When the Rain Stopped Falling

Chapter 3: Roomie

Chapter 3.1: The Shed of Origin

The rain continued to pour down on everything and I was a part of it. The rain only reminded me that everything is vulnerable to get soaked. Everything, even how triumphant, how majestic an object is, can be dampened by the force of nature. So here I am, being weakened by every single rain drop that touches my skin. It is making me look more pathetic than I should be because of the situation.

I continued to jog towards the covered waiting shed that is just by the side of my old campus. A lot of people though had the same idea so the bulk of them were also aiming to find refuge from there. I hurried before I lose a spot. With all my effort to get to the park bench as fast as I could, I had tackled a few shoulders of people going the opposite way. But all of it was for naught and I was too late. All the covered benches were occupied by people who had no umbrellas as well. No one can blame them since no one predicted such an incredible change on the weather in a short period of time. No one was prepared for this sudden downpour because all we know, and all we hope for was a sunny day.

Defeated, I walked aimlessly finding another solution but the heavy feeling that I’m carrying made me give up. And so, I decided to find a little cover from the tall tree behind. Flashes of lightning ensued by a series of deafening thunders rattled me as the cold breeze continued to sway by and here I am wishing help from anybody, somebody. I continued to weep not knowing that the future had already lain what I wished for.

Chapter 3: Roomie

“You’re kidding right?” I tensely smiled at the guy who claims to be my roommate.

“Nope, I’m Jasper,” Briefly, he barged in my room and brought his things in, pushing me away from the doorstep.

“I mean, this is just a prank right? Why would I have a guy roommate?”

Briefly he chuckled and went straight to the empty bed frame and looked at it for a sec. Then he went outside again and he brought in a surprisingly huge mattress covered in plastic and laid it perfectly on the bed frame. After that, he aggressively tore apart the plastic of the mattress and threw it aside as he went to cover it with a clean gray bed sheet. From his suitcase, he brought out a pillow and fluffed it before he placed it on the bed. A suitcase, just for a single pillow, what is he, a clown?

“Look, I’m quite bothered by your tantalizing eyes, I’m not your roommate, relax will ya?” Jasper looked at me directly but when our eyes met, he quickly went back fixing the bed. I knew he was kidding about being my roommate but a part of me believed and panicked and had already flipped over.

“So who’re you?” I asked.

“I told you, I’m Jasper,”

“Okay?” I rolled my eyes and squeezed the left sleeve of my shirt. I really am uncomfortable with him being in here. “So you’re like the guy who help move stuff?”

“Do I look like LBC?”

“Well, I don’t have any idea what an LBC guy look like so I’m assuming that you’re one,” I murmured as soft as possible though I think he heard me since he smiled.

“Jasper, could you stop bothering my roommate?” a female voice came from behind me. When I turned I saw a girl with a pixie haircut dressed in a casual red shirt that says “Keep calm, Winter is Coming,”. My insides twisted a little and I’m not sure if that’s a good sign or a bad sign.

“Hi, I’m Leslie, I’m your real roommate not him,” Leslie, like Jasper did, reached out for my hand to do a handshake.

“Oh, I’m Elois, nice to meet you,”

“Jasper is my big brother, he’s an Electrical Engineer upperclass. As for me, I’m a freshman, Communication Arts. How about you?” Leslie smiled so wide that her eyes were already covered by her cheeks and the side of her eyes were wrinkly.

I held again the sleeves of my shirt and squeezed on it. “I’m also a freshman. BA Psychology,” I told the siblings.

“What’s that?” Leslie asked. “I’m sorry I didn’t hear it,”

I sighed. Once again, I mumbled. There are times that I think that my voice is already loud enough but when it comes out of my mouth it only sounded a whisper. Dad, and a few of my “friends” always reminded me not to mumble but I just can’t control it. But there are also times when my voice is really loud but I didn’t intend it to be. “I’m also a freshman, Psychology,” I repeated.

“Ah that’s nice, well then there’s someone I could share my feelings to.”

I half-smiled. Leslie seems nice. But there’s something wrong about her, I can feel it. I could say that she’s the type of girl that I won’t get along with. She’s trying to make a home in this house. But I’m afraid I would just be her problem in the long-run, especially when my-

“I see that you like Hello Kitty,” Leslie acknowledged when she studied my desk that practically shouts girl power with all my girly stuffs in there like the picture of Mimo, my rabbit, in a customized pink Hello Kitty picture frame that says, “Swag Queen!” I think Leslie also judged a bunch of my other stuff like my baby pink bed sheets festooned with hearts and flowers in it. Maybe she’s thinking how gooey I am and probably disgusted so much, she’s going to throw up. Ugh, what does she want from me?

“Yeah, I guess so, it kinda grew old of me,” I tried to smile but all I’m feeling is embarrassment. I tried to curse the past me for bringing all those stuff here in college. “I see that you’re a Game of Thrones fan,” I subverted the topic to her since I’m feeling very uncomfortable talking about myself. Nervous, I stroked my wrist gently.

“Yeah, she’s crazy about Game of Thrones,” Jasper interjected. “She’s fond of all things gore,”

When I looked at Leslie, it surprised me that her eyes are flickering with excitement and she looked instantly different. “Yes, and my brother isn’t exaggerating. I like Saw, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Attack on Titan,” Leslie tittered as if someone is tickling her.

“Leslie, I think you ought to learn something with your roommate here, she’s cute and girly, see! Boys love that,”

I quickly gazed at Jasper for what he said. I don’t know if what I heard is right but I’m guessing that he doesn’t mean what he said.

“Right, but some boys love girls who has a strong personality,” I contested. Now, Leslie looked at me for what I have said. She smiled at me then she raised her hand up in the air. I flinched at first thinking that she’s going to hit me but then it occurred to me that she meant it to be a high five so I reached for her hand and gave her a high five. My, she sure is feisty.

“Alright, before I would be completely be ganged out by you two, I better go. Cole is waiting for me,”

Cole? Must be a nickname for Nicole. She must have been Jasper’s girlfriend. By the looks of Jasper, it’s not farfetched for him to have a girlfriend. I mean he looked like the Filipino version of teen Beau Mirchoff in Awkward with thick eyebrows, very angular face, and even his wildly dishevelled hair.

“But Jasper, you haven’t finished helping me,”

“I’ll help you!” I interjected. “Besides, I’m finished unpacking,”

“Oh thank you Elois!” Jasper sprang in joy. He smiled at me again and I noticed that when he smiles half of his lips curl wider revealing a tiny bit of his little teeth compared to the other half of his lips. Huh, a crooked smile, that’s what it is. “You’re a lifesaver, Cole is going to kill me.” Jasper announced.

“Sometimes, I feel jealous to Cole.”

“Oh cut the drama, lil’ sis. I’ve got to go know,” One last time he mouthed thank you at me then for the love of all things sane, he winked at me then ran out of the room. Surprised, I quickly looked at Leslie as I demand an explanation but I think she didn’t see it because she looked at me blankly. Maybe I was just imagining it.

Or maybe not.