Chimerical

One Shot: Umbrella

Prompt by Julie (pinkywinky222)

*OFW Alden sharing an umbrella with wet tourist Maine*

Julie, I'm so glad you liked it <3 Thank you!

Happy reading! Comment and tell me your thoughts :)

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It's been almost an hour since Maine left her hotel and she still hasn't found their meet up place. Her feet are tired from walking every direction, her legs are cramping, and not to mention that she is still completely soaked in rain water. The moment she stepped one foot outside the hotel doors, she regretted her choice of clothing. Her light-washed jeans, thin green cardigan over a white cami, and white scarf designed with black and pink stripes she used to keep her warm from the wind were drenched from the Florence rain. She completely forgot to check the weather forecast before rushing out of the room.

She didn't want to admit that she was lost but now, she knows for sure. "Aminin mo na, hindi mo alam kung nasan ka," she says to herself. The rain still hasn't stopped and Maine is desperate to find shelter or, even better, an umbrella. Her tourist group were probably walking around Florence without her by now. Giving up, she sits on a curb in an unfamiliar street and rests her elbows on her knees and places her head in her hands allowing the rain to succumb her. After mentally cursing at herself for god knows how long, she felt the rain stop. Relief washed over her as she looked up from her position but when she did the rain was still pouring.

"Ha? Anyare? Bak-" she heard someone clear their throat. Maine slowly looked up at the handsome man standing in front of her. He is wearing a grey t-shirt, paired with brown jeans, and a long black jacket with the hood covering the top part of his face holding an umbrella above her.

"Naglalakad ako pauwi e nakita kita dito. Umuulan at wala kang dalang payong, wala ka rin kasama. Naawa ako so, share nalang tayo," he flashed her a grin showing the dimple on his left cheek.

Maine felt something tingle inside her. A feeling she's never felt before. "Salamat, you didn't have to pero salamat talaga" she stood up and smiled back.

"Hey, I didn't want to leave a pretty girl like you all alone on the sidewalk drenching herself in the rain," he winked and laughed, "Joke lang."

"So hindi ako maganda?" she teased.

She watched as the man widened his eyes at the realization of what he had said, "H-hindi!" and tried gathering the words to explain himself.

"Uy, joke lang," she playfully nudged him and laughed. She hasn't laughed like this in a while.

"Ikaw naman. I came here to help you out and this is the way you pay me back? Sige, aalis nalang ako kasama yung payong ko" he teased, slowly taking away the umbrella that he still held above her.

"Wag!" She panicked and placed her hand above his to keep the umbrella in place. The man looked at their hands and when Maine realized what she's done, she quickly took her hand away from his and blushed. He looked at her and smiled again. "I mean, wag kang umalis. Um, hindi ko kasi alam kung nasaan ako and I'd rather have someone with me than be alone in a place I'm not familiar with."

"Ah, tourist ka pala dito. Sige, kung gusto mo, I can take you around here."

"Talaga?! I mean, talaga? You'd do that?"

"Oo naman! Total tapos na shift ko and I have nothing else to do today tsaka umuulan pa at hindi ka dressed for the weather. Of course, kung okay lang sayo?"

Maine thought for a moment. She normally doesn't talk to strangers, much less agree to travel around a city with one, but she felt something different with him. She could feel it in her gut that he would keep her safe, that no matter what hindi nya sya papabayaan. And that alone was enough to agree with him.

She nodded and smiled, "I'd like that."

The man flashed her another grin this time his dimple deeper than the first. "Ako nga pala si Richard," his free hand reached out to her.

"Maine," she smiled and shook his hand. "Paano mo nalaman na Filipino ako? Tsaka hindi ka ba nangangawit? Akin na."

"Hindi, okay lang. I assumed and took the risk of getting myself embarrassed. Kilala ko na rin yung mga ibang Pinoy dito, OFW kasi kami. Also, I heard you talking to yourself. Ano, let's go na? We have lots of places to go to. O, bakit, okay ka lang?"

"Um, okay lang if we go to a clothing shop first? Basang basa na ako e"

"Oo naman. Pero may utang ka saakin."

"Ha?! Bakit?"

"Kasi tinulungan kita."

"Sige na nga. Basta wag mo akong papabayaan ha?" Maine warned him, failing to hold in her smile.

They've only just met yet Richard made a promise to himself that he would do everything it takes to keep a smile on her pretty face. He doesn't know why but hearing her laugh and seeing her smile made him feel warm inside. A feeling he hasn't felt in a while.

"So, tara na?"