Rain hammered the cobblestones. The wide magical canopy swelled against the wind, its iridescent fabric catching every blue lightning flash. Puddles blinked like scattered coins across the stones.
Jeremy stumbled into the square, his tiny blue umbrella dripping. He looked up. Four faces smiled from under the wide canopy.
Elena swung a red raincoat over Jeremy's shoulders. "You made it, brother!" Damon boomed, stamping a puddle flat.
Thunder CRACKED. Jeremy yanked his umbrella over his head and crouched behind Stefan's boots. "I don't wanna stand out here!" he whispered.
Stefan held up one finger. "Brave means you stand tall." He kicked a sheet of water across the dark stones, and it shivered like a mirror.
The wind howled. The big magical umbrella groaned — then CRACKED clean down the middle. One half skittered away like a spider's web of bare sticks.
Rain hammered down. Jeremy's little blue umbrella flipped inside out with a loud SNAP. Everyone stood under the open sky.
Jeremy stood very still. Rain streamed down his nose. His lips pressed thin, and he thought: "It's going to be a long walk home."
Bella stepped forward. She tucked a wet strand of hair back, her fingertips glowing warm gold. She set her hand on the small blue umbrella. "Share," she said.
Five of them crowded under the small glowing umbrella, steam curling off their shoulders. Jeremy stepped into the biggest puddle — SPLASH. Damon splashed right back. They laughed until the thunder shook the square.
