“Crap,” I mutter as I slam the trunk shut and run to the driver’s side, tugging at the handle.
Only it doesn’t budge.
What?
I try it again before sprinting over to the passenger door… also locked.
Oh no… my keys are in my bag. Which is now in the trunk of my glitchy car that of course has auto-locked on its own.
Which means that I’m locked out of my car, stuck in the pouring rain.
My shoulders deflate as I sigh and push my drenched hair out of my eyes.
I guess things could always be worse. I could have left my phone in my bag instead of my pocket, or it could be the middleof the night when no one would be available to come unlock my car.
There’s always a positive, my daddy has always said.
You just have to be dedicated to finding it.
I can practically hear him say that in my head, and a small laugh spills out of me.
Reaching into the back pocket of my jeans, I pull out my phone and attempt to shield the screen with my other hand as I pull up my car insurance and request roadside assistance.
Estimated wait time: 2 hours.
Well, apparently, lots of other people need assistance during this storm.
Perfect. Just perfect.
I glance around the empty lot, again noticing the other car. I wonder who it belongs to?
I didn’t see anyone else inside the rink. Maybe someone from the maintenance crew? I quickly shove my phone back in my pocket, praying that it doesn’t get ruined by the rain. I highly doubt that’s even a possibility at this point since I’m completely soaked already, rain dripping down my face.
Another laugh tumbles free at the thought of how I probably look like a drowned rat at this point.
It could always be worse.
I tilt my head and stare up at the sky, letting the fat, heavy raindrops splash my face, surprised at how… refreshing it feels.
Even though I obviously wouldn’t choose to be stuck outside in the middle of a storm… I’m oddly not entirely mad about it.
I can’t even remember the last time I was caught in the rain. The last time I felt the drops on my face. Stopped to smell the fresh, earthy scent as it surrounded me.
Lifting my arms, I spin around in a circle, laughing, my face turned toward the sky. I stick my tongue out, attempting to catchdrops on it as if they’re snowflakes, laughing until my sides hurt as I spin around.
I’m probably slightly delirious at this point after the day I’ve had, but I feel like a kid again, playing in the rain, breathing in fresh air, and letting the water wash away every ounce of negativity with it.
My socks and shoes are already so wet that they make ridiculous squelching sounds as I walk over to a newly created puddle and jump right into it.
God, this is so ridiculous, but I love it.
It feels so liberating not to care what I look like or who could be watching me.
There’s so much freedom in not caring about what anyone else thinks.
I wish I could bottle this feeling up and save it for another rainy day.
I toss my head back and laugh at the pun before I suck in a long, deep breath and then blow it out, spinning around, giggling again when my feet splash water up onto my legs.
