The sky was full of dark clouds. The wind was strong, and the trees moved like slow dancers.
Suddenly, heavy rain began to fall — loud and fast.
People ran. Some had umbrellas. Most did not.
Daniel and Sophie had just left school. They had no umbrella.
Their school uniforms were already wet.
Rainwater ran along the road like small rivers.
Daniel and Sophie lived in a quiet hill town. Their homes were not far from each other — maybe ten minutes away.
They studied in Class 10 at St. Mary’s School, an old school with red bricks and green windows.
They were not in the same section, but they met almost every day in the library or near the school gate.
Both were shy by nature. They didn’t talk much, but they liked each other’s company.
Their friendship was soft and silent — just like the mist that came down in the evenings.
Daniel saw a small closed shop across the road. The shutter was down, but it had a tin roof.
“Let’s go there,” he said.
They ran across, shoes splashing in water, and stood under the tin roof.
The rain hit the metal above them like a fast drum.
The sky was dark. It was only 4 o’clock, but it looked like evening.
The road was quiet, the world washed in grey.
Sophie wiped her face and smiled softly. “This rain came so fast,” she said.
Daniel laughed nervously. “It’s mountain rain. It never waits.”
Both of them were wet. Cold wind touched their arms and necks, and they shivered a little.
But as they stood close, some strange warmth spread inside them.
Their hearts beat louder than the rain.
Sophie looked at the road. Everything looked like a painting — grey sky, slow trees, wet leaves shining in the light.
“I like this place when it rains,” she whispered.
Daniel nodded. “Yes. Everything feels quiet… like the world is hiding under a blanket.”
Another loud thunder broke the sky. Sophie jumped. Her arm touched his.
Daniel looked down, nervous, but didn’t move away.
She didn’t move either.
Their arms were now touching, lightly. Their shoulders, too.
Inside, they both felt something strange. Like a soft light inside the chest.
It was warm, yet new. Scary, yet beautiful.
They didn’t understand what it was. But they didn’t want it to stop.
Sophie looked down. Her cheeks were pink.
Daniel looked at the rain falling in front of them. Drops danced on the ground like tiny silver balls.
Their hands were close — not touching, but near enough to feel the warmth.
Sophie spoke slowly. “It’s funny. We never talk much… but I feel comfortable with you.”
Daniel looked at her. “Me too,” he said quietly.
“I don’t know why. But it feels… easy.”
She nodded and smiled a little.
There was silence again — a soft, sweet silence.
The kind of silence that says more than words.
The rain was still heavy, but something had changed inside them.
They were not just school friends standing in the rain.
They were something more — something not yet named.
Daniel felt his heart race. His clothes were wet, his fingers cold.
But near Sophie, he felt safe — like the rain couldn’t reach his heart.
“I feel strange,” Sophie said, almost like a secret.
Daniel replied softly, “Me too. But I like it.”
The sky began to calm down.
The heavy drops became light. The wind became soft.
It was almost evening now. The street lamps slowly turned on. A golden mist floated around.
Sophie looked at the sky. “I think the rain is stopping.”
Daniel looked at her.
“Let’s walk home?” he asked.
She nodded. “But let’s not hurry.”
They stepped out from under the tin roof.
The world was still wet, but peaceful. The street was quiet, shining in the orange street light.
They walked slowly.
Their shoulders sometimes touched. Their shoes made little splashes in the puddles.
They didn’t talk much. But they didn’t need to.
They felt nervous — unsure about what was happening inside them.
But they also felt calm — like they knew, deep inside, they would protect each other.
Always.
“I won’t forget this day,” Sophie said.
“Me neither,” Daniel replied.
Their hearts were still shy. Their minds still full of questions.
But their steps were soft and sure, as they walked together through the soft rain, under the evening sky,
two young souls beginning to feel the first light of love.
