When Shooting Stars Fall: Chapter 3
03 | Collision
The forecast clearly said it'd be sunny, yet it still pours heavily in the afternoon. The raindrops cling to the window panes, and outside the window is a hazy, gray scene reflecting a blurred block of color.
The fragrance of flowers in botany class makes people drowsy. I depressingly look at the empty ground beside my desk, and remember that I left my umbrella in the dormitory. So I tear up a piece of homework, and begin complaining bitterly on it:
>A< So annoying, it actually rained today, I didn't bring my umbrella, did you?
I tear the paper into yet another strip, crumpling it up, waiting for the teacher to turn back around before firmly tossing it onto Xavier's desk. I only hear two swishes, and quickly receive his response passed forwards.
Ever since that night under the stained glass window in the auditorium, it seems something has changed between Xavier and me, yet on the surface, everything stays the same. He is still being "protected" and leaves the classroom on time every day when the school bell rings, and we have no other interactions.
It's just that I will sometimes pretend I'm careless and walk into that encirclement, quietly give him a wave and say goodbye. He'd also poke my back occasionally, and share an earbud with me, or pass notes to one another, just like today—
However, just as I am about to open the note sent back by Xavier, it unexpectedly is snatched away by a hand. I raise my head, and see an angry glare on the teacher's face. Then the classroom falls into a deathly silence, as if waiting for a rainstorm to descend. Fortunately, he just confiscates my note, and punishes me by making me stay to clean the classroom tonight.
The rainstorm continues to fall from afternoon to evening, with no sign of stopping.
After my classmates leave the classroom one by one, I put away the plants on the desk and stand up, ready to begin my task, starting with cleaning the desks and chairs. As I turn around, I find Xavier sitting leisurely on a chair. I can’t help wiping my eyes, wondering what special day it could possibly be today.
“You can’t have stayed behind to help me clean the classroom, right?”
Xavier shakes his head, and then takes an umbrella out from the side pocket of his bag, placing it on the desk before my eyes.
“It was to tell you, I brought an umbrella.”
I recall the paper note the teacher confiscated this afternoon, the answer left on it had only been half revealed. I am stunned for a moment.
“But those people who are always around you…” I suddenly recall another thing, and face towards the window. “Are they just standing outside the window staring at us right now?”
“It's possible.” Xavier says lightly, and then opens one of his hands, converging all the light in the room into the palm of his hand, gently turning the room into darkness.
“This way they won't be able to see.”
The sky was already hazy and gray, and now there is an even gloomier atmosphere. I pretend to look calm as I turn away, muttering softly:
“But it's so dark, there's no way to clean up.”
“Are you waiting for the rain to stop?”
Xavier holds a piece of cloth in his hand, leaning against the classroom door and looking at me.
I immediately come back to my senses, running to his side.
Thanks to Xavier’s help, the classroom quickly gets cleaned up. I return the tools, while he stands on the stone steps at the entrance of the building, looking like he is idling his time away. Just as he sees me walk over, he opens his umbrella: "Let's go.”
Xavier and I hide under the same umbrella, as if the storm outside has nothing to do with us. Listening to me spill out my previous impression of him, I clearly catch the smile on the corner of his lips.
“Xavier, I've discovered after meeting me, your smile seems to really be .”
“...Shouldn't this sort of thing be said by other people?”
“Alright.” I say, still unwilling to admit defeat, continuing to walk forwards with him.
Of all times, right in the middle of the tacit silence between the two of us, I hear a gurgling sound, my stomach rumbling. I look at Xavier first, and he looks back at me blankly, and then his eyes curve:
“Want to go get something to eat?”
“But it's already so late now… can you?”
I scan our surroundings, constantly feeling like countless eyes are hiding in the dark night. Facing Xavier, he seems to hesitate for a few seconds, then adjusts the angle of the umbrella in an instant, completely covering the two of us—his pace speeds up, so I follow him, walking faster and faster, practically running in the end.
Shaking off those pairs of eyes, Xavier and I stand under the eaves of a roadside house, eating bread while watching the rain that still looks unending.
I take a bite of bread, boredly observing Xavier beside me, before finally turning my gaze to the sword behind him.
“Xavier, can I take a look at your sword?”
He’s a little confused, but he still pulls the sword out from its sheath for me. I suddenly feel a little nervous, wiping my hands on the edge of my shirt, then taking it from him with both hands.
I reach my hand out, rubbing along the wooden sword once, gaining a sense of satisfaction as my fingers run over every crevice.
Wooden swords aren't sharpened, Xavier’s sword is the same. Although both deep and shallow marks are on it, and you can tell the marks are years old at a glance, anyone can tell that the material of this sword is unusual.
“Xavier, why do you like training so much? Every day during swordsmanship class, I see you training from beginning to end, and you’re always carrying this sword…”
“It doesn't count as it.” Xavier folds up the empty bread wrapper. “Since I was young, practicing swordsmanship was the only thing I did that was outstanding.”
I turn to him and give him a puzzled look, waiting for his next words, but he abruptly stops talking. Instead, he glances at me and changes the subject: "The meteor shower you mentioned, when is it happening?"
“Next week. How come? Are you able to go with me?”
I face Xavier with anticipation and hope, watching him thinking in silence, seeming a little hesitant. But very quickly, his expression suddenly freezes. My head raises to follow his gaze, the smile frozen on my face—
A group of familiar people stood at the stairs in front of the eaves. They just stare at Xavier, not saying a word, yet I can clearly tell their intentions.
In an instance, the curtain of rain silently divides the two sides into opposing camps.
I look towards Xavier, he's just standing there, staring at the people before his eyes. There's a stalemate between the two parties, and a feeling like it's ready to collapse any moment.
Finally, after a long silence, he compromises. He hands me the umbrella still dripping with water, then turns around and follows them into the rainy night.
I only began to fully understand the meaning after a long time.
If wishing on a shooting star really works, then I wish my body could be healthy.
Perhaps this would let me wait until the next one hundred years, and watch that meteor shower with Xavier.
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