Chapter Ten — Rain on Paper
(Inara's pov)
The school bell had barely rung when Elias and I met at our usual corner behind the music wing, notebooks clutched like shields against the real world.
"You brought snacks?" I asked, waving a granola bar at him.
"Always prepared," he said, grinning, producing a tiny bag of pretzels. "Fuel for literary genius."
I laughed, unpacking my notebook and pencil case. "Let's see if we can make Elara's first chapter a little less disastrous."
For the next hour, the world shrank to pen scratches, page folds, and his quiet commentary beside me.
"You could open with her noticing him," he said, pointing at a paragraph. "Not the face first. Maybe his hands, the way he moves when he laughs. Tiny details."
I nodded, scribbling furiously. "You're ridiculously good at this."
"Not good," he corrected, leaning over my notebook. "Obsessive. But only in a helpful way."
We laughed when I accidentally knocked over my pencil case, spilling graphite everywhere. He bent down to help, our hands brushing, and I felt my chest flutter.
"See?" he said, holding out the last pencil. "Disasters are opportunities."
I grinned, taking it. "I'll try to remember that."
Time passed in a blur. By the time the last bell rang, dark clouds had begun gathering overhead, turning the sky a dull, cinematic gray.
"Looks like rain," I said, gathering my papers.
Elias glanced up, squinting. "Perfect. Adds atmosphere."
We walked out together, notebooks tucked under arms. The first fat drops splattered the pavement.
"Run?" I asked.
"Or we can make it dramatic," he suggested, stepping beside me.
We laughed, dodging puddles, shouting at the wind, until a car zoomed past a little too close, splashing water across the sidewalk.
"Ahh!" I squealed, trying to jump aside.
Elias grabbed my arm, steadying me. "You okay?"
I nodded, dripping, heart racing from more than just the splash.
"Good save," he said, laughing, shaking water from his hair.
We paused under the awning of a closed shop, dripping and laughing.
"You're soaked," I said.
"Better than drowning alone," he said softly. His eyes were warm, serious, and for a moment, I forgot everything else.
We continued walking, slower this time, sharing an umbrella he'd fished out of his bag. Our shoulders brushed constantly, lightly, every touch a small spark.
"So," I said, trying to sound casual, "you really think my book has a chance?"
He looked at me, eyes catching the silver drizzle. "It has more than a chance. You're going to make people feel things they didn't know they could feel. You just need to finish it."
I felt my fingers curl around the umbrella handle tighter. "You really think so?"
"I don't think," he said quietly. "I know. And I'll help."
We reached my gate, the rain softening to a gentle mist. Naomi was inside, but I could hear her tiny footsteps pattering against the hardwood.
"Thanks," I said, hesitating. "For today. And for… helping."
He smiled, leaning casually against the fence. "Anytime. That's what co-authors are for."
Our hands brushed again. He looked at me like he was about to say something, then stopped. "See you tomorrow?"
"See you tomorrow," I said, voice a little breathless.
After I went inside, I peeled off my damp jacket and scribbled in my notebook:
He makes the rain feel like a story, the kind that doesn't end when the chapter closes. He's in every line I write without even knowing it.
And for the first time, I didn't just write about Elara. I wrote about him.
Because by now, he had already become the softest, brightest part of my world — the part I didn't want to let go of.
End of Chapter Ten
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The next hint is..night