We stayed in the gazebo.

Snoot tried to go out first, but before I even stepped out of the gazebo, sinabihan na niya akong huwag nang lumabas kasi sobrang lambot na raw ng lupa. The rain hadn't stopped since it fell early this morning, and Snoot's digital sports watch was counting its fast digits to ten-thirty. Rain poured down as he hurled the thick vines aside, stripping away the debris that kept the water from escaping the gate. Soon after he did that, the puddle inside the garden coasted out.

We were sitting on the podium, watching the whole garden bathed in the rain. Snoot sat to my left, his right arm curving across my back in a quiet claim of presence. His palm rested on the podium near my hips. The space between us seemed to shrink, charged with the weight of his nearness. He wasn't hugging me, but I could still feel his body heat and presence stronger than the cold. He let me wear his jacket too.

"All these years, I thought that was soil," I said, pointing to the garden's flooring, which, all my life, I thought was soil and hard rock.

"Mukhang lupa, 'no?" Snoot replied. "Akala ko rin dati, lupa 'yan. Pero nakita ko agad 'yong pattern diyan sa bandang likuran ng fountain. Vintage brown na neoclassical design ng marble ang ginamit nila kaya nagbe-blend sa lupa."

"I didn't know that. Tiled pala 'tong garden."

"Marami lang natubong halaman sa mga gilid kaya hindi halata. Nabalot na rin kasi ng lupa."

I smiled at Snoot. "It's the first time I saw this garden under the rain."

He met my eyes with such warmth. "Ayaw mong maulan dito? Hindi summer kaya talagang uulanin tayo."

"You know, the rain shows a lot of truths of this garden." I took a deep breath and rested my head on Snoot's shoulder. "Your reason . . . the tiles . . . how scary this place really is . . ."

"Natatakot ka ba?"

"Kanina."

"How about ngayon?"

"You fucked up my head so bad, I always feel safe when I'm with you . . ."

Even after he said that this garden was my cage. Even after he admitted how unhinged he was for being obsessed and possessive over me.

Maybe this was exactly what my mom had warned me about men like my dad. The kind who plays harder to win you over until you stop seeing the dangers of the world, because he convinces you he can handle them for you.

"Tingin mo, safe ka ngayon?" he asked.

I slightly nodded. "Yeah."

"Trapped tayong dalawa rito. Hindi ko alam kung safe pa ba 'yon."

I giggled at that. "Yeah. But still, I'm not to suffer alone."

"Wow. Nadamay pa 'ko. Anong love will keep us alive? Binabagyo na tayo rito, wala pa tayong almusal. Mamatay na talaga tayo diyan sa mahal-mahal na 'yan."

"Hahahaha!"

"Wala na talagang tinamaan sa buhay."

But Snoot could leave this garden—I was sure of it. He kept glancing at me, and from my dress down to my slippers, I hardly looked prepared to wade into the mud. Or perhaps he remembered that I once did and was trying to spare me the same misfortune he'd witnessed in the rice field on my very first day here.

My eyes stayed on the marble floor of the garden. The rain washed all the soil out of the open gate. The water falling from the sky cleaned the dirty fountain. It finally showed what this garden fountain really looked like.

"Gusto mong maligo sa ulan?" bigla niyang tanong kaya napatingin ako sa kanya.

"Huh?"

"Alisin mo muna 'to." He took off my jacket, and I was totally lost about what was happening.

"What now?"

"Tara!"

Snoot grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the fountain. I gasped as soon as the raindrops touched my body.

"Aahh!" I yelled the moment I felt that cold rain on my skin.

"Hahaha! Tara dito!"

We peeked at the wishing fountain. It was still dirty, but the water rose higher this time.

My eyes were scanning the barely visible bottom of the fountain when I saw a coin falling on it. That was when I gazed at Snoot.

"You wished?"

He smiled at me.

"What's your wish?"

"Bawal sabihin kasi hindi matutupad!"

"Oh come on!"

He clasped my hand once more, lifting it with deliberate grace. I stopped, feeling stupid in my hesitation, as he guided me into a slow turn. The world blurred until I faced him again, his radiant smile breaking through the rain of uncertainty. His right hand pressed warmly against my shoulder blades, steadying me, while his other hand held mine—anchoring me in a moment that felt like it belonged to a film.

"Ikaw lamang ang aking iibigin . . . magpakailanman . . ." he sang in his deep voice, which made me still in my place.

I've been watching him secretly in the ballroom with Inang every time he sang for my grandmother, and this was the first time he did it in front of me.

He stepped to the side. I followed. He did on the other side. I did as well.

"Ang pag-ibig ko sa 'yo ay tunay . . . nais ko sanang patunayan . . . huwag ka nang mag-alinlangan . . ."

He was staring into my eyes, and I was already locked in his dreamy gaze. I almost forgot we were dancing in the rain. I felt his warmth all over my body.

I closed my eyes and rested my head on the gap between his neck and chest, like how he danced with my grandmother on her wedding anniversary with a man he never loved at all.

"Ang pag-ibig . . . ko'y hindi kukupas . . . tulad din ng umaga . . . may pag-asang sumisikat . . ."

Slow dancing under the rain was never on my wishlist in life, but it was giving me a feeling of being treasured. I honestly thought dancing like this was so clichéd and only in the movies, but it made me calm in a way I've never felt before.

"Ang sumpa ko sa iyo'y asahan . . . ikaw lamang ang aking iibigin mapakailanman . . ."

I went here today to let the memory of Billy go. I went here for the sun. I went here to change the things that made me love this place when I was a kid.

The opposite of what I wanted happened.

The sun was hiding. The rain was getting heavier and heavier as time passed by. But Snoot was here, dancing with me, making another beautiful memory with him.

He went here for me to change the things that made me love this place when I was a kid.

We stopped swaying to his song after a loud thunder interfered. We both looked at the sky. Guess the rain wasn't stopping today.

"Mataas ang tubig sa labas! Maligo na lang tayo para maalis ang putik!" malakas na sabi ni Snoot, nilalabanan ang lakas ng ulan at hangin.

"Is it safe?!" I yelled back.

"Wala nang safe rito! Balik na lang tayo sa bahay!"

And in the middle of the gushing wind and pouring rain, we ran across the muddy field, holding each other's hands.

The sky was roaring loud, and we were chorusing it with laughter.

My chest felt so warm despite the coldness of the surroundings. I was screaming so loud and laughed afterward.

"Use your umbrella!" I yelled at Snoot.

"Basa na 'ko! Hayaan mo na 'yan!"

He was holding it, but he wasn't using it. I still wore the jacket even if I was already wet. He was completely soaked as we ran toward the back of the nearing ancestral house.

Snoot's eyes were gleaming with happiness in the midst of the gloomy atmosphere. Now I knew why I remembered Billy's eyes as I stared at him a few days ago.

His happy eyes, when he was with me, had never changed. It was always the same—pleased and grateful for having me—the very reason why I always believed in him and his every word. The eyes that assured me that everything would be all right so long as we were together.