Tears Among The Rain
I sat leaning my back against the windowsill in the common room. I looked throughout the window, staring blankly at almost nothing. Just got lost in my mind, in my own world. Trying to get rid of this pain I felt.
I looked around the room, watching all of the kids there do their own activity. I remained quite, being unnoticed by the other kid.
I am alone...
It was raining outside, drowned the country town of Winchester with icy cold needles. Flashes of lightning, followed by booms of thunder filled the skies as the rain poured harder. Dark clouds that loomed above blocked out the evening sunlight.
I flinched as each drop of the rain hit the glass frame beside me. I hugged my knees, burying my face there. I was trembling, but fairly unnoticeable. I clenched the photo I held in my hand tightly as if I'd never let it go.
The thunder pounced again, making me trembling harder. I can feel a tear appeared in my eyes but I tried to hold it. At this time, a name appeared in my head.
"Nicole," I mumbled.
They all leave me alone…
"Who is Nicole?" A voice came asking.
I lifted my head up to a pale figure boy. He hunched over at the floor, assorting some blank pieces of puzzle together. I turned my gaze around the room, which was now empty. The boy put another pieces before turned his head, looking at me. It was when I realized he has deep grey eyes, beautiful yet mysterious. I stared into his eyes and got lost in it.
"Who is Nicole?" He repeated.
"Sh-She's my mother." I said, startled.
"Hm…" He continued his puzzle again.
Thinking the conversation already over, I buried my face in my knees again. But he asked once again.
"You're afraid of the rain, aren't you?"
I widened my eyes and looked at him, kind of shocked by his question.
"H-how'd you know?" I wiped my tears with my sleeve.
"It's obvious," was his only answer, which doesn't explain anything.
I didn't say anything else and there was silence for some minutes before I heard the crackling voice of the thunder. This time, I couldn't hold myself and screamed out loud, really loud. I tried really hard to cover my ears with both my hands. I felt a tear coming down my face.
Mom's gone. Dad's gone. Brothers have gone…
Leaving me here...
Alone...
I didn't feel anything else except the fear. Suddenly, I felt hands wrapped around my shoulder. I opened my eyes in surprise and looked up to see the boy hugging me. I couldn't hide my fear anymore and hugged him tightly, burying my face in his chest and crying loudly. The boy put one of his hands on my head, running his hand through my hair.
"It's okay," was the entire thing he said, but however, it calmed me down.
I didn't answer nor say anything to him. I just cried as loud as I can, letting all my fear go away. The boy didn't move even a bit. He stayed with me all the time I was crying. And after what feels like hours, I stopped crying and fell asleep because of exhaustion.
I woke up to see a pair of grey eyes looked down at me, watching me while I was asleep. It took me a minute before I realized I fell asleep on his lap, my hands still around his waist.
"You're awake," he said more like a statement than a question.
I sat up quickly and released both my hands. My face stammered a bit in embarrassment. No one ever saw me crying loudly like that, crying like a cry baby. I looked at him.
"Y-yeah. Thank you..."
"Near," he suddenly said.
"What?"
"I'm Near," he repeated.
"Oh, yeah."
I tried to figure out some new nickname since I'm not gonna use my real name here. I extended my hand, offering him a shake hand; smiling.
"I'm Rain."
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"Near, you should play outside sometimes," Linda said from the door.
"I am fine." He replied nonchalantly, not taking his eyes from the puzzle in front of him.
"Leave'em alone, Linda." I heard another boy said as he walked through the corridor.
Linda turned her gaze at me. "How about you, Rain?"
"I guess I'll stay here." I smiled and waved at her.
Linda sighed then said, "Okay."
With that, she left. I watched her left for a minute before turned back to my sketchbook.
"Why aren't you playing with the other?" Near suddenly asked.
"Am I annoying?" I asked back.
"..No." He said as he took a piece of the puzzle with his right hand.
I smiled. "Good. Then I can stay here, right?" I continued drawing.
"Why aren't you playing with Matt?" He repeated his question, though he changed it a bit.
"Matt's busy. The teacher told him to work harder and gave him a lot of home works." I told him and chuckled, recalling Matt's face when the teacher did that.
"Hm…"
"And anyway…" I put my sketchbook on the floor and walked towards Near.
I sat down beside him and messed his white hair, "It was fun being with you more than with anyone else."
I smiled at him. Near looked at me with wide eye, looking surprise. But then it replaced with a small smile for just a minute before he was back to his usual emotionless face.
"What are you drawing?" he asked as he looking at my sketchbook.
"You," I said innocently.
He didn't respond for a minute and remained silent as he finishing his puzzle.
"Is it okay?" I tilted my head, feeling a bit worry he's gonna mad.
"It is okay."
I smiled again and continue draw a sketch of him.
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-Knock Knock-
I heard a knocking on my room door. I put down the book I've been reading and walked towards the door. I opened the door slowly, revealing a white-haired boy standing in front of me.
"Hey, Near." I smiled.
He looked at me emotionlessly. "Can I come in?"
"Sure." I said as I stepped back from the door, allowing him to enter the room.
He walked in and stopped in the middle of my room. I closed the door before turning to him. He dragged my desk chair and sat on it, lifting his left leg up the chair; while I sat at the edge of my bed.
"What is it, Near?" I asked, knowing that Near wouldn't come here without any reason.
He twirled his hair with his right hand. "I'll be leaving soon," he answered after about a minute.
I was shocked. My eyes wide open, looking at Near's grey eyes. Trying to find out whether he's joking or not, which hopefully he was. But he's not. He was serious.
"Wh-what?" I stuttered. "Why?"
"Kira case," he answered simply.
"When?" I asked, cannot say anything more than one word.
"This evening."
"This evening!?" I repeated louder and jumped forward in shock.
He nodded, still twirling his hair.
"W-why didn't you tell me before?"
".........." He didn't answer.
"Are you… gonna leave me alone here?" I tried so hard not to make my voice shaking.
I tried to hold my tears. I didn't wanna cry. I didn't wanna make him worry. But I couldn't help it. Tears came falling out from my eyes like acid rain.
"Y-you are gonna leave me," I said, answering my own question.
I looked down at the floor; trying to rub my tears away with my hands even though it's useless. I heard the sound of Near's steps as he walked towards me. I felt a pair of hand wrapping around me in a hug.
"It's okay," he said in a same tone as when we first met.
He will be gone
Leaving me here....
Alone...
I hugged him back. He didn't say anything; I did the same, too. Then, just like the last time, I cried out loud.
It was all too sudden. Why didn't he tell me sooner?
After a while, my cry turned into small sob. I pushed him away gently, releasing him from my hug.
"Near, thanks." I looked at him.
Near nodded and sat on the bed next to me. I wiped the tears in my eyes with my sleeves.
"I'm sorry... for being a cry baby." I said laughing slightly, which obviously fake.
He glanced at me then put his hand on top of my head, patting me like I was a cat.
"So, will you be with me until that time?"
"Yes." He said in his usual tone.
I smiled, looking at him while he took out a bundle of cards from his pocket. He bent down to the floor and hunched over like he usually do, putting the bundle beside him. He started to build a card tower.
I walked over to my desk and opened one of the drawers, taking out my one and only sketchbook. I sat on the floor leaning my back against the wall, watching him built up the tower as my hand started drawing him.
But this time… It's a little bit different.
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I stood in front of my room window. The sun started moving to the west, leaving a final orange to red glow before finally disappearing from the sky. It's time for Near to go.
I looked throughout the window, watching the horizon as the sun gone. My gaze switched when I saw two figures walking outside the orphanage at the corner of my eyes. I looked down, seeing Near and Roger stand there; looks like the two of them was talking about something. Near was holding a lot of toys in his hands, typical of him. But I was staring at what look like a sketchbook in his hand.
--Flashback--
"Near," I called.
"Yes?" Near answered, still focusing with his blank puzzle.
"I have something for you." I held out my sketchbook, showing it in front of his face.
He stared at the sketchbook then took it from my hand, observing the cover for a while. Before then opened it, seeing through all the sketches I made.
"It was all me," he said flipping another page.
I nodded even though I'm pretty sure he didn't see it. He already reached the last page when I sat down next to him. He gazed at me then turned the sketchbook around, showing me the last sketch.
It was a sketch of two people, a boy and a girl. They sit side by side in front of a big window. The girl hugged her knees; her hair covering her face. The boy who sat next to her has wavy hair. He patted the girl's head as if he was comforting the girl.
"It was us. The first time we met, am I correct?"
I smiled at him. "Yes. I'm happy you remember."
"Rain."
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
-------------------
My gaze followed him when he started walking to the orphanage gate, didn't looking back even a bit.
He will be gone
And I will be alone... again
'Should I let it go like this?' I thought to myself.
I need him…
I don't want to be left again…
I bit my lower lip and in a quick movement, I opened the window and jerked my head out.
"Near!" I yelled, Roger and Near looked up in quite a surprise at me. "Don't lose to Kira! I'll try to catch up so we can work together!"
I took a breath before continue. "Do your best, Near!"
Near looked at me wide-eyed. But then it quickly changes into a slight smile. I smiled back, waving at him like a madman.
But I'm dying inside…
I watched as he turned around and continue his journey towards the gate.
I don't want to be alone…
In front of the gate, waiting for him, a black limo car. A man opened the car door when Near already about a feet from him and Near hoped in. Before he completely in, he took a last glance at me. Fairly unnoticeable, but I'm pretty sure about it. I watched the black limo drove off, away from the gate, away the orphanage, away from me.
The car disappeared from my eyesight so I pulled my head inside the room again. I closed the window and turned my gaze all around my room blankly. Everything's remained the same.
Everything but this pain I felt…
I sat at the edge of my bed, the same place I had used this morning. I buried my face in both of my hands. A tear came to my eyes as the pain I felt became stronger. I felt like crying.
However, something caught my eyes. I stopped my attention at the top of my desk and found a white blank puzzle with a letter of L on one of its corner.
I took the puzzle up with my hands. It was a puzzle Near usually played. It's the same, except there's something on it written with black marker:
'I will be waiting for you.'
I felt a warmth feeling grow inside. A smile appeared on my face. It felt like it's been years since I smile like this.
He's gone…
And I'm alone…
He won't be back…
But he will be waiting…
Waiting for me…
Waiting for the time we will be together again.
And when that time come…
...I won't be alone anymore...
Author's Note:
I got some spelling problems in this story making, but I had edited it a few times before publish it. So I'm really sorry if there're still some mistakes.
Reviews and critiques are welcomed. Anyway, thank you for reading.