As she walked down the path alone in tranquillity, the skies were gloomy and dark. The wind blew strongly from west to east, shivering the lady fastens her phase towards comfort and what she calls her abode. She stopped to feel tiny droplets of liquid showering down on her, from one droplet to another. It went down her head up to her clothes- slightly damping it. She knew the drizzle would soon get a little heavier, yet she does not have anything to cover her up and protect her, even an umbrella. It has begun. At the back of her mind, she remembered the news she saw on her telly telling it would be a sunny day, it was August 26 in 2018, yet the forecast had deceived her. She hurried her steps while being careful, for she would not want to slip in the slippery path and get dirty. On her way, dazed and confused, she turned to look at a man wearing a grey jacket. Standing and staring at the door emotionless while carrying on his right hand a fresh bouquet of roses and a heart box of chocolates on the left, now drenched in the rain. She felt her heart pounded and a strange feeling of pain, a sudden heartache at the scenario before her but quickly demonized the emotion and continued to walk on her way, passing by the man at that door. The day ended with a heavy pour on the roof as she dozes off to sleep.
The cold misty air woke her up; hearing from the radio that it would rain heavily for days made the start of her day a bit down and dismay. She stood up and prepared herself for work and right after she went out. "It will rain." A voice in her head whispered, so she went to find her umbrella but saw a grey hoodie neatly folded at the top of her drawer instead. She stopped and touched the cottony cloth as she felt the sense of longing for someone she cannot even remember, 'beep!' A loud horn coming from the outside startled her and brought her back to reality. She sighed and went out, forgetting what she was supposed to bring in the first place. She saw the man who made her happy and contented, her boyfriend smiling at her. He walked a few steps closer to her and held her hand and brought it close to his lips, and kissed it as a gentleman would. She smiled widely and kissed his cheek; hurriedly went inside his wheels. They went past, by where the man she saw yesterday stood and saw no one but the cold wind blowing wildly. She sighed in relief. She turned to look at him from the passenger seat and caught him already staring at her with sadness in his eyes. "What’s wrong?" She asked, puzzled; he replied with a small smile and said, "Nothing, I am just glad you're mine." and he broke off the eye contact and focused on what is ahead of them, the road. Deafening silence embraced them as they both shrugged off the queer moment and enjoyed the sound of dripping raindrops on the vehicle's roof as it formed a serene and constant melodic rhythm.
The day ended, wet and cold. Staring at the road where he drops her off, she hugged herself while holding the umbrella her boyfriend lent her. Clueless on why he would not take her towards her home instead, she started to walk, focusing on the wet ground as she steps further and upon arrival at where that man stood yesterday she was bewildered to see him again there, at that spot. He was wearing the same hoodie and carrying a fresh bouquet of red roses on the right hand and the left, a heart-shaped box of chocolates. Unexpectedly a tear fell into her eyes, and another made her vision blurry. The skies darken, and raindrops raged with terror as well as her aching heart can no longer decipher what she truly felt at that moment. Body stiff and frozen, with heavy steps, she walked away and never looked back. That same night she rested into her bed with eyes wide open. Staring at the calendar posted at her bedroom door, August 27, 2018, she finally closed her eyes and let her thoughts slip away.
The following day, she woke up with a terrible indescribable headache but rose and decided to prepare for the gloomy cold day. She went by her drawer and took a last look at the cloth neatly rested at the top of the wooden furniture before leaving. Thoughts keep on wandering until she found herself already sitting at her boyfriend's passenger seat. Unusual silence enveloped between them as the rain kept on falling, seeming to be a never-ending pour. She alone kept silent, lost in the wonders of puzzling questions she ought to find answers. The drive went past by to where that man was standing. She held her breath and managed not to take a look to see if he was there, but her heart pounded like crazy as if it has a mind of its own and as if it was longing for something she lost along the way but can never regain it back. 1... 2... 3... 4- she whispered with deep breaths as she counted in her mind and yelled at the top of her lungs, "STOP THE CAR!" the man beside her didn't budge and acted as if her words meant nothing but thin air. Her heart went in rage, "I SAID STOP THE CAR NOW! PLEASE!" a loud screeching sound made the vehicle stop. She hurriedly went out, banging the door close behind her. Then ran towards where that guy was. Her vision went blurry, clothes soaked wet, but that did not stop her marched towards the heavy rain- towards him. Little did she know her boyfriend anxiously followed her as if expecting this to happen. On her way, she stumbled upon a rock resulting in her falling on her knees, but she stood up, determined to disregard the stinging pain in her wounds from the fall. Reaching the front door and yet she saw no one, not even a silhouette. The rain showered above her as well as her tears kept on falling. Muttering in repeat the questions she, herself did not understand, “W-who are you? W-why does my h-heartache upon seeing y-you.” With weakened knees, she fell to the muddy ground and felt her vision slowly losing. As a mere figure stands before her, she blacked out and whispered a name whose identity is not unidentifiable.
The man carried her into his arms and walked around her girlfriend's residence in hopes of entering the back door. They hurriedly went inside, laying her carefully into her soft feather-like mattress, and as she fell into a deep slumber caused by exhaustion and emotional distress. He started to unbutton and change her wet clothes with dry, loose, and comfortable ones with no ill intentions. He respected the woman before her. No, he loves her, and seeing her so devasted, clueless and tired made him weary and broken. He stared at her with both tenderness and sadness in his eyes, and the pain was evident in those two orbs, "If only I can take it away from her, I will." he mumbled under his breath. The day passed just like that as the rain still drummed wildly. Under the roof were a man and a woman whose souls were forever scarred, never knowing when the sun shines again in their doorsteps and their lives.
She felt a bright warm ray of light shine down her face and heard the melodic hums of the happily chirping birds outside. It has woken her spirits up, her eyes adjusted to the beaming light, groggily stood up and stretched her arms upwards. She looked around and saw damped clothes on the floor seeming to belong to hers and someone else and smelled the newly cooked pancakes all over the place. She was not alone. Anxiously she hastily fastens her footsteps while grabbing the nearest sweater she could find at the top of her drawer and finally tiptoed herself towards the front door. She found a cupboard set up in front of it. With all the force she could muster, she mightily pushed the wooden furniture and successfully opened the door. Right after she can escape from the grasp of an unknown fellow in her own home, a male baritone voice called her name, but swiftly she left without turning around and was scared enough to close the door. She stops mid-way when she saw him, a man standing on the muddy ground wearing a grey jacket, holding a fresh bouquet of red roses on the right hand and a heart-shaped chocolate box on the left. Her heart ached, and before she could have the chance to walk up to him, a woman with a petite figure and long brown hair walked past her and suddenly slapped the guy on the face. The scene was so familiar like it was Deja vu. Who is she and who is this man?
"I had loved you all my life, but I was never happy. Where were you when I needed you the most? In someone else's arms? I said I didn't want to see you anywhere near my place ever again, but even that one simple thing you can't give me? How selfish for you not to grant me my freedom despite all the pain you've given me throughout these years? Do you want my forgiveness? You want me back? I'm sorry to tell you, but I don't love you anymore! I'm numb because of the pain you inflicted. It's over between us. Please let me go."
After she is determined to utter those words, the woman turned her back from him and walked away. Seeing and hearing their conversation hit her, she stared at the cloth she was holding. It was the same hoodie the guy was wearing. She was the woman, and he was her lover. Tears streamed down her face upon remembering what used to be.
"I never meant to hurt you, and I can never love someone else besides you nor find another one to replace you, but if it is as you wish, then I'll set you free even though it meant leaving a part of me forever. I love you, and nothing can change that."
Her lover stated with a small voice, but she heard him loud and clear. He started to walk away in the opposite direction. "N-no... No, don't! Wait! Please stop!" She cried out to him, but it seems that he can't hear her and so she ran as fast as she can towards her other self to try and stop him before it's too late. "Y-you need to turn back! P-please, listen to me! You need to stop him before it is too late." she pleaded, she never meant a word, and up until now, she still loves him. Yet despite her efforts, it was still too late to change what was bound to happen. She saw a vehicle losing its control fast approaching where he was, and then it happened. His body splattered across the road, so was the bouquet and the chocolates, lying on the cold hard ground bathed with his blood. August 29, 2018, he died with eyes wide open. She felt her knees began to frail as she saw the other woman now running towards the disaster, crying her eyes out. She can hear her screaming in agony and regret. Her heart once again shattered into pieces as she moved closer to where he was. With wobbled knees, she lost her balance and collapsed to the ground. One by one, the raindrops started to pour from the sky. She closed her eyes to let her tears stream down as well. She hopes to ambush the dreadful pain in her heart for losing the love of her life. "Are you okay, miss?" A soothing baritone voice echoed near her ear, which made them open her eyes and met with a concerned look from a stranger she barely met holding an umbrella. She stood up and asked herself, "What was I doing?" she touched her face and felt its wetness not from the rain but from her tears. "Why was I crying?" Dazed, and confused she stared at the man before her and replied, "I-I'm fine. I'm just looking for something I lost along the way." her voice full of uncertainties. "Did you mean this jacket?" he innocently asked her while offering her the grey-colored cloth. "A-ah y-yes." she hesitantly took it from him. "May I accompany you?" he suggested. "S-sure, thank you."
They walk together hand in hand towards her home, both shivering under the rain. As they passed by, she saw a man wearing a grey jacket, carrying a fresh bouquet of roses on the right hand and a heart-shaped chocolate box on the left, now drenched in the rain. He was staring intently at the door, and now she wondered why her heart was aching.
A/N: 'When it rains' is one of my short stories that are close to my heart. although it is tragic I love how sad it made me feel while writing it. Hope you guys love it!
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