Episode 1

I smelt the rain before it came the familiar smell of wet asphalt and pine needles, the scent of every secrete Ontario keeps bottled beneath summer’s last breath. A bruised colored sky hunched over maple lane as I hopped off my bike and wheeled it up on my driveway. My mom’s SUV was gone. Leni’s telescope poked through her bedroom window like a curious periscope and next door Leo Ramirez dribbled a basketball in that maddening rhythm her reserved for taunting the neighborhood.

He spun around eyeing me with an arrogant but mischievous look

“Rain’s coming. Flores, might ruin your curls.”

I tugged at my wavy brown hair “ worry about your jump shot not my hair” i said rolling my eyes

“Jump shot’s fine.” He said Sinking the ball into the hoop attached to his garage net whispering “ Can’t say the same ‘bout your handlebars, their squeaking”

“Maybe God can forgive lousy comedians,” I muttered loud enough for him to hear, “but I wouldn’t bet on your chances.”

His laugh rolled out , deep, careless. Typical Leon: six foot-something of swagger wrapped in grey hoodie, green eyes bright as bottled glass. I pushed into the house before the sky split open.

Inside, silence pure suffocating silence the yearning to go outside and argue with Leo was pulling hard. Mom was was at a restaurant, her double shift ending whenever her tip dried up. Outside Leo wrestled with his basketball hoop, trying to tip it before the wind did. The pole teetered, wheels skidding. Without thinking, I dashed outside across the puddled grass. Water soaked my sneakers, cold as glacier melt.

“Need two hands?” I yelled about the gale. He blinked surprised I’d crossed enemy lines then shoved the hood of his hair “ If you’ve finally come to worship my game, sure”

“Just move,” I snapped planting my shoulders against th pole. Together we muscled it down, anchoring it behind his dad’s truck. Rain hammered, thunder growled, clouds unleashed another round. Lightening shredded the horizon, and the streetlights surrendered.

Leo squinted at my porch, a dim outline beyond the hedge “ Your place or mine till this eases?”

Mom’s rule: Never allow boys inside when she’s not home. But the storm was chewing the branches of the maple tree, I hesitated

He read it “Relax Flores, I’m not a wolf.”

“Demons don’t..........redemption isn’t .....”I started the old proverb Grandma used dancing on my tongue. “Just come on.”

We sprinted across the lawn, water slapped my cheeks, wind clawed at his hoodie. The screened door banged behind us,and we stood dripping in the dark hallway, breath puffing like we’d out ran an avalanche

“Flashlight’s in the kitchen drawer,” I said stepping put of my squelching shoes. My toes felt like frozen peas.

He produced his phone. “Dead, figures.”

I groped along the counter, fingers finding metal. Click, a weak beam cut the darkness. The storm outside moaned, rattling the eaves. Leni’s door opened upstairs “Jazz? Power’s_” Her voice faltered when she say Leo “ Oh. Hi.”

“Hey Maya.” He gave her the respectful nod reserved for little sisters nationwide.

She beamed, braces twinkling. “You two hiding from the apocalypse?”

“More like babysitting it” I said tilting my head at Leo.

He rolled his eyes “I can leave.”

Lightening cracked, shutting that idea down. Rain hammered harder somehow. The house shook.

I motioned to the living room. “Couch, Towels .”

We draped our selves with terry cloth. My flashlight cast long shadows, cave paintings on dry wall. For a minute neither of us spoke. The only sound was our synchronized breathing and the wind combining through cedar branches

Leo’s voice lowered “you okay?”

“Storms don’t scare me.” That was a lie so transparent even the dark can see through it

He twisted the towel between his hands, muscles flexing “They used to freak me out too. Mom would tell me thunder was just sky bowling.”

I pictured Leo at eight _ elbows to big, hair falling in his eyes_ asking “Maybe,” his grin flashed, half moon bright , “Though I’d complain more.”

I laughed before I could stop myself, and sound startled us both.

The front door slammed suddenly, wind slithering in despite the latch I jumped; Leo rose, protective reflex kicking in. My flashlight caught a branch lodged between door and frame, rainwater pooling around it like ink.

“Stay back,” he ordered. He wedged his shoulder against the wood, heaving. The branch snapped loose and the door clicked shut. His hoodie clung to him, outlining every league of muscle, heat crawled up my neck, ridiculous considering the temperature.

He turned, noticed, “ Cold?”

“Just_damp.” I hugged the towel tighter.

Candles, mom kept them in the hall closet. I fetched two, and Leo’s lighter _a basketball tournament souvenir _ ignited them. Warm glow replaced the anemic flashlight.

Sitting cross-legged opposite him on the rug, I studied the flicker dancing in his eyes. Green became gold each time the flame leaned his way.

“You really hate me, huh?” He asked softly

“Hate’s dramatic” I twisted a curl around my finger, “ You annoy me, that’s free entertainment”

He drummed invisible rhythm on his knee, “ Good to know”

Thunder rolled again, but farther now, like a lion strolling away after roaring. Somewhere in the house Leni resumed humming to whatever galaxy she’d returned to.

Silence pressed between us, thick as syrup,sweet and dangerous , I swallowed.

Leo looked less like a self appointed king and more like boy who’d been hiding behind a crown too heavy for one head.... Maybe I’d misjudged him. The storm had forced us under one roof, but something else_ quieter, warm_ was keeping us there

I breathed out “ so what now?”

He looked up from the candle light as his green eyes stared deeply at mine a flicker of something warm showed

For a second I stopped breathing the intensity left me shaken

I fumbled with an excuse “ The... candle... is giving out let me get some more.”

I got up from the rug taking his candle and giving him the flashlight i blew out the candle, I stood up from the rug and my leg hooked the rug and , I landed on top of Leo and my lips landed on his. My mind told me to pull away but my body wouldn’t obey, I felt Leo taken by surprise but kissed me back and I gasped as he put his arms on my waist savoring my lips fueled with passion. We stopped when we ran out of breathe our breathing ragged, and Leo looked at me with his green eyes filled with passion.......... Uh oh ......

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