The rain tapped lightly against Clarissa’s window. She watched it for a moment, while changing into her nightgown. It was dark out, and the streaks of rain could barely be seen, but just the sound of it hitting was enough to calm her. She pulled down the fabric curtains, covering the window. Her room darkened. She tied the final knot of her gown, and then went to the mirror across from her bed. She pushed her fingers through the braid, loosening it to waves that hit past her shoulders. Her pale blonde hair looked almost silver in the darkness.
She left the mirror and went to crawl into her bed. As she tore the sheets off, one by one, a knock was heard at the front door. Then a door bell. She stopped and dashed towards the door instead. She hopped down the stairs, and then practically skidded across the wooden floors to the door.
She unlocked it, opening the door. It was him. The boy from the train. The boy she never learned the name of. The same cap was pulled over his head, shadowing half his face. His blue eyes glittered under it. “Why are you here?” She asked, shaking her head. “How did you find me?”
“Your cousin told me,” he replied. His hands were tucked in his jacket. He was shivering in the cold. The rain seemed to have drenched him quite a bit as well. His hair, she noticed, was damp as a wet dog’s. Clarissa felt sorry for him.
“Erik?” She was surprised. “He said he didn’t care about me,” her eyes went to the street, where it was starting to overflow. Tomorrow, it would be flooded, she predicted. “I guess he does have a heart after all. I’m glad.”
The boy slowly nodded. His breath shone white in the cold weather. “Can I–?”
“Who is this?” A voice suddenly said, behind Clarissa. Her eyes widened. She turned her head to see Derrin, approaching next to her. He leaned against the door frame. He too, was in pajamas — loose pants and a t-shirt. His brown hair hung in a mess past his ears. He narrowed his caramel-colored eyes at her.
“It’s–” She started, but she stopped. She didn’t know his name, how was she supposed to introduce him, more or less, explain why he was there?
“Luke,” the boy said. “I’m Luke. We met on the train ride here.” He brought out something from his pocket. It gleamed in the light of the moon. It had a piece of paper with it. He pushed it into Clarissa’s fingers. She stared at him confused. “Your aunt said you left this. She wanted you to have it.” He turned around without another word.
“Wait,” she breathed. “Where are you going to go?” She couldn’t let him just leave if he had no place to go. It was raining out, for Heaven’s sake. She wasn’t that cruel.
“Somewhere else,” Luke called back. He disappeared into the dark before she could say another word. She stared out in the direction he was going with worry.
She felt a hand rest on her shoulder. “Don’t worry,” Derrin told her. “He’ll be fine.” He turned to walk back to his room. Clarissa was negligent to believe that, but she closed the door anyways. She went to go to the stairs.
“Besides,” he continued. “We wouldn’t want a dirty rat like that staying for the night, now would we?”
“No,” she said bitterly. “Of course, not.” Inside, she wished Derrin would be the one wandering in the rain. Not Luke. The innocent boy that played the harmonica didn’t deserve any of that. He didn’t deserve what she’s caused him to do.
The best people, have the worst luck, her mother’s voice whispered to her. And that, she thought, perhaps was true.
Simple Writing; 