text: She didn’t particularly hate the rain but she isn’t fond of them either. The girl, with her hair tied into a bun, looks outside the glass window as she sips her afternoon coffee. The sky, which was bright and blue just this morning was now painted gray. People are scurrying about trying to reach their cars, reach the subway or just the nearest cover they can find before the expected drops of water fell. She sighed. The last time she was out raining was when she had to visit her father in the hospital 4 years ago. She was walking in a torrential downpour. Her hood prevented the drops from touching her red hair but barely provided any protection from the rest of her thin frame. She rushed to the nearby bus stop for cover. She looked up. It seems the rain won’t be done for quite a while. She took out her phone from her damp pocket and wiped the screen--no messages. It was a few minutes ago that she received a call from her mother to bring her extra clothes because she might stay a few more days there. She didn’t argue nor asked question. But decided a few minutes later to ask, “How is dad doing?” She checked her phone again for no one knows how many times already--no messages. The hospital was busy as always. But today, something was a bit off, more people that usual seemed to walk--no, more like careful running--with her along the usually silent corridor she had been walking for the last 8 days. She felt uneasy and began to quicken her steps. She noticed that the door to her dad’s room was open, her mom outside drenched in sweat and tears while her brother was comforting her. She didn’t need to take a single step to know what’s happening. Her gray eyes widened, her chest felt heavy and her stomach felt uneasy. She felt like she was about the see what she had for breakfast again. Her knees felt weak, her body became unsteady as if a single blow from the cold winds outside will knock her to the ground. But somehow, she managed to take a step--no, not forward, backward. And another. She shifted her body away from the commotion and ran. She ran as fast as she could not minding bumping in a few people who seem quite confused than angry as she whizzed through them. Almost completely out of breath she reached outside. She was struggling to get air, her body bent forward with her hands tightly grasping both of thighs trying to catch her breath. She looked up, the rain had stop. Good, she thought. You see, she didn’t particularly hate the rain but she isn’t fond of them either. She took another sip of her coffee. It had gone a little bit cold. She wondered how long she had been sitting here. She looked out again. The rain was already pouring. The glass window became a track in which the droplets race, their paths though not always straight has a predetermined destination--the gray pavement that longed for the drops from the sky. She fixes her gaze on a young couple across the street. They were nestled under a solitary umbrella as they walked past the now empty streets. The girl was holding the boy’s right arm tightly while he tried to slow down his pace to let the girl catch up. He was smiling, so was she. They stopped in front of a food stall. The girl ordered what seems to be a ham and cheese panini sandwich while the boy got a chicken basil wrap. As she looked at the couple, she gave a small smile. The beauty of love--she thought. She was 16 when she first fell in love. She was a junior, he was a senior. The boy was tall, medium built, brown curly hair and the deepest set of blue eyes she has ever seen. He gave her a charm bracelet with his and her initials on it. She said it was cheesy and cliché but her smile says otherwise. She remembered when they drove to the mountains. She and him alone. They sat on the hood of his red Shelby Cobra, watching as the sun kiss the mountains. The sky was painted a beautiful orange and the distant mountains purple. She was liking every moment of it. She leaned her head on his shoulders. It was a perfect fit, she thought. A cold breeze began to pass and he could feel her shiver ever so slightly. The boy stood up and took out a blanket from the back of his car and wrapped it gently on her. He positioned himself behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, her back against his chest, her body nestled perfectly unto his. A perfectly fitting puzzle piece. It was at dinner when the girl yelled at the boy. The night before she found a note on the boy’s jacket, written in beautiful cursive from a girl whose name wasn’t familiar. “I had a fun night. Let’s do it again soon XOXO”. She was yelling. He was quiet. She was hitting his chest with all the power she has, the boy remained unfazed, his head bowed down. The people inside, seemingly oblivious to what was going outside their comfortable box continued to talk and laugh and banter and eat. She was angry. He was collected. No one knew what was happening, except for the moon who hid itself behind the clouds as if not wanting to see the events that are about to unfold. The world turned dark. No one knew what was happening, except for the two people standing outside in the moonless sky. She left. He stayed. The moon was full when she was standing in front of him, in the middle of the night, in an empty lot on a park near where she lived. She looked around trying to remember the scenery she knew she was familiar with but tonight, for her, it was different. The swings were unmoving. The slides untouched. She looked forward, to the boy trying to remember the feeling she knew she was familiar with but tonight, for her, it was different. His face stern and calculated. His eyes darker and almost lifeless. His smile, no longer present. They didn’t talk for the last 8 days. No single message, no missed calls, no letters or words. They stared at each other unsure of what to say, where to begin. She could’ve asked why but she was afraid to know. He could’ve answered why, but he didn’t know. She grasped the bracelet he had given her 4 years ago. She grasped it so hard that the inside of her hand grew red. Her breathing was shallow, her heart pumping fast. She held on the thing that hurt her the most. She knew she had to let go. She took the boy’s hand and placed the bracelet into his unsuspecting hand. It hurts--he thought. He closed his fist and placed the bracelet into his jacket. The girl was now standing alone in the middle of the empty lot. The moon illuminating her like a spotlight. She didn’t know how long she was standing there. She looked up. She could not see the moon but instead a parade of gray heavy clouds. She felt the first drop on her cheeks. This is fine--she thought. A little rain won’t hurt. A little rain might wash away all of this, like water against the windshield making things clearer. You see, she didn’t particularly hate the rain but she isn’t fond of them either. The coffee cup was now empty. She slowly placed the cup on top of the coaster and began to fix her things. She noticed an old couple was sitting next to her table. The man, maybe around mid 70’s was eating something vaguely delicious and the woman, with her fork in hand sticks it into his meal. The man was faked an angry look and the woman laughed. The girl who was watching several inches away couldn’t help it but smile. She looked at the window and saw that the rain has settled a little bit. The girl stood up, took her coat that was nestled neatly on the seat beside her and gracefully wrapped herself with it. The rain was still pouring. She stood outside of the coffee shop she frequents. She likes it here, the smell of roasted beans and freshly bake pastries. The walls had been witnessed many conversations, many memories, many silent thoughts. She clutched her umbrella tightly around the J-shaped handle with her hand and the other making its way to the long black strap the held the folded piece of cloth together. Half thinking, she stopped herself from opening it. Instead he lowered her hand and began to move forward. Her steps making little splashes and ripples as she threads the gray concrete towards the street. She felt the little droplets of rain fall on her face. They were cold but reassuring. The soft caress in her cheeks made her feel comfortable. Those little droplets reminded her of the touch of her first love, her first heartbreaks, her first struggles, her first triumphs. She looked up at the gray sky, smiling. You see, she isn’t particularly fond of the rain but she sure well knows now that she doesn’t hate it.