CHAPTER 3 - Rain

[ Myrtle's Point of View ]

Sean went back to the car, holding two waffles in one hand and two drinks on the other.

"Here you go, eat up," he said and handed me a strawberry waffle and a milkshake.

Oh my gosh, strawberries are my favorite!

"Thanks," I replied.

He went inside the car and started driving again.

"Sorry if I ask, but what happened to your mom?" he asked ambivalently.

I sighed and smiled.

"Well, mom is such a strong woman, but yesterday, when we had all fun and happiness, she suddenly had a cardiac arrest. The doctor said that she needs surgery in Switzerland," I replied and looked outside the window to stop my tears from falling.

"Uh... Do you want a bargain?" he asked and glanced at me, then grinned.

I shook my head and looked at him baffled, "What bargain?"

He stopped the car and bent close to me. I moved away because he was getting too close!

He looked at my eyes, and I couldn't just help but look at him back because it was so mesmerizing.

"Be my wife, miss Myrtle Piena Saragoza," he said in a serious tone. I didn't even notice that he was joking.

I laughed sarcastically and looked away. How can he say that without flinching?

"You know, stop joking! You shouldn't talk about those things. I'm still nineteen, and I don't want to get a boyfriend yet," I replied.

"I'm not joking," he replied and smirked. After that, he moved closer to me, and I couldn't move anywhere anymore! Is he cornering me?

"Hey... What are ... you doing?" I told him and moved my face away.

"I want to kiss you," he replied and placed both his hands on the sides of my waist.

"Hey, stop it!" I screamed at him, and he slowly moved away.

"Please, we just met yesterday. Thanks, I'll drop now," I murmured and went out of the car.

I can't believe I've been with a pervert.

Lesson learned: NEVER EVER TRUST MEN!

I fixed my sling bag and went inside the hospital. This sling bag, this dress, this sandal, I realized it's not mine.

Ahh, how would I even return these to him?

I walked towards the hospital hallway and proceeded to my mom's room. A nurse came out, and I asked her, "Ma'am, do you have an update about my mom? Did she wake up? How is she?" I asked her worriedly.

"Still, no progress, ma'am. We need to execute the surgery as soon as possible."

I covered my face out of frustration and sat down on the bench.

Tears were about to fall from my eyes again, but I promptly wiped them. I can't keep crying. Crying helps me in any way.

I rummaged through my sling bag because I felt that it was somehow heavy. I saw a wallet, lip balm, a comb, and a phone.

What are these?

I opened the wallet, and there were tons of bills! There's also Sean's bank card.

Gosh, this amount is enough for my whole college life.

But I can't use this. This is not from my hard work and not mine to take.

I shook my head and returned the wallet back in the bag. I also tried to open the phone, but I didn't know anything about gadgets.

And now, tell me how I would live in this city?

I don't know a thing in here.

I sighed and went outside the hospital. I need to look for a job, no matter what it takes, the life of my mom is at stake.

I went to various shops and establishments, but they asked for my resume and I.D... Unfortunately, I don't have a valid I.D., and my resume is at home. It would also take a long to process it.

I frowned out of frustration.

I never gave up and still roamed around the area, asked for available jobs.

But still, I got rejected all over again. Maybe I should go back to the farm and work rather than waste my time in this city where I don't even belong.

"Hey, miss! Are you looking for a job?" A tall man with tattoos approached me.

He freaking smells like alcohol and cigarettes!

He grabbed my arms and started laughing. I got terrified because he was dragging me with him!

"Uhm... Please let me go. What kind of job are you talking about?!" I asked rudely, scared.

"Just come with me. Hahaha!"

"Help!" I screamed, but the people around me were just staring at us. Is this how people are in the cities? Are they this selfish?!

"Nobody will help you here," the man dragging me replied.

We stopped at a building, and it was full of lights, drunk men, and dancing women!

Is this a bar? I don't know because it's my first time seeing it in real life. I just saw it in movies.

"Come inside." The man continued to drag me and held my arms tightly.

"You want a job, right? See those women? They pay higher than other professionals in this world. What do you think?" he told me and pointed at the women dancing on the stage with almost no clothes at all.

This is not very good. I need to leave this place immediately.

"I don't want a job that will destroy my dignity. Please let me go," I said sternly and glared at the man groping my arms.

"Then you can just spend the night with me. I'll give you the money no matter how much is that." He smirked at me and started to hold my face.

"Wait... Stop!!" I screamed my lungs out of fear, and when I blinked, the man, awhile back, was now lying on the floor bleeding his nose.

What happened?

"Are you okay? Did he do something to you?" I saw a very familiar man standing right in front of me, holding my face gently and checking if I had any bruises.

In his eyes, I can see that he is worried.

"I'm fine. Why are you here anyway? Do you usually stay at this bar?" I asked him and looked around the area.

"No. I don't go too cheap bars like this," he replied and tucked my hair in the back of my ear. I felt shivers in my spine.

"Uhm... We need to go out there already," I told him, and he nodded as a response.

When we went outside the bar, it was already dark and raining. The landscape is too astonishing! The cars with beaming lights, the high buildings, the people walking with umbrellas, and couples kissing.

I've never had a first kiss yet. Kids younger than me already have someone in their life, and here am I. Broke and single, hopeless romantic.

"Why are you frowning?" Sean asked as he stared at me.

"Nothing. It's just, I don't have a job, and I don't have money. I also don't have a boyfriend," I uttered unintentionally.

Wait, what? No, the last sentence isn't what I was supposed to say!

I covered my mouth and slowly glanced at Sean. He was smiling at me.

"You know, I can give all of that to you," he said and placed both of his hands inside the pocket of his trouser. Then he looked away from me.

"I didn't mean to say that. Just don't mind me. I used to say things carelessly," I replied and looked away too.

Nobody spoke for a second or two. It's just the sound of the rain, murmurs of people, and honking cars.

"Uhm... Do you have an umbrella?" I asked him shyly.

"If I have, we are already at my house right now."

Right, I'm such a dumbass. But in books, sometimes the guy won't tell the girl that he has an umbrella to be with her for a longer time.

But this world is not fantasy.

"You know what? We can just run into the rain! Have you tried showering in the rain?" I asked him in excitement.

My siblings and I always dance and play in the rain in the fields. Mom would usually get mad at us because we get colds and fever the next day. Good old days.

"No. Why would I do that? To get sick?"

"Nah, the pain is worth it because playing in the rain is fun! Come on!" I pulled him, and he got caught off guard.

I kept smiling, laughing, and spinning around while feeling the cold rain touching my skin.

And this man right here is just standing while his arms are crossed, looking at me while I do crazy things.

"Why don't you try to play around?" I happily asked him.

"You are such a peculiar person," he uttered and went closer to me.

His face and hair are so wet. The shape of his body is being traced because of his damp clothing.

I felt my heart racing like a horse when he came right in front of me.

His crystal blue eyes are so captivating.

He grabbed my hands and placed them on his shoulder. Then he put his left hand in my waist and held my left hand with his right.

"What are you doing?" I asked him while keeping my eyes staring at his winsome eyes.

"Let's dance," he said in a deep but soft and gentle tone.

The world seemed to stop when he said that. All I can hear and see is him.

He smiled shyly at me and started swaying. I just flowed with his movements.

"I never thought the rain would be this beautiful," he mumbled while maintaining a gaze into my eyes.

"Me either," I replied.

He smiled ear to ear and kept dancing.

For minutes, we just danced in the rain, not caring whether people would see us.

This was the first time I experienced dancing with a guy other than my father and older brother.

And the rain is a witness.

We stopped dancing, and he moved closer to me.

He held my face and placed his right arm at my nape.

I felt the hairs on my body stand up.

He leaned closer to me and closed his eyes. He was blushing, and so was I. As I realized he was about to kiss me, I also closed my eyes and felt his lips touch mine.

This is my first kiss.

And the rain is a witness.

Everything seemed quiet, but I could hear his heart and my heart beating against each other.