In The Drizzle

~ In The Drizzle ~

HER STORY

         It was a drizzly evening at the airport..

A girl with a straight long hair, neatly let down with a soft-coloured scarf tied around her head. She is wearing a plain-coloured skivvy and pants. Simple, but nice. That’s how she always dresses.
The girl’s eyes are fixed on the flight schedule board. She squeezed her hands when one of the lines on the board blinks, stating that the Garuda flight from UK that evening will be half-an-hour late.
Her face shows a nervous expression, as her minds slowly wanders off to the past. A thread of her memory takes her to the day he first knew her presence..

It was one drizzly early morning on the way to school..

She was in the middle of 7th grade. She was always nice to other people, although she was not the popular type. Her appearance always looked simple, even unnoticable to some.
She was walking to school with an umbrella covering her from the rain. When she was walking passed the bus stop, that was when she saw him for the first time.
He was wearing the same uniform as she was. He was standing under the bus stop roof, trying not to get wet before arriving at school.
She didn’t know what moved her thought to walk up to him.
“Are you going to school? You can walk with me if you want.”
“Sure you don’t mind? You’re better covered by the umbrella if you’re by yourself.”
She smiled, “Ah, the school gate-keeper scares me more than this rain.”
“You’re right. Thank you so much. Some other students walked passed earlier, but I wasn’t sure to ask them.”
So, she was one of the best among the students majoring in science. She did her best in her studies and filling her spare time in the Science Club. Once a week, she joined the volleyball practice, although never really made it to the school A team.
And, he was a new student, transferring from out of town. With his almost-perfect shape and style, he instantly got admitted into the basketball A team and, following it, were the offers to hang out with the most popular people at school.
Throughout Junior High School, she never told anyone that she knew him because she wasn’t prepared for public reaction. She only talked to him when the chance appeared and nobody noticed.

The girl decides to leave the flight schedule board and walks to the nearest coffee shop, where she orders a cup of weak-long-white and a blueberry muffin. Then she sits down to have her coffee and muffin.
As she was waiting for her coffee to cool down a bit, her mind wanders off to another fraction of memory..

It was the drizzly Saturday afternoon at the zoo..

They were in the 11th grade then. They chose the same Senior High School, although that didn’t really make any changes on their situation.
A couple of hours earlier, he called her.
“My basketball training finished earlier than scheduled. Let’s go somewhere if you’re not busy.”
“I’m not busy but.. where should we go? Where can we go without risking bumping into anyone from school?”
He thought for a moment. This was exactly why he had never asked her to go out before, besides the fact that he had only had his driving licence last week.
Then suddenly, he remembered something that she mentioned the day before, “Don’t you still have that Biology project to finish?”
She wasn’t sure of what he meant, “Animal Classifications?”
“Yes, that’s the one.”
“I have to go to the zoo information centre, and probably also, the public library to find references for it.”
“That’s perfect isn’t it? Who would we bump into at the zoo?”
So, they went to the zoo. They walked around the zoo until midday and then they had a nice picnic lunch. After that, they sat in the information centre, gathering useful references for her project, until the zoo closing time.

The girl takes the last sip of her coffee, then calmly walks back to the flight schedule board. She smiles in relieve when one of the lines blinks again, stating that the Garuda flight from UK has just landed.
Her warm feeling suddenly goes cold as she recognises another girl walking fast into the airport waiting hall. The person she found out about his return from.
This other girl is much trendier than the first one. Her hair has waves that was nicely done at a hairdressing salon. She wears the latest-style blouse with a matching feminine tight-fitting jeans. She was the Captain of the Cheerleading Squad in their Senior High School, who happened to be present at the school reunion last weekend and proudly told everyone that the Captain of the Basketball Club was coming home after finishing his University studies in UK.
Following the second girl, were almost a dozen other people. His old friends from the basketball team and cheerleading squad.
Looking at this sight, the first girl feels uneasy and finally decides to leave before anyone notices her presence. She moves as calmly and casually as she can towards the exit door and continues walking to her car.
As she is walking, she remembers the school reunion she went to last weekend..

It was one drizzly Saturday, at the cafe where the students used to hang out..

She was happy to see some of her friends who were usually busy and very difficult to catch up with.
Her happiness did not last for long, though. It was cut by a sudden cheerful and confident voice from the former Captain of the Cheerleading Squad.
“Guess what, guys??? The Best-Performing Captain is coming home from UK next Saturday!!”
Another girl quickly asked her, “Are you sure? Who told you?”
“Of course I’m sure! He told me himself! You know that he always tells me everything!”
She bit her lip to keep herself from crying. She reminded herself that she always wanted the best for him. Without drawing any unnecessary attention, she said goodbye to her friends and left the reunion.

The drizzle hides her tears. All these years, she still lacks the confidence to show people how she feels about him. She is still sure that she won’t know how to react or response when someone says something that hurts her feelings.
A girl with more self-confidence and larger circle of friends can do better in showing her feelings and attentions to him, just like organising this welcoming party.
She runs to her car and drives home. This is probably why she hasn’t received any replies from him for the letter she sent last month..

HIS STORY

It was a drizzly evening at the airport..

He takes a deep breath when the pilot announces that the flight will take slightly longer than planned due to the bad weather and they have to make a circle before it was cleared for landing.
When he takes off his summer jacket, he feels the stiff envelope inside one of the pockets. A letter that arrived at his apartment, right before he went into the taxi to the airport. He completely forgot about the letter until right now.
Reading the sender’s name, he takes another deep breath while opening the envelope. Then he starts reading with a full concentration.
Once he finishes reading the letter, he sighs. His mind goes back to a memory he never forgets..

It was one drizzly afternoon at the sports centre..

They were at the end of 10th grade. He was already a star in the basketball team, while she was a strong candidate for International Young Scientist Conference.
He saw her being circled by several students from their school, right next to his seat, where he put his sports bag. She looked a little nervous.
He heard one of the girls shouted at her, “You think just because you are among the smartest students you can try to get his attention? You can keep dreaming!”
Another girl followed, “Sneaking around, trying to get something from his bag to tell your friends that he gave it to you? If he doesn’t notice you, just back off! Don’t push your luck!”
One guy finally said, “Whatever you were trying to do, it didn’t work! So, leave now! Before I call security!”
He walked fast towards the crowd, but when he got there, she had already left.
The guy who spoke earlier pointed at his bag, “Check your bag, see if anything is missing!”
Right then, in his sports bag, he saw the spare towel and change of clothes for after the match later that day. He had put those in her backpack in the morning, on the way to school, because his own sports bag was filled with the team’s new outfit. And it turned out that he forgot to get the towel and clothes from her before he left for the sports centre.
“Everything is fine. One thing though, she never disrespects anyone, so next time, please be kind to her. At least do it for me.”
MC was calling his team to enter the field for the next match before anyone could reply to his statement and request. He left them feeling a little guilty out of their respect for him.
He never mentioned her further to public, although they spoke on the phone almost every night, only to share their ‘stories of the day’. To him, it was all his personal business, and nobody else’s.

He looks out of the plane window as the Captain announces that they are landing in a short time. This is his favourite view everytime he is on a plance, watching the ground looking larger and wider as the plance descends.
His mind quickly turns to another part of his memory..

It was the drizzly afternoon after school, in front of her house..

They were in 12th grade and it was 2 weeks before Prom Night.
“Krisna asked me to go to the Prom Night with him.”
“The President of the Science Club?”
“Yes. It looks like we’ll be presenting the International Young Scientists Award to the Principal.
“Well, everyone in the Basketball Club kind of expecting me to go with Meyra.”
“The Captain of the Basketball Club and the Captain of the Cheerleading Squad. The two of you would be expected to do the opening dance.”
He nodded, “Something like that.”
She smiled, “I’ll say yes to Krisna then.”
As always, school events, even the Prom Night, were only compulsory duties, especially for him. Their appearances were always as expected by the public.
It was always when they were outside school life felt bright and cheerful without any invisible lines separating them.

He gives a relieved sigh when the plane finally touches the ground and all the passengers slowly vacate their seats walking towards the plane’s exit door.
As he is walking along the airport halls, to the bagage belts, his mind wanders off again..

It was one drizzly Saturday late afternoon, at her place..

He left his house earlier, seeing the cloud was getting darker by the minute. So, he arrived at her place earlier too, before she even had the chance to get ready to go out that night.
While she was in the shower, he accidently spotted a little book laying on the 3-seater couch. A diary. She must’ve been writing in it when the door bell rang and forgot to take it back into her bedroom.
He swallowed hard, realising that he was going to do something that he was not supposed to. However, he was really tempted. So, he held the diary in his hand and started reading the last entry.
“Diary.. He asked me to go and watch a movie tonight. Of course I’m very excited and happy.
But, Diary.. I don’t know why I’m still always reluctant to show up in public places with him? Officially, we are not in high school anymore. I have been accepted in the National University, and he is soon flying off to UK to do his university studies.
I don’t know whether it is still because I don’t feel confident whenever I’m thinking about what people may say when they see him with me, or just because I always feel more comfortable when I’m just alone with him? .. I really don’t know..
We will be apart for five years now.. I hope our feelings won’t change when the five years are over. But, I can’t help thinking about the possibility that he may find a girl who is not afraid to face the world while standing by his side.
Do I worry too much, Diary?
But, I surely will support him in every way I can, even when we are far from each other. I always want him to be happy..”
Her writing stopped there.
He slowly closed the diary and put it back on the exact spot he found it. Then he moved to sit on one of the dining chairs, so she wouldn’t suspect anything when she found the diary again later that night..

He looks out the airport window as he is lining up for custom checking. He watches the drizzle and remembers the very last time he saw her.

It was the night of his departure to UK, and it was as drizzly as this evening..

He had said farewell to all his friends the night before at a little party he held at a popular cafe. She came briefly to give him her farewell present, a formal tie and socks, things that he didn’t consider he would need during university life.
That night of his departure, only his parents and her, seeing him off at the airport. Not many words were said, as time was pressing and the busy and noisy surrounding was not at all helping.
Her final words kept ringing in his ears, “Everything that happens in the future is for the best. And that’s what I always wish for you.. all the best in your life, in everything you do.”

He walks out of the custom area to the airport waiting hall. There were his friends, holding a big banner saying ‘Welcome Home’ while shouting cheerfully to greet him.
He greets them back one-by-one. Then, they took him to a little 24-hour cafe for a quick welcoming party.


THE HAPPY ENDING

It is now already nearly midnight.. and still drizzly..

She opens her eyes when she hears knocking on her bedroom door. Her mother asks her to come downstairs for something urgent.
She agrees without thinking. Still half asleep, she walks down the stairs and she stands still once she recognises the person standing a few steps across from her.
He smiles and waves ‘hi’ to her.
She covers her face with both hands, as tears slowly falling from her eyes following the warm feelings in her heart.
“You told Meyra, but you didn’t tell me that you were coming home tonight! I went to the airport but there were so many of them there, waiting to welcome you home with a big banner ready to be opened. So, I decided to go home.”
“You went to the airport to see me?”
She nods.
Unexpected by her, his face turns slightly red, “Thank you. I didn’t tell you I was coming home tonight on purpose. Because I wanted to surprise you. I have asked my parents to have our family night out tomorrow, instead of tonight, because tonight, I want to see you, although I can’t stay long.”
“You didn’t reply my last letter..”
He sighs, “It arrived late. I received it right before I left for the airport.”
She looks at him as he is walking towards her, “Your friends were there for your arrival.”
He smiles, “We had a quick gathering in a cafe near the airport but I’m really exhausted from the flight.”
“Meyra..”
He reaches both her hands and holds them tight in his, “Meyra and the rest of them are my friends and they can miss me all they want but, the one I’ve been missing these last five years is.. You.. You wish me the best, and the best thing in my life is.. You..”
As the rain falls heavier, his voice sounds like a whisper, “We are who we are, and we’re happiest when we’re together. Noone can change that!”
She is now completely lost for words. More tears are falling down her cheeks, and this time the drizzle cannot hide them. It doesn’t matter, though.. because this time, she cries out of happiness..

THE END



By: Indri Hutapea (05 March 2008)