The Rain Began to Fall

by A. K. Hartline

  But as soon as she did, she spun around and quickly left the window, grabbing the picture of she and Gene off her desk. She stared at it, concentrating on it, remembering the Seattle vacation and all the fun they had. Then she knocked over the pen cup, spilling the contents as she reached desperately for another picture on her desk, this one of her father. Oh daddy I miss you! she thought sadly as she stared at the photo, the memories flowing through her mind. She closed her eyes, pressing the picture frame to her chest.

  Outside, at that moment, during a break in conversation with Rob, Kyle looked wistfully up at her office window. Inside, Leigh sat with her face in her hands, tears streaming freely down her cheeks.

  CHAPTER 18

  The electric blue Nova came roaring down Anderson Lane, sounding every bit like the racing machine it would have to be on this Friday night. There was a certain red head that lived on this street, and the driver intended to pick her up and bandage his wounded heart with her as best he could.

  Kyle had grown increasingly reckless since the scene between he and Leigh at the mall, finding it difficult to deal with the fool he had been; the knowledge that he was out of the picture, would never have the love of his life had grown into a monstrous, screaming demon of merciless repetition.

  It was 10:45 pm, and he was to meet Wade and the boys on Summerville Road at 11:00 pm. He was ready to race, and he knew his Nova was. He and Rob had installed the tuned header on Wednesday, and the increase in power was noticeable.

  He reached over to the passenger seat where a six pack of beer sat. He pulled a cold bottle out of the brown paper bag and twisted off the top, tossing it over his shoulder into the backseat. He began fishing in the sack for the pack of Luckys he had purchased. The cigarettes were hiding from him. He flipped on the overhead light and looked over, pulling down the top of the sack for a better view. He rummaged more, around the sides of the beer carton. Nothing.

  “Damn,” he muttered. He was now glancing in snatches, feeling around. He glanced back at the road. Steady as she goes. Cool. Where are they? He then flipped the sack on its side, shook it, and saw the cigarette pack fall out on the seat. Alright. Then he heard his right tire hit gravel, and a loud thump as his right front fender took out someone’s garbage can that had been sitting near the road for pick up. The can went sailing as he jerked the Nova back on the pavement. He checked his rearview mirror and saw garbage lying all over the road.

  “Whoops!” He slammed on the brakes, turned around, and went back to the scene of the crime. No one had come outside, so he picked up the garbage, put it back in the can, and returned it to its proper place. It was a plastic can, and he could see no damage to it, so he hurriedly jumped back in his car and went on his way.

  He now tore the wrapper off the cigarettes, pulled one out of the pack with his teeth, and lit it with a match he struck on his fingernail. He turned fast into Lisa’s driveway, and a moment later she came bouncing down the steps, wearing a pair of tight denim shorts and a tank top. She opened the door on the passenger side and climbed in.

  “Hi, Kyle!” she exclaimed with a bubbly smile as she closed the door. She looked in the sack he had moved from the seat to the console to make room for her. “Ooh, you’ve got some beer! Can if I have one of those?”

  “Help yourself,” he responded, then threw it hard into reverse. The tires squealed loudly.

  “Are you ready?” she asked, turning sideways in the seat to face him as he tore out onto the main road.

  “I was born ready, babe,” he replied with a slight, steely grin. Staring straight ahead, he geared up and stomped the pedal, the engine screaming in response.

  They were off to the races.

  CHAPTER 19

  The night was warm and the skies were clear as Kyle pulled onto Summerville road. There were many more cars and people on hand than he had seen the first time around. He idled along, finally spotting Rob’s Chevelle. Mindy was with him, and they were leaning against the hood of his car. Wade’s Impala was close by, the bottle green exterior freshly waxed and shining under the streetlights, and Kyle’s Nova was sparkling as well. He saw several people beginning to point at him, and many turning their thumbs down. He ignored them, and pulled up to Rob, throwing it in park. He climbed out, and Lisa, who had jumped out enthusiastically before the wheels had even stopped rolling, ran around and practically slammed into his side, locking her arm in his.

  “Hey man!” Rob exclaimed, smacking him on the shoulder. “You ready to blow this guy away?”

  “Absolutely!” he responded, turning up the bottle of beer he held in his hand.

  “You shouldn’t do that, you know,” Rob said seriously, frowning and pointing at his beer, then producing his own and turning it up. They both laughed, almost spraying each other.

  “This is a wild crowd, man,” Rob said. “Sort of reminds me of Boonesville. I feel right at home!”

  “I knew you would,” he replied, now turning his attention to Mindy.

  “So how are you doing, Ms. Whitlow?” he asked. Rob had filled him in all week about how famously they were getting along, and he felt a natural moment of envy and bitterness now, seeing them together. But he recognized and squelched the unfair thought immediately. He was truly happy for both of them. Mindy had turned a critical eye on Lisa, and was now observing her choice of clothes… or lack thereof.

  If this girl’s not a little slut... she thought.

  “Hello Kyle,” she responded smiling. “Who’s your friend?” Her pleasant smile transformed into a smirk as she turned her attention to Lisa. Lisa promptly returned the sneer, looking Mindy up and down.

  “I’m Lisa,” she responded curtly. “I’m Kyle’s date!” She giggled and locked both arms around his waist, smiling up at him admiringly. She then looked back at Mindy and raised her eyebrows contemptuously. Mindy felt like throwing up.

  At that point, Wade and Billy approached, flanked by a number of guys Kyle recognized from Falstead, and the rest of the crowd on hand.

  “It’s show time, man!” he hollered, jabbing his finger dangerously close to Kyle’s chest.

  “Right on!” Billy chimed in. Kyle ignored Billy the moron and looked Wade dead in the eyes.

  “I’m ready pal,” he said, displaying the cocky grin Wade hated so much. “How about you?” Wade stared back at him, thinking he might just knock that grin off of his face after he won. Not that he would be smiling after he beat him, but he might just make sure it was gone.

  “I ain’t never been more ready than I am to beat you,” Wade responded through his teeth, seething and staring hard at Kyle. Someone was in his car, and they revved the powerful engine.

  “Hear that?” Wade asked, cupping his right hand to his ear. “That’s taps for you, man.” He pointed and jabbed his finger very close to Kyle’s face as he said this. Everybody behind Wade laughed. Touch me just once tough guy, Kyle thought menacingly. Give me a reason. But his outward expression of cool confidence remained unchanged.

  “How about a little bet then?” Kyle asked. Lisa was hugged up so tight to him she could be a second skin, and behind her, Mindy was edging closer to regurgitating. Rob smiled. He knew what was coming.

  “Whattaya got in mind?” Wade asked, chuckling. “It’s your money to lose!” He looked around at the guys and they all laughed.

  “Yeah, it’s your money to lose, dude!” Billy echoed.

  “Shut up,” Kyle demanded through clenched teeth, looking sternly at Billy. Billy narrowed his eyes at Kyle and tried to come up with a quick response. But quick, in any respect, was a tall order for the dimwit, and after further reflection, he decided wisely to do as he was told. Kyle turned back to Wade.

  “Five hundred,” he said without blinking. A few gasps were heard.

  Mindy looked up at Rob and frowned.

  “Did he say five hundred dollars?” she asked.

  “Yep, he sure did,” Rob affirmed, hugging her close.

  Lisa opened her mouth wide at this figure, gla
ncing up at Kyle, then back at Wade, then back up at Kyle.

  “Did you say five hundred dollars?” she whispered. Kyle didn’t respond, keeping his eyes trained on Wade.

  Wade stared back, his eyes the size of quarters. Billy, ever beside him, looked around nervously at the group. They had all fallen silent, watching him and awaiting his response to this huge wager. Wade looked around himself, then back at Kyle. His eyes narrowed. He licked his suddenly dry lips.

  “You’re on,” he finally replied.

  “Alright Wade!” Billy exclaimed, and everyone cheered.

  “Let’s do it!” Wade shouted, raising both fists in the air as he turned on his heel and went toward his Impala. “That bet was a mistake, punk!” he screamed back over his shoulder.

  Kyle simply smiled.

  “Beat him, man,” Rob said, raising his fist. “Beat him good.”

  “Done,” Kyle responded, bumping Rob’s fist with his own.

  “Good luck, Kyle,” Mindy added, her hands clasped.

  He went to his car and climbed in behind the wheel. He started the engine and sat for a second, then dug into the sack for another beer. He twisted off the cap, tossed it behind him, and guzzled it down in one big gulp. He shook his head violently as he threw the empty bottle into the backseat, and then stomped the pedal to the floor. The engine screamed thunderously. He glanced over and saw Rob giving him thumbs up, and he returned he gesture. The crowd whooped and cheered as Wade pulled his Impala up to the starting line, and Kyle revved his engine hard again, turning up the volume as “La Grange” pumped out of the speakers.

  Suddenly, Leigh’s face appeared vividly in his mind’s eye, and he remembered the last time he was here, when she had dared to venture out to see him. That had been a special time, a time when she had come to him, when the sky had been the limit and everything was possible. I should have kissed her then! he thought bitterly. He bowed his head in regret, clenching his teeth, his jaw muscles flexing. He looked up and around and found Lisa, who was standing near Rob and Mindy. He motioned her over, and, needing little prompting, she ran eagerly around to the driver’s side window. She leaned inside and he kissed her passionately, his hands digging into her hair, kissing the image of Leigh’s face out of his mind. When their lips parted, she was breathless.

  “Oh, baby!” she exclaimed, touching his cheek lovingly with her hand.

  “See ya soon,” he responded, then put it into drive and rolled up to the starting line beside Wade.

  The guy holding the flashlight who would start the race stood between them, feet apart, shucking and jiving in place. Wade revved his engine, and Kyle answered with a loud rev of his own. The crowd of young observers cheered, high from the alcohol and the excitement of the event. The guy at the end of the quarter mile stretch signaled with his light. Wade revved again, looked over at Kyle and flipped him the bird. Kyle simply smiled back, with narrowed eyes, placing his right hand on the Mickey shifter. He rubbed the knob of the handle, and turned the volume up higher on his stereo . . .they got a lot of nice girls . . . a haw, haw, haw, haw. . .

  The light went up. Kyle revved his engine to the max and held it. Wade did the same. The noise was ear splitting. Mindy and Lisa wrung their hands. Everyone stood still, holding their collective breath, and then the light came down.

  They tore out, rubber burning and smoke filling the air as the collective crowd roared.

  Kyle looked over after a hundred yards and saw they were dead even, side by side. The engines of the cars screamed as they tore down the stretch, and then the Impala suddenly pulled a half length ahead. Kyle wasn’t surprised, and he gripped his shifter hard, yanking it into overdrive. His head popped back with the powerful surge. He had the pedal to the medal; any harder and his foot would have gone through the floorboard. He was maxed out, all horses running at top speed. He pulled back even.

  “Come on, baby!” he implored aloud, and then, as though the Nova heard his pleas and decided to comply, he pulled ahead by a yard. Tuned header, he thought, grinning. A hundred yards to go. “Hold on! Hold on!” he pleaded.

  They crossed the finish line, and when the light came down, Kyle was the winner, holding the yard length he had gained. He was five hundred dollars richer, and he had bragging rights in Charlotte.

  “Good job, girl!” he hollered in the confines of the cab, slapping the dashboard. He finally slowed and turned the car around, then sped back down the stretch, stopping and starting in bursts of raw power. He saw Rob holding both fists in the air, and Lisa bouncing up and down. He pulled up to them and climbed out.

  “Alright, man!” Rob exclaimed.

  “Way to go, Kyle!” Mindy added, clapping her hands.

  “Yeah, the header made the difference!” he exclaimed.

  When Rob and Kyle separated, Lisa jumped into his arms, kissing him fiercely, and he returned the kiss with fervor.

  “You deserve this and more, baby,” she whispered into his ear, her eyes sparkling wickedly, “and you’ll get it later tonight!” She was about to kiss him again when Wade, flanked by Billy and the crowd, came storming up behind him.

  “Watch your back, man,” Rob warned. Kyle pushed Lisa away, and turned around to face a steaming sore loser.

  “Alright punk,” Wade said, breathing hard, his face contorted in rage. “You beat me on the stretch; now let’s see you beat me here!” With that, he threw a roundhouse punch at Kyle’s face. But he missed, as Kyle pulled his head back alertly, and Wade fell into him. They went tumbling backwards, onto the hood of Kyle’s car. Lisa and Mindy shrieked.

  Kyle was being pushed hard back on the hood of his car, Wade’s head buried in his chest. Kyle pressed down on the back of his head tightly. Wade growled fiercely, pulling back and fighting to escape his hold and Kyle let him go, attaining the desired result. Wade stumbled backwards, almost falling to the ground. Kyle stepped forward immediately, seizing the moment of opportunity as Wade flailed, and swung a punch at his jaw. It clipped him hard, and Kyle wasted no time. He followed up quickly with another punch right on his nose, and then another, which connected hard, directly on Wade’s forehead. Wade was reeling, unable to respond quickly enough, and Kyle stepped forward, with just the right amount of leverage, and clocked him hard again on the temple.

  Wade had simply picked the wrong guy to start a fight with this night. There were a lot of pent up frustrations coursing through Kyle; the recent rejections of his novel, the strain of adjusting to a new job and a new town. But the most agonizing thing of all was his love for Leigh, and what was the end of his chances to ever show it to her last Saturday. The regret, anger and hurt of that loss had built up in him ever since, and those emotions were bound to come out sometime, somewhere, somehow. They all did now, in the form of his fists on Wade’s face.

  Wade had managed to swing back once after he had absorbed the second blow, but Kyle was now landing each shot with eerie, purposeful precision. Blood flew from Wade’s nose and mouth, and he fell to one knee helplessly, now offering little resistance to the onslaught. Kyle moved deftly around him, positioning himself, and in a perfect rage, he landed two more punches, viciously, on top of Wade’s head. Wade was out on his knees, his eyes rolling around stupidly; but as he began to pitch forward, unconscious, Kyle grabbed him by the hair of his head and held him up. He was about to throw that unnecessary and brutal punch when Rob, realizing Kyle was out of control and had could possibly injure him mortally, stepped in, wrapping his arms around Kyle’s shoulders. But Kyle was in a perfect frenzy.

  “Out of the way!” he yelled, and, with heightened strength from his adrenalin rush, he successfully pushed Rob back and raised his fist to strike Wade and finish him off. Wade was on his hands and knees, his head lowered, entirely defenseless. But to Kyle, it wasn’t Wade Singleton gasping on the ground anymore. It was Gene Sykes, the wealthy, privileged attorney who would marry the woman he loved, just because that’s the way it was supposed to be! It was the author of the last rejection of his novel, a
nd all those before, who denied him a voice in the literary world for whatever reasons he didn’t understand, but boy did it royally piss him off to read it over and over and over again!

  Rob had managed to bounce back quickly, and now forcefully threw himself between the two.

  “Time to stop, Kyle!” Rob hollered, grabbing his shoulders and looking intently into his eyes. “You’re going to kill him!” Kyle’s fist remained raised to strike.

  “Remember me, man? Your friend Rob?” Kyle held his position, looking around wildly, then back at Rob. “He’s done, man! Enough, okay?” Recognition appeared in his eyes, the rage subsiding, and he finally lowered his fist and backed off, breathing hard. The crowd that had gathered stood silently, staring at him, the ruthless warrior, some with mouths agape and shocked expressions everywhere. Billy’s face was a picture of dejection at the sight of his fallen hero. Kyle looked around at them, at their scared faces. It was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.

  “Ah, crap,” he muttered, looking down at his bloodied hand. He abruptly went to his car, and Lisa, who had been standing dead still with her hands over her mouth, staring at Wade’s disfigured face, broke from her paralysis and ran after him, climbing into the passenger seat.

  Wow, Rob thought, observing Wade’s battered face and hearing his moans of pain. He really kicked his ass! What a double whammy! He ran over to Kyle and leaned into the driver’s side window before he could speed away.

  “Where’re you going, man?” he asked.

  “I don’t know,” he responded, wiping a hand across his mouth.

  “Why don’t we meet up in a little bit? Like soon?” His friend was in an extremely perilous emotional state this evening, and he knew it could lead to some real trouble, wherever he landed.