The Tale of the Untamed Rain

Chapter Three

"I'm curious of you. I want to know all your thoughts. The fact that I did not hear what you just said made me more curious about it when you said it was nothing. You may be a stranger, but I wonder what you did to me that I can't stop myself getting involved in your life. I don't even know your name, but you already imprinted your existence on my being."

I was dumbfounded when he said that. My heart raced as if running in a marathon; there is something wrong with my stomach, as if butterflies were freed. I know that my cheeks are turning red like a tomato. I couldn't stop my smile, so I bit my lower lip.

Clearing my throat, I said.

"Are you serious? Just like you said, I'm a stranger. Why will you think like that?"

He wet his lips with his tongue and gazed at me. His expression was serious, and his expressive eyes were sincere—touching my heart.

"I am. It made me regret pushing you in the bus. I know I'm such a fool; I'm sorry."

I don't know what to say. I know I like him, but I'm afraid. I'm really afraid to risk my heart. I know he didn't directly say that he liked me, and I have no right to assume that, but I know I will be in great trouble if I let him into my life.

Yes, I imagined I was Juliet and he was Romeo in Taylor's song, but reality made me realize that life wasn't always playing out the way we wanted it to. Reality is far from a fairytale; the earlier I protect myself, the earlier my heart will survive.

So, without a second thought, I turned my back on him when the bus stopped. Without turning around but carrying regret inside my heart.

***

Mondays are the most hated day of the week for most people. They hate it because they will begin to work and study. They will begin to work their ass off, finding money in order to survive. Unfortunately I am not one of them. I like it more 'cause I can go to school. I will be able to leave our house and do whatever I want outside. I also like studying. I love new information and knowledge.

I'm not smart. I'm average. I just love to learn new things, I will not be able to learn something in our house except for my parents bickering which I really hate.

I shake my head in attempt to forget the matters in our house. I composed myself and then I walked towards our class.

Our teacher wasn't there so my classmates has the freedom to do whatever they want.

They are loud and the room looks chaotic. As if a storm had come and messed up everything. I'm not surprise, I will be more surprised if the room is silent especially when our teacher wasn't around.

Not minding them, I went to my seat.

"Wow it's a miracle. You're not late at our first period."

It made me frown which earned a chuckle from my lovely friend. I rolled my eyes at her grinning face.

"If I were you Claire, I won't bother Madeleine."

My friend Wendel said. He gave me a knowing look and teasing smile that look suspicious.

"What are you talking about?" I curiously asked.

He crossed his legs and gracefully put her hands in his knee like a sophisticated model. He eyed me like I'm a great mystery.

"What news you are not talking about?" He asked and I blinked. I recognized his actions. I know he knows a tea but he wanted me to spill it.

"Aherm," Claire cleared her throat. She also knows what going on. Her eyes turned eager and I bet her two ears are itchy for a new gossip.

"What's going on here guys. It seems that the two of you knows something that I have no idea about. Come on, sharing is caring."

"I don't know. Ask Wendel." I said that made her frown. I know she won't stop bothering me, but I really don't know what Wendel is saying.

The latter just rolled his eyes when Claire turn to him and force him to spill the tea. He glared at me and dramatically sigh like he was having a big problem. He invisibly tucked his imaginary long hair in his ears and fix his uniform.

Like a sophisticated s**t he was he cleared his feminine voice and almost spill the tea.

"Well, our friend. I just saw her earlier in th--"

His supposedly gossip came in halt when Miss Araza enter the room.

"Good morning class. I'm sorry I was late, I just came from our meeting."

"Why didn't you just stayed in your meeting?" Claire mumbled in her breath in which Miss Araza unfortunately heard.

"What did you just say Miss Mendes?"

"Oh, nothing maam."

Miss Araza eyes lingered longer in Claire on which the latter just smile in return. Her smile is insincere that made me laugh in my head. When Miss Araza finally let her go, she glared at me reading my mind.

I know she's raging right now. The supposedly spilling of the tea was halted. She hates it when gossip are delayed.

"Do you know what patterns are class?" Miss Araza asked.

I looked at Claire. She was always the one who raise her hands first but now that she's very pissed she was quiet.

When I see that nobody wants to answer, I raised my hands and recited.

"Patterns are repeated arrangements and sequence in organized manner."

"Hmm, that's right, you may sit down. So today class we will tackling about patterns that can be found in our nature.

Patterns in nature are visible regular forms found in the natural world. The patterns can sometimes be modeled mathematically and they include symmetries, trees, spirals, meanders, waves, foams, tessellations, cracks and stripes.

Mathematics, physics and chemistry can explain patterns in nature at different levels.

Patterns in living things express the underlying biological processes. Studies of pattern formation make use of computer models to simulate a wide range of patterns...

I listened attentively at what she was saying. The discussion caught my interest. It's wonderful that when someone asks if I love Math I will say no —forgetting that math is not just all about frightening equations and dizzying numbers. Math is the language of the world. From the time we spent asleep until we wake up, from the amount of water and food we take and now even in our nature.

The arrangements in plants called phyllotaxis, is determined by mathematics. Every dunes and waves, spirals and even a circular drop in ocean. It's amazing how math has been long with us —the companion we failed to appreciate.

I don't love math but I appreciate it now. Thanks for Miss Araza in making me realize that math is a wonderful friend that will always be with me. I realized that despite of its complexities lies a great wonder waiting to unravel.

Miss Araza class ended and for the first time I wanted it to extend, to talk about it more without forcing myself to listen in her lesson.

"Come on, come on. I can't manage to delay your tea for another minute. It's needed to be spilled." The rushing voice of Claire's voice made me stop my reverie. She pulled us while we are walking in hurried steps. She didn't mind that we crash some students, she's focused in her goal —that is to pull us away from the crowd so no one will disturb us in our little chitchat.

When she finally found a place in a shed she finally let our hands go. I was amaze how she tightly hold our arms that there were a trace of her tight grip.

Our friend, being dramatic as he was, gasped. His hands cover his mouth as he look at his left hand where a sign of Claire's tight grip is visible.

He looks like he was about to cry. If we don't know him, we will be one of those people who will console him for how convincing he is.

"Psh, you're not in a stage right now so stop being dramatic!"

"Me, dramatic? I'm not, look at my arm. Look at this." He finally break his composure and shout with his high tune voice. He was pointing to his arm making it close to Claire's face.

I rolled my eyes at them. I put myself in the middle before some cockpit will happen here. They continued their bickering like children fighting with their enemy.

"Come on guys. Let's stop this drama," I said. I turned to Wendel and told him to finally spill his tea.

"Tsk, fine. It's actually your tea to spill but since you pass the responsibility to me, I will be willing." He said and I can't help myself but rolled my eyes. Seriously, if I know what tea he was telling, I already did spill and not prolong it like he was doing.

"Seriously? Why can't you just get directly to the point?" Claire frustratedly said.

Wendel rolled his eyes first before starting to spill the tea.

"Earlier in the bus, Madeleine and I boarded the same bus, but because she was busy with someone," he gave me a knowing look "she didn't know I was there."

I blinked. I know where this story is going to be.

"Wait, that someone you're saying, is he hot?"

Claire asked. Her eyes was glinting maliciously while looking at me.

"Well, yeah. He's freaking hot. It seems that our friend here finally have a guy and fortunately a greek god that came down to Earth." Wendel teasingly said while Claire shrieks in delight.

"Omg, what is his name?" She excitedly asked.

"I don't know, he's just a stranger," I said ruining their building excitement.

I gasped when they simultaneously pinch and hit my arm.

"Stop it, come on. Guys, will you just listen to me? I will tell you, come on." I said breaking away from their grasp. When they heard it, they waited and act like nothing happened.

I composed myself acting like

I will going to finally tell them. I breath a sigh and without turning around I escape.

My two friends and their love of teas.