He narrowed his eyes at his brother in the rearview mirror but let up.
The rest of the ride home was completely silent, and an uncomfortable tension filled the small, confined space. It didn’t help when a love song started to trickle out from the radio, its melody sickly sweet. Thirty seconds into the cheesy lyrics, I leaned over and switched it off. Alex heaved a sigh of relief.
When we pulled into the Walters’ driveway, Cole parked at the bottom of the hill. I turned to give him a puzzled look as he yanked the key from the ignition. We were going to get soaked walking all the way up to the house. Why wasn’t he parking in the usual spot underneath the basketball hoop? Cole answered my unasked question by pulling out an umbrella and getting out of the truck. He slammed the door shut, and Alex and I sat in shocked silence, watching him make his way toward the house.
“What’s his problem?” Alex demanded.
Frowning, I told Alex what I had feared since leaving the ice-skating rink. “I think he might have seen us.”
Alex shook his head. “Jackie, I can barely see out the window right now with the rain coming down so hard. How could he possibly have seen us?”
I shrugged my shoulders, not knowing how to answer his question. Even if Cole hadn’t caught us, he was definitely mad about something.
“So what do we do now? I can call my mom again and ask for someone to bring us an umbrella,” he suggested.
I shook my head no. “I’d prefer not to give Cole that satisfaction. It’s only water and we’re halfway wet already. Besides, you still smell. A shower would do you good.”
“But my cell phone.”
“Just leave it in the truck,” I said, opening the door. “You’re not going to die without it.”
As we walked up the driveway toward the house, the rain let up. Giggles filled the air as we approached the front porch, and I looked up to find most of the Walter boys sitting under its shelter.
“What are they doing?” I asked Alex.
“Watching for a thunderstorm,” he answered. “Haven’t you ever sat outside during one? It’s really peaceful.”
“I lived on the top floor of an apartment building,” I told him as water squished inside my flats. I should have taken them off before getting out of the car, since they were ruined for sure, but the gravel on the driveway was sharp and I didn’t want to cut my feet.
“Oh right,” Alex said. “Well, we do it all the time.”
“Enjoying the weather?” Nathan asked when we reached the house. Alex gave him the finger, and everyone burst out laughing as we trudged up the steps.
“Jackie, you cold?” Isaac asked. “Your headlights are on.”
Resisting the urge to cross my arms, I answered him. “Actually, I am. Maybe a hug would warm me up?” I took a step toward him with my arms wide open. Isaac backed away quickly, not wanting to get wet, but Alex ambushed him from the side.
“Dude, really?” Isaac complained. “Now I’m soaking.”
“That’s what she said,” Lee said, making all the boys laugh.
“Not soaking,” Alex answered Isaac, shaking his head in disagreement. Isaac had splotches of damp on his clothes, but it was nothing compared to us. “Let me fix that for you.” With one quick push, Isaac was out in the rain. Danny gave Alex a high five as Jack and Jordan stepped out onto the porch.
“What’s he doing out there?” Jack asked as he wiped his already foggy glasses on his shirt.
“We don’t like him anymore,” Danny said. “He was voted off our island.”
“Really?” Isaac demanded from out in the rain. “Who’s going to read lines with you then?”
“Definitely not you,” Danny said, rolling his eyes. “You’re terrible.”
Isaac smirked as he climbed up the steps. “‘O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?’” he called, descending upon his cousin.
“Stay back,” Danny said, jumping up out of his seat. “I don’t want to get all wet.”
“Too bad,” Isaac laughed and pushed him off the porch.
Lee burst out laughing. “Hey, look! Romeo’s all washed up,” he said, pointing a finger at his cousin. In response, Danny yanked him out into the rain. “What the fudge?” Lee demanded.
Benny, who had been standing next to me quietly, tugged on my hand. “Jackie, can I go out in the rain too, or does someone have to push me?”
I broke into a grin. “If you want to play in the rain,” I told him, “go for it. I’ll even play with you. First one to jump in a puddle wins?” I asked.
Benny’s eyes lit up, and he bounded off the porch in his yellow rain boots.
“Care to join me?” I asked, grabbing Alex’s hand.
“It would be a pleasure,” he said, grinning at me, and we both stepped back out into the rain.
The cool water felt relaxing as it ran down my back, and I ran my fingers through my soaking hair, lifting the new weight off my neck.