Mutual Emotions
Grey, heavy clouds hung over Jump City and a strong wind blew across the streets. Footsteps tapped quickly along the pavement, making little splashing sounds when they made contact with the wet ground.
Heavy breathing accompanied the sound of the rushing feet as blonde hair flew wildly in the wind. School had just let out and the person dressed in school uniform felt the chill slowly get to her before she finally came to a bus stop.
The sky lit up for a moment as lightning zapped through it. The girl in school clothes tried to catch her breath as she waited for the next bus home. Unknown to her, someone stood not far from her after he stopped in his tracks when he spotted her standing drenched in the rain.
He lifted the umbrella a bit after he and his friends had been given it by a very persistent, red-haired friend of his. He watched the girl tilt her head slightly; trying to see if the bus was approaching. She straightened up and stared ahead with an unreadable expression.
He slowly moved closer to the girl, now standing between a man in a dark-blue raincoat who stood not far from the girl. He sneaked a peek but the girl didn't seem to notice and suddenly his nervousness was making itself obvious – something he didn't feel for 2 months.
She probably hadn't expected this weather or maybe just forgot to bring an umbrella he thought as he watched the raindrops drip from her golden locks and her dark skirt.
He inched past the man in the rain coat but the girl still didn't move.
And the boy wondered if she would get angry if she saw that he was following her but it was too late as he found himself already standing next to her.
She didn't seem to notice since she lowered her gaze to her shoes, watching raindrops soak into her shoes.
She would definitely get sick!
Another flash of light illuminated the sky before the boy slowly moved his umbrella towards her until part of it hovered above her head.
The boy's gaze lowered to her face and saw that the ground below her was cast in the shadow of his umbrella and his heart suddenly increased its beating.
A loud thunder echoed in the sky but the girl seemed to be oblivious to it all. Only when the bus pulled up, did she finally look up and moved out from under the umbrella to get into the bus.
The boy hurried after her and placed himself on a seat behind her, not wanting to make it obvious that he was watching her.
The girl shifted her view to the window, watching as buildings and trees moved past her. Her eyes rested for a moment on a flying plastic bag that floated in the air, as if it would be doing acrobatics…or dancing.
The boy behind her followed her gaze and looked out of the window as well but except a flying plastic bag and swaying trees, nothing interesting caught his attention and he shifted his view back to the blonde-haired girl when his eyes opened in surprise.
The girl began tracing something on the windowpane before she stood up as the bus pulled up on the next stop. The boy stood up as well but stopped in front of the fogged up windowpane and he cocked his head in confusion. On the windowpane were the trails of a capital T that had been encased in a heart.
T?
What did the T stand for?
Suddenly he remembered the girl and he rushed out of the bus, looking left and right before he spotted her by a stop sign. He walked up to her, opening the umbrella again but waited for a moment behind her.
Would she run away when she saw him?
He decided to take a risk and lifted the umbrella over her head once again and she started walking right after her head had stopped receiving raindrops. He followed her suit and soon fell into step with her. But he still avoided eye-contact, seeing that she hadn't tried to reach out to him in any way.
So he remained silent as they passed building after building, streetlight after streetlight and he wondered where the girl lived, knowing that she couldn't live on the streets.
Or could she?
Another flash illuminated the sky before a loud thunder broke through the silent streets. The wind picked up speed, causing the girls clothes to flutter wildly about her.
But the boy observed out of the corner of his eye that she didn't seem bothered by it.
The sky grew darker before the streetlamps turned on, providing the city with light as they turned a corner.
And suddenly the girl picked up her pace, temporarily moving out from under the shelter of his umbrella before he caught up with her again. But she again moved away, increasing her pace gradually, literally jogging away from him as he tried to reach up to her.
But then he slowed down.
Maybe she didn't want to see him after all?
He reluctantly came to a stop…before she did the same and he arched an eyebrow in confusion.
Why did she stop?
He resumed his approach carefully but she stood still, not even bothered by the rain that pelted her. Once again, lifting the umbrella, he found himself swallowing.
Why was he so nervous?
Was it…because she was…giving him a second chance?
Another flash appeared in the sky and right before the portable shelter managed to protect her from the rain…she started to move away again.
But this time…she was skipping!
Moving in zigzag motion, she skipped like a child that had just gotten a lollipop from her father.
His umbrella gradually lowered, seeing her smile as she did a turn, before her retreating back faced him again.
He followed the merry girl as she practically danced in the rain and felt his heart skip a beat when he heard her laughing.
Why was she happy?
A smile forced itself upon his lips seeing her happy at all after such a long time and he closed the umbrella.
Maybe they didn't need any shelter from the rain.
Morphing into a puppy, the boy rushed after the girl before jumping right into a puddle.
The girl didn't stop though, and followed the dog's example and stepped into a bigger puddle a bit further.
Her laughter gained in volume as she began sprinting around the next corner, the dog trying to keep next to her before another flash appeared in the sky, leaves scattering in the blowing wind.
The girl finally came to a stop by a coffee shop and the dog watched her catch her breath from all that running.
And his eyes rested on the neon sign.
'Ben's.'
The dog morphed back into human as the girl straightened up and turned to face him.
Her expression was unreadable and he wondered if it was wrong to have followed her until here. Maybe he misunderstood everything and she simply didn't know he was following her.
Maybe…he had been following the wrong girl again.
The girl moved the hair out of her face as the wind played with it and nostalgia filled the air – and certain words with it.
"…just a memory…"
The boy's expression turned solemn, hearing her voice in his head.
But that picture she traced on the windowpane in the bus – this wasn't a memory.
It had to be something positive, something real.
He stared into her eyes, hoping that he could find answers to her real thoughts about…him – his friends…even herself.
She didn't avoid eye-contact this time and didn't even flinch as thunder and lightning broke through the thick clouds.
And his heart skipped a beat when he saw a smile slowly spread on her face.
She knew that he had been following her!
A light blush appeared on his face at being played before he saw that she slowly stepped backwards.
Getting the hint, he did the same as a smile of his own spread on his face before he turned away.
She watched him run for a short distance before with a high leap, he morphed into a hawk and flew into the stormy night.
With a warm feeling in her body, she entered the coffee shop.
She never needed an umbrella.