My shoes clacked with every step, the rain started to pour harder and harder, and I was getting drenched. My orange, curly hair was now sopping wet and a shade darker than before. I was walking home, completely dejected and saddened by what had recently happened to me. I had finally acknowledged my feelings after a long time thinking and mustered up enough courage to tell my best friend that I love him, but he didn't say anything back to me. He just ran away, deep into the dark of night. I felt like I had my own stormy cloud right above me. Unluckily for me, that wasn't just a feeling as I looked up and noticed that it started to rain. But that's what you can expect in Canada, huh? I shivered, walking through my town to reach my home. I was soaked and chilled to the bone. The only thing I wanted to do right now was collapse into my loving mother's arms, warm up in a fluffy blanket, and watch all my favorite Disney movies for a week straight.

You may think that I'm just feeling sorry for myself and making a big deal out of something small, but I was incredibly scared. I didn't know if what I had said would damage Jack and I's relationship forever. I just kept thinking I had made a drastic mistake that would impact my life forever, and maybe impact Jack's. Gosh, why did I ever open my mouth? I just thought the timing was right and maybe, just maybe..a small part of me thought that he would feel the same way. Guess I read too many books and shoujou manga. I crossed my arms together, my teeth chattering from the cold. Suddenly, I heard a loud, thundering snap. My eyes went wide as I jumped out of fear. Thunder. I sighed. "N-No big deal..it's just thunder. Just stuff that happens in rainstorms." BOOM, SNAP! Thunder and lighting again. This time, I got scared.

I screamed and looked around before I felt tears stream down my cheeks. Even as a child, I had been terribly afraid of thunder and lightning. But I had coped for so long with a warm blanket and my best friend, Jack, always there to comfort me. He would always sit me on the couch, sit right next to me, and hug me close to him. Sometimes, he'd even sing to me so that I wouldn't hear the thunder. Sounds too good to be true, right? Jack really is..well, was. I turned on my heel and started to run away from the loud sounds and noises, not being able to escape. I kept running and running until I tripped over my own two feet and landed on the hard pavement. I winced as I could tell I had skinned both of my knees, being that I was wearing a skirt. I looked around to see I had ran a far ways away from my home. 

The lightning crashed loudly again and the thunder kept rumbling. I didn't know what to do. I was frightened, alone, cold, shivering, just pleading that somebody would come rescue me. But I knew they wouldn't, nobody even knows I'm here. That is, unless they followed my exact steps from where I got humiliated by Jack. I closed my eyes tight, trying to drown out the terrifying sounds in the sky. Tears started streaming down my face, my fears getting the better of me. "Somebody..anybody..help me!" I whisper-yelled, shaking and sobbing at the same time. 

Suddenly, my sobs started to be drowned out and faded by another sound. The sound of shoes clacking and someone softly panting. The sound started to grow stronger and louder and even faster. It sounded like someone was running towards me. Still, in fright and sheer panic, I assumed the worst, thinking this was a stranger who came all this way to hurt me. Thinking back on it, that was a stupid and highly improbable thing to assume, but I was scared at the time and my thinking wasn't sound. I tried to get away from the thing coming towards me, but I was so scared that I couldn't even move my feet. I sat there on the ground, completely helpless. Both my knees scraped up, my clothes and hair soaked, and my face tear-stained, I definitely looked weak and scared.

I looked in the direction where the panting and running was getting louder to see a familiar silhouette running towards me. As the person came closer, I saw some distinguishing features. Jet-black hair, a black jacket, a teal shirt, black ripped jeans, sneakers...cobalt blue eyes. My eyes went wide. "J-Jack?" I whispered. The figure came closer to me, running towards me, lifting up his face. "CELIA!" He screamed. I gasped and held my hands up to my mouth. I couldn't believe it! He had come back for me, to save me, to reconcile with me..hopefully. My best friend, the boy I was in love with, Jack Parker. He had come back. I hoped we could just make up and talk things out, hopefully finding a proper solution to everything. First, we had to go to each other. 

I gently stood up, revealing my scraped knees that were bleeding a little bit. The wind picked up which blew my clothes and hair in Jack's direction. He fought against the wind, running towards me until we were only a couple feet away. "CELIA!" He screamed, reaching out his hand to me. I smiled at him, tears rolling down my cheeks from pure and utter happiness. "JACK!" I screamed back, reaching out my hand to him. Finally, we met. I got ready to hug him, but instead he took an unexpected and rather bold move. 

He looked right at me in a loving way, put his hands on my cheeks, and then..

He kissed me.

My eyes almost popped right out of my head. Suddenly, I got a flashback from our childhood.

-----Flashback-----

Jack and I were laughing with joy, looking at the sand castle we had created. We were 8 years old and it was summertime. We spent it outside at the park, in the sandbox. I looked over at Jack. "You make a great sand-castle partner!" I flashed a toothy smile at him. He smiled at me, brushing some hair out of his face. "Thanks, so do you, Celia!" 

I smiled at him, building some things around our sandcastle. "I enjoy spending time with you Celia." Jack smiled. He held my hands in his and looked right at me, his eyes shining. "Hey Celia, let's get married when we're older!" He smiled. My eyes went wide and a blush ran across from my face. I giggled like the schoolgirl I was. "Okay!" I agreed.

------End of Flashback-----

As the flashback ended, we both let go and and looked at each other. I couldn't believe everything that was happening. I was both stunned and amazingly happy. "Jack..I-" "Celia, I need to tell you something." Jack said. I stayed quiet, tuned in to listen to him. "From the moment I met you, Celia Schwartz, I knew that we would be best friends forever. I knew you were going to be someone so special and important to me. Even as a little boy, I loved you, Celia." Jack chuckled. "I know this sounds real sappy and stuff they say in the movies..but in all reality, I know I love you."

He sighed. "I'm so sorry I ran away. When you told me, I was so surprised and I didn't know what to do. Running away was the wrong answer. It seems like I'm constantly messing up, but I'm imperfect, Celia. Please forgive me and please find it in your heart to look past my flaws and focus on my feelings." The rain continued to poured down on us. "I just don't know how long me being real is going to last and I never want you to be stuck with somebody who is imaginary. But, I realized that if you're okay with it, than I am too." At this point, tears were streaming down both our faces. He grabbed both my hands and held them in his. "I love you, Celia!" He yelled. I processed everything he had just said to me, running it through my mind. I jumped up and hugged him tightly. "I love you too." I whispered, smiling. Jack smiled back. That is, until he saw my knees. 

"Oh my god, what happened!? You're bleeding, you're hurt, why didn't you call me sooner? You're going to end up getting an infection in this weather and with your cuts!" He screamed, panicking and jumping around. I laughed at him, snorting a little bit. "I'm glad to have you back." He stopped his panic frenzy and let out a soft blush and a smile. "I'm glad to be back. Come on, let's get home and clean you up. I'll put band-aids on your knees and wrap you in a blanket and feed you hot cocoa and cookies." He said, walking with me and putting his arm around me. I smiled. "Yeah, I'm really glad you're back."