-Amaya's pov-
I stared out into the endless rain, cursing my luck as I placed my dead phone back into my bag. I was counting the seconds between gusts when the door behind me swung open and I froze in place, refusing to shiver out of embarrassment. I should just make a run for it. It's either that or face the woman who watched the whole ordeal unfold inside.
Or maybe she'll just walk past me?
I realised she wouldn't when I felt her presence linger behind me. A shadow folded over me, steady and deliberate. I tilted my head up and saw the umbrella first, then followed the dark shaft down to the hand holding it.
Long fingers wrapped around the grip with an ease that suggested control. The knuckles were adorned with chunky rings, heavy silver catching what little light there was, metal pressing confidently into skin.Her veins were visible, prominent even.
I looked up.
She towered over me, close enough that I could see the damp clinging to her. Her dark hair stopped just at her shoulders, still wet from before- no longer soaked, but not dry either. Small drops gathered at the ends, releasing every so often to trail downward. They slipped from strand to strand, then rolled over the leather jacket she wore, following its surface in slow, deliberate paths.
The jacket couldn't hide her arms. Even still, their shape was unmistakable- defined beneath the fabric, strength held quietly, without display. Beneath it, a white shirt clung faintly to her, not quite finished drying from the warmth inside the café. The fabric had thinned where it lay closest, just translucent enough to suggest the firm lines beneath it, contours pressed close without exaggeration.
Her jaw was sharp, cleanly defined, giving her face a precision that drew my attention upward. But her eyes- black and darkly reflective- were innocent at first glance, yet still sharp, intent carried gently. Rain had leeched some colour from her skin, leaving it pale in the low light, but beneath that was warmth- a faint tan, a golden undertone like sunlight muted by cloud cover.
She looked down at me, unreadable, her gaze lingering just long enough to make the moment feel suspended. The storm roared beside us, but under the awning, everything else had gone very still. Attractive was an understatement. My breath hitched a little before I realised she was probably doing this out of pity.
"I don't need your umbrella," I said flatly, attempting to escape the umbrella's shelter and walk away.
"It's not my umbrella," she replied with a small chuckle, keeping up with me as she angled it so it was hovering over me anyway.
I shot her a sharp glance, wondering what happened to the barista that was all over her. "You should've stayed with her. You're not my type."
"I would have," she replied lightly. "Neither are you. But you looked so pitiful I figured I'd do a good deed."
My steps halted, the mention of pity making me want to rip the hair out my skull and bury myself in wet cement. I craned my neck and threw an irritated glare over my shoulder, the message cutting through the rain. "Say one more word and I swear I'll take this umbrella and leave you standing in the storm."
"Do it," she smirked. "I'm already wet."
Wait...
The double entendre was unexpected and witty, landing exactly where she aimed it as I felt the unintentional heat rush to my face despite the cold. Looks like this girl is experienced when it comes to flirting. I rolled my eyes, deciding to ignore her and walk faster. However, she kept up with ease, still holding the umbrella steady above us as we fell into a long silence.
I can't believe Jay just stranded me in this storm. Although, what did I expect from a low life scum anyways.
"This street always feels longer at night,"she said as if it were more to match the sound of the rain than to break the silence.
I gave a faint nod, my eyes tracking the passing headlights. "Yeah. Feels endless."
She let the quiet stretch for a few steps before speaking again. "You take this bus often?"
"Sometimes." My answer was quick and clipped as I wandered back to the situation at the cafe.
She didn't push the conversation further. The storm filled the space between us, a wall of water and wind that made words feel unnecessary. Our footsteps echoed softly against the wet pavement until the glow of the bus stop finally came into view.
We huddled under the bus stop shelter, the rain a fine mist now, dripping off the edges of the roof and pooling at our shoes. Neither of us spoke. She leaned against the glass behind her with her hands buried in her leather jacket, hiding from the icy wind. She didn't spare me a glance, watching the dark street shimmer under the rain as if she were zoned out.