With summer now being in full force, Asher and Raina were both trying to take steps forward to achieve their dreams. While Asher had already been accepted into a neighboring university, Raina had decided to take the year off to try and make it in the music industry. With the help of social media, she was able to start getting her content out. However, it was not the route she was necessarily looking for. Raina had dreams to make it big, and it was starting to drag her down that she had not found an opportunity to launch her career. A sigh escaped her lips as she sat combing through all her emails and updates. Sitting back in her chair, she rubbed her eyes in exhaustion. She glanced out her window to see that the sun was beginning to set. Twelve hours, she had sat in front of that computer yet felt she had made no progress. Another sigh slipped past her lips as she stood up and stretched, then grabbed her guitar as she opened her window. Slowly, she climbed out onto the rooftop and sat down. The strings hummed as Raina passed her fingers over them. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to become lost in her music. This escape...this freedom is why she loved it. Losing herself in the melody was like hugging a long-lost friend every time.
"Raina!!" a voice called out to her. Her eyes slowly opened as she stopped playing, and yet another sigh escaped her. Moving more towards the side of the roof, she looked down to see her mother and father. "Raina!" her mom said as she waved, "Your dad and I are gonna run into town. Is there anything you need for us to bring home?" Raina just shook her head no. "Alright then, we'll be back in a little bit! If you need us, just call!" Her mother then turned and joined her father, who was already now waiting in the car. Raina rolled over on her back on the roof. Her brows furrowed as she tried to pull her phone out of her pocket. There had not been any news from Asher again so far today. It usually was not like them to go so long without talking. Her fingers moved fast yet gracefully as she began to text Asher. Soon, the phone was sliding back into her pocket as she began to stand, grabbed her guitar, and climbed back in through the window. Raina made her way out of her room and down the stairs to their front door, where she slid her muck boots on and put her hair up in a ponytail.
Raina made her way out to the stalls where she began to tend to the horses. After she fed and watered all the horses, she pulled her phone out to check if she had any notifications. There was only a notification about new likes on her new song she had edited and posted earlier in the day, but still no word from Asher. Then, something that made her eyes light up. An email of acceptance into a music competition. It was happening it was finally happening! A shock of energy waved through her as she let out a scream of excitement. Raina began to fumble with her phone as she ran out of the barn as she was dialing Asher's phone number. Ring...ring...voice-mail...it went straight to voice-mail that never happens. She hung up the phone, not wanting to bother him if he was busy. She began to run to the house but stopped in her tracks, remembering her parents had gone to town. But she needed to share her excitement with someone... before she had even realized it, her feet had begun to move underneath her. The next thing she knew, she was knocking on Leon and Luke's door. Had she paid attention to the cars she may have reconsidered, but she had not. Knock, knock, knock! She heard wrestling coming from behind the door. Then a muffled coming! Raina wiped her hands down the sides of her jeans, not realizing the mess she had become from tending the animals, but she did not care. Her excitement was bubbling to the seems. Their door finally opened, and she looked up to see Leon half dressed with his ginger hair a mess.
"Raina..." he breathed out as he pulled his shirt over his head, "Is everything ok???" Raina was trying to comprehend as to why something had to be wrong for her to come over, and then the thought of him being half naked went through her mind. She quickly shook her head and waved her hands around so to stop her mind from sidetracking.
"I got in! They....they" she stopped mid sentence as another body came up behind Leon also half dressed in one of his shirts. Ashley....it was Ashley!