Stars Of Life

✦ Raindrops

On the way, I wondered why she made her mind to go there. We never texted each other since our first school day because I thought we'll catch up at the school, but our conversations were of few words and sometimes empty as a space with no matters. She mostly hung out with Victor and Kenzo's group, as long as she is happy, I've nothing to say. But we can't ditch each other meetings on Sundays, can we? We're best friends since childhood.

All the memories flooded into my mind when the street I'm walking was once used to became our favourite way towards the junior park, years ago. When it comes to our friendship, my personal problems seem to alleviate a little, sheer enough to calm down my fear.

Unexpectedly, I noticed the miniature droplets on my skin, so soft that it was barely noticeable. It was actually drizzling. The blue sky was gone and almost constantly overcast. It's a blessing for some reasons, though. When the old concrete walls showed up, I heard the laughter and giggles of the children. The tree's colour almost matched with the yellowish wall that surrounded the park boundary, and this reminded me of the Daffodils blooming in present season, Autumn.

Not again, but like always, I hesitated to move my legs as several questions ramp up in my head suddenly. I stood a minute at the same spot, questioning, instead of giving myself some motivating words. I was failing to communicate with the world as usual. However, I'm no longer gonna retreat now, though my instincts were screaming, "Don't go! You'll repent."

What if I found April with her friends? Or Victor?

I shake off all my overthinking and questions at once.

* * *

"April."

I called her as soon as I spotted her sitting alone on the bench, but unfortunately, my voice didn't reach her because of the commotion. She flinched when I sat by her side as just before she was subdued in her thoughts. I gave her a comforting smile, guessing her bad mood. It seemed she wasn't just in a bad mood, but something unpleasant was going in her life.

"Hey, I'm here. Are you okay?"

She was silent.

The vibes became colder and awkward. The large raindrops substituted the smaller ones second by second. All the children ran towards their homes, hand in hand with their friends.

"April, it's raining. Let's go."

She stood up as if I weren't talking. How could she forget my existence? Invisible would be a nice word.

She blurted out. "Sage, keep in mind that only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches. You won't understand what I'm going through. So keep your distance from me, please."

Distance?

"But we'd promised each other that we'll -"

She cut me off. "You are still a child, Sage. I break that freaking promise now."

Before I could console her, before I could say that I can understand and say I'm still childish, She stormed outside the gate.

It all happened in just a blink of time. I was frozen.

And...

I was right, rainfall was a blessing in disguise because it hides my warm liquid so beautifully that it resembles as water, not as pain. The spark of electrical light flashed through the dark sky, just after that deafening thunderstorm blew up somewhere and soon faded away completely. I stare at the earthly smelling ground where ripples were forming continuously due to raindrops. The pattering sounds soothed me since I wanted to unheard my sobs.

I was alone, like I'd always lived and wanted.

I wiped my soaked face as my phone rang inside my jeans.

"Hello?"

"Sage, it's raining. Where are you, dear?"

I couldn't speak at first, but tried best to sound normal.

"Um. Park with my fri..end." The last word broke a bit as my lips were quivering, and she noticed something about me.

"Sage? Did you get cold? Let me talk with your friends."

"No, Mama. I'm just enjoying the rain. I'll be home, soon. Bye." I hung up the call, but I knew she wouldn't let me shut myself in my room, which I'm thinking to do when I'll reach home.

As soon as I kept my phone back into the pocket, I got surprised when Mr. Karl's elder son was standing in front of my way, wearing a grey hoodie covering his head. Obviously, his deep mysterious eyes were glowing as usual. Even the unpredictable rain couldn't be able to extinguish his eye's flames. And no one has ever talked about his burning eyes until today, especially at our school.

Strangely, he was smiling but not reaching his eyes and was completely soaked like me without any umbrella.

What is he?

"I see, someone here lied a few seconds back, sagelovestars, huh?"

Hey, that's my social account name. How did-Oh! He must've seen that day when I stalked his father's account.

I've no idea, now, what to say.

"Err-" I cleared my throat. "I'd be thankful if you call me by my name." I plastered a fake smile on my face, ignoring about lying.

"I'm hurt. April's words are replaying in my head without any pause button, and it's shattering me. You go away!" I thought, but I wasn't going to explode at him.

Silence.

He remained still as a rock, staring me again like the previous day at school. He was intimidating me, but I got a time to take a proper look into his eyes. His irises were the one that had fiery colour and not the pupils, my bold statement to myself. And the one thing that I got astonished wasn't his eyes as I was getting accustomed to those eyes but my fear, my anxiety!

I wasn't afraid any more; Fearless.

"You're trembling." A voice state.

"Yes, I'm feeling cold."

"You must go home, Sage." I felt different when I heard him saying my name for the first time.

"But I wonder why I haven't got an anxiety attack yet?"

"You're supposed to know yourself. So, you've anxiety, huh?"

"I don't know... What's up with your eyes, anyway?" I realized it was my crucial question since I saw his eyes. Finally, I could spit the words out facing him.

Words out? Crucial question?

I snapped back to reality. Did I just talk to him?

"Never mind, friend. Take it easy." He said walking towards the gate and soon disappeared from my sight.

I trudged towards my home, walking on the empty street under the silvery showering clouds.

"I really have the blues today. And these raindrops-Well, it's a blessing for blues," I murmured.

Moreover, the conversation was real.