004| GENTLE THUNDERSTORMS AND RAINDROPS

~K O M I S O L A~

I stood in the silent hallway. Not leaving even after Senior Alexander had long gone. My eyes were threatening to pour our tears as I reflected on the day I was called one of the worst insults of my life.

I was on the floor. Resting on my hands with one knee raised up at my front. I was pushed to the floor by one of my seniors who found it amusing to disturb me for no reason.

Everyone was looking at me... Their eyes, they wouldn't stop staring at me and their actions caused the knots in my stomach to twist with embarrassment and shame.

I couldn't stand up. I couldn't say anything or do anything. My senses had stopped functioning at the moment and why I chose to remain on the floor... was a complete mystery to me.

The school bell had rung few minutes ago. Some people had gone, not minding my business and some because they were bored of seeing me sit on the floor like a hopeless, pathetic person.

Some still chose to remain, watching me and mocking me. Whispering to their friends and showering insults on me like they were blessings.

I couldn't cry if I wanted to.

I decided to stand up. But my wrists which I rested on twisted as soon as I wanted to stand up.

"Ouch," I whimpered, letting out a small sound of pain. Nobody helped me. Nobody stretched out their hands to help me.

I closed my eyes to process the pain and tried to stand up again when as I opened my eyes, a masculine hand was stretched out to me at my front.

I looked up slowly and saw Senior Alexander giving his hand to me... His own hand to me.

"Take my hand and stand up, or do it yourself and leave my way." His deep voice instructed.

I didn't budge. Didn't move. I was in SS1, and Senior Alexander in SS2. In the social hierarchy that sickly ruled CH, Senior Alexander and I were levels far apart.

Taking his hand would stir controversies. It would stir all sort of rumors and I wasn't mentally ready for that.

Heck, I wanted to disappear from the surface of Earth and appear six feet under where I belonged.

But there was no way. That was impossible.

So I remained on the floor and continued at her senior with uncertainty, not minding if everyone was mumbling about how stupid I was to still remain on the floor.

The school bell rang.

"Lol, stupid incest breeder. Alex, let's go."

That was another senior who happened to be watching the whole suspense filled drama of take the hand or not with Senior Alexander.

Her name was Zara. Everyone knew Zara. And the hateful things she always said to people. How cold she was to people.

And that's why what Zara had said to verbally abuse me didn't bother her a bit because to her, I was no one to pay attention to.

~√°~√°~√°~√°~

He followed her into the aedicule, his eyes never leaving the stubs on her back that made his curiosity fuel with fire. He had heard of her. The second fallen angel.

He wasn't sure of what he expected... But definitely not this. She was tiny in stature, having a small build and a small face. Her lips were pale and chapped, her eyes had dark circles, her hair was at unequal length.

Blood stains covered the stubs on her back as she reached a part of the aedicule and sat down. Her cold green eyes sent a glare across the room, intriguing Dale instead of frightening him.

"My mother mustn't know of my visit here," Dale began. "Please, do tell me your name."

She balled her fists, her long nails digging into her skin. "Who are you?"

Dale gave her a smile, one that was probably meant to be reassuring but she did not return the favor. "I'm Dale, son to Emily, the librarian and guardian of the Novea Terrae."

"Problematic, interesting book," I slammed the book shut, also jumping out of fear at the sudden appearance.

It was him again.

He must've noticed my sudden apprehension because he raised his hands up in surrender, "Hey, chill. I'm not some scary monster or shit."

"What are you doing here?" I frowned. Ever since this Hanniel boy walked into CH, he already made me say more words than I intended to.

"Everyone's allowed into the Leisure Room." He smiled at me, one that had me queasy and twisted my stomach into knots. I hated smiles from men.

Without any words, I stood up and began to head towards the door but Hanniel called me back. "You never told me your name, you know!"

The sound of footsteps followed.

I turned around and stared at me, already sure my dead grey eyes did well to communicate the message.

"TAY is an amazing writer, yeah?! I love Problematic!"

Why was he telling me all this?

I didn't want to know all this.

All of it.

"I don't recall asking for your opinion," I told him and walked out of the room, the loud bang made from the door being closed filling my eardrums and quickening my heart rate.

~H A N N I E L~

In my entire years of having people suck up to me, I'd never being savaged this way. It felt so wrong, so cold.

Grey eyes flatly told me off when I was trying to make conversation.

I swallowed and calmly took a deep breath. Yes, she was intriguing but she was making this hard.

I stood up, glanced around at all the instruments before walking out. The sound of rain caught my notice and I looked out to the far end of the hallway, open and serving as a sight for beauty.

Raindrops.

Thunderstorms.

Lightening.

Grey clouds.

I started walking down the hallway, right till I found myself out in front of the fountain that stayed right in the middle of CH'S large compound.

And then, my eyes fell on her. Few feet away from me.

Closing her eyes and letting herself soak in the rain... letting the rain pour over her... wash over her and drench her. She stood still and there was so much to see simply by watching just stand in the rain.

It seemed like she had this silent communication, silent bond with the rain no one seemed to understand.

And even if she could get sick, she didn't care. The sound of someone screaming had me looking back and I didn't see anyone.

Just a student smiling by the window side of my class while staring at the rain, hands stretched out of the window.

Grey eyes was quiet.

Who screamed?

I must've imagined it.

Thunder struck so gently and at the same time, I took a step forward.

I looked up and somehow felt frightened at the mass of droplets in the air, how they were pouring from so far above and how they meant different things to everyone. How they dropped from the clouds.

Clouds that were once white and bright.

They were now grey and dull.

All of them in dark skies.