//Let The Rain Wash Away// {Broca}

The hulking figured stood over her as she sat there giggling and enjoying the freedom that the rain was bringing. Swallow-Anne's eyes traveled up the thick legs and up to the face of the boy she had seen talking to good ole Jack Lexington. Can't really do much talking though when you write everything down. She sat there in the mud watching him scratch and scribble on that piece of slate til he flipped it towards her and she saw the message "Shall we get out of the rain? It doesn't do you any favours when your hair looks like a drowned rat. No offence of course"

Rolling her eyes she pushed herself into a standing position and put her hands on her hips. "Why don't you loosen up and have some fun." Before he could react she jumped splashing mud and water all over the both of them and doubled over in laughter. "When's the last time we had a good rain like this? Huh? Why not enjoy it!" Reaching out she laces her slender hand into his much larger one and looks up her eyes wide just like Tallow taught her to do when she wanted something special and pulls him towards the puddle.

Biting her lip she waits for him to jump, to move, to do something other than just stand there like she was crazy. Running her free hand through her hair she let it trail down her water logged clothes as if to press some of the moisture out, even though it was more to draw his attention to her body. "Don't ya wanna play with me?"

After a few seconds the boy joined in the fun. Water went flying everywhere as they splished and splashed around in the puddles for a few moments before Swallow-Anne's male counterpart seemed to slow down. Her question hung in the air for a few moments and she wondered if he'd picked up on the other side of the question. Swallow-Anne's reputation normally proceeded her but this boy seemed not to realize just who she was and what she liked to do and the concept excited her. His hands reached over and scribbled down a message "I don't understand" and she giggled as he jumped back in a puddle trying to seem casual about the situation.

Sure you don't understand. her eyes rolled and she moved closer to him again "Don't understand what? I just wanna have some fun today. Unless you gotta be getting back to Jack... 'cause I'm sure mean ole Jack told you all about me and my friends. I'm Swallow-Anne" she stood there waiting to see a glimmer of recognition cross his face. We really ain't that much trouble, honest. Jack he just don't like me."

Her hand found his once more and she moved up to whisper in his ear, "I know a real fun place out on the edge of town, wanna go play? Ain't no one gonna find us." Swallow-Anne and Tallow had staked out all the good spots in town, the spots that were close enough they could get to them in a rush if they found someone willing, yet secluded enough no one would interrupt them. Only once had someone caught Swallow-Anne and some random older boy behind the market square.don't even remember that boys name. Today was so rainy and awful though that no one would be out. A shiver ran through her body as the reality of just how went she was started to sink in.

The mood suddenly changed as the boy pulled back and shook his head like a mad man at her suggestion. What was she not good enough? Not pretty enough? Its not like this boy was that great, more like a way to waste time. Not someone to chase after. Swallow-Anne's face changed quickly from the smiling sunny girl of moments before. She wasn't used to being turned down, it wasn't like boys to let something so easy float way, and at first fear crossed her mind, but his next lines scribbled on the piece of slate flipped the fear to something else.

"If I could give my opinion, you aren't giving yourself the best reputation. You seem to be turning into the town's go to girl. If you get my drift...."

Her hand released the boys and gave him a hard shove away from her as her green eyes flared. He tried jumping in the puddle to lessen the tension but the damage had already been done. "You know Mace right? Mace Emberstatt...only living Victor of District 10? she growled at him, lips pursed. Of course he did everyone knew Mace. Her arms crossed slowly across her chest as she said the next words pointedly, "Mace and I grew up together at the Community Home, he's practically my brother. By now she was sure the boy could see where this was going. "and I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate some dumb hill-jack who can't even talk saying his sister is the town whore. In fact I'm pretty sure, she raised her eye brows and stared the boy down, "that he wouldn't like it at all."

The smile that crossed Swallow-Anne's face now could've sent shivers down anyone's spine. "Just remember that." She whipped the long dark strands around, off of her face, as she never let her eyes waiver. The boy might be bigger than her, but Swallow-Anne never backed down.

She didn't even read what he wrote, the smirk on his face said enough. Don't know shit about me. Don't know shit about girls. Cocking her head she reached out and smacked the piece slate out of his hands and slammed her foot down on it hard. She felt a few pieces crunch under it and she grinned. "Don't give a shit what you say. Don't even know your name." She turned quickly and sprinted off down the street leaving mucky footprints behind her. Didn't even want to have sex with him. Just wanted to have some fun. Stupid jerk. Hope he don't have a dumb board to scribble on anymore.

Her hands balled into fists as she kept walking, her feet headed down the old worn path towards her best friends house. If anyone could make her feel better it'd be Tallow, she knew just what to say to make Swallow-Anne smile and maybe they'd even sneak some of Ole Loomis' gin. Either way she was going to get her mind off that boy in the square who didn't know a good thing when it was standing right in front of him. Might even actually tell Mace now...really wasn't plannin' on it.

Faster and faster her feet moved til the stupid town was nothing but a distant blur.