When The Rain Fell, So Did I

"I hope that one day, you'll remember me."

***

SAMANTHA

"Sammy, I'll head out first, okay? I really need to go home early today because it's my parents' anniversary. You know, bonding and all," my best friend Mich said as she retouched her makeup.

She held a compact mirror in her right hand and a foam puff in her left. I didn't know what it was called, but it was where she kept her powder.

I wasn't into makeup, so I had no idea what it was called.

She kept glancing at her wristwatch and looked at me with pleading eyes, as if silently begging for my permission and hoping I wouldn't get mad at her.

We had planned to eat together at the newly opened restaurant near our school, but she didn't expect to be included in her parents' anniversary celebration tonight. So, there wasn't much I could do about it.

As if I'd get mad at her, right? She's my best buddy, after all.

"Sure, it's fine. Geez, stop looking at me like I'm oppressing you. I'll let you go, okay?" I said, shaking my head. "And tell your mom and dad I said happy anniversary, okay? I wish them even more years of love and strength."

I smiled at her, and she sighed in relief.

"I'm off, Sammy," she said before planting a kiss on my left cheek. "Bye! Take care on your way home, okay?"

I nodded in response, and she ran off toward the school gate. Before she could go too far, she turned back in my direction.

"Message me when you get home!"

I nodded again.

She waved at me, and I returned it with a smile.

"You too! Have fun!" I called out.

She hopped on a jeepney and disappeared from sight. Quietly, I packed up my things. Once I was done, I walked out of the school gate.

I decided not to take a jeepney since the weather looked nice tonight. The breeze was cool, and it wasn't raining. Walking would save me some fare money, too.

As I walked, I rubbed my palms together to create warmth and pressed them against my neck.

I didn't have a jacket with me today, and my uniform-a simple white blouse with a red ribbon in the middle and a skirt just above my knees-made the cold even worse.

Dark. Cold. The streets were mostly empty. Thankfully, the streetlights provided some illumination, so I could still see my way.

bzzt bzzt

My phone vibrated in my pocket, so I took it out.

"Oh, it's Rica," I muttered to myself before reading her message.

Rica was my brother Kristoff's girlfriend. I didn't know how they managed to stay together-Rica was so kind, while Kristoff was, well, a troublemaker. Maybe opposites really do attract?

"Colline, go home now. It's already 8 PM. Your brother says you're not home yet. Don't stay out too late."

I typed a quick reply as I walked.

"Okay."

That was all I sent because I didn't have much else to say.

It took me longer than usual to type because I kept making typos. I couldn't even manage a simple "Okay" without messing it up. My hands just didn't want to cooperate sometimes.

After sending my reply, she didn't text back.

Seenzoned.

Oh, by the way, I'm Samantha Colline De Jesus. A 17-year-old, fourth-year student at Domino High. I'm not exactly pretty, but I do take care of myself. Hygiene is the one thing I can manage, so why wouldn't I?

Sometimes, I still get breakouts even though I try to care for my skin. In fact, I've got a new pimple on my cheek today. It's so annoying, but I refuse to pop it.

I don't know why pimples won't leave me alone. Maybe they just really like living on my face.

"Ugh, great."

I looked up at the sky as I felt water droplets on my head. That's when I realized it was raining, even though there hadn't been any signs of it earlier tonight.

I quickly pulled an umbrella out of my bag, opened it, and continued walking.

As I walked, a thought crossed my mind: why does our house feel so far away right now? Time seems to drag when you're bored and don't have anyone to talk to.

I suddenly missed Mich. Whether we took a jeepney or walked, we were always together. It was rare for me to walk alone like this.

I was about to turn into an alley that led to our house when someone suddenly grabbed me.

"Miss, can I take cover under your umbrella?"

I turned to look at him and nearly gawked at how handsome he was.

Handsome. Smooth-skinned. Fair.

He didn't even seem to have any pimples. His messy hair suited him, and his pale lips added to his charm. His posture and stance screamed masculinity.

I quickly averted my gaze and nodded as an answer to his question. I wasn't sure why I agreed, but I felt bad for him. It would be a shame for someone that good-looking to fall ill because of the rain, right?

To be honest, he really did look pitiful. He didn't have an umbrella and was already soaked. His lips were trembling, and he looked so pale.

Even under my umbrella, it seemed like he might get sick anyway.

We walked in silence, with only the sound of the rain filling the air.

I wanted to say something to him, but I was afraid he'd think I was trying to get his attention, so I stayed quiet.

"Miss," he finally broke the silence.

I turned to him, meeting his gaze as if to ask why he was speaking to me now.

I couldn't find the words to reply. It felt like he was draining all my energy and strength just by looking at me.

I was used to seeing handsome guys since most of my male classmates were good-looking-some even more so than him.

But why was I reacting this way to his presence?

What kind of mystery did he hold to render a girl like me speechless?

He looked into my eyes, his gaze so intense it made my knees weak. It felt like he was pulling me out of my senses.

Then his eyes shifted to my lips. I didn't know why, but I found myself biting my lip as I noticed how serious his stare was.

I hadn't meant to show him what I did, but I couldn't help myself. It was as if I wanted to know what it would feel like to have his lips against mine.

Oh, what a scandalous thought, Samantha!

I was about to look away and put some distance between us, but what happened next caught me completely off guard.

He pulled me closer, and the next thing I knew, our lips were pressed together.

Warm. His lips were so warm, and I could feel every ounce of heat they held. His hand rested on my waist, pulling me even closer to him.

I couldn't hold myself back anymore. I returned his kiss, closing my eyes as my left hand rested on his neck while I still held the umbrella in my right hand.

I could feel his deep breaths and the rapid beating of his heart, matching my own.

He deepened the kiss even more, and all I could think was how intoxicating it felt. Addictive. I didn't want it to end.

I didn't even know him, but something about him told me we shared a deep connection.

Suddenly, I pushed him away as reality hit me. He was a stranger. This was wrong.

"W-Who are you?" I asked, my breath heavy as I tried to regain composure.

He stepped closer, and for some reason, I couldn't move. My feet felt glued to the ground, my eyes locked on his.

He leaned in close to my ear and whispered, his voice sending shivers down my spine.

"I hope that one day, you'll remember me," he said before walking away.

I was left standing there, stunned, watching him as he disappeared into the rain.

"Do you really not know him?"

***

SAMANTHA

"Kristoff! You're so slow! Ugh!" I whined at my brother, who was leisurely applying gel to his hair.

He had the audacity to take his sweet time, while I was practically losing my voice yelling at him to hurry up.

"Move faster! You're fixing your hair like you're some model when you just look like a mosquito!" I added, which only made him laugh.

Apparently, he gets annoyed when his bangs fall into his eyes, so he insists on styling his hair every time.

But me? I'm annoyed with him! Ugh, I still need to ask Mich to help me with my math assignment. If I don't understand it, and the teacher calls on me to explain it, I swear I'll shave his head so badly that even Rica won't love him anymore!

Honestly, I didn't even want to wait for him, but he has a car, so I figured I'd hitch a ride. Better than walking, right?

It would be a waste of effort-and his car-if he didn't give me a ride.

"Do you have plans or something?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he continued styling his hair in front of the mirror. "Or are you meeting your boyfriend early today?"

His grin widened after asking, and he even struck a pose in front of the mirror, which was my cue to deliver a solid smack to his arm.

"Ow!" he yelped. "Why are you so defensive-ow!" He winced as I hit him again and again.

Serves you right, Kristoff. Serves you right.

"You're so annoying! I don't have a boyfriend, okay? I have assignments!"

I shot him a glare, but my irritating brother just grinned. Ugh, I wanted to pull his hair out!

Then he turned to me with a mischievous look in his eyes.

"No boyfriend, huh? Then who was that guy you were kissing last night? Imagine that-someone actually kissed you even though you look like a skeleton!"

He laughed loudly at his own joke, so I smacked him again. He deserved it.

"You're the worst! Ugh, I'm telling Rica!" I threatened, pouting like a child.

Honestly, I probably looked like a kid who just had their candy stolen by their sibling. My brother really knows how to get under my skin.

By the way, Rica is my brother's girlfriend. Can you believe someone actually fell for this annoying brother of mine? I honestly thought no one would ever love him since his love language seems to be irritating people.

"Oh, really?" he teased, raising an eyebrow at me before laughing even harder.

His laughter only made me angrier. Grrrr!

"Fine, I'll tell Rica about your antics! I wonder what she'll think when she finds out you've been bothering me!" I shot back, glaring at him.

Ugh, okay, fine. He wins.

My cheeks suddenly heated up as I remembered last night-the kiss with that stranger. It was... sweet. Okay, maybe even thrilling.

Ugh! What am I even thinking? Why am I blushing over a kiss from a stranger? This is so wrong!

"You're blushing, Colline," my brother noted, poking my cheek with his finger.

I rolled my eyes at him before storming out of the house and heading to his car. Knowing he was watching, I grabbed the steering wheel as if I were about to drive.

Wanna bet he'd come running in five... four... three... two...

"Don't you dare drive, for goodness' sake!"

The car door flew open, and my brother quickly climbed into the driver's seat, shoving me over to the passenger seat like I was some fly intruding on his throne.

Pfft! I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest.

He was panting heavily, clearly having sprinted from the house to the car. He looked like he'd just finished a marathon.

"Phew," he sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

I couldn't help but laugh, earning a glare from him.

"Relax," I said seriously, though my voice still held traces of laughter. "Even though you keep teasing me, I won't do what I did to your car before."

I couldn't help but recall the time we had a fight, and I took his Lamborghini out of spite. He kept teasing me, saying I looked like a corpse, so I stormed off, got into his car, and sped off dramatically like some soap opera lead.

But I forgot-I don't know how to drive. So, I crashed his car into someone's house.

"W-What did you do to my car, you little gremlin!" he nearly cried back then, pointing at me while tears streamed down his face.

Meanwhile, I laughed so hard at the snot dripping from his nose.

I know it was wrong, but I couldn't help laughing.

After that, he declared that I wasn't allowed to have my own car. So, I ended up walking home from school most days.

Maybe it was his revenge, but wow, what a petty guy.

Then he bought a Ferrari and wouldn't even let me hold the keys. Back then, I was in charge of keeping his car keys safe-but earlier, I managed to grab them because he was moving too slow.

And now? He even uses a different car to drive me around.

I smiled at the memory. I kind of wanted to see his reaction again, just for fun-especially since he'd been teasing me nonstop.

"I don't like that smile, Samantha," my brother commented, eyeing me suspiciously.

I'm sure I looked like a mischievous witch at that moment.

I just gave him my sweetest smile-though I knew it was anything but sweet-and he grimaced before starting the engine.

"Seatbelt," he reminded me, pointing at my waist.

"Yes, boss!"

"We're here. Get out. I need to pick up Rica," he said flatly as he opened the door.

Sometimes I wonder if he even sees me as his sibling-or just some mosquito in his life.

"Fine, go have your lovey-dovey time!" I quickly got out of the car, waving at him as he drove off.

"Bye! Remember, there's no such thing as forever!" I called out with a grin.

I'm sure he had his poker face on again after hearing that. Whatever.

Happily, I walked through the school gate. My classmates greeted me warmly as usual.

"Good morning, Sam!"

"Hi, Sam!"

I returned their greetings with a polite smile and continued walking toward our classroom.

I noticed a group of girls staring at a guy and furrowed my brows. Hmm? Was there a new transfer student?

"What's going on, Icia?" I asked one of my classmates.

"Chester just transferred to our school, and he's in our class!" she replied excitedly, clapping her hands.

Chester? Who's that?

"Who's Chester?" I asked, confused.

Was he famous? An actor? A gangster?

She slowly turned to me and raised an eyebrow. I was even more confused.

"What?" I asked.

"Do you seriously not know him?" she asked, blinking twice in disbelief.

I shook my head. "Who is he, anyway?"

"Join the Theater Club, and you'll find out!" she said with a grin.

Her answer left me speechless. I tried to sneak a peek at whoever they were looking at but changed my mind.

"No way! What is he, a chick magnet?" I scoffed, making her laugh.

Nah, I'll pass. Tsk, there's nothing to gain from knowing who this Chester is, anyway.

***

But moments later, I found myself asking Icia for a form to join the Theater Club. I didn't even notice when my curiosity got the better of me.

When I realized what I was doing, I grimaced. What the heck? Why was I getting curious about Chester the transfer student?

Before entering our room, I took one last glance at him.

To my surprise, I caught him looking at me. His gaze was piercing-like he could see right into my soul. It was... intense.

My cheeks heated up again. Oh no, why?

I quickly looked away, but moments later, I sneaked another glance. He was still looking at me. Then he smiled before going back to whatever he was doing.

He caught me! That was so embarrassing!

But... why is that smile so familiar to me?

"No. No way. Whatever you started, you must finish."

***

SAMANTHA

"What's wrong with you, Sammy? Why do you seem so out of it?" Mich asked irritably as she worked on solving our math assignment.

I decided I'd just copy her work. I couldn't muster the energy to ask for help. Sigh. Even if she explained how she got the solution, I wouldn't understand it right away. My mind was elsewhere.

"Who knows? Maybe I accidentally drank shampoo," I replied, staring blankly into space.

Whatever. If the teacher calls on me, I'll just apologize.

It was break time, and Mich and I were the only ones in the classroom. I couldn't focus earlier during our first class because of that Chester guy sitting behind me.

That's why I borrowed Mich's science notebook since I didn't take any notes earlier. I'm such a slow writer when I'm not concentrating, and honestly, my hands were too lazy to move because of everything running through my head.

Icia was right-Chester, the new transferee, really is in our class. When he introduced himself in front of everyone earlier, I couldn't take my eyes off him.

And apparently, he couldn't take his eyes off me either.

We kept looking at each other, and when our classmates noticed, we became the center of attention. They teased us endlessly, and in my frustration, I started throwing erasers at them. But of course, they didn't stop.

It was so annoying. And to make matters worse, I started feeling those stupid butterflies in my stomach. I knew I was losing my mind, but it wasn't because I was hungry. It was because of the transferee.

I grabbed a juice box and drank it to drown out my thoughts.

"Aha! I know why you're so distracted!" Mich suddenly shouted, making me raise an eyebrow. "It's because of the new transferee, isn't it?"

I was so shocked by her question that I ended up spitting out my juice. Thankfully, it went out the window and not directly at Mich.

"Sammy! Why'd you go and fountain the juice out the window?!" she exclaimed, looking grossed out. "Oh no, what if you hit someone outside? You're in big trouble now, Sammy!" she added, trying to scare me, but I just rolled my eyes as I wiped my lips.

"This is your fault, Mich!" I snapped. "What kind of question is that, anyway? Why would I be distracted because of Chester?" I feigned ignorance.

Good thing I'm a natural actress-Mich didn't catch on to my act. Even though people say I should join the theater club, I never do. I'm just shy like that.

"But come on, you two were getting teased earlier, weren't you?" she said, poking my arm repeatedly, which made me wince. "Don't tell me you're finally falling for a guy, Sammy? Is he making your innocent little heart beat faster?" she teased.

Well, I've never had a boyfriend before, unlike Mich, who's already had two. I've never been interested in guys around here, no matter how good-looking they are.

Besides, my older brother would lecture me if I did, though oddly enough, he didn't say anything earlier when I got teased. He even seemed amused.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, my voice laced with annoyance.

"Really?"

"No! Why would I care about that Chester guy? Ugh!" I huffed and drank my juice again.

This time, I swallowed it instead of spitting it out.

"Let me copy your work," I demanded, and before she could even respond, I grabbed her notebook and started copying the solutions.

That's how cool I am. And she loves me enough to let it slide, even though I often copy her work. We have a give-and-take relationship, after all.

"What choice do I have?" she said with a roll of her eyes.

I just flashed her a peace sign and continued writing. Fun fact about me: I write really fast when I'm copying something. It's hilarious how the only fact I can think of about myself is so random.

"Thanks, Mich! You're the best!" I said cheerfully as I handed her notebook back.

"Wow, you're fast!" she said, impressed.

"Of course! It's me we're talking about!" I said proudly, even doing a pose to emphasize my greatness.

She just laughed at my antics. Honestly, I think I'm starting to pick up some of Kristoff's mannerisms. Yikes. I immediately stopped when I realized that.

"Anyway, Mich," I said in a serious tone, which made her look at me curiously. "Do you think I have a chance of getting into the theater club?"

Her jaw dropped in shock, and she stared at me, speechless.

Then, out of nowhere, she started shaking me and screaming.

"Of course, Sammy! You've got beauty, brains, and potential! Oh my gosh, are you really joining the theater club?!" she exclaimed, grinning widely.

I covered my ears because her voice was so loud it felt like a megaphone.

I didn't answer her question. Instead, I pulled out the form I had asked Icia for earlier. Mich's eyes sparkled when she saw it. She probably recognized it since she's been trying to convince me to join the theater club for ages.

She always said it would be a waste not to, but she couldn't force me back then.

"Oh my gosh, whatever sock you sniffed today, I wish I could have it so I can make you sniff it every day!" she said in excitement, but I heard her loud and clear.

I couldn't help but laugh.

It wasn't surprising that she was so over-the-top when I told her I'd join the theater club. I've always lacked self-confidence and never participated in extracurricular activities.

I'm in the top five at our school, but all my grades come from academics. I don't have any extracurricular grades, which is part of why Mich has been pushing me to join-to boost my rank.

But that's not my goal now. I just want to find out who Chester really is. Until I figure it out, it'll keep bugging me. And I hate riddles without answers!

It's so frustrating. Why does he seem so familiar to me? Agh, stop overthinking, Samantha!

I grabbed my pen and filled out the form. When I was done, I waved it in Mich's face. She grimaced at first but ended up laughing.

"Tadaaa! All done!"

"I hope you get in, Sammy! Do your best, okay? So we can be together in the club!" she cheered, smiling widely and even jumping around.

"Yeah, I hope so too," I said. "Fingers crossed I get into the theater club. Aja!"

We shook hands to seal the deal-our little friendship ritual.

After that, we killed time playing rock-paper-scissors. Even if we grow old, Mich and I will always stay young at heart, and nothing will ever come between us!

"You cheated again! There's no way I keep losing!" I whined, pouting.

"Hohoho!" Mich laughed and flicked my forehead. "Don't blame me for your terrible skills!" she teased, laughing even harder.

I just rolled my eyes at her.

While we were playing, a gust of wind blew my form toward the door. In my panic, I accidentally punched Mich since I was about to throw a rock in our game.

"Ouch!" she yelped.

"The form, you idiot! It flew away!"

I jumped out of my seat and ran toward the door, but I froze when a guy entered the room. And, of course, it was Chester.

Oh crap...

I silently prayed for the ground to swallow me whole as the form landed squarely on his face, just like in those TV shows.

Instead of getting mad, he just furrowed his brows, pulled the form off his face, and held it tightly.

He looked serious as he read what was written, while I stood there, fidgeting, unsure of what to say to get the paper back.

"You're joining the theater club, Miss De Jesus?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

What? He knows me?

Oh, right. Duh. He read the form.

"Yes," I replied curtly.

He gave me a mischievous smirk upon hearing my answer. Ugh, this Chester guy! What's with that look? Is he underestimating my abilities? Doesn't he know I can sing, dance, and act like a pro?

Oh, right. Of course, he doesn't know. Not only is he a transferee, but I've also been keeping those talents hidden.

He leaned casually against the wall, brushing his hair back with his left hand while holding my form in his right.

He looks cool... yet undeniably hot.

"I'm the president of the theater club, Miss Samantha," he said with a grin. "Friday. Nine in the morning. Show me what you've got," he added meaningfully, before heading to his seat-which, to my horror, was directly behind me.

And just like that, he took my form. At that moment, it hit me: I was officially one of the auditionees!

I was left speechless, mouth agape.

What the-President? Isn't he just a transferee? What the heck? How did that even happen?

A wave of nervousness suddenly washed over me as I stared at Chester. I started having second thoughts. I wanted to back out. How am I supposed to perform in front of him?

"Uh, can I back out? Maybe I'll just join a different club," I said hesitantly to Chester, who was now slouched over his armchair.

I was already seated at my desk, and my neck was starting to ache from constantly turning to face him.

Mich, on the other hand, was sneaking glances at us every now and then, pretending to be occupied with something.

But I could see the sly grin on her face. I kicked her under the table, making her yelp in pain as she shot me a glare.

My attention shifted back to Chester when he suddenly lifted his head. I turned to look at him again, and my breath caught when I realized how close our faces were.

My heart raced... This feeling-it was familiar, like I'd felt it before.

He gave me another mischievous smile.

"No. You can't back out anymore. Whatever you've started, you need to finish," he said seriously, his tone unwavering.

Oh no, what now?

"I know you can do it. Good luck," he cheered, and then... he winked.

My heartbeat quickened even more. What is this feeling?