The earthly smell is calming. It soothes my heart and soul just by watching the rain pour.
"If only I could be calm like this my entire life, I won't bother to move," I whispered to myself.
I am now at the shed outside the school, waiting for Rage to show up. He's running late again. Wala nang bago. Siguro mas magugulat pa ako kung on time siyang makarating dito. Him being early happens only once in a blue moon. Kapag nangyayari 'yun, himala, dininig ng Diyos ang dasal naming mga pinagaantay niya.
I glanced at my watch. It's already 6PM and I can barely see people walking by.
I felt my phone vibrated inside my pocket. I held it out without taking my eyes off the pouring rain and then checked to see who sent me a message.
'Ask Rage to take you home, you forgot your umbrella. Take care anak.'
It was mom. I was about to type my reply when it vibrated once again.
'He should come over to dinner too. 'Wag kayong magpapaulan Hera. And be nice, okay?'
Hindi na ako nagreply doon and just decided to call Rage. I already noticed earlier that I left my umbrella. That is why i'm stuck here waiting for him. Our driver can't attend to my needs right now because he had to go home to take care of his sick daughter. It has been a week like this. Rage driving me home and joining dinner.
It rang a couple of times before he answered the phone.
"Ano, buhay ka pa?" I said jokingly. Tagal eh.
"I just finished. Why?" tipid niyang sagot. He sound tired.
"It's pouring and I forgot my umbrella. I'm--"
"What? Where are you?" he said in a deep and loud voice, cutting me off. Sasabihin ko na nga dapat kung asan ako!
"Why don't you let me finish what i'm saying first? Try mo, bago 'yun." Nakakairita, ako na nga ang pinaghintay niya. Siya ba ang inabutan ng ulan ha? Siya ba?
"I said, where are you, Hera?" he asked, this time in a much more serious note.
"In the shed, outside our building. Do you have an umbrella with you? Sabi ni mommy 'wag raw tayo magpapaulan."
"Of course I have an umbrella. Don't move. Wait for me." Then I heard muffled sounds of movements. Maybe he's running.
I hung up and waited for him. The rain was still pouring hard. It was not raining when I got here, naabutan lang ako ng ulan sa paghihintay. I usually have more energy left at this point but the sound of the rain just really makes me so lazy. I sighed at the thought.
Nakaupo lang ako dito sa bench while looking at my shoes.
After a few minutes natanaw ko na si Rage. I lightly tilted my head to the side as I stared at him. He's wearing our usual med uniform, the white one with a pair of black shoes. His hair isn't swept up today, he just let it fall freely at his forehead. He still look neat considering his pitch black hair being like that. He's holding the black umbrella in his left hand and his car key in the other hand.
He really is running. In the rain. Oh shit...
The realization hit me. He's wearing white! At tumatakbo siya sa basa at sigurado akong may duming concrete! As the distance between us grew smaller ganoon naman ang ilinaki ng mata ko.
My jaw dropped when he reached the shed, panting. He did not close the umbrella and just held it to the side. My forehead puckered still not believing what he did. I looked down to see his white slacks, just to be more disappointed. Ang dumi dumi na!
"What?" he asked casually. Anong what ka diyan?
"Bakit ka tumakbo?!" I asked back at him.
"Sayang naman mga paa ko kung di ko gagamitin." Tignan mo talaga 'tong tukmol na 'to. Ako na nga itong concerned sa well being ng uniform niya tapos pipilosopohin lang ako.
I rolled my eyes at him. "Your uniform..." I pointed. "It's a mess, Rage."
Instead of replying at what I said, he held my shoulders. "You're...dry." he sighed in relief. Of course i'm dry! Nakasilong ako diba?
"Kung tumagos yung ulan sa bubong, hindi." pamimilosopo ko pabalik sa kaniya.
He rolled his eyes at me. "I ran because I thought you were caught up in the rain. Lamigin ka pa naman. Papatayin ako ni Atticus."
Hindi nga siya papatayin ni kuya, naging dugyot naman ang uniform niya.
"Did you wait for...long?" I already waited for a while and waiting for him for a few more minutes isn't really that big of a deal. Yeah sure I complained a bit, but I understand that he still had class going on. So I'm really not getting why he would run knowing he would ruin his uniform because of the rain.
"Yeah, but you did not have to run you know?" I said, feeling guilty.
"Matter of priorities Hera,"
"Let's go." before he gently held my arms to bring me closer to his side.
He then held the umbrella up and placed his hand sa braso ko para hindi ako maulanan. We started walking towards the parking lot to find his car.
When we got in, I noticed that his left shoulder was wet. I felt more guilty kasi ako naman ang nakalimot ng payong pero siya 'tong nabasa na nga, nadumihan pa ang uniform. But it's not like I told him to do it though. Hindi ko nalang siya ginulo habang nagmamaneho. I noticed how tired he was and I don't want to add up to it.
When we got home, mom asked about his dirty slacks but he just scratched the back of his head and told mom it's nothing. Hindi naman daw siya ang maglalaba nun. Yabang.
The dinner went like the usual and now naglalakad na kami palabas ng bahay after he bid goodbye to the people in the house.
"Ilalagay ko na talaga 'yung payong ko sa bag gabi palang!"
Tinawanan lang niya ako.
"I've caused you so much trouble these week. Dagdag na naman sa utang." I clicked my tongue to show dismay.
Magkakautang na nga, utang na loob pa.
"I accept any form of payment," he replied shrugging his shoulders. "Except blind dates."
Natawa naman ako 'dun because I thought he would like it if I set him up with someone. I did that with the four of my friends from different departments. I just really feel like ang dry ng lovelife namin pareho just because we're in med school. Before med school naman, hindi pa ganito. Ewan ko lang talaga why we both stopped dating people when we started studying 90% of the time.
"Fine. I'll help you in Anatomy in exhange."
We both stopped when we're already in front of his car.
"Aral na naman amputa."
Natawa ako doon kasi maski ako gusto ko na din umiwas sa pag-aaral.
"Oh anong gusto mo?" nakapamewang kong tanong sa kaniya. As long as kaya ko gagawin ko naman eh.
He walked past me fiddling with his car key and without turning around to answer, he said.
"Give me your time and then...I'll consider all your debts paid." Before going inside his car and drove away.
