its own. It was a few minutes past four which meant only half an hour for him to prepare the dining hall for supper!