Chapter 1: Chapter 1
The rain wasn’t falling so much as being thrown. It sheeted across the training oval, turning the synthetic track into a murky river and hammering against the corrugated iron roof of the cheer squad’s makeshift shelter. Maddy hugged her knees, her breath fogging in the chilly air. The text from Rebecca glowed on her phone screen: Stuck at work. Can’t get away.Uber? Sorry.
The last bus had left an hour ago.
Headlights cut through the grey downpour, washing over the lonely bench. A familiar, slightly battered sedan splashed through the puddles and came to a stop. The passenger window rolled down, revealing Joseph’s concerned face. “Get in!”
She didn’t hesitate. Maddy grabbed her duffel bag, slung it over her head, and made a sprint for it. In five seconds, she was soaked to the skin. She yanked the car door open and collapsed into the passenger seat, water cascading from her hair and pooling instantly on the worn upholstery.
“Thank you for picking me up,” she said, her teeth starting to chatter.
“No worries at all, Maddy.” Joseph gave her a quick smile before returning his focus to the blurred world beyond the windshield. He cranked the dial for the heater. A blessedly warm gust blew from the vents, filling the car with the smell of damp carpet and old engine heat. Maddy sighed, pressing her hands toward the dash.
Then, with a fitful cough, the blower died. The warmth vanished as suddenly as it had come, leaving only the drumming of the rain. “Ah. Piece of junk,” Joseph muttered, slapping the dashboard gently. It didn’t respond.
The wet fabric of her cheer uniform was clingy and cold, plastered to her skin. Without ceremony, she grabbed the hem of her soaked white polo and pulled it over her head in one fluid motion. She tossed the soggy mass into the footwell, where it landed with a wet slap.
In the dim greenish light of the dashboard, she sat in her simple sports bra and the short pleated skirt, her arms pebbled with goosebumps. She rummaged in her duffel, pulling out a thin, dry hoodie and tugging it on over her head. It wasn’t much, but it was something. She settled back, rubbing her arms.
Joseph kept his eyes locked on the road. The wipers thumped back and forth at their highest speed, struggling against the deluge. His hands were at ten and two on the steering wheel, knuckles paler than usual. He adjusted the rearview mirror, then the side mirror, his movements deliberate.
“You’re a lifesaver,” Maddy said, tilting her head to wring out a dark curl of hair. “I’d still be there.”
“Couldn’t leave you,” he said, his voice a bit tight. He cleared his throat. “Rebecca felt terrible.”
“She works too hard.”
“She does.”
A silence settled, filled by the roar of water on metal and the squeak of the wipers. The car felt very small, very enclosed. Maddy shifted, tucking one leg beneath her on the seat. She was perfectly comfortable, just cold.