Date Me, Mr. Archer

one | mishap in the rains

Awful. That was what I was. Because I had no courage in telling my parents that I didn't want to keep changing jobs and even if I did, I wanted one of my own choice. That was why I despised raindrops. They reminded me too much of my own weak self and it made me want to crumble. Crumble and cry until—

I think my phone buzzed.

Brushing the tears from the corner of my eyes, I adjusted my blurred vision and whisked my phone out of my purse. Dad, it read so I cleared my throat and picked it up, my gaze still lingering on the small kids dancing and goofing around by the footpath, enjoying the rains. And then, out of nowhere, it felt weird comparing myself to rain when all I did was disappoint the ones around me but the rain managed to cheer most of them.

"Hey sweetie," my father greeted me, his voice so soft and gentle, I almost misunderstood his own selfish desires to have me work at a huge company for care.

I toned down on a sniffle and attempted to smile even though I knew he couldn't see me as I said back, "Hey dad. How are you?"

The sounds from the other side rustled and I understood immediately he was walking to my mother and then his voice boomed, "I'm good. Your mother is too. We just called you to wish you luck for your interview, alright?"

I nodded, too bored and tired already of their fake sweetness as I beamed too, "I will do better this time. Thank you."

"And darling this time if," my mother said giggling and I could already apprehend what she would say but I let her continue, "your boss falls in love with you, just marry him. You're not getting any younger and we don't have many connections to get you a job everytime someone falls for you and you get all weird-y instead of just running into their arms." Venom, so much venom, I realised, laced my mother's voice just because I was incapable-unable-to fall in love with a man as rich and handsome— their words, not mine— as my previous boss.

"I'll not fail you, mom and dad. Take care," I said into the speaker not bothering to answer any of her previous taunts and then ended the call without waiting for their reply. I couldn't feel shitty because my interview was not even thirty minutes away and getting stuck in traffic was bad enough already.

The honks and loud shouts from people in the traffic behind us started getting closer and even louder, the feet splashed waters as people got out of their cars and started walking down the narrow paths, some desperate to get to work and some annoyed to having to work in such terrible rain.

Cringing, I checked my watch again and realised I only had twenty minutes to get to the address my father sent me a week ago and panicked. According to my calculations, if I kept sitting in this cab and the traffic subsided— which I didn't think was possible for another hour atleast— then I was in trouble. However, if I got down this road, it'd take me around seven minutes to walk to the place on a regular day but on a day as garbage as today, it would take me maximum fifteen minutes to walk through people while also avoiding rains and puddles, unless I got myself into some mess.

I hoped and prayed to the dear almighty to just be on my side for a day and paid the driver a couple bucks before pulling my umbrella and got out of the car. I shivered at the onslaught of profanities that enlightened me the moment I stepped onto the footpath but kept walking anyways.

Endeavouring to dodge the multiple puddles, I held my purse higher on my shoulder and tucked my hair into a bun again, not trusting them to remain the way I'd combed them in the morning under such harsh rain anyway.