A Little Fall of Rain

ALFOR: One-shot Version

—originally published as an entry for RomancePH's #FireLadies

My seatmate, Lea, is the school's theater queen. Being the queen, she's involved in anything related to drama, and that's why I don't want to be involved with her. She is so good at acting that others don't even know she's only pretending sometimes. They tend to only see the happy side of her, and she uses her skills to protect and make her loved ones happy.

But what's the point of being so selfless anyway?

I looked at my side to see her reading something from her phone. Seconds later, she started writhing.

This is the third time this week, I thought, but who cares? She comes back in time anyway.

A friend of hers noticed that, and one after the other our classmates turned to her until everyone expressed their concern.

"Lea, I think you should already go see a doctor about your condition," our teacher said. "Bring your things and go to the clinic. If you want, you can also go home. Just bring someone to accompany you."

"Then, can I bring Marion with me?"

I flinched.

"He seems like a harmless boy. Alright."

Of all the people here... and why did the teacher even agree?

I got my bag and offered to carry hers. She whispered her thanks as she continued to act.

As we distanced ourselves from the school I heard her exhale, and with that, she was lively again.

"WELL THEN!" she shouted as I rolled my eyes. "Since you're stuck with me for the day, might as well accompany me to the village."

"...Where?" I asked, wondering if I heard the right words.

Before I knew it, I was already bringing her groceries to an orphanage.

"What," I blurted out, but she only smiled as she ran towards the door. Shouts of excited children combined with hers.

I witnessed how they all laughed and played, how she tended to and cared for them. Her radiance and confidence were evident in her acts.

When night came, we sat near the fireplace as Lea told fairy tales before putting the children to bed. I looked at her.

"Care to answer your unread chats? They'd kill me if you don't."

She laughed and began typing.

"You always seemed unimpressed with me at school. Is this Lea different from the one others know?" she asked in the middle of the silence.

"I mean, they don't know that you're faking your sickness to go here so..."

She scratched her cheek. "Well..."

"We all have a side of us that others don't know about, so it's fine, I guess. Ah, but your friends..."

I cleared my throat. "I don't know much about social relationships, but if anything goes wrong, I'm here."

Lea smiled. "I just want all of them to get the love that they deserve," she whispered as I saw the burning determination in her eyes.

The dim glow of the embers served as our light, and maybe getting involved in her world is not bad, after all.

We spent our weekends at the village together, and with her, I'm not an outcast anymore. Her happiness was a fire that caught all of us. The blaze within her was warm and welcoming that it gave me a funny feeling. I thought I could have more time with her.

I was wrong.

Saving a child who crossed the busy road without looking out for vehicles, how selfless can she get?

What even is the point of being selfless?

I heard shouts around us; I heard the child apologizing, but my attention was only on Lea.

How I wished she was only acting.

"Hang on, Lea!"

"Was I... a good person?"

"Why would you even ask that? Of course, you were, and still are! Now save your breath! WHERE IS THE AMBULANCE?!"

She reached out for my hand. "Were you happy... to be with me?"

"Of course!"

"That's... nice."

Her grip loosened. I held my breath.

"Lea? I'm here," I helplessly whispered.

She smiled. I love that smile. "That's all I need to know."

"I love you."

"I love you, too. Thank you... for everything..."

Rain fell. I stared at the weakly glowing embers as the cries of the children were heard. The chair that Lea usually sat on was empty. Drops of tears fell from my eyes to the fireplace, but it had no effect on it. I inhaled as I relit the fire and got a storybook.

I placed a chair next to Lea's that called the children's attention.

"Can we... try this again?"