Free LIKE RAIN by Leen Elle

from your apartment."
    "Alright, sounds good."

Chapter Eighteen
     
     
     
    I walked to the mall the next day while Nathan went to his first day of work at the coffee house uptown. I went into every store I thought was worth working in and asked if they were hiring. Most places weren't, or if they were they wanted someone older and more experienced. You can't get a job without experience, but how are you supposed to get experience without a job?
    I was about to give up when I saw a sign in the window of Abercrombie that read "Now Hiring." I went in the store and asked a woman at the cash register if I could speak to a manager. I waited patiently until he came.
    "What can I do for you?" he asked.
    "Oh, I just saw the sign that said you were hiring. I thought I'd come see if I had a chance," I said.
    "Oh, so you want a job?" I nodded. "Have you ever worked before?"
    "No," I said, shaking my head. "I'm looking for my first."
    "How old are you?" he asked.
    "I'm sixteen."
    "What's your schedule like?"
    "Well, school starts the day after tomorrow. I get out at 3:15 and then after that I'm free whenever you need me and on weekends."
    "Do you have transportation to get here every day?" he asked.
    "Oh, I only live about a mile from here. I can just walk."
    "Okay, one more question. When can you start?"
    "You mean I got the job?" I asked surprised.
    He nodded. "Yep."
    "I can start whenever you need me."
    "How about tomorrow?" he said. "You'll have the 4 o'clock to 9 o'clock shift, with a twenty minute break whenever you need it, as long as no one else is taking their break at the same time. That okay?"
    "That's perfect," I said smiling.
    "We'll see you tomorrow then." He smiled and then turned the other way. I thought I owed myself a treat so I got a smoothie at the food court and sat down to drink it.
    I looked up and saw Cael and Kyla walking hand in hand. I tried to turn quickly to hide my face, but Kyla had already seen me. They both headed over towards me.
    "Hi Nev," Kyla said cheerfully, with a smile on her face.
    "Hey guys," I said, keeping my gaze from Cael.
    "Mind if we join you?" she asked.
    "Sure."
    "So what are you doing here all by yourself?" Kyla asked.
    "Oh, I was just looking for a job," I replied.
    "Oh really? Did you get one?"
    I nodded. "Yep, at Abercrombie."
    "What's going on?" Cael blurted out.
    I gave him a puzzled look. "What?"
    "Your dad stopped by my house. I wasn't there, but he asked my mom if she had seen you. He said you ran off with some guy yesterday and haven't been home since."
    I hesitated, unsure what to say. "I'm living with Nathan," I said finally. "Jasmine moved in yesterday, and they just kept talking about the wedding and how I was going to be the maid of honor. I just couldn't take it anymore."
    "Nev, you can't just move in with some stranger," he said.
    "He's not a stranger," I protested. "Besides, where else was I going to stay? I couldn't stay with Halley. I can't even stand being in that house anymore. And well…I can't stay with you now." I glanced at Kyla.
    "Oh, no," she said. "I don't want you to feel like you can't see Cael anymore just because of me."
    I stared at her for a moment. "Well, that's how I feel." I stood up and tossed my smoothie in the garbage. I left before Cael or Kyla could say anything else. I made the walk to Nathan's last as long as I could. I could hear Maddy's voice in my head. I was throwing away my friendship with Cael, throwing tantrums, and running out of the house to move in with some guy that I still didn't know all that well. I wanted to tell her that everything would turn out okay, but I wasn't sure that it would. Nothing was certain anymore.
    "So how'd the job hunt go?" Nathan asked as I walked in the door.
    "Good. I got a job," I said.
    "Where at?"
    "Abercrombie," I replied. "I work from 4 to 9."
    "So when am I ever gonna get to see you?" he said sadly, putting his arms around my waist.
    "We'll see each other every night," I said. "And I won't be working