Rain always made Dewey feel cinematic. He liked to imagine his thoughts trailing behind him like fog as he walked home from school beneath his too-small umbrella. The water gathered on his sleeves, ran rivulets down his arms, and blurred the familiar edges of Calverton Avenue into watercolor.
He paused outside the convenience store, peering through the glass for chewing gum, when he spotted him.
Luca.
His classmate from Art. All folded limbs and messy hair, leaning against the soda fridge, laughing at something on his phone. He hadn't spoken much to Luca, but Dewey had drawn him once - a side profile in charcoal, all angles and shadows. Something in Luca's face reminded Dewey of secrets kept inside poems.
As Dewey turned to leave, a voice called, "Hey. Dewey, right?"
Luca stepped outside, no umbrella, rain glistening on his lashes.
"I forgot mine. Mind if I crash under yours till the corner?"
It wasn't far, maybe two blocks, but Dewey's hand trembled slightly as he tilted the umbrella to make space. Luca stepped in, close - his arm brushing Dewey's. Their hips nearly aligned. The umbrella became a small shelter, heavy with the sound of pattering rain and closeness.
"You draw, don't you?" Luca asked softly. "Saw your sketch in Ms. Helder's room."
Dewey nodded.
"I liked it," Luca added. "It felt like... like you saw something nobody else did."
They kept walking.
At the corner, Luca didn't step away. He lingered.
"Have you ever kissed anyone?" Luca asked, not teasing - just curious.
"No," Dewey said, surprised at his own honesty.
"Me neither," Luca said. Then, "Can I?"
The kiss was brief, sweet, damp with rain and warmth. It wasn't fireworks or slow motion, but it felt like slipping into a dream where everything was soft and safe.
Luca pulled back first. His smile was shy, crooked. "That was nice."
Dewey nodded, afraid to speak. Afraid it would break the moment.
They parted ways at the next crossing. Dewey stood on the curb long after Luca had vanished into the mist, heart blooming in ways he didn't understand. His sketchbook would be full tonight.