Read Rain 01 When It Rains for Free Online

more dough into balls.
    I follow Beau to his bedroom, which looks empty compared to what it was just a few days ago. Most of his Iowa posters are gone, and his charcoal grey comforter is missing from his bed. My eyes fly to the bulletin board that hangs above his desk, and I notice that the pictures of the two of us are also missing.
    “I’m going to put all of them up in my room,” he says, coming to stand in front of me. I bite my lip to hold back a smile. It makes me feel better knowing that he doesn’t want to forget about me.
    “Beau, why is your mom baking cookies so early in the morning?” I ask.
    He rolls his eyes. “She wants to make sure I have enough to eat at school. I swear, she thinks I’m going to kindergarten all over again.” Beau’s mom reminds me of one of those sixties sitcom moms; always doing special things for him and his father. I spent a lot of time here growing up. In fact, I think I ate more suppers here than I did at my own house.
    “So, where are the boxes you need help with?” I ask, glancing around the room.
    “You really are trying to get rid of me,” he laughs, pointing towards his closet.
    Of course I don’t want to get rid of him. I just don’t know how long I can hold the tears back. I almost have myself convinced that this is just another day for the two of us, but once reality hits I’m going to be a mess, and the clock is ticking.
    I help him out to the truck with the last two boxes and stand silent with my hands tucked into my back pockets. This is the moment I’ve been dreading.
    “Well,” I say, staring nervously at my feet, “I guess this is goodbye . . . for now.”
    He places his hands on my shoulders, gently rubbing his thumbs against my neck. “This is see you later. I could never say goodbye to you. Ever,” he says, pressing his lips to my forehead.
    My eyes fill with tears that had threatened me all morning. “I’m going to miss you, Beau,” I cry, wiping my cheeks with the sleeve of my sweatshirt.
    “I’ll come home next weekend. I promise.”
    I shake my head. “No, you have to live your life. Please, don’t worry about me. I’ll be okay.”
    “Kate, don’t try to push me away,” he says, pulling me into his chest.
    “I’m not. I’m just letting you go,” I cry. The longer Beau holds onto the idea of us, the longer it will take him to find something better. He deserves all the good the world will give him. He deserves the love of someone who can give him everything. I have to let him go so he can find that.
    “Stop, Kate. I’m coming back for you every weekend.”
    “No, listen to me. I think it would be best if we spent some time apart. I need to work on myself, and I want you to worry about other things besides me,” I say, feeling his hands grip the back of my sweatshirt a little tighter. I look up at his face to see his eyes are glossed over. This sucks.
    “Kate—”
    “No, just don’t. I’ll call you every day, but please, do this for yourself,” I plead. This is the hardest freaking thing I’ve ever had to do. I want Beau to come back every weekend and see me so that I never have to go a day without seeing him, but I’m not going to be selfish. My future was taken from me, and I can’t take his too.
    “I’m coming back once a month,” he says, letting go of the back of my shirt. The front door of his house opens, causing us both to step back. His mom and dad are following him to Iowa City to bring his furniture so it must be time for him to leave.
    He walks to the driver’s side door without taking another look in my direction. My heart falls into my stomach.
    He climbs in and rolls down the window, using his index finger to motion me over to him. I hesitantly step forward, scared to death that he may say something I don’t want to hear. When I’m close enough that he can touch me, he cups my cheek in his hand. “I’ll play this game by your rules. But, Kate, remember that I can’t shut my feelings off just