Rain And An Injury

I don’t know why I decided to share such an intimate part of my life with Atlas. We have never been close enough to talk about our personal lives and relationships. I never believed Atlas saw me as someone he could confide in, but tonight, for the first time, he opened up about something happening in his life. I felt compelled to share my part as well, but this was not something I should have disclosed. I hadn’t even told Jess, mostly because Patrick is her brother. I had planned to keep this information to myself, and I should have kept it that way. As soon as the words escaped my mouth, I panicked.

“Umm, I mean... I... uh,” I stammered, closing my eyes tightly in embarrassment. I exhaled and shook my head, opening my eyes with a chuckle of shame. “You know what? I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you that. I didn’t mean to share that piece of news with anyone, and I just... I don’t know. I guess I have trouble keeping my thoughts to myself,” I continued, nervously ranting. I opened my mouth to continue, but Atlas cut me off.

He narrowed his eyes slightly in curiosity. “Are you still in love with him?” he asked.

I was taken aback by his question. I hadn’t expected him to want to hear more. I thought if he was going to say anything, it would be something to ease my embarrassment—something like, It’s fine, Harper. It’s okay you shared. I expected an awkward pause to follow and possibly the end of our conversation for the night, but his question truly surprised me. This was the first time he had ever spoken to me about my personal life.

I blinked, processing his question. “No,” I replied softly, shaking my head. “I’m not in love with him anymore. It was just... a moment of weakness, I guess. It complicated things, and now I don’t know how to face him.”

Atlas nodded thoughtfully, absorbing my words. “Sometimes, things happen that we can’t explain. It’s okay to feel confused,” he said gently. His understanding tone eased some of my embarrassment.

“Thank you,” I murmured, grateful for his unexpected support. Our conversation had taken a surprising turn, but it felt like a small step toward understanding each other better. There was a short pause, filled with a peaceful silence that enveloped us both as we stared out at the water in the pool.

I couldn’t decipher what was on Atlas’s mind, but my own thoughts were a tumultuous mix, the strongest being my affection for him. Since Eva arrived, I had been burying these feelings deep within, even from myself. But tonight, in that moment, it felt like I didn’t need to hide them from myself anymore. I loved Atlas, plain and simple. I couldn’t deny it, and in that moment, I found solace in his presence and in the unexpected bond we were forming. A voice in my head warned me against hoping for anything more, but rationality seemed futile when it came to my feelings for him.

I heaved a sigh and decided to be a little more honest with him. “You know what’s ironic?” I began with a small, sad smile. He turned to look at me, a gentle furrow between his eyebrows showing his understanding. It was a look I hadn’t seen directed at me in a long time, and it encouraged me to continue. “I don’t think I ever truly loved him. And the funnier part is, I don’t think he loved me either. We were... I guess we were just trying to love, but we failed,” I admitted, shrugging.

Atlas sighed softly. “Then why did you sleep with him?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

I chewed on my bottom lip briefly, noticing his gaze fixed on it for a moment. I let go of my lip and gulped, feeling nervous under his scrutiny—as I always did. “I think it was just... physical,” I whispered back. I struggled to explain to him that Patrick had been a distraction from thoughts of him and Eva. I couldn’t admit that in moments of heartache when he was distant, I had sought comfort in something senseless. But that’s what he reduced me to—a foolish, irrational state.

I couldn’t decipher the thoughts behind the deep frown on his face. My mind whispered that he was disappointed in me, while my foolish heart insisted he was jealous. The idea of Atlas being jealous of me and Patrick was laughable, a figment of my overactive imagination. I waited for him to speak, but before he could, we felt soft raindrops falling from the sky. Both of us looked up, realizing it had started to drizzle. Within moments, the drizzle turned into a heavy downpour.

“Damn it,” Atlas muttered under his breath, sprinting for shelter. I, however, stood up slowly, a wide grin spreading across my face as the cool rain drenched me completely.

When Atlas realized I hadn't followed him, he turned back to see me standing in the rain, a picture of pure joy. “Harper, what are you doing?” he called out, his voice tinged with both concern and amusement.

I looked at him, noting how the rain had slightly drenched him too. His hair was damp, making him run his fingers through it, and his white t-shirt clung to his body where it had gotten wet, revealing glimpses of his peachy skin. Quickly averting my gaze from his body to his face, I laughed, reveling in the feel of the cool rain. I jumped a little with excitement, my love for the rain taking over.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” I laughed, spreading my arms wide as I welcomed the rain. “I’m enjoying myself!” I called out to him, waving for him to join me. “You should come out too. It feels so good!”

The rain was a refreshing reprieve after the long, hot, and humid day, and I couldn’t help but savor every drop. Atlas hesitated for a moment, and then something surprising happened—something I hadn’t even dared to hope for. He paused, then slowly made his way back to me, shaking his head with a bemused smile. My eyes widened as I watched him step away from the shelter and stand under the pouring rain.

I laughed in surprise and rushed to him, “You actually listened to me! Wow, today is truly a special day, isn’t it?” I asked, laughingly.

Atlas shrugged, the smile on his face growing wider. “I guess it is,” he replied, a note of amusement in his voice. “You looked like you were having too much fun for me to just stand and watch.”

I beamed at him, my heart swelling with a mixture of happiness and disbelief. “I can’t believe you’re actually out here,” I said, twirling around in the rain. “You always hated getting wet.”

He chuckled, the sound mixing with the rhythmic patter of the rain. “Maybe I’m starting to see the appeal,” he said, watching me with an expression that was both tender and curious.

We stood there, letting the rain wash over us, feeling a shared sense of liberation and joy. It was a moment of unexpected connection, breaking down the walls that had always seemed to stand between us. The rain poured down, but instead of running for cover, we embraced it, reveling in the simple pleasure of being together in the moment.

I was also scared, scared that it was merely a dream. What if this surreal moment would fade away like mist in the morning sun? But it felt too vivid, too tangible to be anything but real. I never thought this day would come, and I found myself desperately hoping that this night would never end.

Atlas's shirt clung to his body, soaked through by the rain. His skin was visible through the drenched fabric, and I couldn't help but gulp, torn between the dreamlike quality of the moment and the overwhelming reality of my feelings. I looked away, not wanting to complicate things further by fixating on him like this.

A few more minutes passed before Atlas made a face and chuckled. “Okay, this is enough for me,” he said, running toward the shelter. I chuckled as I watched him. “You should come in too. It’s not okay to stay drenched in the rain for too long. We don’t want to get sick, now do we?” he asked.

Although I could have stayed out while he went inside, I didn’t want to miss any chance to be with him, so I quickly followed him. As we stepped under the shelter, I felt a mix of exhilaration and nervousness. I didn’t want this moment to end, but I also didn’t want to ruin it by overthinking. I shook my head, laughing softly at the absurdity of it all. Here I was, soaked to the bone, standing beside the man I’d loved for so long, sharing a moment that felt both surreal and perfect.

As soon as we were inside the house, a shiver ran through me. I felt cold and clammy from the rain. Atlas and I hurried up the stairs, leaving a trail of water on the floor behind us. Atlas clicked his tongue in annoyance as he noticed the mess. "I'll ask someone to clean it up," he muttered. Atlas is a neat freak who likes everything clean and organized, whereas I am more relaxed about messes. Hygiene is my priority, but a bit of clutter doesn’t bother me, unlike Atlas, who wants everything fixed immediately.

"Ugh, I can't wait to change," he said as we reached the top of the stairs. He has always hated wet clothes. I remembered how he used to change his shirt even if just the corner of his sleeve got wet. This is why I was so surprised to see him stand under the rain with me.

As Atlas turned toward his room and I toward mine, my foot slipped on the wet floor, and I fell with a thud. The sound of my fall made Atlas jerk his head back to look at me. "Shit, Harper!" He sounded panicked as he rushed toward me to help me up.

His concern was evident as he reached out a hand. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.

I winced but managed a small smile. "Yeah, just a little slip," I replied, trying to downplay the embarrassment and the slight pain. I felt something wet on my exposed knee and so did Atlas. I gasped softly, noticing a small cut on my skin from the impact of the fall.

“Harper, you’re bleeding,” he said, clicking his tongue and shaking his head. It wasn’t a lot of blood, just a small trickle from the injury.

Atlas gently helped me to my feet, his grip firm and reassuring. I hissed and held onto him for balance. "Be careful," he said softly, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat. "Let's get you to your room and take care of that wound."

Together, we made our way to my room, his arm around me for support while I limped. The warmth of his concern melted away the chill from the rain. As we reached my door, Atlas's protective presence made me feel a mix of safety and unease.

"Sit down, and let me get the first-aid kit," he instructed, guiding me to the edge of the bed. I watched him move swiftly, his wet clothes clinging to his body, making my heart race even more.

He returned with the kit and knelt in front of me. "You need to be more careful," he murmured, his tone was firm but I could see the worry etched on his face, and it touched me deeply.

"I’ll try," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. His closeness, the tenderness, everything felt surreal. I didn’t want this moment to end, despite the circumstances.