When It Rains: The Umbrella Collection by Prudence Hayes Page A

had to say into words.  “Seriously, spit it out.” I reassuringly told her.
    “Scott and I went to Rose Garden to eat last night,” she began.
    I made a grimace with my face and questioned, “Rose Garden!? Why? That’s almost two hours away.”
    “It’s a romantic spot! Plus, Scott’s parents gave us a girt card.”
    “Oh yeah, gift card and romance go hand in hand.  I’m swooning as we speak.”
    “Come on. I’m trying to tell you something here.”
    “Sorry, continue,” I stated as I hopped up on the opposing counter and held my cup to my mouth.
    She began to tell me that while they were eating, Scott looked over her shoulder and spott ed something that shouldn’t have been happening.  Lauren and Adam were making out at another table.
    I was shocked and I dropped my coffee mug making it explode into a million baby blue colored pieces that contrasted with the dark wood floors when they landed.   My hands instantly reached for my face, covering every inch of it with my hands and I slide down the cabinet onto the floor.  Skylar simultaneously jumped down and huddled next to me with her arm around my back.  I sat sobbing, crying that Adam lied to me again, that he wanted her and not me, that Lauren would do that to me, to throw our friendship away. 
    The voice decided that it was time to speak up, “What a bitch. You don’t have the guts to call her out on it.” My hands made their way over to my ears to cover them, trying to not hear the voice that I can’t get away from.  With tears streaming down and loud whimpers exuding from my throat I rocked back and forth bringing Skylar along for the ride. 
    “Why would she do that?”  I moaned.
    “I don’t know why,” Skylar answered.   I knew she wouldn’t have known because she wouldn’t have done it.  She wouldn’t have even thought about it.  There is an unspoken line in friendships that shouldn’t be crossed and Lauren just leaped across it.   At that moment there was a clap of thunder that sparked a surge of fear to speed through my body making it unbearable.
    “It's raining, it's pouring, Nora is mourning,” the voice sang causing my rocking to get more intense along with my sobbing.  I curled into the fetal position on the floor with my head resting on Skylar’s leg, ignoring the fact that I was laying on top of small pieces of a now non-existent coffee mug. 
    As I lay there, I began to think that the voice was right.  I was mourning; not only my parents still, but now a friendship. Lauren is gone now and so is Adam.  
    I kept my position for awhile as I frighteningly listene d to the rain come down outside.  The voice was repeatedly singing that song and urging me to call them to scream at them. He mentally gave me a script of things to say to them, but I tried to ignore it.  It lasted for about a half hour, and then I sprung up and grabbed my phone.
    “What are you doing?” Skylar asked.
    “Calling them.”
    I found Lauren’s number in the missed call log and called her.   The voice and my voice were fighting to see which one would do the talking.  After a few rings, she finally picked up.
    “Nor, have you talked to Skylar?”
    “Yes, I talked to Skylar you fucking whore!”  I guess the voice won that one.
    “I’m sorry. It just happened.”
    “Just happened? How does that work, huh? His penis just happened to fall into your vagina.  That’s pretty convenient. Not much work for you to do”
    “What do you want me to say?”
    “Did you think about me at all?  Our friendship? Anything?” I shouted with anger oozing out of my pores.
    “I’m sorry,” s he repeated.
    “Yeah, keep telling yourself that.   It will make you feel better, you whore.  Don’t call me. Don’t come over.  We are done. Totally finished. Let me talk to him.”
    “What?”
    “Let me talk to him,” I said through clenched teeth, “I know how you work.  I know that you lie and manipulate, turning yourself into exactly what a