It was overcast the next time the two met up at their spot. Theirs, they had decided, as no one seemed to bother to explore the western side of the lake. To them, it had become their little private sandy beach, one that held all their secrets, stories, and newfound experiences and revelations.

One such new experience, being skipping stones. Jameson had idly stood by, watching Liam's masterful skills at throwing them, and half-wondered if Liam would teach him. Liam was scooping up rocks from the shore without hesitation, inspecting them to introduce his jogger friend.

Jameson watched in awe as Liam held the flat stone gently in his hand, turning it over and over as he scanned the lake's surface. "It's gotta be flat. A little beveled is alright but ideally flat and of medium weight. If it's too light, the air will make it tumble. Too heavy, and well, it'll just sink."

Liam turned to the taller man, extending his hand out to hand the stone over. Jameson nodded along, analyzing the stone from him. Just a month ago, Jameson had first met Liam, approached him so randomly like some creep; and now, here he was, learning how to skip rocks along the surface of the lake.

"So like this?"

"Usually, I'd go for a little flatter, but this should still skip fairly well." Liam nodded before guiding Jameson's arms, demonstrating the proper stance and grip on the rock. "It's like a frisbee, in a way, how you want to fling the rock."

Jameson raised a brow at him, deadpanning, "I don't remember the last time I even saw a frisbee."

Liam turned to grab a stone with a smile, showing step by step how to throw it. He took a step, waiting for Jameson to follow before showing the proper hand motions to fling the stone.

Despite his early frustrations, Jameson eventually practiced throwing them, a few landing two to three times, while most sank with a plop. Jameson noticed the clouds darkening above them with every failed attempt, the water before them turning murkier from its reflection. Almost discouraged, Liam had thrown some himself, reminding Jameson about the angle he should aim for the stone to bounce.

It wasn't until his twenty-sixth try that Jameson felt confident in his throw, successfully skipping the rock five times before sinking below the surface. With a triumphant shout, Jameson was starting to see why Liam loved this so much. As disheartened as he was in the beginning, this felt like a pastime Jameson wouldn't mind doing over and over again.

Going through over a hundred stones, Liam struggled to find any more, resorting to throwing stones that he knew weren't ideal for skipping, merely chucking them in to pass the time.

With the first drop of rain falling on their skin, the two looked up to the sky; the ominous clouds from earlier lowering, casting a dark overlay over the usual verdant mountainscape.

For most people, the smell of rain, the gloomy ambiance would repel people, but for Liam, this was a dream. Like a kid in a candy store, Liam's eyes lit up, pulling away from Jameson a bit to look around them.

As heavy drops of rain erupted from the sky, Jameson followed him close behind his hand, nearly brushing Liam's arm. "If it starts to pour, we can head back to my car and wait it out if you'd like."

"No, I want to feel this," Liam insisted, pulling off his shades to reveal a pair of wide, almost brightful eyes, taking in the sight of it all. "The rain, the smell of an impending storm. The feeling of each raindrop, I want to experience this."

Jameson smiled, watching as Liam extended his hands out like a child without a care in the world. As if listening to his request, the rain came down harder, slicking the two's hair to their faces, their shirts becoming soaked in a matter of seconds. At that moment, Jameson couldn't have cared less for standing in a raging storm. Even with the threatening and rumbling clouds above the mountain tops, just seeing the look of pure joy from Liam was his own form of cathartic relief, like that feeling of taking a long drag from his cigarette. A high of its own, seeing someone enjoy something so simple.

Liam cautiously walked in the wet sand, feeling it run through his feet as the rain pummeled his skin. He could feel all the textures, the feeling of small branches, rocks, and shells hitting his feet as he reveled in the sense of the oncoming storm. He was overjoyed by this weather, finally getting to experience the beauty of mother nature and the looming clouds over the mountain top.

Jameson could only gawk as Liam would pick up stones, skipping them across the less smooth surface, his overactive mind in overdrive as he took a more giant branch to draw in the sand. As Jameson neared the smaller male, he watched as Liam painted the mountain range with expert precision, the outlines of the clouds and valleys detailed with a thinner side of the branch. Like always, Jameson wanted to take this and display it, Liam's artwork in the sand, something he felt deserved to be seen. It felt a crime to let the rain and rising tides wash it away. He snapped a quick photo with his phone as Liam practically skipped away, nearly stumbling in the sand as he let his senses work overtime.

The thunder grew in volume, boisterous as it echoed in the valley and carried over across the lake. A simple warning sound that neither of the two really wanted to heed. Liam was enjoying the storm, enjoying the dark and abundant phenomenon it brought.

And Jameson found great comfort in being there for Liam, in allowing him to simply enjoy the world he could see for now. He wasn't sure how long Liam would be able to enjoy this view, but he found that this wasn't just cathartic for Liam; all these moments they shared really were cathartic and healing for Jameson as well.

That, and Liam had been right all along. Every week, every day that they had stayed to chat and simply enjoy the lake had been different. Liam had taught him, showing him what this place really had to offer. It wasn't that the mountains or lake changed but how the lighting and weather did, it was how you cherished it.

They spent what felt like hours in the rain, their clothes utterly soaked as they simply relished in each other's company under the impending storm clouds.

Before they could make it up the slight incline toward the parking lot to dry up, a shrill voice rang out, one that neither of the two expected to hear; nobody ever had visited the lower parking lot in the weeks they spent visiting.

"Liam! Where have you been? It's pouring out here; you'll catch a cold!" The frantic female ran toward the two, an oversized umbrella in hand. As she neared the two sopping wet men, she reared her head towards Jameson, the same aloof grin that Liam had earlier now displayed proudly on his face. "Who the hell is this?"

"Uh, Leanne," Liam pointed between the two. "This is Jamie. Jamie, Leanne. My sister."

She sent a judging glare at Jameson before turning to her brother. "Liam, did you not get my text about the storm? You'll get sick out here."

Clearing his throat, Jameson reassured her, a peeved tone in his words. "My apologies, we were just about to seek shelter in my car, but I wanted to show him something."

The white lie had rolled off his tongue so quickly it even startled Jameson. He had no need to take responsibility when it was Liam's insistence on staying out in this rain. Maybe it had been the tone she used or how she reminded Jameson about the overbearing people he's dealt with after his mother's treatment and death, but Jameson was annoyed by Leanne.

"Leanne, it's fine," Liam insisted. "It's just a little rain."

"No, it's not." She huffed before pointing to the car. "Just get in the car. I can't believe you'd be out here with some stranger in the rain; what were you even thinking?"

Embarrassed by her outbursts, Liam turned to Jameson apologetically before addressing his sister. "He's not just a stranger, Lee; he's a friend. Besides, I thought we agreed you'd pick me up around six.

"And leave you in this weather? Just get in the car."

Liam rolled his eyes as his sister stormed off to her fairly new silver car, a couple of stalls next to Jameson's beat-up Camry.

"Sorry about her; she gets a bit overbearing, slightly protective with everything." Liam rubbed the back of his neck as he looked at Jameson. Luckily, Leanne hadn't heard him, but Liam was still embarrassed by his sister fretting over him like a child when Liam was the older sibling.

"It's okay," Jameson reassured, walking alongside him. "I totally get it. I'll see you next week, friend?"

Even with the rain dripping from Jameson's dark locks and the saturated clothes sticking uncomfortably to his skin, Jameson's contagious smile didn't fade. That alone had eased Liam's concerns and nerves like nothing ever did.

With a smirk, Liam waved his arm to Jameson before opening his sister's car door. "See you next week, friend."