Chapter 15: Rain Drops

WHILE WALKING INTO the gate someone was eyeing her like a hawk, her hair was dark as night and plain shiny hair. Fera noticed her stares, yet she acted unbothered. She was heading straight and the girl who was eyeing her stepped in her way. She tried to walk passed her yet she stopped her. Her frowned face turned into confusion. She flashed an innocent face before looking at the girl in front of her.

"Yes?" she asked. She took a step back to make her feel superior.

"You are Fera, right?" She asked with full blunt, thinking Fera was an easy prey. 'What is her problem?' she mentally asked. It was the girl who hugged Nick yesterday. She dressed just fine for Fera's judgment. She wore a gold necklace, branded bag, and shoes. Flashy, all she could comment.

"Yes, I am." She politely answered in her most submissive tone. She was trying to avoid trouble at all costs. She couldn't risk her identity for a small petty fight.

"Could you stay away from Nick? I don't like you to be my friend." Pathetic, was the only word she could describe the girl in front of her.

"Sure," she quickly replied. And her face fell into confusion and eventually smiled in triumph.

"Good girl, you can now go." But she hasn't stepped out of her way so Fera obligingly walked to her left side. "Remember to stay away from him always, once I ever spotted you with him, you will never like what I could do to you," she whispered. Fera didn't bother answering anymore, on her first subject, she found Nick sitting in his usual spot and she choose to sit near the door, which was easy access from going out.

"Have answered the homework?" she almost jumped when someone whispered to her ears, she turned her head and meet his eyes, their face was too close and she watched him take the seat next to her. "I didn't know we had an assignment," he exhaled.

"I did," she answered in her monotone voice.

"I need it now, please." He said while opening his bag and getting his pen and notebook out. She got her notebook and handed it, she was in shock and automatically handed him what he need.

"I will kill you if we ever get caught, Nick," she cursed under her breath when she finally realized what just happened. Nick hushed her down and made her look around. She kept her composure while Nick was copying her assignment, once he finished he handed it back under the table. They sat in peace until the girl who warned her got into the room. She spotted the empty chair where Nick's usual spot was. She took her phone out and dialed someone. Fera heard a low noise in his bag.

She kept dialing while walking to the nearest chair, but then found Nick sitting beside her.

"Nick!" she exclaimed. "Where were you, I went to your house so I could have a ride and you weren't there, I told you to wait for me," she pouted and hold on to his arm.

"I'm sorry, I rented an apartment." He answered while Fera on the other hand was praying that their teacher to show up sooner.

"And why are you sitting here, you love sitting by the window, right?" her irritating voice was hurting her eardrum badly, then their teacher got in, and their sitting arrangement was quite awkward. Nick was sitting between Fera and the girl.

During the discussion the atmosphere was thankfully fine, a dull run of usual days. Students were participating actively, on the other hand, Fera's attention was fixed on the whiteboard with a gray border, and messy handwritten words on it. She wasn't too smart but she already knew that lesson. Her elementary classes were advanced and now she dealing with it during high school. After the discussion, they had a quiz. Nick noticed her secret yawning so he hit her elbow. She glares at him but she received a death glare behind Nick.

"Fera Luzares?" the teacher suddenly called her after checking the papers. She search the whole room looking for Fera, however, Fera was nervously figuring out what was the matter. She raised her hand to get her attention.

"Ma'am?" she smiled at Fera once she found her.

"I thought you weren't listening, you're the only one who got a perfect score, very good," she said and she replied with a shy smile and put her hand down.

"Thank you, Miss Perez."

After the whole day, Fera dropped by the canteen to buy some snacks, she feel like eating while walking home. Almost everyone had already left the school and she was passing by the gate, she smiled at the guard before heading out. To her surprise, she saw Nick standing by the road. With the girl earlier.

"Aren't we going home already?" she asked.

"You can go home now, Jade." he answered, then he found Fera. "Where were you?" Fera took a bit on her cracker and waved it after.

"You were waiting for her?" they turned to the girl named Jade. Fera started walking out 'cause she feel like she wasn't part of the conversation.

"I think you guys need to talk," she said before leaving them.

"Look, Jade, it's getting dark and you need to go home now. I usually walked with Fera cause she might lose her way, she's new here." She heard him explain, that it was indeed getting dark way too soon. The sky was covered with grayish clouds and looked like about to pour. She hadn't brought her umbrella with her. After a few minutes, she heard him running towards her.

An unfamiliar feeling made her smile, it seemed like her expectation happened and a wish come true. She bit her inner cheek to stop herself from smiling. "What happened?"

"I told her to go home," she handed him an opened chips and he automatically scoop some.

"She likes you,"

"I know," he answered truthfully. "And I don't feel the same. So as much as possible I don't want to send her false hope, I feel guilty upon turning her down but I just can't. " Small drops of rain hit them with the shivering breeze of the wind. They were still walking slowly while the rain was gradually pouring hard.

"Did you bring an umbrella with you?" she asked him.

"No,"

"Me too," and strong drops hit their skin instead of running he stopped walking so Fera turned her head to him.

"It's been ages since I play with the rain." He spoke and closed his eyes. "How about you?"

"Never," she replied. He was confused why but instead of asking why he offered his hand and smiled.

"Then this will be your first, game?" she stared at his hand for a while. She wiped her face and hold his hand. The smile she was been holding escaped. They started walking and eventually run while holding each other's hands. Nick brought her to the nearest park, he opened the gate but Fera stopped for a moment.

"This is crazy," she mumbled under the rain and Nick didn't hear it.

"WHAT?"

"I SAID THIS IS CRAZY!" she shouted and he smiled widely.

"Sometimes craziness is fun," he said in her ears. His warm breath was calming and assuring. They played like children in the rain, and Fera wasn't used to playing in the rain, it was slippery and she slipped. They both fell cause Fera was holding his hand tight. Their laughter filled the cold park. After getting up they went to the swing, she sat down and Nick pushed her gently. On his turn to sit, she pushed him hard as she could.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA," they were both laughing and Nick started chasing her. Her laughter was her first genuine laugh, full of glee, and no other feeling, just happy and free. He granted her childhood dream, to play in the rain and play in the park. She has never been into the park to play but only to walk with her bodyguards and watch the children play. Her parents build a park inside their home so she wouldn't be needed to go outside, her outside life was shopping and a formal party with her parent. Even her birthday celebration was full of cameras for her to be herself and play. Big personalities were usually invited and her parents strictly prohibit her to act inappropriately.

And she fell multiple times and they would break into laughter while Nick always helps her up, and evidence that wasn't into running, her parents were too protective and refrain her from running. The joy in her heart was only because of Nick, part of it was her freedom. She felt free to express herself around Nick. They didn't realize that it was already dark.

Soon the rain stopped, and they found themselves washing their body with the water from the hose used in watering the plants in that park.

"Mama Tes will surely ask what happened," she blurted, her throat was hurting bad but she didn't care.

"She will," he agreed. And took their bag on the bench completely soaked with rain.

"She thinks why the hell they played under the rain," she mumbled and fix her hair into a messy bond, which was dripping wet. Their white uniform turned into brown and they both felt sticky.

"She doesn't curse like that, she'll probably say 'holy Jesus, what have you done?' " he copied the way she speaks. They were laughing while walking out of the park.

"That was fun," a voice of a man stopped them, and they both turned in front. There was a man in a white shirt, with messy hair and black pants. His dark eyes met Nick's, which Nick willing mirrored. "What time is it, Fairly?" he asked and turned to Fera. Behind him a black mustang was parked, he slid his hand in his pocket and wait her to answer.

"Don't you have a watch?" she pointed his watch on his right wrist.