The rusted doorknob turned with a groaning creak. A girl filled with guilt pulled the door wide open, and the miserable sobbing from inside the closet halted and Margot looked up.

“I’m sorry,” the brave blond said to Margot. “I really am.” Her shameful voice was barely a whisper. Her eyes started to leak and reached for Margot’s hand. Margot felt Alicia’s palm place itself on her hand.

Margot’s washed out blue eyes looked straight into Alicia’s. “It’s ok. I can wait 7 more years.” Alicia’s facial expression changed because she couldn’t tell whether Margot was trying to make her feel guilty. Margot wiped her face.

Alicia sniffled. “Here. Let me help you up.” The strong nine year old helped the brittle school girl up and lead her towards the front of the room. The class of curious children remained silent as outer space.

Holding hands like best friends since kindergarten, they walked through the aisle in the center of the room just as the teacher was checking in on the kids.

“I forgive you, Alicia,” said Margot. She turned and faced the rest of the kids watching them. “And you guys too.” She paused and saw the expressions on the children’s’ faces. She let go of Alicia's hand and started heading towards the door.

“Where are you going, Margot?” questioned the teacher. Margot didn’t glance back and just said on her way out, “Home.”

She dashed towards the school exit, and out into the rain she went.
***
It was now Margot’s 16th birthday. She was sitting outside the patio in her calm, breezy Ohio home when the wind started blowing her bleach blond hair back. Over the last seven years her hair was gaining back the yellow, glowing shine she had when she was four. Until she was nine, her hair was more brownish, mud colored, not even dirty blond.

She was sitting on a bench looking out on the heart-warming sunset. She remembered the last time she had been thankful to see such a view. 7 years ago, in space, on Venus… It was always the pitter-patter of the rain…


Margot has never told anyone but her family about her “adventure” in Venus. It’s not that she didn’t have any friends now to tell them about it, it’s that she doesn't feel comfortable about it.
Back on Venus, she would have to put up with the rhythmic tapping of the rain hitting the tips of satellites, the roof of spaceships, or the aluminum school ceiling. After withstanding the aggravating, treacherous beat of water for 3 years, it disappeared.

She remembers when she was 4 and had to move to Venus as an experiment ran by the government to see if humans could support living there. Margot, alone, couldn’t take it. For the citizens born there it was simple as the ABCs.
She also recalled the one, single day the sun came out of the horizon, greeting the people of Venus for only 24 hours. The children were all outside walking on sunshine. All except for her. She had been pushed into a dark closet which only terrified her because it was dark. She wanted to see the light that she had all the time with her now on Earth, but failed to be present.

But that was 7 years ago, on a distance planet in which the sun came out only once every other 7 years. Every seven horrifying, dark, miserable years, Margot thought.

“Margot, come see what you got!” cried another bleach blond girl from behind Margot’s right side. She tapped Margot’s shoulder. “Hey, you okay? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m just remembering, Alicia,” Margot replied. “Remembering the past years. Wow, it feels like a lifetime, doesn’t it?” Alicia pulled her glowing hair behind her ear and gave Margot a smile.

Margot smiled back just as she felt the familiar pitter-pattering droplets of Heaven crash like tidal waves onto her shoulders. The girls looked at each other and giggled, dancing in the relaxing rain.