SHWAAA!

THE RAIN ROLLED down the windows in strips. It made splashing noises on the ground and spread the coerce scent of sand into my nostrils. The weather was slowly turning chilly as the days were crawling towards the end of September.

I could feel the nostalgia creep into my mind as I was all by myself in the lonely art room with Nathan's Call Me Home softly playing from my headphones into my ears. A very cold breeze blew in from the only open window in the room and fell on me— I shivered. Turning to my left, I let the dimming memory of my last time in the art room transcend on me. I could still fish out a greyish figure of him as he sat right next to me because he wanted to be with me.

He had stared at my painting so admirably that day.

"You just painted this?" He had asked, "You're really talented, you know?

I shut my eyes tightly, trying so hard to get the thoughts of him out of my head but I just could not. My brain and my heart wanted two different things.

It was always sunny around me whenever Thomas was by me. My world appeared so bright and vibrant when he was there. He was mine, my own Thomas, my boyfriend. When I wasn't bothered about how I looked, he was the next thing on my mind.

I blinked— no, I shouldn't have blinked! Because of that foolish move, I couldn't see him anymore. I couldn't even remember what he looked like. Was this how we were to let go of each other? How we were to let the happy memories we had created together shrivel?

I wiped off the tears trying to escape from my eyes and penned my name on my newest artwork; a painting of a bleeding heart. I loved every moment with him, so if this was the only wish life would grant to me, let me have Thomas back.

My phone's alarm rang, drawing me out of my sobriety— It was exactly four O' clock. I brushed my fingertips against the dry edge of the painting as I got up from the stool.

Goodbye.

Pulling off my painting apron, I revealed the green oversized pullover and black skirt which I was wearing. I took my tote bag off the shelve and picked up my collapsible umbrella, rushing out of the art room. It was Saturday, the day of Scarlett's older brother's wedding. Even with my pleas, Scarlett and Annabelle had refused me to go along with them because I would surely end up breaking down into tears at the sight of the venue.

'You're fresh off a heartbreak,' they had said to me.

I didn't know if I were to feel happy that they cared so much about me or feel disappointed in myself for being so weak that the world could tell how easily I crumbled in certain situations.

I hailed a cab and got in, instructing the driver to take me to the cafe. I rested my back on the seat and watched as the pouring rain gradually reduced to a light shower. The clouds in the sky weren't dark at all, so I knew that the weather was just playing pranks on us. It was going to stop raining any time soon.

I raised the sleeve of my pullover and I stared at my skin. Although it wasn't peeling as much as it did the day before, dark patches had started to appear on different spots of my arm. Annabelle had said that they would go away soon if I kept using the ointment but what about now? How was I to walk about with dark spots all over me? Do I say that I was slowly changing into a cheetah?

I drew my sleeve down. I had dark spots all over my skin, Scarlett had a torn neck and Annabelle was the unlucky one who had to tend to both of us.

I snickered, remembering how she had slept like a log the night before. She must have been so tired.

The police was still investigating Devin's case but we managed to land him a restraining order. Given how crazy he was, he could still risk it all to get revenge. It was my first time being stalked, so I wasn't so sure how to go about things. The issue had majorly been resolved but could I just go back to my normal life? Just like that? No, I had to be careful. Something could pop up from nowhere. You never could tell.

The cab driver pulled over in front of the cafe and I got off. Just as I had envisioned, the rain had stopped and the sun was happily smiling again. I walked into the cafe to the sight of Clara handing a cup of coffee to a young woman who was in with her little son.

"You didn't show up to work yesterday," she plainly said as the customer walked away with her order.

"Yeah, and?" I asked sarcastically.

"Your eyes look puffy," she continued.

"So? You want me to clap for you for stating the obvious?" I walked away from her, heading into the back room.

I slammed the door behind me and bumped into Adrian who was about to head out, making him drop the sheets of serviette in his hands on the floor.

"I'm sorry," I said, bending down to pick them.

He crouched and picked along with me, "It's okay."

"You might have to throw these away. No one would like to wipe their mouth with floor serviettes," I handed him the last serviette.

He laughed and stared at me, helping me up.

"Thank you for the hoodie," I said, shuffling through my tote bag.

"You can keep it if you want."

I held the rib of the sweater, motioning to draw it out, "Really? I washed it, if that's what you're worried about."

He laughed, "I want you to have it, Wendy."

I stared up at him. Wasn't that the first time he called me by my name?

I let go of the sweater, dropping it back into my bag, "Thank you... again."

We laughed.

"I need to go into the next room. I'm not wearing the cafe's dress code, so."

"I'll give you some room to change," he said, folding the serviette sheets and dumping them in the trash.

"It's just a pullover," I walked into the private room and opened my locker, "It's not like I'm completely undressing."

I took off my pullover and turned around to face Adrian who was intently staring at me the whole time. I stretched my lips into a smile.

"All done."

I curiously stared at him as he walked over to me. His eyes were fixated on my body and his gaze was thin.

He grabbed my hand, "Is this from the boiled water?"

I stared at my arm also, "Yeah."

"Did your boyfriend do anything about it?" He asked, still staring at my hand, "The guy who came to pick you up. He's your boyfriend, isn't he?"

My forced smile drowned, "He was."

I hated being reminded that we were over. I wanted to live in my delusion that we were only taking a break. Maybe if I kept believing that we were still together, it would turn out to be true.

Thomas was a good guy. He wouldn't hurt me like this. He said it countless times that he loved me, the gaze in his eyes told me that he wanted me. He wouldn't just let me go, would he?

Would he?

A tear slid down my cheek and dropped on my hand, making Adrian shift his gaze over to my eyes.

"Are you crying?"

I turned away from him as my eyes clouded with even more tears.

Tell me that Thomas would not let me go. Even if it was a lie, tell me.

Adrian gently grabbed my chin and made me meet his gaze again. He stared right into my eyes, giving me no option to look away.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Nothing," I said with my voice sounding like a whisper.

"Your eyes don't say 'nothing'! What happened to you?"

I sniffled, staring into Adrian's eyes for comfort of any sort. I didn't find anything, so my lips curved downwards as I felt the heat rush for my face.

"We broke up!" I wailed, "My boyfriend and I. H-He didn't even want to hear shit about what happened!"

The tears I tried so hard to conceal now fell freely from my eyes, sliding onto Adrian's finger. I covered my face and rested on his chest as he pulled me to himself, suppressing my wail with my moist palm.

"I hate him! I hate him so much!" I muffled against my palm.

How could he make me feel so much pain? All I ever did was love him. Even if I did talk to another man, was that enough for him to treat me this way?

Adrian hugged me tighter, cuddling the back of my head with his right hand.

"It shouldn't have hurt this much for loving," Adrian said, "If only it wasn't him."

It shouldn't have hurt but it did. It hurt so badly that it felt like my heart was bleeding, like I was going to die soon if Thomas didn't come back to tell me that he was only joking about breaking up with me. Love killed, much more than it healed.

"So, you are in here hugging each other while I have to take care of the customers all by myself?" Clara said to Adrian as she walked into the backroom with a glass of juice, "I was wondering what was taking you so long to bring a fresh set of serviettes."

"Your make-up is messed up," she said to me.

"Thanks," I sniffled.

She stared at me for a hot second, then turned to Adrian, "Come join me behind the counter."

"Are you okay?" Adrian asked me as I pulled away from his hug.

"Yeah," I sniffled.

This was so embarrassing. How could he even look at me with a normal gaze when my make-up was ruined?

"You should go," I added.

His hand slid down my hair and lazily dropped to his side, "Alright."

He stared at me for another second, then left, leaving me all alone with Clara. She walked into the private room and placed the glass of fruit juice on the table. Right from when I saw her at the counter, her cute aura was nowhere to be found. Her gaze was straight and mature, not five years younger than she was.

I stared at the ground and away from her. She had something mocking to say, I knew it. If she didn't have anything to tell me, she would have left when Adrian did. How unfortunate it was that I had to go through this because of a crazy couple.

"Just so you know, I heard all you said to Adrian," Clara started, "If you need someone to talk to, you can call for me or whatever."

Huh? Was that her response? She wasn't going to put on a sneaky grin and laugh at me for being so defensive that day? She wasn't going to retell the story of our encounter at my apartment and inform me that she would go after my ex? Why? Why was she being nice to me?

She turned around and opened the backroom door, "It's not the end of the world."

My heart ached with guilt. I couldn't understand Clara. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't understand her. Was she a friend? Was she a foe? I couldn't tell. But right now those words of hers comforted my soul.

It wasn't the end of the world.

Clara motioned to walk out when I called out to her.

"Can I talk to you now?" I asked.

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Tip: Wendy prefers sunny weather over rainy weather.