The Rain became my Friend
My name is Anwar, a warrior without a heart. I cannot reveal emotions or even share them with other people. I have been cursed with a heartless body and I felt that I have already died. A life without love is no life at all. So you are wondering why didn't just stab myself? Why didn't I kill myself since I don't have a heart? Well, I asked myself so many times and my mind just stir into confusion. I felt that there was something I need to find. I felt I had to do something before I passed. I kept on searching for a path, my path until I bumped into her.
"Papa…" A voice said, running towards my bed. She sluggishly climbed up the bed and shook me. "Papa…"
"Alexia…" I said, waking up. I found her crying. I stood up from my bed and rubbed my eyes. I was shirtless as I watched my daughter cry.
"Papa, I had a nightmare. I dreamt that you and mama died by an evil demon." The little girl cried. She had long violet hair like me yet her eyes sparkle just like her mother. "I couldn't do anything."
"Shh…" I said, pulling her into my arms and rocking her. "Alexia, it is only a nightmare. I am here for you." I turned to a woman who was still sleeping peacefully on the other side of the bed. Her long orange hair raced down her back and she had a small smile on her face. "See, your mother is still here so please calm down."
"Papa, it was real." She cried.
"How about I tell you a story, it will give you good dreams." I offered, cupping her face. "A good story will erase the bad nightmare away." Her eyes flicker up with joy and excitement.
"Really? I want to hear how you ended up with mom." She replied. "I want to know everything. Please tell me Papa…"
"I see…" I said, putting some thought into it. "I guess I can tell you. You see your mother is the hero of Kaleihia and I was nothing more than a heartless pawn to a witch of the desert. When I bumped into her, my heart started pounding. I knew I didn't have one but my chest felt weird. She is the bravest woman ever. She fought monsters and saved many lives. And when the chaos was over, I wanted to tell her how I felt. However, she decided to train herself at Mount Eloise. I haven't seen her since then so I waited and waited for her to return. "
"ASHALITA!" Nanai screamed, racing towards her. Ashalita just came out of the Major's house. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU ARE BACK!"
"I am. I am just saying hi to everyone before I get to your place." Ashalita said, smiling. "You look beautiful as always Nanai."
"But look at you… You are grown." Nanai said, hugging her. "I am so happy that you are back."
"Same here…" Ashalita said. "Well, since you are here do you want to head to my place? It has been a long trip and I feel a little tired at the moment. I am sorry for my rudeness and all."
"Not at all… We can talk later." Nanai said, walking beside her. "But you owe me a day with you Ashalita. I don't want anyone else hogging you."
"Thank you for understanding." Ashalita said, giggling. "And I will make sure to come to you first when I wake up."
"Hey Ashalita, what are you going to do?" Nanai asked. "You saved the world and you are pretty much loved by everyone. What are you going to do?"
"It has been six years already." Ashalita replied, touching her long orange hair. "It has been awhile that I fought evil demons. I went training just because I felt that I need to be prepared for the worse however, I have missed a lot lately. A lot of things are different now."
"You are different as well Ashalita. You are now a woman and look how beautiful you have become." Nanai said, giggling. "It is weird that no man has taken your heart."
"I am hoping for someone special to turn around." She said, blushing.
"Wait, there is someone in mind." Nanai teased. "Who is this mystery man?"
"It is a secret." She replied, sticking out her tongue. "Well, I will see you later Nanai. I am going to take a nap."
"I will see you as well." Nanai said, waving goodbye. "And make sure to say hi to your mystery man. He must miss you so much." Ashalita walked to her house and paused at the door. She turned to the bushes and let out a smile.
"This is where I first met him…" She said, let out a blush. "I wonder if he is still around." She entered her house. Then she walked to her bed and at the billboard beside it, was a photo of her and Anwar. She was forcing him to smile while he was looking away and blushing at the same time. "Anwar…"
"Papa, did you love mommy before she left for training?" Alexia asked.
"At first I didn't understand my feelings but I knew that I only felt it around your mother." I explained.
"You were in love with her from the beginning. Even mommy has the same feelings." Alexia said. "That what Cousin Nanai told me. She tells me stories about you two when she babysits me like your void curse."
"I see…"
"So did you ever found the cure?"
"Yeah, I did and took me a while to figure that out."
"She is back?" Anwar said, shaking. "I can't believe she is finally back. What should I do? I should go and visit her. That is what I should do." He raced away to her place but paused for a moment. "Oh no, I can't go empty handed. I need to give her a gift." I bought her a nice hair decoration from my homeland. "She is going to like this." As he walked to the house, he heard noises. He turned to the window and found Ashalita with Duran.
"Ashalita, will you accept?" Duran asked, grabbing her hand. "Please, I am begging you. You are the only person suited for this."
"I don't know what to say." She said, blushing in front of him. "Everything is happening so fast and I just got back home."
"Please say yes…" Duran pleaded. Anwar froze with shook. "As a hero, I promise that you won't regret it. Please say yes…"
He is proposing to her? A marriage proposal? Anwar thought, gripping his fist.
"Yes, I will be honored." She replied. "I am so happy." Without hesitation, Anwar fled from the scene. "So when is the wedding?"
"Soon, you know how Lauca is. She is sweet yet always in a hurry. I am happy that you will be our priest for our wedding. It will mean to the world to her." Duran explained. "She only wants people that she trusts in the wedding."
"I am happy to be there." Ashalita said, hugging him. "I am so proud of you my rival."
"Thanks Ashalita and someday, you will probably be engaged as well." Duran teased, pulled her back. "And if your wedding day comes, I will be there to share your happiness."
"Thank you Duran…" She replied.
"Well, I must be going. I will see you later." Duran said, walking out the house.
"Tell Lauca I said hi." Ashalita said, turning back to the photo of her and Anwar. "I think I should go see him now. I hope he stills remember me. It has been so long." She then turned to the window and found rain. "Oh dear, he might get wet."
"Why did I think she will pick me?" Anwar said, running towards the Back Alley and gripped onto the metal rail. It was raining and he didn't care. He didn't bother to run for shelter. "Damn it, I am such an idiot." He pulled out the hair decoration out of his pocket. "She wouldn't like this anyway. She wouldn't want to put this on."
"Really? I think it is kind of cute." A voice said. He turned and found Ashalita with an umbrella. "Hello Anwar, it has been awhile. I hope you still remember me."
"How can I forget you?" He replied, staring at her. She is far more beautiful than I imagined. Duran, you are one lucky guy. "Ashalita, what are you doing here?"
"Well, I was going to sleep in and meet you tomorrow but I wanted to see you so bad." She said, walking towards him. "I hope I am not bothering you."
"Ashalita, you might get a cold. Please leave me." Anwar said, turning away from her. "I don't want to get involved."
"Get involved? It is too late for that." Ashalita said, walking towards him and sharing the umbrella. I have always wanted to see you again. I wish you knew how I feel about you. "You are the one that is wet here. Come to my place."
"Just leave me alone. Go away…" Anwar snapped, tossing the umbrella away from him. "I am fine on my own. So don't even care about me because I don't care about you." It fell to the ground. "I don't want to see you anymore. So leave me alone."
"I see…" Ashalita said, reaching for the umbrella. He hates me that much. Why did I ever think he was waiting for me? Why did I ever think he will love me? "I will leave you alone forever." He turned to her and found her crying. "Goodbye Anwar…" She raced away with tears in her eyes.
"ASHALITA!" He screamed. The rain grew louder that she didn't hear him call out her name. "Ashalita…"
"Papa, you can be very mean." Alexia pouted, crossing her arms.
"Yeah, I was so frustrated that the woman I love is engaged. It was wrong of me to put all my anger to her." I explained. "And when I saw your mother in tears, I knew that I have hurt her. I have never seen Ashalita cry before and I hated myself for making her cry."
"So what did you do Papa?"
"I stood in the rain for a long time, thinking what to do. And I decided to fix it with her even when she was engaged to Duran. I wanted to still be friends with her." I replied.
"So what happened?"
"My plan was to go to her place and apologize but plans never go well." I answered.
The next morning, Anwar walked to Ashalita's front door. He let out a sneeze or two and his nose was running. "Damn this cold. I shouldn't have listen to her and get out of the rain." He said, knocking on the door. I feel dizzy and my head is pounding in pain. The door opened and it was Ashalita.
"Anwar?" She said shockingly.
"Ashalita, I want to say that I am…" He said, swaying. "I am…" Ashalita placed her palm on his forehead.
"Anwar you are burning hot. You are even red as a lobster." She said, helping him in the house. "You have a cold. I told you to stay away from the rain." She led him to her bed and placed him down. "Get some rest okay? I will take care of you."
"I don't deserve… I just want to say that…" Anwar mumbled.
"Anwar, you just focus on getting better. I promise that everything is going to be okay." She replied. "I should get some herbs. I think Nanai should have some. I will be right back Anwar." She raced out the door and left him alone.
"She is too kind…" Anwar said. "Damn I don't deserve her." He then looked around her house. I don't deserve her kindness at all. The way I treated her yesterday, I don't deserve anything from her. He then came across a photo of him and her. She kept that… I can't believe she kept that…
"Ashalita, what is that?" I asked, staring at her. She was holding a metal object in her hands. "Is it a weapon?"
"It is called a camera. You take picture of people and place. It is like a memory catcher." She explained, letting out a smile. "How about we take a picture together?"
"Why? There is nothing memorable about this. We see each other every day." I protest. "It is not like I am going away. I have to stay here so you can teach me about my emotions and human contact."
"I know but at least there is evidence that we were friends." She said, grabbing my hand. "And that you are happy to live." She lifted the camera higher and faced towards us. She hugged me from behind and all I can do is blush. Then the flash appears and my eyes were hurting. "Anwar first picture…. I am going to keep this forever."
"Why? I think it is a stupid picture." I said. "Why do you want to keep it?"
"We are in it together and we will be together forever." She said, smiling.
When I met her, my life finally had meaning. I felt that I can do anything just because of her. Her smile always gives me a sensation within me and I only feel it around her.
"Anwar, I am back." She said, racing towards the fireplace. She boiled water in a huge black pot. "I am going to make you soup." She then moved towards him. "I got some medicine from Nanai. She told me that you will be fine within a day or two." She made me drink the medicine. "There you go. Now you need some rest."
"Ashalita, there is…" Anwar said, fading away. "I…"
"Anwar…" She said, hugging him. "You should get some sleep. I will wake you up when the soup is ready."
"I…love… you…" He said. He finally drifted to sleep and all Ashalita did was blush. She then kissed him softly on the cheek.
"I love you too Anwar…" She whispered.
"So mommy took care of you even when you yelled at her?" Alexia asked.
"Yeah, she was a kind-hearted woman." I answered. "Before, everyone didn't believe in her and blamed her for things. But in the end even with all that harsh and brutal torment, your mother found forgiveness and fought for what is it right. I guess that is why she is the chosen one for the Book of Prophecy."
"Mommy sounds amazing. I am happy that she is my mommy."
"I am happy that she is my wife." I replied, turning to my wife. I bend down and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "I am a lucky man."
"So what happened next?"
An hour has past and Anwar finally woke up. He forced his body up and found a bowl of warm soup and a cup of green tea on the table beside his bed. He took a spoonful of the soup. Wow… This is so delicious… He ate everything. He then fell back from his bed and all of the sudden, he heard singing.
"I always needed time on my own but I never thought I need you there when I cry. And the days feel like years when I'm alone. And the bed where you lie is made up on your side. When you walk away, I count the steps that you take. Do you see how much I need you right now?" The voice sweetly sung. He jumped off his bed and walked towards the window. He found Ashalita watering flowers while singing. She was swaying her body as she was doing her chores. "When you're gone, the pieces of my heart are missing you. When you're gone, the face I came to know is missing too. When you're gone, all the words I need to hear to always get me through the day and make it okay." He opened the door slowly and quietly, not disturbing her happy place. "I miss you."
"I miss you too." Anwar said. She turned and smiled.
"Anwar, you look better. How are you?" She asked, racing towards him. She placed her palm on his forehead. "Your fever is gone. I am so glad. I was so worried about you."
"Thanks to you…"
"No, it is mostly Nanai's medicine. I didn't do anything. She told me that you will be cure within two days but you seem a lot better. That is very good medicine." Ashalita said, blushing. "I am happy that you are feeling better though."
"Even with Nanai's medicine, you took care of me even though I yelled at you. You gave me your bed and aid me when I needed you. You saved me Ashalita and I owe you a lot." Anwar said, grabbing her hand. "Also, I am sorry for the other day. It is just I love you and Duran has to take you away from me. I still want to be your friend though and I promise to never treat you like that again. I will care and love you as a friend."
"Duran? What are you talking about?" She asked, looking confused. "Duran is just Duran to me."
"Duran proposed to you yesterday." He said. "You must be engaged to him already. I came to visit you and found him with a proposal and you were smiling." Then Ashalita let out a giggle. "What is so funny?"
"That is why you screamed at me? I didn't know you can be so jealous." Ashalita teased. "Also, there is nothing going on between me and Duran. He just asked me to be the priest for Lauca and his wedding."
"I AM NOT JEALOUS! I WILL NOT WASTE MY TIME BEING JEALOUS OVER THAT GUY!" Anwar snapped. Then he paused and stared at her for a brief moment. "I mean… What? He is with Lauca?"
"Yes, I am not getting married to Duran." Ashalita said. "I am just going to be the priest at their wedding. Lauca doesn't trust anyone else but me so I agreed to be her priest. She is not moderate like us but she is learning."
"But he kneeled down in front of you and…" Anwar said. She placed her finger to his lips.
"You know how he wants to make a grand scene. I am not marrying him because I am in love with someone else." She replied. "I have been in love with him for a long time and I am happy to know that he loves me back." She then let out a giggle. "But it doesn't matter, what matters that you are fine." She was heading to the door. "Let's get something to eat. I think there is more soup…" Anwar pulled her back and without hesitation, stole a kiss from her. She was shock at first and then gives in to him. She pulled him closer and sank into a passionate kiss. He pulled back and smiled.
"I love you and well… I don't have a ring on me but I do have this." He said, pulling out the hair decoration out of his pocket. "Will you wear this as a symbol of our engagement?" He placed it on her hair.
"Are you proposing?" She asked, blushing.
"Yes…" Anwar said, kneeing in front of her. "I am not rich or have a fancy life for you to be proud of. I am just a desert warrior and fell madly in love with you. You taught me how to love and feel once again and I want to learn more until the end of my days. So Ashalita, will you be my wife?" She started to cry yet the smile on her face was still intact.
"So if I accept this, you won't leave me alone?" She asked.
"I wouldn't dream about it." He replied. She hugged him tightly.
"Then yes, yes I will marry you." She said with glee. "I love you so much Anwar." Anwar lifted her up in the air and twirled her around. Then it started to rain and all they did was laugh. "We should get inside. We both might get a cold."
"I think a few minutes won't hurt." He replied, kissing her again.
"Your mother and I had a marriage ceremony in the desert and your cousin Nanai was her Maiden of Honor while Rex was my best man." I said. "We then were blessed with a beautiful daughter name Alexia and we all lived happily ever after." After I was done, I found my daughter sleeping in my arms. I carried her into the room and placed her on the bed. "Sweet dreams my flower."
"That was a nice bedtime story." A voice said. I turned and found my wife leaning against the doorframe. "You should tell her stories more often."
"So you were awake." I said, giving her a smile. "You are very sneaky for a hero." I then walked towards her and cupped her face. She was wearing the hair decoration I gave her on the day she became my wife, my future, my life. "So you really like the story?"
"Yes, it was wonderful yet not perfect." She replied, touching her stomach. "You forget one more character." I paused for a moment as she blushed with a smile. "It has been four months now, I am sorry for not telling Anwar. I just needed to be sure."
"You're pregnant again?" I asked. She nodded her head and I hugged her tightly. "I can't wait to meet our baby." I then kneed in front of her and listened to her stomach. Her fingers raced through my violet hair. "It is like music to my ears." I stood up and smiled.
"So you really like your happy ending?" She asked.
"We are not there at the ending but I have a feeling it is going to be happy one." I said, cupping her face. "Because I have you with me…" The minute I kissed my wife it started to rain. The rain was always a sign of gloomiest and sadness but to me it was more than that. It gave me my happy life and became my friend.