Read Online After the Rain by Lisa de Jong - Free Book Online

whisper, nuzzling my nose against her cheek. She moans louder this time, and her body squeezes mine, leading to my own release.
    After we’ve both had time to come back down, I kiss her. “Did you still need to go to class?”
    “You know I do,” she replies, smiling up at me.
    “Just once I wish you would be a bad little girl.”
    She laughs. “Classes just started. It’s too soon to show them my inner bad girl.”
    “Yeah, whatever,” I reply, winking at her. My fingertips trace the line of her arm as we lay still.
    “What’s the date today?” she asks, cutting through the silence. She wiggles herself free from me and says, “I need to go.”
    “Are you okay?” I reach for her hand, but she pulls away.
    “I just need to get to class. I’ll see you later, okay?”
    I nod, watching as she quickly pulls her clothes on and kisses my cheek.
    “I’ll see you later,” she says as she quickly leaves the room.
    Something doesn’t feel right, but I can’t wrap my head around it. She’ll tell me later if it’s important.

    I haven’t been able to get ahold of Kate all afternoon, and it’s worrying the shit out of me. Even if she’s in the library, she always texts me back to let me know she’s all right. This time I got nothing. I even went to the library myself to see if I could find her. I checked the lecture halls she was in today and even called Emery and Rachel.
    I head back to my apartment, opening the door to find Cory and Rachel fighting in the kitchen. I still don’t really understand their relationship; they tend to fight more than not.
    The argument stops as soon as I throw my keys on the table. “Did you find her?” Rachel asks, walking toward me.
    Her shoulders slump forward as I shake my head no. “Where the hell could she be? She doesn’t go anywhere besides here, the dorm, and class. Oh, did you check the library?”
    I nod before running my hands over my face. I spent all afternoon trudging through the rain looking everywhere I’ve ever known her to go. It’s not like she’s been missing for days or anything, but it’s unlike her to not return my calls or texts.
    “Is there anywhere you want me to go?” Rachel asks.
    “I don’t know,” I reply honestly. I don’t know where to go from here. I can’t think of anywhere else to look.
    “Did you find her car?” Cory asks as he joins us in the living room.
    “Yeah, it’s in the spot outside the dorm where it usually is.”
    “Did you try calling her mom? Maybe she’s talked to her.” Rachel is pacing in front of me with her hands on her hips.
    “I’m sure he already did that, Rachel.” Cory can be such an ass, but I’m not going to get into it with him right now.
    “I’m going to go check some of the coffee shops around campus. I’ll let you know if I find anything,” Rachel says, touching my shoulder comfortingly.
    “Thank you,” I say as she heads towards the door.
    “Wait, Rach! Do you want me to come with you?” Cory yells when she doesn’t even acknowledge him.
    She looks back with a sad expression on her face. “No, I can handle this all on my own. Stay with Beau.”
    Cory looks like he wants to say something but chooses not to. He just watches her leave with his hands stuffed in his front pockets. Usually I ignore Cory acting the way he does, but today I want to knock some sense into him and make him open his eyes to everything he has in front of him. I realize, though, that he’s never lost her, and sometimes, in order to fully appreciate something, you have to know what it’s like to live without it.
    Sitting on the edge of the chair, I rest my head in my hands and try to clear my head. I replay everything that happened this morning and try to come up with a clue to where she could be. It’s hard to see through the fog in my head, though, which leaves me with nothing but overwhelming anxiety.
    “Dude, is there anything I can do for you? I hate seeing you like this.” Cory is sitting on the couch