Betty’s POV
Dear Diary,
The rain started right when I decided to leave. Fitting, right? Like the weather knew my brain was a mess and decided to match it.
I didn’t leave because of what Brent said—or at least, that’s what I told myself. I just needed to clear my head. I’d told him I needed air, but air wasn’t going to fix the knot in my chest or the way his words kept looping in my head…
***
The streets were quiet, the kind of quiet that should’ve felt peaceful. Instead, it felt like the world was holding its breath, waiting for me to do something I wasn’t ready for.
“Betty!”
His voice cut through the rain, sharp and insistent.
I kept walking, my hands shoved into my hoodie pockets, the rain soaking through the fabric.
“Bethany, stop!”
I stopped. Not because I wanted to, but because I was too tired to keep pretending I didn’t hear him.
Turning around slowly, I saw him jogging toward me, his hair plastered to his forehead and his shirt already soaked through.
“What?” I asked, my voice flat.
He slowed to a stop a few feet away, breathing heavily. “Can we talk?”
“About what?” I said, crossing my arms. “You’ve already said everything, haven’t you?”
“Not everything,” he said, his voice steady despite the rain dripping down his face.
I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. “You’re unbelievable, Brent. You drop this... this bomb, and now you want to what? Hash it out in the rain like some kind of movie?”
His jaw tightened, but he didn’t argue. “I didn’t mean to throw you off like that, okay? I just... I had to tell you how I feel.”
“And now I’m supposed to do what with that?” I snapped, throwing my arms out. “Say thank you? Pretend it doesn’t change anything? You don’t get to do this to me!”
“I’m not trying to mess things up,” he said, stepping closer. “I just wanted to be honest.”
“Honest?” I laughed, but it wasn’t a happy sound. “You are playing with my feelings. You liked Stacey, and then there’s Megan too.”
He flinched, his eyes narrowing slightly. “That’s not fair.”
“Fair?” I repeated, my voice rising. “What’s fair is that you liked other girls. We’re so perfect when we’re just friends. And now you’re here, saying you love me like that never happened.”
He didn’t answer right away, his shoulders rising and falling as he took a slow breath.
“I made mistakes,” he said finally, his voice quieter. “But that doesn’t change how I feel about you.”
“Stop it,” I said, shaking my head. “Just stop.”
“Why?” he said, his voice sharper now. “Because it’s easier for you if I don’t? If I just go along pretending like nothing’s changed?”
“No,” I said, my throat tightening. “Because I don’t know what to do with it. You’re leaving, Brent. You’re leaving, and you’re saying all this stuff like it’s supposed to make me feel better, but it doesn’t.”
We stared at each other, the rain falling harder now, drenching us both.
“I’m not trying to make you feel better,” he said, his voice steady. “I’m trying to make you understand.”
“Understand what?” I asked, throwing my hands up.
“That I love you,” he said simply.
For a second, everything went quiet—like the rain, the world, my thoughts had all stopped at once.
And then I turned and started walking again.
“Betty, wait,” he called, his footsteps splashing against the wet pavement.
“Go home, Brent,” I said, not bothering to look back.
But then I felt his hand wrap around my arm, pulling me to a stop.
“Bethany, please,” he said, his voice softer now.
I turned to face him, and before I could say anything, his lips were on mine.
It wasn’t like I imagined a kiss in the rain would be. My hair was sticking to my face, my shirt clinging to me in the most unflattering way, and the rain was cold enough to make me shiver.
But Brent’s hands were warm on my waist, pulling me closer, and for a second, I let myself forget everything else.