A/N: Another warm-up piece that took longer than it should have. Writing is hard work! On a side note, my headcanon for Great White is that his real name is Nathan. I hope that the Briticisms I added blend well with the story.
Come Again Another Day
"Blasted rain!"
I stood awkwardly at the bus stop, kicking my feet at the wet pavement. As soon as the first drops of these hellish showers started, I knew I should have brought an umbrella. It was either that or my ridiculous neon green wellies which my Mum had bought at a discount store. Just my rotten luck. I desperately tried to shield my head from Mother Nature's angry tears with my messenger bag, hoping that the fabric could withstand the moisture for a little longer. Although, to be frank, I wasn't sure how long I would be staying out here. I wouldn't be surprised if by the time I come home, I will have skipped afters.
Back in Liverpool, it rained regularly. Though I must confess, I've never gotten used to it nor grown fond of it. Such weather was always much too parky for me and my clothes would be sopping wet by the end of the day. To put it simply, rain was bloody irritating and I did not like it.
So, how did I get into this barmy predicament? Well, it started like this. My sister has a dance recital tonight and my Mum had to come with to drive her to and from the place. Naturally, she brought along my baby sister who couldn't be left home alone. As for my brother, he's just recently moved into his college dorm. Not only that, I had gotten a call from my father earlier in the day and had been told that he would be working overtime. With no one to pick me up at this hour, I was forced to take the bus.
And here I am, stranded in the middle of a shopping district waiting for a ride. I shifted in my spot and tried to keep myself warm. Chivvy along, bus. I don't got all day here, I thought impatiently. A chilly draft began to pick up as time marched on. Was the storm getting worse? Or was it just my imagination?
Thick, grey clouds loomed overhead. Deafening booms erupted all around me which just about scared my kecks off. Lightning flashed throughout the brewing skies. I was beginning to think that walking home, despite how far it was, would have been a better option. It also occurred to me that I was no longer sure of what time of day it was. The town had been cloaked in this darkness since I got out of school.
All of a sudden, a loud crack came from above.
"Shit!" I hastily side-stepped to the right, barely dodging a nasty-looking tree branch.
Bloody fantastic. The day has gone completely pear shaped. I shivered as the air turned frigid. Now that I think about it, I might have also been shaking from my recent close encounter with that over-sized limb of vegetation. I balanced my bag atop my head, constantly exchanging one arm for the other because they were getting tired. Maybe if I just close my eyes… it'll all be over, I thought, beginning to nod off. Wait. What was I doing? I might get myself killed if I fall asleep! I shook myself awake, but my eye lids felt heavy. While still feeling a tad bit drowsy, I could have sworn I heard the sound of approaching footsteps. They seemed to be coming from my left.
In the distance, I could make out the faint outline of a dark figure. It was hulking and misshapen. Was it a bear? That didn't make much sense. I pondered this for a moment. Then, it dawned on me that whatever that thing was, it was headed in my direction. It was at this point that I began to feel paranoid. I recalled scary stories told by my mates back home about a serial killer with a hook for a hand who liked to collect his victims' organs or about Death appearing to people at the most unexpected times with his frighteningly sharp scythe. I had never truly believed them, but their tales always nagged at me.
"H-hallo? Who's there?" I shouted to the dodgy fellow.
Sod it all, I thought. I'm going to die.
It was definitely someone, a person. I could hear the faint tapping of shoes as they came in contact with the pavement. I was just about to leg it, until I saw the bloke come into view. The strange lumbering silhouette was actually a huge black umbrella and whoever was carrying it appeared to be quite small in comparison.
I squinted my eyes and saw a little boy with neatly combed hair walking casually in the rain. He appeared to be wearing a cardigan with a chubby cat on it and khaki kecks as well as a knitted beanie, ear muffs, and a muffler. Definitely well-suited for today's weather, that's for sure. At first, I didn't recognize him, but my eyes widened with disbelief when his face came into focus. It was Kitten. I think I would have rather encountered the hook-handed man. Kitten may dress like a Nancy Boy, but he was not a force to be reckoned with.
"Ah. I thought that voice sounded familiar," Kitten said in his usual cool manner. "How do you do?"
He stuck out his right hand for me to shake, but I just stood there gaping at him. He took it back and narrowed his eyes, though he said nothing of it afterward. We waited at the bus stop in silence. The pitter-patters of the rain was the only noise between us.
Finally, I mustered up the courage to say something. "Why are you here?"
"To take the bus. What else?" he replied simply.
I shook my head. "No, no. More specific than that. Don't try to get smart with me, mate."
Kitten fidgeted and turned to face me. He had pursed his lips into a frown. He appeared to be very uncomfortable. "…Why do you want to know?"
"Come now, chap. I won't judge you. Promise."
"My Mommy and Daddy are running late from work," he mumbled.
I burst out laughing. Mommy and Daddy? I thought. How charming! He truly dotes on his folks! Kitten glared at me, his cheeks puffing out like a blowfish. He seemed a bit cute, honestly. After some time, Kitten took a deep breath and attempted to regain his composure. He glanced up and down at me, as if he were inspecting my person. I felt slightly self-conscious.
"Where's your umbrella?" he questioned, raising a curious eyebrow.
I coughed. "Oh well. Didn't bring one. What's it to ya?"
"Do you… want to stand under mine?" he suggested innocently, a mischievous glint in his eye.
Blood rushed to my pale cheeks. Stand under his umbrella? What could he possibly be getting at? I thought frantically. In movies, when a person offers their umbrella to someone, it's usually because they fancy the other. Is he trying to ask me out? Or are we already having a date at this very instant?! Rain is supposedly incredibly romantic!
"You're off your trolley! I refuse to do such a thing!" I shouted, vehemently declining and feeling tremendously embarrassed.
As if right on cue, lightning flashed and claps of thunder echoed around us. Then suddenly, I saw something fall out of the corner of my eye. My Mum always said that once you've been bitten, you're twice as shy. I wholeheartedly believed that whatever had dropped from the heavens was another enormous, gnarly tree branch.
"AHHHH! BLOW ME!" I screeched, taking cover.
My messenger bag dropped onto the pavement with a heavy thud. I was certain I would regret this later, but the only thing I was worried about at that point in time was whatever had fallen. For a while, I stood there with my head covered and my eyes shut tight. Slowly, I opened my eyes one after the other. Then, I steadied myself. I glanced up and saw that I was standing underneath the cover of Kitten's umbrella. I turned to look at the kid. He appeared to be strangely interested in my arm. Why? I hadn't noticed it yet, but I had instinctively grabbed onto Kitten's arm during my panic. We were now holding hands. Wildly flustered, I yanked my hand away. I hope he didn't see me blushing. Kitten, on the other hand, appeared to be somewhat disappointed. Now, about that tree branch…
"What fell?" I asked, scratching my head.
"This." Kitten held up a small twig.
I shook my head, stunned. If anyone from school had seen me then, my reputation would have been ruined! I could only imagine what headlines the school newspaper would have published: Great White, Gritty Brawler turned Sissy Boy, Mortified by a Harmless Stick. The air remained awkward between us, so we just focused our attention towards our surroundings instead. Although much time has passed, the rain was still pouring. I stared down at my feet. Mum's gonna box my ears for laying waste on my new loafers, I thought glumly. I sighed.
"Nathan, do you like it when it rains?" Kitten inquired.
I laughed humorlessly. "Oh no, not at all. I absolutely loathe it. What about you?"
A warm smile appeared on Kitten's face, but only for a moment. He gazed at the falling droplets of water, holding out a hand to collect a few of them. In the palm of his hand, the moisture got absorbed and the droplets disappeared.
"Rain is my favorite kind of weather. During times like this, the town is always so peaceful and quiet. It's as if the world remains solemn and respectful as the skies weep," he explained.
"That's very poetic," I praised, impressed with his description.
Kitten seemed quite pleased with my compliment. However, shortly after that, he frowned. His eyes stared down at the pavement.
"Can I ask you a serious question?" he whispered.
Feeling curious, I said yes.
"Do I… frighten you?"
I raised an eyebrow. Where's this coming from all of a sudden? I thought. "Frighten me? Well, naturally. You're a complete psychopath."
"Perhaps, but you seem different. I mean, you don't exactly run away whenever you see my face."
I mulled this over for a moment. It was true. Unlike Mac or Vince, I never felt unnerved by Kitten's mere presence, save for the times when he was in pure lunatic mode. In fact, I was often the one who would come searching for him. It's as if I had grown bizarrely attached to the kid.
"That and you're always picking fights with me," Kitten continued, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "Are you… trying to tell me something?"
He turned to me, staring me squarely in the eyes. It felt as if his gaze was burning an impression in my soul. Then, he leaned in close to my face. We were only inches apart from each other now. I could feel Kitten's breath on my lips. He had a bit of a pleasant minty fragrance about him. Possibly deciding that I was uncomfortable enough, he suddenly back away.
Kitten chuckled. That git. He loves to see me suffer.
After a while, we heard the unmistakable vrooms of an auto's engine. A pair of lights reflected on the damp road came our way. The bus! It was here, finally! Fashionably late, I might add. It rolled up to the pavement and stopped right in front of us. Kitten swiftly gave me a small peck on the cheek, catching me off-guard.
"Well, it's been fun. I'll see you around, Nathan," Kitten boarded the bus, amusement dancing in his eyes.
He winked at me and waved goodbye. I was frozen in place, baffled at what had just occurred. It took time for me to become conscious of the fact that the bus was driving off without me. I hurriedly snatched up my muddied bag and made a run for it. At the same time, I tried not to slip on any of the wet puddles scattered about. I could see the back window of the bus from where I was.
Kitten was seated at the back of the bus, watching me scramble to catch up. He appeared to be mouthing something to me: "Come again another day."