The Umbrella Charm
Rain pittered lightly against the city pavement. The spring air was warm with a hint of the approaching summer. Cassidy thought that she ought to get inside before the rain could really come down as the forecasters were calling for. But she still had some shopping to do and everyone else seemed unfazed. She took a glance at her cellphone, no new messages. Not even one from Yan Lin. But then, Yan was probably busy with her rabbit, Kuno or at the pet shelter she volunteered at. She slipped her phone back into her pocket, rattling the charms on her bracelet.
She had a charm for each of her friends. A bunny for Yan Lin, a flower for Halinor, and tomato for Kadma--that has been an inside joke since the second grade, when Kadma had sat on a tomato during lunch.
A shade fell over the sidewalk. Cassidy turned her attention away from the bracelet and back to the sky. It was getting pretty dark. She bit her lower lip.
She would just go to one more store and then she’d call it a day and head home.
She hustled inside of a bookstore. She skimmed the shelf for her class’ assigned read, she was excited for this one--secretly so. She had to be the only person in the world who wanted to read autobiographies for leisure.
Her fingers found the spine of the book she is looking for, luckily for her, she’d found the last one. Unluckily, she realized that her fingers had also brushed over the hand of another person. A taller girl with long and thick wavy black hair and cutting blue eyes. She had to be about Cassidy’s age but her sharp facial features and harder expression made her look grade levels more mature. Cassidy’s cheeks flushed the girl was much curvier than she at that. Cassidy couldn’t help but be a little envious. “Was your class assigned this book too?”
The girl shook her head. “I just thought that it looked interesting.” She handed the book over. “You need it more than I do. I’ll just wait for it to come back in stock.” And like that, the gorgeous girl was gone.
Cassidy shook herself and scrambled up to the counter to buy her book. The sky grew darker still. She still had to pick up some thread to patch up her backpack--the very one she’d been using since elementary school. But that was going to have to wait, it looked like the sky would split open at any minute.
She stepped out of the store and back onto the busy street. There was a frantic, frenzied air about the crowd. The city seemed to sense the on coming downpour.
It would seem that any minute was more akin to any second. She’d only made it two sidewalk squares away from the book store when a waterfall of raindrops dumped over her.
Not even a warning shot, she grumbled to herself. Just an all out downpour. Umbrellas popped up left and right all around her, but she had none of her own. Cassidy sighed, looked like she’d be getting soaked through and trough.
Looking about the crowd, it seemed like she was alone in her suffering too, most people had heeded the weatherman’s advice.
Suddenly she no longer felt the rain pattering against her skin. She looked up to see a deep purple umbrella trimmed and adorned with black lace and faux diamonds. “Next time you should bring your own.”
It was the same voice she had heard in the book store. “I didn’t think of it.”
The girl nodded, “yes, and now you are all wet.”
They walked quietly until the girl asked, “where do you live.”
Cassidy briefly gave instructions to get there.
“That’s along my way.” The girl remarked. “I can walk with you.”
“Thanks.” Cassidy smiled enthusiastically. “My name is Cassidy.”
“Nerissa.” The other says softly and then went quiet again. Cassidy listened to the harsh pattering of rain against the girl’s umbrella. She was standing close enough for Cassidy to hear her breaths. They had to stand close, lest one of them found themselves pushed out into the rain. Cassidy had a feeling that it that happened to any of them, it would be her, so she stuck close.
She gave a jolt at the sound of thunder. Reflexively, grabbing at Nerissa’s arm. “You are afraid of thunder?”
“Only when I’m not expecting it. And when it’s really loud...and when I’m outside in it…and…”
Nerissa nodded again. “You are afraid of thunder.”
Cassidy pouted, “yeah…” She rubbed the back of her head.
.oOo.
Since then she had seen Nerissa around on and off. Mostly they would re-encounter each other in the book store, where Cassidy had lended her the book she’d taken when they first met. She came to discover that Nerissa went to a private high school on the other side of the city. An all girl’s school. They were virtually opposites; Cassidy was enthusiastic and bursting with energy. Nerissa was stoic and quiet. She liked to keep to herself as much as Cassidy like to put herself out there. Cassidy was into pop and techno music and Nerissa liked the classics and instrumentals. Cassidy liked vibrant shades of red and orange. Nerissa was a fan of deep blues and purples.
But they shared a taste in books. They liked literature across all genres and eras, but with a preference for the classics and historical fiction.
Eventually the pair began to meet up to discuss their favorite books. And from there Cassidy was introducing the girl to Yan Lin, Halinor, and Kadma.
Soon they were holding hands and exchanging hugs. And then exchanging kisses.
And soon the girl had a charm on Cassidy’s bracelet.
A tiny silver umbrella.