The Choice

PREVIOUSLY WRITTEN ON LIFE WITHOUT RAIN

"We are now making our final approach into Palm Springs. Please keep your seat belt fastened until we are at the gate, and thank you for flying U.S. Airways."

"Did you say goodbye to all of your friends?"

"As many of them as I could."

"Hi Grandpa."

"Hi, Danny."

"I'm Andi Wiebers. I live next door to that big house down there."

"I'm Dan Avery, otherwise known as the millionaire's grandson."

"Wanna buy some coke?"

"There wasn't much of that in Fort Lauderdale."

"Welcome to Palm Springs."

"What the hell was that?"
"Oh yeah. A tradition at Clint's parties is to do some sort of vandalization on Niall Thompson's house."
"Why?"
"Well, Niall doesn't talk. All he does all day is work in his basement on some science experiments. He hasn't spoken to anyone since 8th grade."

"You know, Dan, I'm not one of them. I used to be but I stopped."

"I know that this is going to be a big change, but if it's any consolation, I'm very glad you're here."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everything was different.

I had been in Palm Springs for a total of a day and a half and already I could tell that things here were going to be much different than they were back in Fort Lauderdale.

For one thing, back where I come from, there are very few drugs. Sure, there are drugs, but it's not commonplace like it is in Palm Springs.

And another thing: people don't vandalize other people's houses simply because they don't understand them. It was this reason that led me to consider going to Niall Thompson's house one day after shooting the breeze with Grandpa Si's very hot cook, Geena.

"How was the party," Geena asked while pooring me a bowl of Lucky Charms.

"Different than I expected."

"How so?"

"Well, there were drugs. And lots of alcohol."

"I thought there was a pretty happening drug scene in Fort Lauderdale."

"Yeah, in parts like Coral Springs, but not the part I came from. Life was pretty quiet there. And it rained."

"Yeah, we don't get much of that here."

"So I've read. Hey Geena, I'm gonna go for a walk. I'll be back."

"Okay. But this time don't come home with blood all over you. Nearly gave me a heart attack! Oh my God!"

Geena was very sensitive and often left the room crying over spilled milk (and yes, since we had been there, she had spilled three glasses of milk, crying over each one).

And so I left Grandpa's mansion, wondering what would happen when Niall answered the door, and wishing for the rain to fall.

On my way to Niall's house, I saw a familiar face.

"Hey Dan!"

Andi Wiebers was my next door neighbor, and at the moment, my best friend.

"Hey you."

"What are you doing?"

"Well, I was going to go to Niall's house. I kind of feel bad that we didn't do anything to stop those jackasses last night."

"Trust me, when they're drunk, you can't do anything to stop them."

We laughed a little. I had had very little interaction with Clint Fabreze the previous night, but I could tell that he wasn't someone I wanted to mess with.

"Dan, are you sure going to Niall's house is such a good idea? I mean, it would kind of seem random just stopping by like that."

I thought for a moment. Andi did have a point. Maybe it was too soon.

"Why don't we race instead? On your mark, get set--"

She went without saying "go". Classic.

As we raced, we carried on a conversation.

"Where are we racing to?"

"Clint's house!"

"You mean the Hangover House?"

"Sounds like some sort of safe house!"

"Safe is definitely not a word I would use to describe Clint!"

"Yeah, especially in the bedroom!"

"What?"

"Just kidding! I always made sure he wore a condom!"

"Nice."

"I know. So what about your previous girlfriends?"

"What about them?"

"Well, how was the sex?"

At that point we had reached Clint's house, and we were both out of breath. After I had taken a minute to catch my breath, I answered.

"I lost my virginity when I was 15 and have had sex with one girl."

"What was she like?"

"Shorter than me, not too chesty, brown hair--"

"No, what was she like in bed?"

"Why are we talking about this?"

"I'm trying to get to know you."

"You know, not all guys wanna talk about sex all the time."

"Seriously? I always thought it was the first thing on your minds."

"Well, the first thing on my mind is my family, and then school, and then sex sometimes. But it's not like I'm horny as hell."

"Good to know. Hey what time is it?"

I looked at my watch.

"11:30."

"Oh, shit. I've gotta get home. My parents are going to L.A. today and asked me to watch my brother and sister. Race you back home?"

"Ready, set--"

It was my turn to cheat.

"Hey, why don't I help out with the babysitting?"

"Seriously?"

"Yeah! I love kids."

I really didn't have an opinion on them, but what else did I have to do that day?

"Awesome! Why don't you change clothes when you get home and come to my place in about a half hour?"

"Sure."

"Great."

I got to my house at the end of the race and changed clothes, grabbed a water bottle, and told my dad I was leaving.

"So when did you meet this guy?"

"Girl."

"OH, it's a GIRL!"

"Yes dad, there are girls here."

"Well, be careful. Don't get her pregnant."

Wow.

"I won't, Dad. Don't worry."

And just like that, I went over to Andi's house to not get her pregnant.

A little girl answered the door.

"Who awe you?"

"I'm Dan, I'm a friend of Andi's."

"Andi has fwends?"

"Well, if I'm not her friend, than I must be at the wrong house. And I have all of this candy to give her."

"Well, maybe Andi does have fwends! And maybe Andi wouldn't mind shawing the camdy?"

"Why don't you ask her? She's right behind you."

Andi approached the door, standing behind her sister and carrying a boy, who was a little older than the sister, on her shoulders.

"Dan, this is Lina and this is Max."

"Andi, Dan bwought camdy!"

"Candy? Oh, boy!"

Max jumped off of Andi's shoulders and joined Lina in the begging.

"Ask your sister."

"PWEASE???"

"PLEASE???"

"Alright, but not until your rooms are clean."

"Ok."

The kids scurried off to their rooms so they could clean as fast as possible.

"Sorry about them. They can be a bit of a handful when sweets are put in front of them."

"Aren't all kids?"

"True."

"I finished cleaning my room," Max called from his room. Andi rolled her eyes.

"How? It was a complete disaster two seconds ago."

"It's not anymore."

"Ok, I'm coming in!"

"No, wait! I haven't--fine-tuned it yet!

"Didn't think so."

Andi looked at me with a distraught, yet, amused look.

"Can I get you anything to drink?"

"No thanks, I've got my water bottle. Seriously is it always so hot and dry here?"

"No. In the wintertime it's cold and dry."

"I seriously can't get over the lack of humidity here. Back in Florida it would be raining up a storm--literally."

"You really miss it there."

"Well I've only been here for a couple days."

"True, but it's like every time I turn around you're comparing somewhere else to the sunshine state."

"Andi, it was my home for 17 years. I can't just come here and forget about it."

"I guess you're right."

Lina came running into the room.

"I FINISHED! I finished, I finished, I finished, I finished, I--"

"OKAY. So if I went in there right now there would be nothing for me to complain about?"

There was a pause.

"I'M NOT FINISHED! I'm not finished, I'm not finished, I'm not finished, I'm not--"

As Lina ran back to her room to finish, I couldn't help but laugh.

"Are they always like this?"

"When they want something really badly. It's funny, really."

"Yeah. If only my little brother was young and adorable. He's just annoying as fuck."

"They can be too."

"I guess that's the curse that comes with younger siblings."

We laughed. After a few more minutes, the kids came out of their rooms, Andi inspected them, and we gave them some candy. We spent the day playing games, watching cartoons, and making ice cream sundaes, and just goofing around. It was fun to just hang out with Andi and her brother and sister. I had almost forgotten how much fun it was to be little. I didn't want in to end, but--

RING RING RING

"Hello?"

"Dan, it's your mother. Where are you?"

"I'm at my friend Andi's house."

"Well you need to come home right this instant."

"Ok, I'll be there in two seconds."
"Ok. I love you!"

"Love you too. Bye."

Of all the parents I could have gotten, why did I have to get the neurotic ones?

"I've gotta go. I'm sorry."

"You hafta go?"

"Yeah, but hey, maybe I'll come over tomorrow."

"You mean it?"

"Of course I mean it! You kids are awesome."

"I'll walk you to the door."

We walked to the door still laughing. I really loved being around Andi. It was nice to know that I had a friend.

"Thanks for having me over."

"I had a great time."

There was a pause and I tried to kiss her, but she stopped me.

"I'm sorry, I shoudln't have done that."

"No, it's fine."

There was an awkward pause before I kissed her cheek.

"I'll, um, see you tomorrow."

On the short walk to my house, I thought about impulses. Going to the party, offering to help Andi, trying to kiss her--all decisions that I made without thinking. But why should every decision made require thinking? Sometimes you may talk yourself out of making the right decision just by thinking. Sometimes you have to act without thinking, which is why instead of going straight home, I went across the street, where a middle-aged woman answered the door.

"Um, hi."

"Hello."

"Um, I'm here to see Niall."

She looked at me very strangely.

"My name is Dan Avery, I just moved in with my grandfather across the street."

"Oh?"

"Yes, and, well, I'm looking for people to hang out with, and I heard that there was a guy my age who lived right across the street from me."

She was silent for a moment before replying.

"Niall has gone through enough in the past few years, and he does not need another trust fund brat coming to cause him more pain. Good day, Dan."

"Mrs. Thompson, wait. I'm not just some trust fund brat. Well, I have a trust fund, but that's not the point. I'm new here and just wanted to meet him."

"And why should I believe you, Dan?"

"Well, for one thing I come without any tools for vandalization."

I emptied my pockets to show Mrs. Thompson that I was telling the truth.

"Well, I suppose I could let you in, but I must warn you that Niall does not talk to anybody. Not even me or his father."

"Understood."

The Thompsons had the coolest house I had ever seen. Hundreds of trophies were lined up on the tops of several bookcases. There were model airplanes and several of what I assumed to be Niall's various science fair projects.

"Niall, you have a visitor."

Without a resonse from Niall, I walked into the basement, where Niall was working.

"Hi."

No response.

"I'm Dan, I just moved down the street."

Niall proceeded to tear a piece of paper out of his notebook, on which he wrote, "Hi."

It was better than no interaction at all.

"Um, what are you working on?"

Niall proceeded to show me a blueprint for a model plane.

"That's really cool. I used to collect those when I was a kid. Never made one, though."

Niall tore another piece of paper out of his notebook and wrote on it. I was hopeful. Maybe I was getting somewhere with this guy. Maybe he would invite me over to teach me how to build it. Maybe he would even speak to me. Maybe--

"I'm really busy."

I was dumbfounded.

"Oh, ok. Well, I guess I'll see you around."

I walked out of the basement and left. I was confused. How could a few bullies lead someone who was obviously a genius to live a life of silence in a basement.

Upon entering my house, I was bombarded with questions.

"Where have you been?"

"Did you use a condom?"

"You had sex?"

"Thank Jesus you're not hurt!"

I looked at my family--and Geena--and I only had one thought.

"Where's Grandpa?"

My parents looked at me.

"He's at the hospital, but he's fine. They just have to keep him overnight."

"Oh, thank G-d!"

"And guess what?"

"I'm all ears."

"Your car got here today!"

"That was fast. I thought it wouldn't be here until Wednesday."

"The movers drove at lightning speed, which means you can pick up your grandfather at the hospital before summer school."

"That's great! I'm so happy to have--what?"

"Well, your father and I thought it would be a good idea to have you in summer school. Apparently everyone here goes!"

Which meant that Andi would be there. And Clint. And Julie Kreighton, and maybe even Niall and a whole bunch of other people I've never spoken to.

And as I thought about going to summer school in the morning, I wished that I hadn't tried to kiss Andi, and that I hadn't gone over to Niall's house, and that for once in that dry hell hole, the rain would fall.