raining

rain

loosely based around a recent breakup and general experience with love

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//"I'm sorry to love you."//

They sit on a bench inside a small bus stop as it pours. The droplets roll down the glass walls violently fast, meeting each other and merging before they splash into the puddles at the sidewalk. A dripping umbrella leaned in his hand, and a cigarette burned in hers.

"You know," He starts. She tilts her eyes toward him with a puff of smoke from her lips.

"Yeah?"

"It's probably going to rain the rest of the night."

He's right, and she knows that. They're both entirely underdressed for the downpour, and freezing- it was supposed to be a drizzle. She shrugs and wraps her arms tighter around her torso, leant over her knees.

"It'll be a nice ride."

There's a flash and a roar from the sky, and suddenly the rain pours heavier than before. He sighs, and takes a sip of his coffee. "I still wish it would go away."

She looks at him sadly, and flicks her cigarette into the small stream flowing against the sidewalk. She knew he liked it in the sun, he always said so when they were together. Rain was suffocating.

"No reason to wish for things like that."

The bus splashes up water from it's wheels as it rolls down the street, and steadily comes to a stop in front of the young adults.

The door squeaks open, and they both step inside. Other than the driver and the two friends, the old bus is completely empty. They take a seat next to each other.

"Do you want to come home with me?" She asks him, as she is staring out the window. The buildings sweep past as a blurry mess in the downpour.

She senses his eyes as they turn to look at her, but he takes a moment to answer. She knows he has things to do, but she hasn't asked him in a long time. Maybe it could be different.

"I can't, i'm sorry..." He responds. "I have something to take care of at home." He sounds apologetic, almost guilty, and it makes her smile grow just past her teeth.

"That's okay. Maybe one day."

"I don't want to get caught in the rain, either." He adds.

It felt like a lie, but that was okay.

She looks out the window, and towards the sky. "The plants will drown if it pours like this for much longer."

They're silent, he doesn't answer. Everything they did felt like just a way to pass the time. At least for her, it did. She wasn't so sure of anything, really.

They said their goodbyes, and the squeaky brakes of the city bus grinded to a slow stop.

"I'll see you later?" He asked hopefully. "I'm sorry it can't be tonight."

"Maybe." She says, not daring to meet his eyes.

They're silent again. He nods, and takes a deep breath as he walks away and steps outside the bus. She watches as he walks down the sidewalk, with the umbrella opened over his head.

She leans back into the seat and closes her eyes for what felt like only a few moments, but the next thing she knew, the bus was slowing to a stop yet again and the rain had completely let up.

It was as though time had skipped something. Suddenly she felt better without him.

She stepped off the bus into the clear air. The flowers look fine. The sky is dreadfully blue.

The driver called out to her.

"Stay out of the rain- stay warm, won't you?"

She smiles painlessly and nods.

"I got it."