When the Butterfly Mourns (Feathers and Feelings 1)

I have always hated the rain. I hate its constant noise, the heavy humidity, and the way it makes everything feel limited, as if the world slows down. I also dislike people who claim to love the rain but quickly open an umbrella when it pours-it feels insincere. Maybe that's why I resent it so much, because the rain doesn't just fall around me; it makes me feel deeply alone.

My name is Aruna Loraine Costa. I grew up independent, but loneliness has always been the one thing I feared most. After my parents passed away, I lived with my uncle's family, yet I never truly felt like I belonged. I was there, but not really seen, like a shadow quietly following behind. I convinced myself that this was enough, that I didn't need more, until he came into my life.

Before him, I never realized how dark and empty my world felt. He made me aware of the silence, the loneliness, and the longing I had buried. For the first time, I wanted something more, I wanted him. He was a storm I wasn't ready for, but instead of protecting myself, I opened my heart and let him pour into me like the rain I once hated.

Started: 08/02/23
Finished: 02/28/24