Rain. Rain can be a slight drizzle or a complete downpour. Rain can soak you from head to toe from just stepping outside. Rain can prevent you from playing outside or going on a walk. It is what collects in puddles on the curb and what splashes you when a car drives by. It is what stops a little kid from sliding down a playground slide and what blocks a driver’s view in the car during a storm. Games get cancelled, festivals get postponed, and parties get rearranged because of rain. Rain can really damper someone’s evening and ruin a group’s plans. I’m sure you already knew that. I’m sure you have dealt with rain your whole life. I’m sure you know that rain can also bring flowers and end a drought. We all were told as a child that the rain is not that bad and that it will just go away by tomorrow. Tomorrow we will be able to play outside. What they never told us was that rain brings you closer to the people you love. Rain teaches you how much someone means to you and how happy they make you feel…

We were winning 14 to nothing. It was completely down pouring. Most people had left the stands. The bleachers were cold, my feet were wet, and my tiny umbrella was barely large enough for one nevermind for two.

“Stop” he said.

“Stop what?” I asked.

“Stop boogying.”

“Why? I like this song.” He looked at me with that little smirk he always had when he pretended he did not like something, but really he did. He loved my “boogying’’. I could just tell he did.

“You love it.”

“Do I?”

“Yes.” Of course he did because it gave him an excuse to to grab my hands and tell me to stop moving them around. He didn’t care if I stopped dancing because every time I would start dancing again he would just grab my hands and tell me to stop. Like I said, It was just an excuse to hold my hands in his.

Conner and Josh came over to us. They were completely drenched. Then again, so were we, but at least I had my umbrella even if it only covered about half of me. They came over to fill us in on what was happening with some of our other friends. They only stayed for a few minutes and went to go find someone else to talk to.

It was getting harder to see because of the rain and it was also getting colder. Whatever, I did not mind. I inched closer to him under the umbrella both to prevent the rain from hitting me and to get warmer. It didn’t much matter though. My clothes were still going to get really wet anyway and my shoes were basically in puddles. No matter how wet and gloomy that night was, nothing could have ruined my mood. I do not know why this day made me so happy, but it did.

His sister, Sydney who was also at the game called him and said she wanted to leave. I don’t blame her. The weather was really bad, but that meant he would have to leave too. No. I didn’t want this night to end just yet.

“Wait, maybe my mom can give you a ride home” I suggested.

“Really?” he asked with a gleam in his eye.

“Ya. I don’t see why not. Your house is on the way.” So, I called my mom and she said she could bring him home. This meant my night was not over and that was a good thing.

For the next hour we just talked. We talked about school. We talked about dance and hockey. We talked about family. Conversation was so natural and easy. There was no pressure to say the right thing or awkward pauses where no one said anything. There was none of that.

It’s funny how in one night you can learn so much about someone. I learned that his favorite hockey team is the Bruins, he has a dog named Abby, and that he puts mayonnaise on his pizza because he doesn't like pizza nor mayonnaise, but dislikes pizza more. I still don’t understand it, but hey I’m not one to judge.

“That doesn’t even make sense though” I exclaimed.

“Umm ya it does” he said as certain as ever.

“You are telling me that you do not like pizza?”

“Yup. Do not like it.”

“You ate some the other day though.”

“Ya, with mayonnaise on it.”

“Mayonnaise is gross.”

“I agree.”

“What???”

“I cover the taste of the pizza with the Mayonnaise” he remarked with a “why are you so confused it makes perfect sense” look.

“But you don’t like mayonnaise?” I questioned still very confused.

“Correct, but pizza is even worse.”

I sat laughing at this, laughing at him and his mayonnaise covered pizza still believing that whatever the thought behind it was weird. His hat then caught my eye. It had three letters on it. Some hockey brand I assumed. I still asked though maybe to clarify if was right or maybe just because I liked talking to him.

“What’s that on your hat?”

“Oh, it’s a hockey brand.” Ha, I knew it.

“That’s what I thought.”

“Put it on.”

“No, I don’t look good in hats.”

“I’m sure you look fine. Now, put it on.” I put it on believing I probably looked stupid in it.

“See, It doesn’t even look bad on you.”

“Ya okay buddy. You’re lying.”

“Nope.”

“Here, take your hat back.”

The game was pretty much over. I’m pretty sure we won that football game which is pretty surprising. Must have been a lucky night.

We got in my car, and I immediately told my mom about my drenched blanket and shoes. I told her it got pretty cold and she simply replies with the classic “I told you so”. We dropped him off and I thought about how I wouldn’t have wanted the night to go any other way. I wondered if he left that night as happy as I did.

It’s funny how something so negative and unfortunate like pouring rain at a football game would cause something so positive and fortuitous to happen. One football game, one night, one rainy storm brought me to happiness and joy. It only took one game to bring me such delight. It only took one night to realize that “he” brought the delight. It only took one rainstorm to turn that “he” into Jake. So, thank you Jake for an amazing stressless night I will never forget, but more importantly thank you rain for making something so special and memorable happen. Rain drips down my windows and collects in puddles in my driveway, but I will see rain differently now as I should because rain doesn’t just go away so we can play tomorrow. It comes back to create new memories and bring love.