Chapter 7

When Raine wakes up, she becomes aware of a warmth next to her. She opens her eyes and sees someone in bed with her. She screams in surprise and backs away from the person. The other jolts and turns to face the source of the screaming. Jenos and Raine see each other and they blink a few times before doing anything. She lightly laughs and feels her heart pounding against her chest. “I had forgotten you were here.” Jenos groans lightly and shakes his head. “I’m in your room? How did I get here?” Raine smiles slightly and crawls back to him, placing a hand on his shoulder as she lies down next to him. “You got drunk last night, and you came here. I brought you to my room and before you fell asleep you wanted me close by, so I did.”

Jenos nods lightly, his brain still trying to defog itself. “Well, at least I ended up here safely.” Raine nods and reaches to his chin, lightly caressing it. Jen places a hand over hers and smiles at her. She smiles back. “I’m glad you’re good now, when you were withdrawn last night, you worried me.” Raine explains how Jenos was initially cold then finally wanted her close by. She purposely didn’t say how he had looked at her, not wanting him to have to deal with what he had done while drunk.

She looks at her still clothed form and smiles slightly. “It’s kind of funny, when you’re here when I go to sleep, I wind up actually wearing something to bed.” Jenos lightly coughs. “Excuse me?” She smiles enigmatically. “When you are around when I go to bed, I wear clothes, otherwise I don’t.” Jenos blinks. “Oh.” He blinks again and his face shows his lack of brain activity. She lightly laughs at his expression. “You look ridiculous.”

He looks at her, and a smirk slowly comes to his lips. “Right…” He pushes on the bed and throws himself at her. The two go over the edge of the bed and tumble a few times on the floor. Jenos finds himself beneath Raine with his arms around her. He looks at her, and has his gaze returned. They breath lightly as they stare at each other. Raine slowly closes her eyes and leans forward.

They kiss and she pulls back, opening her eyes and looking at him again. He looks back at her, taking in her parted, full lips. “Raine.” She closes her eyes and rests her head on his shoulder. He hugs her tightly and gently kisses her forehead. She smiles lightly and nuzzles his shoulder.

They stay like this for about an hour, after which Raine decided to go ahead and take a shower. She gets up and Jenos slowly gets up as well, groaning as his muscles get used to being used again. She lightly laughs. “You’re getting old Jenos.” He sneers lightly. “Yeah, and just know you’re only six months away from the same fate.” She makes a face at him before turning to go to the refresher.

Jen stretches and moves his arms around to work out some kinks in his shoulders. Raine turns to him. “Are you going to come?” He blinks and stares at her. “Wha?” She lightly laughs. “It was a joke… sheesh.” She smiles and leaves the room. He shakes his head and sits down on the bed before falling back onto it. Watching the ceiling, he ponders.

His gaze drifts to her walls, seeing the holos of her and her family. He gets up and looks at them closer. One shows her in a bikini in the water smiling brightly at the camera. It couldn’t have been taken over two years ago from the frame of her face. He remembered she hadn’t fully gotten rid of her chubby cheeks until then. In another is one of her and her sister, it appeared to have been taken the same day the other had been.

He sees a third picture and blinks. It was one of him, where he was resting against a wall with his head lightly bowed and his eyes closed, arms crossed over his chest. He recalls that day easily. It was last summer, when he was in a junior tournament of sabacc. It wasn’t for money, and no one gained anything except the victor with a small trophy. Even so, he was still down when he had lost in the first round. As he thinks, he can’t recall seeing her there, nor any other family member. He wonders how the picture was taken but pushes it to the back of his mind.

When Raine walks into the room fifteen minutes later with a towel around her waist. She finds Jenos lying on the bed with his hands under his head, his arms up on either side of his head. His left leg was crooked so his heel was almost touching his butt. She smiles lightly at him, thinking he didn’t see her coming in. “Feel better now?” She turns to him, still seeing him lying in the same position. “A bit, yes.” “Good.” Obviously, he did notice her coming in. “Would you mind if you stepped out for a little so I can dress?” Wordlessly, he gets up and gets off the bed, walking out the door and closing it behind him.

She finds his behavior odd, but hurries to change so he wouldn’t have to wait for long. She steps out of her room clad in blue shorts and shirt. He wasn’t at the door, so she heads into the living room. He wasn’t there either, so she goes to the kitchen, and the den next to the front door. He wasn’t in either place. She looks out the back door and sees him standing out in the grass, gazing at the sky as she often did at night.

She steps out and feels the hard stone patio under her bare feet before stepping out onto the grass. He continues to stare, his hands at the small of his back. She gets next to him and looks at him, curious. “Jen?” He blinks lightly and turns his head to look at her. “Hey Raine.” She steps forward and touches his shoulder. “Are you okay?” He nods lightly. “Yes, I’ve just been thinking, is all.” He takes a breath in then lets it out as he looks back at the sky. “Thinking of what I’m going to do now, where I’m going after graduation. Tomorrow is Finals Week, there’s not much time left. I need to figure this out.”

Raine nods lightly and steps closer, resting her head on his shoulder. “I understand… you have your life ahead of you, and you need to figure out what you’re going to do.” He glances at her then lets his arms go to his sides, letting his left arm hook around her waist. She gets turns her body so she is facing the sky as well, leaning on him. “Do you think you’ll be leaving?”

Jenos shrugs lightly, careful not to move much with her head on him. “I don’t know, there’s that possibility, but I don’t believe so.” She nods lightly. “I hope you don’t… I’ll miss you.” He smiles lightly. “And I would you.” She smiles as well. He gently kisses the top of her head and looks at the sky in that direction.

“It looks like it’s going to rain.” Raine picks her head up and looks towards the west. “It does, which means mom and dad will probably be heading back soon.” Jenos nods lightly, knowing the two liked enjoying a picnic on the beach during the weekends. “In which case, would mean I should be leaving as well.” She looks up at him, disappointment on her face. “But why?” He looks at her face. “So you won’t have to explain why I’m here. The best excuse is one that doesn’t have to be used.”

She sighs softly. “Maybe, but I still would like you here.” She hugs him, and he holds her. “I know, I know…” He raises a hand to gently rub her cheek. “I’m sorry Raine, but I should leave.” He bends his head and kisses her forehead. She sighs softly and kisses him. “Yeah… I’ll see you tomorrow, right?” Jen nods. “Count on it.” She smiles and hugs him again. “All right.” He returns the hug then heads back inside the house. She follows him to the front door, watching from it as he steps out onto the porch.

He turns to her. “What is it Raine?” She blinks and shakes her head. “It’s nothing… I’ll tell you later.” He nods lightly. “Okay, I’ll wait then.” She lightly smiles. “Bye Jenos.” He steps back to the door and kisses her lips. “Bye Raine.” She gives him a quick peck and smiles as he takes his leave. She watches him head east to his house before going back into the house. She closes the door and leans against it. Her mind recalls that look in his eyes the night before. She lightly shivers. “Was that just the alcohol, or really you…” She closes her eyes and lets out a sigh before heading to her room, where she hoped to occupy her mind from the memory.