The heavy rain had begun pouring down as the school bell rang, signaling the end of lunchtime. Students from the fields came running to take shelter from the bitter storm.
Droplets of water slide down on the windows of each room, making soft pitter-patters, which are rhythmic and relaxing.
Abby couldn't help but stare out of the window; her mind was a long way from the teacher's discussion and stayed focused on the foggy vision through the window. She can't get the love letter out of her head; each word is playing through her mind over and over.
The class seemed to pass in a blur, ending as quickly as a flash of light. As soon as the teacher stepped out, the room erupted into a roar of chatter, the students' voices easily drowning out the rhythmic drumming of the downpour outside.
"Hey, Abby! What's the word on that letter?" a girl with short, wavy hair asked, scraping her chair across the floor to huddle near Abby's desk.
"Don't remind me," Abby said, a weak, weary smile playing on her lips. "Thinking about it is giving me a headache."
The letter still felt like a jolt to her system. Back at her old school, she had always been the one in the background, rarely attracting a second glance, let alone a written confession. She couldn't help but wonder: Why now? And why me?
"So, why don't you play detective?" the girl suggested, her eyebrows wiggling in a mischievous smirk. "Track down this mystery guy."
"Isn't that... crossing a line?" Abby asked, her brow furrowing. "I don't want to invade his privacy, even if I am a little curious about who he is."
"Invasion of privacy? Abby, the guy literally dropped a love letter in your locker!" the girl proclaimed, leaning in closer. "He only left his initials and didn't even have the guts to confess in person. Doesn't that drive you at least a little bit crazy?"
Abby couldn't help it; she let out an awkward, breathless giggle, her curiosity finally starting to win the battle against her hesitation.
"Maybe he wants it that way," Abby said, a soft smile touching her lips. "Maybe he's happier being a secret for now."
"Are you serious? He sends a letter to tell you he likes you but doesn't actually tell you who he is?" her friend countered, leaning in with a skeptical look. "For all we know, this is just some game to kill time. Don't you want to know why he chose you out of every girl in this school?"
That hit home. The questions began to swirl in Abby's mind, each one followed by a massive, nagging question mark. Why me? What does he see?
"So," the girl prompted, her grin widening with excitement. "What's the plan?"
"Even if I wanted to find him," Abby countered weakly, "we don't even have a place to start."
Her friend let out a triumphant clap and stood up, looming over the desk with a mischievous spark in her eyes. "Easy peasy. We'll just sneak a look at the student records and cross-reference every name that matches those initials."
Abby let out a nervous chuckle, staring up at her friend. "I'm not trying to get an invitation to the principal's office, Sam. My sister would lecture me for hours."
Sam let out a fake, dramatic laugh and gave Abby a playful swat on the head. "Don't be such a scaredy-cat! It's just Shaine. Since when is she the Big Bad Wolf?"
"Oh, I don't know... since forever?" Abby replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Just the mental image of Shaine glaring at her made the hair on the back of Abby's neck stand up. Shaine was usually the heart of the room, all high energy and warm vibes, but when her temper finally snapped, it was like she transformed into an entirely different person. A person Abby didn't want to meet in a dark hallway.
"Besides," Abby added, her voice softening as she looked down at fingers fidgeting. "If he went to all this trouble to stay anonymous, maybe we should just leave it be. If he wanted me to know who he was, he would have signed his name."
Sam practically grumbled, murmuring about wanting to find this anonymous admirer, but eventually gave it up and started yapping about random stories of her life or other nonsense she can think of.
Abby didn't utter another word; letting go of a big sigh, she started doodling in her notebook while listening to Sam's cocky stories.
The school bell chimed, its ring echoing through the corridors and competing with the roar of the rain. Because of the worsening storm, classes had been suspended early; it was far too dangerous for students to be heading home in the dark with a tropical surge on the horizon.
"My brother is picking me up today," Sam said with a playful grin, brushing her bangs out of her eyes as she slung her bag over her shoulder. "Want to hitch a ride and stay dry?"
Abby gave her a warm, appreciative smile. "Thanks, but I'm okay. I'm walking home with Shaine and Elly. I just hope one of them remembered to bring an umbrella."
Sam shrugged and messed up Abby's hair before waving goodbye. Pulling her bag to her backpack, Abby walked out of her classroom with a small but warm smile; the weather may be cold and gloomy, but there's this small glow coming from Abby, making her feel all cozy and warm.
Shaine and Elly's classrooms were only a few doors down, and the corridor was a sea of students from different grade levels, all merging into a wall of chatter. A soft, melodic tune drifted from the broadcast speakers, giving the crowded hallway a strangely relaxing feel despite the storm outside.
Abby leaned her back against the wall directly across from Shaine's door. As her sister's classmates filed out, several offered her friendly smiles or quick waves. She had become a familiar fixture here, the loyal younger sister who was always found waiting patiently in the hall.
Her eyes remained glued to her black shoes as she tapped them against the floor, her feet making out an unrecognizable, private rhythm on the floor.
Three familiar voices drifted toward her in perfect sync, and Abby straightened up, her eyes snapping to the classroom door. Shaine stepped out, flanked by two of her classmates.
"Shaine!" Abby greeted her, a bright smile lighting up her face.
Shaine returned the grin at first, but as Abby asked, "Ready to go home?" her energy visibly faltered. She reached up to scratch the back of her neck, an awkward, apologetic look clouding her expression.
"Change of plans, Abby," Shaine said, reaching out to affectionately ruffle her sister's hair. "I won't be heading back until at least four. I've got a meeting I can't skip."
Although Shaine is on the soccer team she is also a part of the community club, which helps with all the clean-up or preparations for school events.
"Oh, I see. That's fine," Abby said, trying to hide her disappointment with a small nod.
"Hey!" a loud voice boomed from the right.
They all turned to see Elly approaching, flanked by Alex and June. Shaine greeted the boys with a quick, practiced fist pump before giving Elly a familiar pat on the shoulder. "Hey, Elly. What time are you heading out?"
Elly rubbed his chin, his eyes drifting upward as if he were consulting an invisible clock hovering in the hallway. "Probably around four? I've got to help the team gut the club room today. Why do you ask?"
"It looks like Abby's the only one without club activities today," Shaine said, her smile turning worried as she looked down at her sister. Abby just gave a small, graceful giggle at the sudden attention.
"Oh, gosh. Talk about bad timing," Elly groaned, his expression turning instantly gloomy. "Sorry, Abby, but if I skip out on cleaning duty, the captain will make my training twice as grueling tomorrow. I don't think my legs would survive that."
"It's perfectly fine. I can manage on my own, really," Abby insisted, offering her family a reassuring smile. "I should probably head out before the rain gets any worse. Oh, speaking of which, do either of you have an extra umbrella?"
She was met with a synchronized shake of their heads. With a final wave, Abby bid farewell to her sister and cousin and jogged off toward the Lost and Found, hoping a stray umbrella might be waiting for her.
No such luck. The bin was empty.
Abby walked toward the school's main entrance, stopping just at the edge of the shelter to keep her shoes and socks from soaking through. She tilted her head back, staring up at the heavy, bruised clouds. "Could you at least pause for a minute? Just long enough for me to get home?" she asked the sky, letting out a soft, playful laugh.
As the echoes of her voice faded, she looked around. The bustling hallways were silent now. I guess everyone really did head home, she thought, the realization leaving her alone with the rhythmic roar of the rain.
A moment later, the sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway behind her, heavy yet strangely soft, rhythmic against the concrete. Abby felt someone come to a halt just a few feet away, but she kept her gaze fixed on the rain. Probably a senior, she told herself, pulling her arms closer.
"Damn," the person said, followed by a short, breathless laugh. "Looks like this rain isn't letting up until tonight."
Is he talking to me? Abby wondered, her eyes darting toward the empty street to avoid looking his way.
"Why haven't you headed home yet?" the voice asked again, more direct this time.
Yep. He's definitely talking to me. Taking a steadying breath, she slowly turned her head, a polite, practiced smile ready so she wouldn't seem rude. The words caught in her throat, however, the moment she saw him. He was staring up at the darkening sky, his bag slung carelessly over one shoulder.
It was him, the boy from the baseball field.
"I seem to have forgotten my umbrella," she answered with an awkward laugh, trying to sound friendly and not distant.
The boy let out a soft laugh, though his gaze remained fixed on the weeping clouds above. He began rummaging through his bag until he pulled out a sturdy umbrella. With a quiet smile at the sky, he held it out to her.
"Take it," he said, his voice barely raised above the downpour. "I think I'm going to actually enjoy the rain for once."
Before she could process the offer, he stepped out into the deluge.
"Wait! You'll catch a cold!" Abby cried out, frantically fumbling to pop the umbrella open.
"Don't worry about me. I'm used to illness—it comes and goes," he called back, stopping for a heartbeat amidst the rain. He finally turned, his fair face lit up by a soft, bittersweet smile as he looked at her. "It's better if it's me who gets sick and not you. Get home safe now."
Without another word, he took off, his figure blurring into the gray mist until he vanished from sight.
Abby stood frozen, staring blankly into the thickening fog until the realization finally hit: she should have followed him. She adjusted her grip on the umbrella and sprinted toward the school gate, her eyes searching the mist for even a glimpse of his silhouette. But he was gone. The street was a wall of gray, lit only by the lonely glow of streetlamps flickering to life in the premature darkness of the storm.
With a heavy sigh, she turned toward her own neighborhood. Her footsteps fell in time with the rhythmic drum-drum of the rain against the taut fabric above her. She stepped through deep puddles, the water splashing and soaking into her shoes, but she was too lost in her own head to care.
Halfway home, she drifted to a halt and tilted the umbrella back, staring up at the relentless sky. "I hope you made it home okay," she whispered to the wind.
She started walking again, leaving behind a trail of footprints that vanished into the ripples of the rising water.