Throughout the day, Rain couldn't take his mind off Frances. Every moment, every breath, every tick of the clock was haunted by the thought of her getting into a relationship. His brain was a hurricane of emotions, jealousy, fear, longing and for the first time in his life, he felt utterly lost.
Frances.
The girl he had quietly admired for his whole life . He has liked her for as long as he can remember
The girl with fire in her eyes and laughter that lit up even the darkest parts of his world.
She wasn't just a crush. She was it. The sun in his sky.
But she was also… the sun he could never touch.
Rain slumped back in the car seat, head leaning against the cool glass of the window as the city blurred past him. His stomach was twisted in knots. Frances had never dated anyone before, never even entertained the idea. She always had a sea of friends, but no one had ever gotten that close. And now… now she was serious about getting into a relationship.
He had imagined everything she said to Evie earlier, replaying her words over and over in his mind.
Pretty face, intelligent, a good cook, loyal, wears a piercing…
Rain fit everything.
Everything except for the belief that someone like Frances could want someone like him.
Still… he couldn't help himself but hope.
Hope, small and fragile, sparked in his chest.
"Stop the car," he said suddenly, the words tumbling out before he could stop them.
The car halted with a soft screech of the tires. Fallon turned back in alarm. "Do you need something, boss?"
"Go to the tattoo shop."
Fallon blinked. "Tattoo shop? You're not going to draw a tattoo, are you? You should wait till high school is over before you do that." His tone was half concern, half brotherly scold.
"I'm not getting a tattoo," Rain muttered, fingers tightening in his lap. "I wanna pierce my ear. That's not worse than a tattoo, right?" He sounded unsure, even to himself.
Fallon let out a sigh of relief and nodded. "We can still manage that."
The car sped off again, and Rain sat in silence, heart pounding as the city lights grew brighter. They arrived at a quiet, dimly lit tattoo and piercing parlor. Fallon went in to speak with the artist while Rain stayed seated, clutching the edges of his sleeves.
Soon, it was his turn. He stepped inside nervously, the buzz of machines and the scent of antiseptic hitting him all at once.
A large man with tattoos up his arms looked up and grinned. "Hey, kiddo! Where would you like to pierce?"
Rain hesitated, then pointed at his left ear. "Lobe and helix… and I'd like a round ring on both ." His voice was a little shaky, but his eyes were determined.
The man whistled. "What a good choice. It'll give you a bad boy look. Girls love it."
Rain's face lifted, eyes widening in innocent surprise. "Really? Girls would like it?"
"Sure!" The artist laughed. "Just don't go hiding it under a mask and glasses. Let it show off a bit."
Rain nodded slowly, a small smile forming. Maybe… just maybe.
The piercing was done within minutes. It stung, sharp and quick but he didn't flinch. The artist handed him ointment and explained the aftercare. Rain stood, walked to the mirror, and for a moment… he just stared.
He didn't look like himself.
He looked… bold. Different.
Cool.
The gold rings gleamed under the lights, and a genuine smile bloomed on his face.
On the ride home, Rain kept stealing glances at his reflection in the window, heart fluttering with cautious pride. Fallon watched him out of the corner of his eye, lips twitching into a teasing smirk.
"Why did you suddenly get a piercing, boss?" he asked.
Rain smiled, still admiring himself. "Cici likes it."
Fallon nearly choked. His eyes bulged in disbelief, and he turned to fully look at Rain.
"He is such a stupid love-brain," Fallon thought, shaking his head with a defeated grin.
He let out a whistle. "Boss, you've liked Frances since elementary school. That's several years ago. You were still wearing cartoon socks then. You've liked her since you were a child, and now you're almost an adult. Don't you feel like… confessing to her or something?"
Rain's smile faded, eyes dropping to his lap.
"Cici would never like someone like me," he said quietly. "She's the kind of girl that every boy in school dreams about. They all look better than me. They all have better personalities. And me…"
"You have a point," Fallon replied bluntly. "She doesn't seem like the type of girl who'd go for you at all. She's… out of your league."
"I know, right?" Rain forced a laugh, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Just seeing her every day is enough. I can't ask for more."
Fallon looked at him with a mix of pity and annoyance. "But still, letting her know would ease your mind. Better than hiding it for years. What if she travels after school? You'll never see her again."
Rain's eyes snapped up, panic creeping into them.
"Impossible. I'll go to whatever school she chooses. And if she wants to study abroad… I'll go too."
"Boss!" Fallon groaned.
"Just leave it," Rain mumbled. He turned away to face the window again, his reflection now blurred in the glass. "She doesn't have to like me. As long as I like her… that's enough."
His voice cracked at the end, and he swallowed the sharp lump in his throat.
It didn't feel enough.
Not when the ache in his chest was this heavy.
Not when the girl of his dreams might be falling for someone else.
But still, he smiled through it
Because that's all he could do.