So some of you might remember me from last year's contest. If not, then I'm glad you could come to this story and yes this story will be in this year's contest hosted by dark lil'angel2be. I hope you enjoy 'Summer Rain'.
In the depths of the night before dawn shone, there was a girl, barefooted and clothed with only cotton pajamas, waiting for someone. She was fine, it wasn't particularly cold, in fact it was the opposite, the night was filled with warmth, the thick, wet, warmth that she disliked, but still she would wait. Because she knew he would come to her.
Loud footsteps approached her, she could hear them clearly. The footsteps grew louder with each step until she could see them on the very ground that she was looking at. She didn't need to look up to know who it was.
"You skipped my birthday party." Her tone was flat, her words were clear, her smile was fake. The two were surrounded by empty tables limply decorated with falling streamers and deflating balloons. The party had been over for hours but she was still there, waiting for him.
He knew that she was hurt and could offer her no more words except, "I'm sorry." Next came the excuse. "The meeting ran longer than I expected and then my dad told me that he scheduled a dinner meeting that I couldn't get out of."
"Yeah. That's probably what happened," she told herself. She knew very well that he wasn't cheating on her, he wasn't that type of person who could just lie about something like that. She knew that he just wanted to be the best that his parents expected of him, so he's been trying and trying since forever not to let them down. She knew that he's already…
"You know that I would have been there if I could have," he insisted.
"You probably would have," she agreed. He was always kind to her, she was grateful for that.
"Can I sit next to you?" With a nod of approval, he sat on the table with her, who still did not look up at him. He rummaged through his pockets and in her eyesight was a small, wrapped box. "It's your birthday present," he added.
"Thank you." Her voice lacked the warmth that it had a year ago.
On her birthday last year, she looked up at him so happily, as though her cheeks would break if she were to smile anymore. She pecked him on the cheek as thanks and immediately opened it. Her happiness was blazing like the summer sun. Those were different days.
Dark clouds danced towards the moon, blocking the radiance of night. She sighed and he instantly consoled her. "What's wrong?"
"We… need to talk," she decided, no, insisted.
"We can talk about anything you want to talk about," he told her gently, putting his hand over hers. She did not response with any movements, but he continued to wait because who knows when they'll have another chance to talk about this?
The air grew hotter, tempting him to take off his blazer, but he refused to move his hand out of fear. She slowly processed her thoughts and reached to a decision that she knows she should have made a long ago.
"This isn't working anymore. We aren't working out anymore."
His eyes widened, his heart felt a pang of hurt, but his mind knew somewhere in the back of his mind that this was going to happen. Still, his mouth felt dry as it asked, "Why?"
She had hundreds of feelings to stay yet thousands of reasons to go. "Because…" She swallowed and gathered her will. Starting off stronger, she told him, "Because I know that you will work and work, sacrificing anything and everything just to achieve that dream that you told me ever since we were kids. Even me."
"You know that's not true!" His pulse speed up, his heart thumped out in pain, his neck was sweating ever so slightly from the nervousness and dreadful heat.
She shook her head and took a breath. She was shaking, but continued to keep up a strong front. "All of summer break, you said that you couldn't make it because of company stuff. You even missed our anniversary last month. When we were at school, our schedules and club stuff never lets us meet up. No matter what we do, we really don't see each other anymore, we can't even call or text each other."
"I'm sorry, I know that I haven't made enough time for you—"
"No, that's not what I meant." She didn't want him to be guilty. "It's my fault too, but…" She swallowed her emotions and gathered what little strength she had. "I think we should break up."
Her voice was cracking, her hands were trembling beneath his, her eyes still refused to look at him. "Please don't say that, I'll try to make more time for us." She shook her head. "Please," he begged her. She continued to shake her head, not yet trusting her voice. His heart was crumbling as his voice shook a little. "Please don't let us end like this."
She took a large breath, needing to say these last words. "I want you to accomplish your dream." She was his weakness, she was his distraction, she wanted nothing more but for him to be happy, but she couldn't take it anymore. Each date, she gladly prepared for, hoping that he would say that she looked pretty. Every time, she waits for hours, yet he never shows. Each time she finds time to see him, he has already gone to do something else. Every moment she's not near him, she feels selfish and wants more.
She needed this, he needed this. If they continue like this, they won't be able to last any longer. Next year, they'll already be off to college and unable to see each other even more than now. They can't stay like this.
He calls out her name as the tears droplets fall from the sky. "Fine… I want to accomplish my dream with you by my side. "
Finally she looks at him and smiles. She looks so heartbreakingly beautiful. The rain falls down her cheeks. "But I will just stop you from achieving your dream so let's break up, but before we do…" Her lips quivered. "Can you just hold me one more time, Shade?"
He wanted to do so much more than simply embrace her. Feeling that this could be the last time, he quickly held her, so tightly that she felt like she was going to break, but it felt so good and warm to be back in this place.
He wanted this last time to be a beautiful memory, he wanted to show her that more than anything he wanted to be with her, he wanted to make sure that she knew how much he is love with kissed her forehead, her nose, her cheek, softly, passionately, tasting the bittersweet saltiness from the rain. Finally, he looked at her. The once bright red met a soft purple again. Her light red hair was messily wet, her face was flushed and wet, but she always looked beautiful to him.
He took her lips, tasting the saltiness of tears and bitter sweetness of the moment, taking the bitterness into his heart. They broke off, out of breath and wet. Shade released Fine from his grip, letting her stand on her own.
Nervously, she handed back the box to him. He took her other hand and put it over the box. "Just keep it. I don't care if you throw it away, but could you at least accept it?"
She nodded. "Thanks Shade. I'll see you around?"
"Yeah," he agreed. His voice was cracking. "I'll see you around Fine."
The two turned around and walked their separate ways. The rain quickly let up as does most summer rainfalls. The moon slowly disappears into another place as the sun rises and takes its place. In the new summer dawn, they walk apart on their paths, each to live their own life, to become stronger, to one day love again.