Rain I: Drizzle

Cezille07

Elena can try but she can never resist.

Disclaimer: Again, none of this is mine (the characters, etc.) except for the plot, borne out of boredom and some hell of traffic.

Someone was in the living room?

"Excuse me, miss."

"Oh my, you must be the owner of this house, I'm so sorry, really terribly sorry!"

Elena stood up from the couch and faced the rather pale boy in front of her. "It's raining hard and I still have some way to walk, and your door was unlocked so I came in. I'm really sorry—"

"It's okay," said the boy. The way he moved reminded her of someone she might have known in a past life. He was...'familiar'. "Um, can I get you something?"

"No, please don't, letting me stay is enough," she replied, trying and succeeding in sounding apologetic. She made to get up, but he stopped her.

"It's okay. I'll get you a drink."

"No, I'm fine. Please don't mind me. I'll just wait for the rain to stop."

"Alright."

It was a sad Friday again; heaven was releasing all its tears upon the unsuspecting earth-bound people.

The boy sat on the couch across her and put two glasses of orange juice on the center table. "I'm Zick. What's your name?"

Elena looked at the juice. "I'm Elena." She shifted her glance out the window again. "It'll stop any moment by now, I'll leave as soon as it does. I had to pick the best time not to bring an umbrella."

"Do you live around here? I can lend you mine."

"Please, please, no thank you, you're too kind."

Zick looked taken aback.

"Sorry, did I say something?"

"No," he said, forcing the words. "It's just that...well, nobody really tells me those things."

Elena looked at him. Closely for the first time since he arrived. "Don't you have a family?"

"Well, they're all dead—my parents left me this big house and I'm all alone except—"

"What?" What suspense! He was more interesting than he was mysterious. She caught the smile that was forming on her lips and said, "I'm sorry, you don't have to."

He took a sip of juice. "It's the first time I've had anyone around except for..." He looked around him nervously and leaned closer. "Sometimes I'm not all alone, really."

"What do you mean?" replied Elena, amused for some reason. Then again, she caught herself before another line. "Oh, I'm really sorry. Call me nosy. I'm not really like this."

Zick looked at her with an interest equalling her own. He smiled. "I think I can trust you."

Elena blushed. What a really interesting person Zick was! They were strangers yet they were almost talking like...like...friends.

"Something wrong?" he asked. "You look pale."

"I..." She gulped and finally took the juice. Something made her want to cry. I wish I had friends, she thought, but changed it to, "I remembered something."

"Someone."

"What?"

"Someone," he repeated.

How did you know? She smiled and finished half the juice. "You know what Zick, I also never had a lot of friends."

"Oh, but you're so pretty, it's hard to imagine."

'Pretty'! Wow, I really like you, she thought.

He grinned. "Me too."

This time Elena couldn't hide her surprise. "You can read my mind!" she said through a big grin.

"Yes." He got up and put his glass in the kitchen.

The rain was starting to abate.

When Zick returned, Elena got up.

"Thank you for your hospitality."

"You're welcome, Elena."

"Another person might have thrown me out—this is the nicest thing anyone's done for me."

"It's no problem. You can come back anytime."

He always had a weak smile playing on his face, she noticed.

"Um, thanks again. I guess I'll be going now," she said, feeling the press of the awkward moment, the moment he never took his critical eyes off her. He was smiling as he swept her with his gaze, and she melted in it.

"Sure. It was nice to meet you, Elena," he replied. He held the door open for her.

She stepped outside. "Uh, Zick..."

"What?"

The sun was shining steadily. The rain was over. There was no more reason to stay. She had promised only until after the rain. There was no more reason...

"Can I get your number?"

It came out completely wrong.

"Yeah," he replied as he whipped out a cellphone from the front pocket of his jeans. "Here it is."

She wondered why he had a phone if he was all alone and doesn't have friends. Maybe he had the same reason she owned a cellphone: she was waiting for someone to use it with.

"Thanks."

"Okay."

Now this was really it. She didn't want to leave...

She looked away, fought a pleading gaze to reach him. Why did he have to be this kind to her? They were total strangers but, everything felt right about him, about them...

"I...don't really want to go," she confessed.

"I know."

"Um, this is really awkward," she whispered to herself. Why can't I just walk away?

Thunder struck high above them, following a long flash of lightning. They both looked up at the forbidding sky, which promised to pour down more rain than before.

"You can stay," he offered.

"Huh? I mean, really?" She could simply run before it rained again. It was just a few more blocks. Manners, yes, manners were important. "I can go on now. This'll be okay."

"This'll turn into a storm before long."

He had watched the weather forecast for the whole week. He knew she was coming, somehow.

She looked unconvinced. "I've trespassed into your home and you've been too kind, this is too much."

"I insist."

They looked at each other for another couple of awkward moments.

"Sorry," he said. Now it was his turn for apology.

"Yeah," replied Elena. She tucked a lost strand of flaming orange hair behind her ear.

Silence, once more.

"So, I guess this is it."

"Yeah, Zick. Uh, nice meeting you. Thank you again."

"Okay. Drop by if you can."

Elena grinned. 'If I can'? Of course I'm coming back. Why would I not go back to this place? This is such a mystery...and so are you.

"Sure. I'll be seeing you again, then. I'll have something to show you," Zick said, that smile playing on his face again.

Elena returned it, and walked away...