When Sleep Evades Me

Sunshower (Jenlisa)

I looked up at the dark sky and my ears detected the faint rumble of thunder far away. I looked at the polished floor, held back a sigh and closed my eyes. Inching towards the enge of the tiled floor, I trained my gaze at my brain new white canvass shoes then back at the open space infront of me.

It's going to rain.

Those who were around me took a step back while I took a step forward. I paused, my feet hovering over the grass and pathway as my eyes shifted towards the sky. I caught a few shiny ball of water as they glistened while falling down.

There it was, the first sign of what the others dreaded. There were a few curses but some pushed their luck, running and brisk walking away from the safety of the hall and into the open space, where the rain started to drizzle. There were a few who reached their cars or the other side of the pathway safely and with minimal water droplets on their bodies.

The murmur around me got louder when another flash of lightning appeared and a fresh batch of rain poured, splashing some of us when the wind caught them and blew them in our direction. A group behind me groaned loudly while I stood placid in my place.

"Fuck it!" I heard as a man waltzed out into the view and grinned, a book was on top of his head, as if it was enough to cover him from the onslaught of the rain. The other students weren't as bold as he is because they retreated back inside the hall or their previous rooms, and wait for it to turn into a drizzle again. Some were still standing beside me, looking at the sky with a frown on their face.

The rain only grew harsher.

But I didn't mind. I, Lalisa Manoban took a deep breath and put my foot forward into the muddy earth and started walking away from the hall, from the students who'll wait for hours for this downpour to stop.

There were gasps and burning stares on my back but I kept going, my feet unhurried despite the heavy fall of raindrops on my body, making my clothes and my hair wet. The shoes I saved up on ended muddy and unrecognizable.

"She must be stupid," some would say.

"She's crazy! Does she want to get sick? It's raining cats and dogs!"

"She doesn't change."

"I wish I was that brave."

"I wish I was that careless."

The voices that whispered were soon drowned by the sound of the rain hitting the ground and the rumbles in the sky but again, I continued walking.

I was nearing my destination when I felt something amiss. I stopped walking and tilted my head, my eyes looking at the still hazy and foggy parking lot. A sign that it was still raining... but my mind told me that it wasn't...

Because my body couldn't feel the drops of rain anymore. Instead, there was a warmth emanating from my side and a rumble- no, a chuckle that sounded so soft it was impossible to reach my ears but it did, sending my cold arms erupt in goosebumps.

I turned my head at the anomaly and I was blinded by dark curls of hair being swept my way. I couldn't see who it was... until I heard her speak.

"Are you trying to be a sad girl?" She asked with a snicker. I almost scoffed but instead of replying to her, I continued to walk in a much hurried pace with the intention of leaving her behind but it was all useless when she speedwalked beside me. My longer legs useless with her determined strides.

"I'm sorry." She sheepishly smiled while walking faster. When I threw an uninterested gaze at her, she turned more bashful and sighed. Forcing the handle of the umbrella towards my hand, she bowed to me and smiled, her eyes refused to meet mine. "Here. Take this."

And before I could utter a word, she took a step backwards and bolted away from me. My mouth hang agape while I stood placid and my eyes followed her until she turned into a corner and disappeared from my sight.

I looked around me to see if someone saw the weird scene or the weird girl but no one was stupid enough to be in the middle of an open space while the rain is falling hard... well, except the two of us.

The handle of the umbrella was still warm to the touch that I couldn't help the smile that was blossoming in my face.

I looked up again and there, on the horizon, a sliver of yellow ray could be seen and I couldn't fathom how the weather seemed to know what I was feeling.

I continued to walk towards my car and when I was inside, I made sure to shake the foldable umbrella a few time to get rid of the water and folded it as neatly as I could.

When I was content with how it looked, I gently placed it on the compartment and took another good look at it before closing it with a short click.

I closed my eyes and without me thinking, my right hand went back to open the compartment and undo the folds that I did. My eyes scanned the light pink umbrella with streaks of black before it settled on a small embroided name on its edge.

"Jennie. Kim Jennie... my sunshower."

//

Note:

I'm sorry I just had this idea and I wanted to write it. The title of this was supposed to be "The Girl With an Umbrella" and it was just so cringe-y that I scrapped it off lol. Still not good with fluff so maybe this will be my training ground. Wish me luck :)

I hope you like it!