PART 3
The sun was setting as Diana packed her belongings with her mother. Her whole life fit into a few boxes, but the most important things—the people—would be left behind. She was about to begin a new chapter, one where her friends, especially Mike, would no longer be part of her life.
After months of trying to get closer to him, when she finally had, things got twisted, and now, not only would she not see him again, but she couldn’t even say goodbye.
"I'm going to fetch your brother," Dalia said, placing the last box in the entryway.
"Okay," Diana replied, hearing the door close behind her mother.
There was only half an hour left until four, when she was supposed to meet Emily. The forecast predicted heavy rain. After putting on a loose shirt and black jeans, she rushed out of the house, hoping to get to the campus before the rain started. They only had two umbrellas, one her mother had taken, and the other her brother.
As it started to drizzle, Diana arrived at the gym's entrance fifteen minutes early. Approaching the door, she noticed it was ajar, and the sound of a basketball bouncing echoed from inside. When she stepped in, she was met with the last person she expected to see.
“Mike?” she murmured, seeing him shoot hoops.
Diana wasn’t the only one surprised. Mike’s expression was a picture of confusion. Unsure of how to act, he sat beside her on a bench in the gym, both of them silent until she decided to break it.
"You know, when I was little, I had an accident. A car hit me, and I lost my memory. Recently, I remembered what I had forgotten, and it made me realize that in my whole life, I’ve only ever liked two people: my childhood friend and a guy who, no matter how much I want to be with him, seems like our paths just don’t align."
“Why are you telling me all this?”
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"...For no particular reason."
In silence, Diana stood up and walked out of the gym, stopping under the overhang to watch the rain pour down. Mike followed her and stood beside her, both of them quiet again, staring at the raindrops falling from the cloudy sky.
"It looks like it’s raining harder," Diana mentioned, extending her hand to feel the water trickle across her skin. "They say when it rains in seasons that aren’t winter or fall, it’s because the sadness in Zeus’s heart is so great that the earth weeps for him."
What did it matter if she confessed her feelings? Nothing made sense if she had to say goodbye in the end. Wouldn't it be better to leave things as they were? Wasn’t it better for him to continue hating her so that she wouldn’t have to suffer even more?
“Mike…” Mike looked into her eyes as she kept her gaze distant. “You’re right. I don’t want us to be friends again. I’d like to stop taking the classes you were giving me, and for us to each go our own way.”
Without looking back, Diana ran into the heavy rain, desperate. She didn’t want Mike to see her cry, but she also didn’t expect him to stop her. No, it was better this way. That way, she wouldn’t waver in her decisions... until she felt a strong hand grasp her forearm in the downpour.
"Why?!" Mike asked, forcing her to look at him. "I know I’ve been a jerk. I’ve ignored you, but… but I don’t want to be away from you."
"I don’t like weak guys. I’ve only used you for my benefit. I’ve suffered every day being with you because I didn’t want my grades to drop and lose my scholarship. So just leave me alone."
With a harsh jerk, Diana pulled her arm free from Mike’s grip. He stood there in shock, paralyzed by her words, feeling the rain like tiny daggers piercing his skin.
Meanwhile, Diana, wandering aimlessly through the city, let her tears blend with the rain. As if each drop could erase her pain, she stopped and tilted her head to the sky, letting go. Her clothes were soaked, every inch drenched, but she didn’t care as long as her thoughts would disappear, fade away, and never return.
1.jpg [https://i.postimg.cc/g2qNSnQH/1.jpg]
As Diana stood amidst the bustling crowd, her mind adrift, she suddenly heard a familiar voice call her name.
“Diana?”
3.jpg [https://i.postimg.cc/XNRLnf0g/3.jpg]
Lowering her head and slowly opening her eyes, she saw Andrew standing before her. Despite her desperate attempts to stop crying, her tears flowed freely once more. Seeing her in such distress, Andrew quickly approached, pulling her close and sheltering her under his umbrella. He embraced her tightly as she sobbed uncontrollably against his chest.
4.jpg [https://i.postimg.cc/7ZVn1jJB/4.jpg]