Rayne

They had just arrived at her apartment. Ocean quickly made himself at home and sat on her couch, next to one of her cats.

They had become friends over the few weeks they had known each other, bonding over their common interests, despite their contrasting personalities.

“What do you want to order for dinner?” She asked, feeling her stomach rumbling.

“I thought we could go out for ramen.”

“Is that because I am Japanese or do you truly eat ramen often?” Rayne narrowed her eyes at him.

“Ummh, a bit of both.”

She rolled her eyes, then replied:

“I don’t feel like going out. Let’s just order pizza… Or sushi.”

“Whatever you order is fine by me.”

“Well, you will be the one making the call.”

“Why me?” Ocean looked up from the orange cat that had made her way to his lap.

“I have phone anxiety.”

Ocean reckoned he was comfortable on the phone so he didn’t mind being the one who made the order.

“So, you come here often?” Ocean dipped an entire sushi roll and his fingers in soy sauce.

“Are you attempting to flirt with me, after we established I’m a lesbian?”

“No, I just don’t usually have dinner on a rooftop.”

“Oh.” Rayne looked down at the city, her dark, heavy boots dangling from the enormous building. She felt like they could almost slip from her small feet and kill someone down there. “Well, yes. I enjoy feeling tall.”

Ocean smiled.

“I’m glad you decided to give me a chance… At friendship. I like hanging out with you.”

“Splendid.” She dead-panned while scanning over the Big Apple, appreciating the way the sunset painted it in gold. They stayed in silence for a minute until Ocean spoke:

“Hey, wanna have breakfast with us tomorrow?”

“We are having dinner right now and you are already thinking about tomorrow’s breakfast?”

“I’m but a practical man. Planning ahead.” He smiled.

“Who’s we?”

“Alliyah, Blue, Z, and me.”

“Then, no. Too many people.” She shook her head. “I will stay at home.”

Before he could reply, Ocean’s phone vibrated in his pocket, and he took it out.

“Oh, actually Alliyah just texted me saying she’s not coming out tomorrow. Busy with work… And added a joke about coming out in high-school?” Ocean shrugged.

“What does she do for a living?” Rayne inquired.

“She, like, makes houses and stuff.”

“…You mean she is an architect?”

“No, no. The other thing.”

“Interior designer?”

“Yeah, that!”

Rayne shook her head at his… Forgetfulness.

A couple of days later, she caved in and allowed Ocean to introduce her to his friends. From a distance, he was explaining to her who everyone was:

“Alliyah, in the denim overalls. She wears mismatched socks, but we don’t talk about it.”

Rayne didn’t acknowledge it, but she had seen her around.

“But what is her personality like?”

“She’s the glue that holds the crew. Loyal and protective as fuck. She can be childish sometimes, but that’s part of the charms of being an extrovert.” He shrugged. “She has this kid, well not her biological kid. She had to adopt him. He’s only 9, but super dope.”

Rayne simply nodded and Ocean moved on:

“The guy in the weird dress is Malcolm-”

“You mean the one with a lizard on his shoulder?” She pronounced the last few words roughly and slower.

“Oh, fuck, he brought it out?” Ocean squinted his eyes, trying to see better. He had forgotten his glasses in the ambulance - which was a frequent occurrence.

“Formidable.” Rayne smirked.

Ocean wrinkled his nose, but moved on to describing Z:

“Z, the other girl, is actually shy around us, I think she opens up to Alliyah, though. She has some scars on her face and her hands, but don’t mention it. She gets in fights a lot.”

“Shy yet gets into fights?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Shy doesn’t mean not confident.” He grins.

“Touche.”

“At last but not least, we have Blue, the guy with the pink guitar. He doesn’t skateboard or BMX, but he likes to hang around.”

“Wait a minute… Blue, Blue? Also known as DeShawn Blue’s son?”

“Yup!”

“He actually goes by his famous dad’s name? That is odd.”

“Well, we started calling him that when we met him, and it kinda just stuck.” He shrugged.

“Sort of strange that a rich, half-famous boy hangs out with your weird little friend group like this.”

“Well, you’re about to be part of this weird little group, come on.”

Rayne sighed before following him. As they walked, Ocean added:

“By the way, we’re missing Colson right now. He doesn’t stick to schedules… Also, he’s more of a friend of mine than part of the group, for now…”

“Why don’t I get that distinction?” She pouted.

“So you’re admitting we’re friends?”

“No.” Rayne glared, although as she looked away, the corner of her lip trembled into an almost-smile.

As they approached the group, Rayne observed them - Alliyah and Z were executing impressive skateboard tricks she did not know the name of.

Her eyes focused on Z. Her skin, golden like brass, was glowing in the sun and her curly brown hair was flowing with every movement she made. She did not appear timid at all.

The short girl snapped back to reality when Ocean’s voice rang in her ears:

“This is Rayne.”

She hadn't noticed she was being introduced to Alliyah already, who was holding her hand out to her. It took her a few seconds to shake it.

“Charmed to meet you.” The taller girl flashed her a dazzling smile. “Hey, look, we both have rose rings!”´

They did in fact have similar rings, Rayne’s was simply bigger and darker. How amusing that someone so distinct from her had something so identical to something of hers.

Rayne’s gaze shifted to her hair, which was shaved on the sides and back, and the remaining afro was cut just long enough for it to almost fall into her eyes. Seeing the young woman up close, she noticed for the first time she had a rather long scar on the side of her head.

“Wow, bro, that was awesome!”

Malcolm’s voice forced her out of her distracted state.

“Thanks.” Z was shyly smiling.

“Who’s this goth chick?” Malcolm looked her up and down, his voice loud, almost strident.

“Her name’s Rayne, and you might wanna be less rude. She owns daggers.” Ocean warned with a serious look on his face.

Malcolm raised his hands. Rayne couldn’t tell if he was actually alarmed by her or not. She couldn’t help thinking he was attractive, as was the entire group in their own way. His exorbitant style made him stand out, though. That, or the iguana on his shoulder.

From the corner of her eyes, she detected Blue. Blue, what a stupid name to go by, she thought to herself as she looked at him, sitting on the floor, playing an acoustic guitar and scribbling something on a notebook; his hair, as curly as Z’s, but shorter and black, cascaded over his eyes in the process.

“Hey, Rayne!” Alliyah called for her attention. “We’re having dinner at my place. Wanna join?”

She blinked in surprise, then responded:

“No… No. I have plans with my cats.”

“Okay, crazy cat lady.” Malcolm snickered.

“Says the lizard boy.”

“Madam Antoinette is an iguana, you uncultured punk.”

They glowered at each other, Rayne wasn’t sure if he was sincerely angry, but she wasn’t. She enjoyed being challenged. She found him entertaining.