HIM FOR HER

Chapter Two

The night was cold and windy. Stephanie tightened her coat around herself hoping to ward off the cold. The street was almost deserted, save for few people around, but the sense of urgency in their steps told her they might be hurrying home. It was almost 1am and the weather forecast mentioned something about the possibility of it raining.

But she didn't care. It wasn't the first time she got beaten up by the rain, besides she loves it when it rains.

Everywhere became quiet and only the sound of the water hitting the ground could be heard. This time, nothing else matters. Even other humans stopped existing, except her and the weeping cloud. She would sit by her window and just stare out of space. It was therapeutic and she was already anticipating that alone time. Except that, today wasn't like any other day where she could easily relax and succumb to the tiredness nagging at her bones.

The cafe was very busy today, with lots and lots of customers trooping in endlessly. It reminded her of Valentine’s Day and she wondered if she messed up the dates again.

Even her break time suffered the hassle of the day but it was for the best.

At least, it successfully kept her mind away from that fateful event that took place earlier that afternoon.

She could still remember the exact scene of that meeting and her body tingled again, just like it always does when that particular someone was around. Stephanie had the feeling that he must have noticed her on several occasions staring at him, like a weirdo. Her cheeks warmed up in embarrassment at the impression that single act must have left on him.

Let's get along with each other.

She would very much like that, after all, she had been pining after him for ages now. The image of casually walking up to him in school and having one of those heavenly smiles thrown at her just like he did earlier was creating butterflies in her stomach.

But it wasn't that easy. Reasons?

There were just so many reasons to give. They were obviously worlds apart and she knew her life wasn't one of those romance movies that she had a chance to see just because she was working round the clock to make ends meet. Being an orphan with no relatives wasn't that easy and she wondered if everything was worth it all these while.

That thought reminded her immediately of the answer to that. Of how she began her crush on him. Anderson Blakely.

It was a Sunday evening, one of those evenings she wanted nothing but to hide away from the world but couldn't just because she doesn’t have the liberty to enjoy such luxury. As if the universe was hellbent on making her life miserable, one of the customers had decided she was an easy target in the eye and had continually sent her on meaningless errands.

The dimwit probably thought she had the right, just because she was a customer. Well, it was true because she couldn't even give her a piece of her mind. No doubt, when Anna, her co-worker turned the closed sign on the door, a sigh of relief escaped her lips. Her muscles cried in protest with each hasty step she took, so left with no option, she began the long journey to her house with calculative steps.

She should have read her luck that day, because not long after, the sky opened and began to pour its wrath on the inhabitants of the earth. Stephanie didn't bother seeking shelter nor relent in her steps. She just kept on walking, letting the heavy rain wash away the tiredness of the day, not even caring about the aftermath; that she might get sick later. Her life was more miserable than that anyway, so it didn’t matter. Nobody was around to call her out on it.

“Hey!”

Or she thought. The voice was loud enough to reach her ear amidst the heavy pour, so it could mean one thing. The person was just behind her. She turned to know who her companion was.

“You like the rain too? I thought I was the only one,” He called out.

The first thing she saw was a grown-up male with a visible pout on his lips. Just like her, he was drenched but he seemed way cooler than her. His hair was matted and had stuck to his forehead, although lazy drops of silver were dripping from the tip. His black hoodie clung to his body making him look leaner. She couldn’t see his face clearly but she knew he was good looking. She just knew.

“I didn’t know I would see another person out like me to enjoy this. You can’t help it either, right? Basking in nature’s free gift should probably be the most wonderful thing in the world. Except a cup of hot chocolate and a cuddly blanket after this,” He ended with a chuckle, probably laughing at his words.

Stephanie didn’t know him, but she thought he was weird.

Who rambles away to a stranger you just met on a rainy day, without even caring if the person is interested in what you are saying?

But she was intrigued.

Something about this weird guy whose face she’s yet to see clearly made her eager to find an answer.

Maybe because he was the first person that had talked to her with such casualness, or even better still, his weirdness had unintentionally uplifted her spirit.

She had him laugh and look up to be met with a sight that made her snort. The supposedly grown-up man was currently skipping around in the rain with such childish joy that made her think life was that easy. If he was a dog, his tail would be wagging nonstop.

“What are you doing?” She asked, holding back another snort.

“Come on. Join me, it’s fun.” He said, not stopping his play.

She was sure he didn’t remember but she did. It was a night she felt so free and happy. And it was because of a stranger she met.

A stranger, who invited her to play. Under the rain.

It was two years ago, but the memory still lingered together with the growing feeling in her heart for him. She thought she wouldn’t meet him again, so it came as a shock, seeing him at her school, one week later. It didn’t take her more than a minute to recognize him and so, she began her secret pining for the boy whose attention she knew she would never have.

She knew better than to dream.

The reality was always at the corner to wake her up if she so much as try to close her eyes for a second. The reality that she is just all alone in her misery with no one by her side. Maybe she never had a love story to begin with.

The next day, Stephanie stood at the entrance, her mind running through different miles trying to come up with something. The corridor was as usual crowded with students going about their business, their voices heralding the pathway. It was a part of the school she hates. It was always difficult to navigate her petite self through, taking care not to get bumped into. It wasn’t even helping matters that the narrow path seemed more jampacked than other days. A glance at her watch told her it was almost time for class. She gave herself a pep talk and tightened her palms round the navy leather backpack hanging off her shoulder.

“You can do it,” she muttered under her breath and delved into the swarming bodies of students. It wasn’t an easy feat but she succeeded, even allowing a little smile of victory to grace her lips.

“You are cute, you know?”

A startled gasp escaped her lips at the sudden voice. She swirled around so fast her neck almost broke but it became the least of her concern when she saw the person that caught her unaware.

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you after yesterday’s encounter.”

She froze on her feet, gaping at him. He was smiling at her, ignoring the sheepish expression she was making.

“It’s the first time we are meeting in school, right?”

As usual, he rambled off without caring about her state of mind. Without caring that she was still trying to wrap her head around what was happening. She could definitely feel eyes on them and she wanted to bolt. She should have taken him seriously when he said they should get along.

“Hey. Don’t tell me you don’t remember me?”

A frown appeared on his face, where seconds ago a bright smile was sitting. Stephanie won’t blame him. He was used to attention from millions of people, little wonder why he was nonchalantly talking to a nobody, like her. But she wasn’t and so she ran from probably the only luck the universe will give her to actualize her long-time dream. What she missed was a downcast and forlorn look from a pair of greenish-brown eyes.