This umbrella is too small. The rain slowly slides off the end and onto my shoulder as I lean the umbrella over to you, making my shoulder damp and cold. Somehow, it doesn't particularly bother me.
Our footsteps, usually unnoticeable, feel unusually powerful with every tide created as we kick the puddles beneath our feet; the sound echos noticeably in the silence we have created. The silence isn't necessarily awkward but it's not comfortable, it simply is. As we approach your house, I feel the overwhelming need to say something, anything but no words come to me.
You turn to me, the movement abrupt and stiff. Our hug seemed messy and unnatural, none of our limbs quite acting the way they should,uncomfortable and clumsy. We pull away fast, as if we had been struck or been burnt. No eye contact is made as we stumble away from each other and I watch you walk away from me, frustrated by my own ineptitude.
You reach your door, safe and mostly dry when I start to turn away. That's when I hear it again; the conspicuous sound of heavy footfalls. The sound is fast, frantic even, as I shift back to you, umbrella rested loosely on my shoulder. I open my mouth to speak only to exhale a puff of visible air as it makes contact with the cold. As we stand together under the umbrella once again, the silence is not awkward nor comfortable but is instead safe. I stay still and quiet, scared to break this moment.
We all hope for a moment like this, don't we? Something special that's just for you, a
bubble, a second you wished lasted an hour, a moment you wished lasted forever. My nose and face ,already flushed red with the cold, redden as you lean up and kiss me softly on my crimson cheek. Soft, barely there and tender; contact to cherish. My umbrella falls out of my slack grip, dampening our hair as the rain reaches us.
You pull away fast, but not with urgency, gently falling from your tip toes to the balls of your feet, your own cheeks rosy and cherry-kissed. Before I can say a word, you swiftly turn and run to your front door, now soaked as rain sprinkling around you feet as you disrupt puddles. You quickly wave as you shut the door, giving me no time to reciprocate; I must look like a love struck fool, eyes wide and cheeks kissed red,hair unkempt and wet.
I bend over gracelessly and retrieve my stray umbrella. I walk away holding my warm cheek, umbrella tucked away safely in my bag as the rain washes over me. I'll probably regret this later when I have a cold...but for now, I want to have this moment last as long as possible, this moment which I never wish to forget.
You and me walking home.
You kissing me delicately on the cheek, as if I were a fragile treasure that would break if you pressed to hard, something to cherish.
I never want to forget you,me and the pitter patter of the rain.
