For the Rain to Drop, there is a Memory that Lingers

The sun shone brightly towards the town. It was quiet around the villa, but in the center, it was bustling, but not too loud. New visitors enter the tourism office for registration, go to local bistros for some breakfast, and then rest for later activities. That’s what the six are doing right now. 

Earlier in the morning, they had an early morning trek. Met with some obstacles and some... moments. A cold hand to the face, stolen shots from their phones, and a yellow sunrise that caught with their phones. You could say it was a great start for the group. 

With its conclusion, more adventures are coming their way. For Oliver, however, he was knocked out after the activity. Sleeping on the bed, he looked fatigued.

“What if Oliver doesn’t wake up by the desired time?” Gregory sat down at the dinner table, drinking a cup of coffee.

“We’re leaving him.” Kelly was straightforward with that reply. Everyone laughed at what she said. “Have you guys eaten?” 

Everyone shakes their head, not all ate at the concession stand after the trek. Fortunately for them, she brought some crackers and canned tuna. Something to pass the hunger by. Trinity and Eugenio know that the combo saved their wallets when they were saving. For the rest, it was unfamiliar territory.

“Remember in high school, Eugenio?”
“This being campfire food? Truly nostalgic.”

“Wait, you both were high school classmates?” Kelly asked them as she took a bite of the food. Even Aka and Gregory were surprised to know the discovery. They all stared at the two, stopping midbite. “Don’t go silent on us. Were you classmates?” 

Trinity finishes her bite first.

“Yeah. We actually go way back, but that’s a story for another time.” 

Everyone actually wanted to know about their history, yet it felt really deep for them. The group continued eating the food. The skies, however, grew dark. Kelly didn’t like the sight. She feared for what’s coming.

“Kelly?” Aka notices her, looking straight at the clouds with a face.

“Hmm?”
“Is something wrong?” 

Aka doesn’t know her fear; the three knew of it. Kelly masks off the face of fear.

“No, I’m good…” 

Kelly looked like she wasn’t. Aka took her words and didn’t cause her concern. They continued eating, and minutes later, they were done; however, the darkness didn’t.

“Looks like it’s gonna rain.” Trinity checks the weather forecast, which says it will rain the whole day. Kelly was disappointed that the dark clouds cried. The surface slowly soaks up the rain. With hope that seemed to be lost, Kelly went out and went to the tourism office, which is a 5-minute walk. The rest tried to stop her, but she won't be held back. She wasn’t mad; she was worried that the plan might be ruined.

“Whatever happens, happens, they say, but I just want to be sure.” The walk was fast; she just didn’t want to think of anything negative. As she reached the office, there was a young lady officer standing by.

“Miss, is it safe for us to do activities?”
“Let me check, miss.” 

She talks over the walkie-talkie with an official about where Kelly planned to go.

“Sir, update us, please?”
“Hi, miss, sorry, but it's unsafe today.”
“Sorry, miss, but safety is our utmost priority here.” Kelly looked distraught with the official word coming up. However, the official knows her face from the villa. 

“Wait, miss, are you from the villa near the town hall?”
“Ah, yes, Ma’am.” 

She was concerned with the way the official asked her. Why would she even ask her? The official leaned closer to her, and the rest, it may seem that she answers it so that she can hear despite the rain.

“The owners are my parents, and we have a bonfire later nearby. Care to join us if the rain is gone?” 

She winks at her. It was really cheeky of her to do so. Kelly’s eyes lit up when she heard the question. She nods her head slightly. The officer was excited to meet a new friend. Kelly went back towards the villa. Meanwhile, the rest of the group was worried that Kelly’s disappointment would be high.

“If only we used magic to bring back the sun.” Aka looking at the window, saying it. The rain fell harder as the minutes passed by. It was proven difficult to plan, but Mother Nature says otherwise.

“Kelly did plan all of this… Did you help her, Gregory?” 

Trinity says, looking at him.

“I actually told Dad about our trip.”
“Huh?” 

Everyone made another discovery, this time with Gregory.

“Then why were you shocked yesterday when Kelly showed the messages?”
“Just to play alongside you guys.”

Everyone was whining about it for minutes, which almost woke Oliver up. Not for long, Kelly returns excitedly in the middle of the group’s commotion. 

“I have bad news and good news!”
“Bad news first.” 

Everyone says in unison. Anticipation was building up with each breath Kelly took.

“The itinerary for later is cancelled.”

“What?” Everyone again felt displeased with that. Oliver woke up to the news that he was smiling in bed. He got up from bed and slowly crept towards them from the bed. To which everyone eventually saw. “Are you happy now, Oliver?”

“I can’t say I am since you planned all this.” He gets up from the bed and gathers with the rest at the dinner table. He sat down beside Gregory, looking half-awake, and leaned his head against Gregory, to which he didn’t mind. “You said you have good news, too, right?”

“I did!” Kelly was more excited about this part than any other plan she has done. “We’ll have a campfire later nearby.”

Everyone went ooh with that news. Seems like a good alternative for the itinerary will be in full swing. The rain continues to pour down in town. Even if the rain pours, the anticipation couldn’t be overstated.

“I'm excited, you guys!”
“If that will happen later, what should we do now?” 

Eugenio asks Kelly about the morning plan while inside the villa. Kelly knew what to answer with that thought.

“How about,” She sat beside Aka, hugging her. It was cozy for Kelly. “We hear you and Eugenio’s story of being classmates in high school.” 

The group agrees with that decision. The two looked at each other and sighed so loudly under the rainfall.

“How about the time Eugenio and I met for the first time?” Everyone loved the idea. To which everyone intently listened, and their ears were closer to them.

“Let me get snacks.” Oliver is treating this like a movie theater. Everyone does the same. Trinity and Eugenio looked at each other, a shared bond in college actually goes back years.

“You know, it’s not every day we get to share ourselves,” Eugenio says.
“You know we met in Elementary, right?”

“It doesn’t count, though,” Eugenio lifts one leg, resting it on the chair. “Because we were in different sections and we never had a chance to talk.” 

He defends the statement well that Trinity was impressed and agreed to that. “Is there a memory you didn’t want to visit?”

“I’d say, I don’t want to revisit the sports festival.” 

Her chest tightened slightly. He knew what she meant; that was the day when it changed her completely.

“Oh… that day. I thought you’d moved on from that.”

“It still haunts me. Even though you did the right thing, the ghost keeps coming back.” 

Even he couldn’t believe that the forbidden date was a thing of the past. Everyone got their snacks. They got comfy sitting down on the chairs, and Oliver sat on the floor. Kelly continues to lean her head to Aka.

“So, Trinity, Eugenio, when did you guys meet?” Kelly asks them, preparing to listen to a shared history.

“It was June, raining in fact.”