Rain (Marckianna)

I.

It was raining again. He hated the rain. He hated the cold and how it limited his actions to staying in the house and watching soap operas with his sister. Or maybe, just maybe, he hated how it reminded him of her. He hated how it reminded him of her soft brown eyes and her beautiful pink lips. He hated the stinging it brought to his eyes and the thuds of pain it caused to his heart.

"Marck. Marck? MARCK!"

He was whipped out of his trance "What?" he asked his sister. Who had now turned off the TV and was looking intently at her brother. "You're thinking about her again. Aren't you?" she asked with a heavy sigh "W-what? No. No. I-I was just. Uhm." He stuttered, struggling to form words on his mouth as he the rain started beating down harder "Fuck, I hate the rain." He finally managed to say. His voice was barely a whisper. "Look. Marck, I think you should lie down for a bit." His sister said, hands on his shoulders as if to say "Get up".

He willed himself to move. Lifting his legs was like lifting cinderblocks; it was almost impossible. He was rooted to his spot as his memories of her flashed before his eyes. 

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2 years ago...

Manila.

 A bustling city brimming with life. Radiating with every emotion felt by the hearts that occupy it. Call it what you want. Mainit, madumi, but to the man standing in the covered bus stop, it is a wet mess. Rain had terrorized his beloved city for the third straight day. Streets were muddy and the air was thick with humidity. He wanted to be somewhere warm and, preferably, dry. So, the man makes his way to the nearby Starbucks, a safe haven. He enters the store and is greeted by the smell of roasting coffee and the warmth of four walls around him. 

This man is Marck Espejo. He is the protagonist in our morose tale. For now, he is unaware of the faith that awaits him in the coffee shop. All he cares about is coffee. He lines up in the lone counter of the crowded store and orders the plainest coffee in starbucks: "Isang tall Americano please. Black."  Looking around for a seat, he finds one in the corner of the store. Right by the large window. He sits and takes a sip of his coffee, waiting for the warmth to make its way to his ribcage and lungs. He is so engrossed in his own thoughts that he doesn't even notice the girl standing in front of him, clearing her throat as if to get his attention.

"Uhm, excuse me?" This time he hears it. He looks up and sees the most beautiful girl he has ever laid eyes upon "Ohhh damn" he thinks "Uhm, sorry to intrude," she says  "may nakaupo ba dito?" she points to the seat in front of him "Ah wala po." he says with a chuckle "May I sit?" she asks "Ay sure sure. Teka lang." He says as he makes his way to the chair and pulls it out for her "Naks, gentleman." The girl says as she sits down "Oh yeah," Marck thinks "pang dagdag pogi points 'yan."

He sits back down and pretends to be on his phone while, in reality, he is stealing quick glances of the girl in the opposite seat (#Hokage). She's drinking what he thinks is an Iced Caramel Macchiato. "Baliw ata 'to, malamig na sa labas, uminom pa ng iced coffee." he thinks to himself. But he can't stop looking at the girl. Something about her seems familiar to him. Maybe he's seen her on TV. "Teka lang, she looks like-"  his train of thought is cut of when the girl in says something.

"Excuse me, uhm, do I know you?" she asks while pointing at him.

"Me?" He isn't quite sure if she's talking to him. She nods "Yeah. What did you say your name was again?" she asks "I didn't." Marck replies "It's Marck. Marck Espejo." he extends his hand to her. Her eyes light up when she hears his name and a triumphant look flashes upon her face as she claps her hands together. "I knew it!" Marck jolts in shock "Sabi ko nga you looked familiar eh. Si Mister Phenom pala." She shakes his extended hand "Kianna pala. Kianna Dy."  Now he knows why she looked familiar. She was a Lady Spiker.   

"So," she says, sippping her coffee, "anong ginagawa ng isang Atenean sa Taft?" That makes him laugh. It is funny when he thinks about it know. He's in 'rival territory'. Although he's not the type who actually takes the rivalry seriously. "Wala lang. Uh, nadaanan ko lang eh." Kianna looked confused after he said that. He found it oddly cute. Her forehead was all scrunched up and her eyes shrunk "Ha?" she asked "Paano 'yan? Ang layo naman ng Katipunan sa Taft. Umulan pa naman oh." She points outside to where the rain is still beating down. 

"Actually hindi pa umulan when I got here. So ayun, medyo na stranded nalang ako dito"  

"Eh bakit hindi ka nalang uuwi?" Kianna flinched. That question probably didn't sound as bad in her head "Shi- I didn't mean it like-uhm." She was nervous and Marck found it cute. She was all flustered, red in the face, and stuttering." 

"It's fine. It's fine." He says in between chuckles "Actually I didn't take a car going here." A flash of shock makes its way to Kianna's face "NAGLAKAD KA LANG PAPUNTA DITO?" That gets Marck laughing. Like really laughing. It's a gut-busting, tear enducing laugh and Kianna looks at him like he needs to be taken to a mental hospital "H-hindi." He says, still trying to calm down from laughing "Baliw ka, nag LRT ako noh." She laughs a bit too, revealing a sort of dimple by her cheek, it fascinates Marck "You could ask Rex to pick you up. Or Xavier?" Marck remembers that they share mutual friends like Rex and Xavier. "Busy ata si Xavier eh, finishing up his thesis. Si Rex naman, may date with Therese." Kianna nods and hums in understanding "I could drive you to Ateneo." she says. Marck is taken aback "Naku, 'wag na. Maabala ka pa. Sabi mo pa ang layo ng Katipunan sa Taft." 

"I'm heading there actually. Tara na." Kianna finished up her drink and gestures for Marck to get up. He can't do anything else but follow Kianna out the door and to her car, leaving his coffee cold and forgotten. Little did Marck know that that car ride would change his life forever. 

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Author's Note:

Hey guys! I hope you liked it! This is actually my first try at writing a Wattpad story so I would appreciate any types of feedback/ advice sa comments! Sorry if may errors/typos :( hindi ko kasi na proofread. Anyways, I hope you liked it. Please also listen to the song attached above. It sets the mood of the story and nakaka-LSS siya, sobra.

Peace out, 

Author