Cold and rainy days are my favourites. It's weather that really connects with you (despite making you even more lethargic than any other day), enabling you to hunker down and forget the world. When it's warm outside and raining, that's a different type of love. That's rain you can get soaked in, that teenager-movie-romantic-fantasy setting coming to life where you and your lover can run around and you finally proclaim your desire and lust for each other and everything is happy ever after.
I may sound sarcastic, but that's actually how I met him.
The first thing that struck me was his eyes, similar to the color of peacock feathers. Bright. Charismatic. Yet something strangely mysterious abut them.
I was in the coffee shop when he walked in. Overcast day, great big boulders of black rock thundering across the sky, bringing the threat of rain or a good storm. It was hot out, muggy and humid. My hair was plastered to the side of my face and back of my neck, my face flushed with that embarrassing shade of scarlet. I often came to this coffee shop after school for a study break, considering I can work for hours on end, but as soon as he came waltzing awkwardly in with those gorgeous eyes, I could not concentrate for a second.
I watched him stand in line, debating his choices, his teeth sinking into his bottom lip in deep thought. Or to tease me. He must've known I was staring at him, I was practically drooling over the poor thing. It came time for his order, his curly, fluffy hazelnut hair covering his eyes just enough for him to look up through his eye lashes and hair. I was forced to withhold an internal groan racking my body. This boy was cute.
He ordered, however trouble started when he had to pay.
He started slapping his pockets on his jeans, front and back, then his shirt pocket. He looked at the clerk, cheeks burning, speech stammering. The clerk offered him a shrug and shoved the boy along, ready for the next customer. My eyes stalked him to where he sat down in one of the booths, and took out his phone. Thumbs flying in a flurry over his keyboard, he jumped when his phone vibrated on the metal table. Even from here, I could see his breath hitch and his hands tremor. My heart ached for this poor boy. Something was clearly wrong.
Thumbs flying backwards and forwards again, his phone vibrated even more quickly than the last time his phone received the text. After five more minutes, tears pricked at the corner of his eyes, some rolling down his nose. With a big breath, he shuddered and collapsed into his hands, not moving. I debated going over to him, but I thought I should leave him alone, seeing as he is evidently upset. I looked away and tried to focus on my work.
A few minutes later, there was a loud sniffle. My head snaps up and my eyes catch the boy angrily swiping away the remaining tears staining his cheeks, though he couldn't halt the running of his nose. I couldn't deal with the pain emanating from him, I needed to do something, even if it was giving him tissues and a coffee. I overheard his order and knew what he wanted, plus I ordered myself a drink too. A packet of tissues in one hand, coffees in the other, I cautiously edged my way towards him.
I slid into the booth, awkwardly and tense. He had his head buried in his hands, constant sniffles loud and clear. I pushed the tissues towards him and his coffee. Finally, he looked up, eyes red and puffy.
"Tissues and coffee. Looked like you needed some," I take a sip of my own and check him over more thoroughly.
"Thank you," he blows his nose and holds the paper cup in his hands. I wondered how his hands could not be melting. Baristas make their coffee scalding hot.
"You okay? I know you don't know me, but it seems as if you could use a little venting session to a complete stranger," I tuck a strand of my dull hair behind my ears, avoiding eye contact as much as possible.
Electric pulses shot through me when his gaze fell on to my face. Burning a path down to my hands, a magnet drawing its opposite end to meet. My eyes travelled up to meet him. I offered a warm smile.
"I don't know what's wrong with me. Nothing I do is ever right. I always, someway or another, manage to screw everything up or I get stabbed in the back. I don't deserve this, but I'm thinking maybe I do," his fingers brush through his hair, face scrunched up in frustration. My heart disintegrated at this comment. I don't know why, but I had this gut feeling that he was not the problem.
I reached for his hand and voice low, I whispered, "People are dicks. It's not your fault. Humans are just inconsiderate jerks; only a few survive the plague." His hand was warm and soft, a giant paw caressing my skin, even though I was comforting him. As I finished that sentence, a hint of a smile shined through for a split second. I squeezed to let him know it's okay.
He thought about this for a moment, then, "Why are you being so nice to me? I'm wasting your time."
I yank my hand away and hit the table with a medium slap. Time for some pep talk. I've gotten good at these talks over the years, having had my mother go through with me the very same conversation I was about to embark on.
"You, are not worthless, a waste of time or anything else you think of yourself in a negative manner. You just seem to continue falling into the same trap, over and over again. You're worthy, and from what I can tell, an extremely compassionate, caring guy. People are idiots. We use and use then dispose. It's how we keep the world turning," I plucked one of the sugar packets from it's dispenser and bit off the end. I was getting more comfortable by the minute.
"How do you know? You've never met me, you don't know me."
"Well," I pour the contents of the sugar packet on the table, "I'm very good at evaluating people, it's a knack. I've had to do this for a long time; reading people so I can see who trust and who's going to be ignorant or mischief," I pinch a clump of sugar, watching it dissolve beneath my fingers.
"Okay, if you're so good at evaluating people, tell me why all the girls I've dated are fickle?" Fire and venom sliced through those words, a cloak for the hurt he was desperately trying to veil.
I sigh. This was yet a question to be solved by all good guys across the world. Why do all the girls go for the bad guys, and completely ignore and mistreat the good?
"The female psyche is extremely complex, and no one knows the answer. No one has figured out what wire trips in these girls when they ditch the kind-hearted. In simple terms, girls are fucked and there's nothing we can do about it."
His giggle was so sweet and cute, musical and harmonious. I laughed with him, trying not to look like a deformed seal and attempting not to sound like a chainsaw. In his moment of happiness, I quickly took into account the details of his face: the dimples, the curve of his lips, the way he threw his head back in mirth, the cute little scrunch in his nose, the way his eyes flutter. The music stopped abruptly, as if he realized he was laughing in front of someone, and he hid behind his forearm.
"Someone shy?" I lean across the table and nudge his elbow playfully. "I'm Emily, by the way."
He peeked out from under his eyelashes and beautiful mop of hair, a cheeky smile stuck to his face.
"Hi, I'm Danny."
I took a deep breath, trying not to squeak as I talked.
"There's a park nearby, it's one of my favourite spots. Do you wanna go...?" My hands slipped into my lap, pulling at the hem of my shirt, head hung low.
"Sure, why not?"
"Look you don't have - wait, you want to come?"
"Of course," Danny took another long sip of his coffee, the first time I noticed his wristbands. I read some of the titles.
"5SOS, good band."
"One of my favourites, heh heh," Jesus, Danny is cute!
I smiled at him, and gathered my items from the table. I tell him to meet my out front while I packed my book bag. He almost skipped out the door, almost a new boy as he left. I wondered what harm had been done to him, for him to get so happy over a simple act of kindness. Book bag over my shoulder, I bid farewell to Leonie, the owner of the coffee shop and met up with Danny.
The humidity was a blanket smothering us like bugs pinned under a magnifying glass in the sun. The clouds were no longer as dark, they seemed as if they were rolling away, dragging the darkness with them. Danny and I walked the streets of our small town, everything saturated by the constant rainfall throughout the previous night. Puddles were hidden along the footpaths in which I jumped in, relishing the fresh water. Puddle jumping was one of my favourite past times. Danny joined in, laughing at my stupidity and making sarcastic comments every now and then. We talked about our favourite bands, books, TV shows, and love life. I had never told anyone about my romantic side, but here I was with a complete stranger, totally comfortable in telling him everything.
We made it to the park, and immediately I raced to the swings, choosing the adult one. Below the swing was a dam-like puddle formed by kids kicking the tan bark as they swung through. Danny tried to beat me to the swing, but I got there first, attempting to jump on it, but instead basically walking into the puddle.
"Oh my god," he gasped as I shrieked. The water was up to my ankles, covering my whole shoe. I ran out behind the swing, spluttering as if I were a fish introduced to the human atmosphere. I kicked off my sneakers, determined to get back on the swing, but during my accident, Danny had snuck on to the swing, grinning as wide as the Cheshire Cat.
"Hey! That was mine!" I giggled, blindly snatching at the air to catch the chain. After every useless attempt, I finally caught it, dragging Danny to a stop, trying to push him off. He wouldn't budge, and my breathing was staggered through my laughter and shock from the iciness of the water on my feet. I push my hands up against his back, but he was pushing back against me, our bodies racked with laughter. I snorted and that distracted him just enough for me to push him.
Danny fell on his ass.
I was curled up on the ground, tears in my eyes, desperately clawing for a breath.
"Oh...oh my...god!" I yelled, turning to look at him. Danny's jeans were soaked, even the tail end of his shirt. He swaggered over to me, a playful glint clear in his eyes. I gulped and scampered to my feet, hands up in a defensive way.
"I'm sorry...I'm sorry!" I continued to laugh as Danny lunged for me, but I ducked, evading his grasp. We fooled around, one of us trying to catch the other; a game of two person tag cross hide n seek. I was hiding in the tunnel, he didn't know, so as he climbed on to the bridge I yelled.
"BOO!"
"Holy shit!" Danny jumped out of his skins and skittered on to solid ground, falling on to his knees, then his back, breathing heavy, laughing solid.
"Holy shit," he repeats, his cute laugh never ceasing. I settle down next to him, caught up in my own mirth. We wound down, every now and then one of us letting loose this one, random, short laugh, catapulting us into another round of laughter. Eventually we calmed, staring up into the clouds, spent.
"So what happened with your girlfriend?" I asked, the merry atmosphere disappearing.
Groaning, Danny rolled on to his side to face me. "To be honest, I don't even know. She dumped me earlier, because I found a photo of her sucking some other guy's face at a party she went to a little while ago. Apparently it was my fault that she did it, I didn't pay her enough attention. I was always calling her, texting her, making time for just me and her. I moved here to attend College, but she stayed back home, so I knew it was coming, but, I didn't expect it to be like this. She seemed so nice, sweet, my type of girl: she just turned out to be like all the others."
We lie in silence for a little while.
"At least you've been loved." I whispered. I rolled over to face Danny, tears in my eyes.
"I wouldn't call it love. I would rather never have been loved until my deathbed and only be loved once, than all these fake relationships nowadays. Less pain." I stare into his eyes, getting lost in those gem pools.
"You've never been loved?" He asked. I shake my head solely, embarrassment creeping up on to my face, tears collecting in the corners of my eyes.
"Oh, don't cry!" Danny hurries into a seating position, gathering me in his arms. I pressed my face into his chest, inhaling the scent of something real, something safe. I heaved and sobbed, my hands clutching the back of his shirt, eyes furiously blinking back tears. Danny had one hand cupping the back of my neck, the other rubbing my back. His lips brushed the top of my head, sweet words falling off those gorgeous lips.
Moments stood still, time continuing on when Danny slipped his hand under my chin, tilting my face up to meet his.
"You're beautiful even when you cry," he smiled and wiped away the tears. I sniffled and blushed, feeling safe in his arms.
"Keep....holding me...?" I asked as he moved to let go. Danny searched my face, as if I were playing a joke on him. I nodded as reassurance. His arms squeezed tight around my body, my face buried in the junction of his shoulder and neck. He was radiating heat, I didn't realise how cold I was.
We stayed entangled like that, god knows how long. I was beginning to nod off, as we had changed positions and were lying down, Danny's fingers running through my hair, my ear pressed firmly up against his heart, suddenly a bark of thunder shattered the sky and our special moment was ruined. Rain pelted down, big fat raindrops splashing our bodies. Immediately we spring into action, slip into our shoes and run off, bag bumping against my hip. Danny ran along side me, a slow jog, both of us enjoying the rain. Fingertips brush my wrist, down over my knuckles to the tips of my fingers before they're linked up with mine.
I turned to look at Danny, and I caught him staring at me. He laughed at my confusion and squeezed my hand.
"It's okay," he yelled over the roar of the rain, "people are dicks."