Beneath the Rain 2
1024 Words
The rain continued to fall, turning the road beyond the shelter into a blur of gray.
Neither of them spoke for a while.
Rose watched the raindrops bounce against the pavement.
"It's funny," she murmured.
"What is?"
"My mom always says rain forces people to slow down."
Kelvin looked at her.
"Your mom?"
Rose smiled faintly.
"She works too much. Whenever it rains, she says it's the world's way of reminding people to rest."
A small laugh escaped her.
"She never listens to her own advice, though."
There was affection in her voice...
But also something else.
Something quieter.
Kelvin noticed.
"So she's busy?"
Rose nodded.
"Very."
"What about your dad?"
The smile on her face faded for the briefest second.
"I... don't really know him."
Silence.
Rose immediately looked away.
"Sorry. That got depressing."
Kelvin shook his head.
"You don't have to apologize."
Another clap of thunder rolled across the sky.
For a moment, only the rain spoke.
Then Rose glanced at him.
"What about you?"
"My family?"
She nodded.
"You seem... close to your sister."
Kelvin smiled despite himself.
"She's loud."
Rose laughed.
"I noticed."
"But..." He looked out at the rain. "She's always looking out for me."
Rose smiled.
"You're lucky."
"I know."
Another comfortable silence settled between them.
Then, without warning, Kelvin spoke.
"Can I ask you something?"
Rose looked at him.
"Sure."
He hesitated.
It wasn't like him to hesitate.
"...Do you know why I chose you as my partner?"
Rose blinked.
"I thought it was because Rowan was taking too long to move his desk."
Kelvin let out a quiet laugh.
"That wasn't the reason."
She frowned slightly.
"Then why?"
He took a slow breath.
"When I first saw you...You were different."
Rose looked confused.
"Different how?"
"You never tried to get anyone's attention."
"You weren't trying to impress anyone."
"You didn't even seem interested in talking to people."
He met her eyes.
"I was curious."
Rose stared at him.
"Curious?"
He nodded.
"I kept wondering..."
"Why someone who seemed so kind..."
"...looked like they were carrying something all by themselves."
For a moment...
Rose couldn't speak.
No one had ever said something like that to her.
No one had ever noticed.
She smiled, but her eyes softened.
"I didn't know you paid that much attention."
Kelvin looked away, almost embarrassed.
"I usually don't."
"Then why me?"
He smiled a small, genuine smile."...I'm still trying to figure that out".
Rose felt her heart skip,because, for the first time, someone wanted to know her.
Rose lowered her eyes.
"...I'm not that interesting."
Kelvin frowned.
"I disagree."
She looked back at him, surprised.
"You barely know me."
"That's exactly why the more I noticed you..."
He rubbed the back of his neck, looking oddly uncomfortable.
"...the more I realized I didn't know anything about you."
Rose couldn't help smiling.
"So your curiosity kidn*pped me into this project?"
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
"I guess it did."
"I should report you."
"For what?"
She folded her arms with a playful smile.
"Forced academic partnership."
Kelvin nodded thoughtfully.
"That's a serious crime."
"It is."
"What's the punishment?"
Rose pretended to think.
"Hmm..."
"You buy your partner lunch."
"I thought you said it was a crime."
"It is."
"So you're rewarding the criminal?"
She laughed.
For a second, they simply looked at each other.
Neither realized how close they'd drifted while talking.
Another clap of thunder rolled across the sky.
Rose instinctively stepped back...
Only to bump into the wall of the bus shelter.
She blinked.
Kelvin looked down.
Then realized there was barely any space between them.
"...Sorry."
He immediately took a step back.
Rose's cheeks warmed.
"No... it was my fault."
The silence that followed was almost painfully awkward.
Kelvin cleared his throat.
"So..."
"So..."
They both spoke at the same time.
They stopped.
Then looked at each other.
Rose laughed first.
Kelvin shook his head.
She looked down, trying to hide the grin spreading across her face.
This was... nice.
Unexpectedly nice.
The rain continued to pour around them, wrapping the little shelter in a world of its own.
Rose broke the silence.
"Can I ask you something?"
Kelvin nodded.
"You seem... lonely sometimes."
His expression changed.
"What makes you say that?"
"You always sit alone."
"You leave class by yourself."
"You avoid crowds."
She hesitated.
"And even when people are talking to you..."
"...it feels like you're somewhere else."
Kelvin stared at the rain.
Nobody had ever described him like that before.
After a long pause, he spoke quietly.
"When my sister became famous..."
"Everything changed."
Rose listened without interrupting.
"People stopped seeing me."
"They saw her brother."
"The famous actress's little brother."
He smiled faintly, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Everyone wanted something."
"A picture."
"An introduction."
"A connection."
He looked down at his hands.
"It got exhausting."
Rose understood.
More than he realized.
"My mom always says..."
He looked at her.
"...the loneliest people are usually the ones surrounded by the most noise."
Kelvin let out a quiet breath.
"I think your mom is wise."
Rose smiled.
"I'll tell her you said that."
Just then, headlights cut through the rain.
A sleek black SUV pulled up outside the shelter.
Kelvin's driver stepped out, opening a large umbrella before making his way toward them.
"Good evening, Master Kelvin."
He stopped when he noticed Rose still wearing Kelvin's blazer.
A knowing smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Kelvin noticed immediately.
"...Don't."
The driver blinked innocently.
"Don't what, sir?"
"I know that smile."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Rose looked between them, confused.
"What smile?"
The driver coughed politely.
"Nothing at all, miss."
Kelvin sighed.
"He thinks he's funny."
"I know I'm funny, sir."
Rose couldn't hold it in anymore.
She laughed.
A genuine, bright laugh.
The driver smiled.
Kelvin looked at Rose.
For a brief moment...
He forgot about the rain.
Forgot about school.
Forgot about everything.
All he could think was...
I like hearing her laugh.
The thought caught him completely off guard.
He quickly looked away.
...Since when did that happen?
And somehow...
He wasn't sure he wanted to know.
- Writer
