Chapter 1: “The Boy Who Sat Behind Me”

It had been raining for days.

Not the kind of rain that made people run for shelter.

Not the kind that flooded streets or filled the sky with thunder.

Just—

Quiet rain.

The kind that stayed.

In the small town where Maria Edwards lived, the rain was almost a part of life.

It clung to windows.

Softened footsteps.

Turned everything a little grey, a little distant.

Most people didn’t like it.

But Maria did.

She sat by the window in her classroom, her sleeve brushing lightly against the cool glass. Outside, raindrops slid down slowly, tracing invisible paths that disappeared as quickly as they formed.

She watched them like they meant something.

Like they were trying to say something.

“You’re staring again.”

Maria blinked, turning slightly.

Her friend leaned back in her chair, arms crossed.

“At the rain,” she added.

Maria gave a small smile.

“I know.”

“You’ve been doing that all morning.”

“It looks different today.”

Her friend frowned.

“It’s literally the same rain as yesterday.”

Maria shook her head gently.

“No… it’s not.”

She didn’t explain.

She never really could.

To her, the world wasn’t just… there.

It felt.

Changed.

Shifted.

Depending on things no one else seemed to notice.

The classroom door opened.

At first, no one paid attention.

It was just another interruption in an ordinary day.

But Maria did.

She didn’t know why.

Maybe it was the timing.

Maybe it was the silence that followed.

Or maybe—

It was him.

A boy stood near the door.

Not soaked from the rain.

Not rushed or awkward.

Just… still.

“New student,” the teacher said casually, barely looking up from her register. “Take a seat anywhere.”

No introduction.

No attention.

Nothing special.

But Maria couldn’t look away.

There was something about him.

Not obvious.

Not dramatic.

Just—

Different.

He glanced around the room once, his eyes moving slowly, like he wasn’t searching for anything in particular.

Then he walked.

Unhurried.

Quiet.

And stopped.

Right behind Maria.

The chair scraped lightly against the floor as he pulled it back and sat down.

Maria felt it immediately.

Not a sound.

Not a movement.

Just—

Presence.

She tried to ignore it.

Tried to focus on the lesson.

The teacher was explaining something about literature, words filling the room in a steady rhythm.

But Maria couldn’t concentrate.

She could feel him there.

Not close.

Not distant.

Just… exactly where he was supposed to be.

After a few minutes, she spoke.

Without turning around.

“…You’re new.”

There was a pause.

Short.

Then—

“Yeah.”

His voice was calm.

Soft, but not hesitant.

Like he wasn’t unsure of anything he said.

“You came in the middle of term,” Maria added quietly.

“Had to.”

That was all.

No explanation.

No elaboration.

Maria frowned slightly.

Then, slowly, she turned just enough to glance behind her.

He wasn’t looking at her.

He was looking at the window.

At the rain.

That made her pause.

“You like it?” she asked before she could stop herself.

“The rain?”

“Yeah.”

He tilted his head slightly, as if considering the question properly.

“…It’s quiet.”

Maria’s lips curved into a small smile.

“…Exactly.”

For a moment—

It felt like she wasn’t the only one who saw it that way.

The rest of the lesson passed like that.

Small words.

Long silences.

But it didn’t feel awkward.

It felt easy.

Like talking wasn’t necessary.

At lunch, Maria found herself thinking about him again.

Not obsessively.

Not dramatically.

Just—

Curious.

She stepped out into the covered walkway, the rain falling steadily just beyond the roof’s edge.

The courtyard was empty, water pooling on the concrete.

And there he was.

Standing by the railing.

Watching the rain.

Maria hesitated for a moment.

Then walked over.

“You’re always looking at it,” she said.

He didn’t turn.

“You too.”

She leaned lightly against the railing beside him.

They stood close enough to speak, but not close enough to feel uncomfortable.

For a while, neither of them said anything.

The rain filled the silence.

“…Do you think,” Maria began slowly,

“people change depending on the weather?”

He didn’t answer immediately.

“…I think,” he said finally,

“people just notice it more when they’re already feeling something.”

Maria blinked.

That answer—

It felt too accurate.

“You think a lot,” she said quietly.

“So do you.”

She let out a small laugh.

“Not really. I just notice things.”

“Same thing.”

Another silence.

But this one felt…

Warmer.

After a moment, he spoke again.

“David.”

Maria turned slightly.

“What?”

“My name.”

She smiled faintly.

“Maria.”

“I know.”

That made her pause.

“…How?”

He finally looked at her.

Not intensely.

Not softly.

Just—

Directly.

“You seem like a Maria.”

She frowned slightly.

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“It doesn’t have to.”

For some reason—

She didn’t argue.

The bell rang.

Students began to move again, filling the space with noise.

David stepped back first.

Maria followed.

As they walked inside, she felt something she hadn’t felt in a while.

Not excitement.

Not nervousness.

Just—

A quiet awareness.

Like something had shifted.

At the end of the day, Maria packed her bag slowly.

Her movements felt slower than usual.

She glanced back.

David was still there.

Leaning back in his chair.

Watching her.

“…See you tomorrow?” she asked, before she could think about it.

There was a pause.

Then—

A small smile.

“…Yeah.”

That was enough.

Maria walked home in the rain that evening.

Without opening her umbrella.

Without rushing.

The drops soaked into her sleeves, her hair, her skin.

But she didn’t mind.

Because something felt different.

The rain didn’t feel empty today.

It felt…

Shared.

That night, lying in bed, Maria stared at the ceiling.

The sound of rain tapping lightly against her window.

“…David,” she whispered softly.

The name felt real.

Too real.

And for the first time in a long time—

Maria didn’t feel alone in her thoughts.

Outside—

The rain continued to fall.

Quiet.

Endless.

As if it knew something she didn’t.

Chapter 2: “Things I Shouldn’t Say”

The rain didn’t stop.

It never really did.

By the next morning, the sky had settled into that same pale grey, the kind that made everything feel quieter than it actually was.

Maria Edwards sat by the window again.

Same seat.

Same glass.

Same slow raindrops tracing invisible paths.

But today—

She wasn’t just watching.

She was waiting.

“…You’re doing it again,” her friend said, flipping a page lazily.

Maria didn’t turn.

“I know.”

“For what this time?”

Maria hesitated.

Then said softly—

“…For something to feel the same.”

Her friend frowned.

“That doesn’t make sense.”

Maria didn’t answer.

Because she wasn’t sure it did either.

The classroom door opened.

Students walked in.

Voices filled the room.

And then—

That quiet shift.

Maria felt it before she saw him.

She turned.

David.

Sitting behind her.

Exactly where he had been before.

Relief washed over her so quickly it almost startled her.

“…You came.”

The words slipped out.

Too honest.

Too quick.

David looked at her.

For a moment—

His expression softened.

“…Yeah,” he said quietly.

But something about him felt… different today.

Maria turned in her seat.

“You weren’t here yesterday.”

A pause.

David’s gaze dropped slightly.

“…I was.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I asked. No one—”

She stopped.

“…No one knew who you were.”

Silence.

David didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he looked at the window.

At the rain.

“…People don’t notice everything,” he said finally.

His voice was calm.

But softer than before.

Maria studied him for a second longer.

Something about that answer—

It felt like he wasn’t telling her everything.

But she didn’t push.

Because he was here.

And somehow—

That mattered more.

The lesson passed in a blur.

Words filled the room, but Maria didn’t hear them.

Her thoughts kept drifting.

Backwards.

To him.

To the way he spoke.

The way he paused before answering.

Like he was choosing his words carefully.

Like some things…

Shouldn’t be said.

At lunch, the rain fell heavier.

Faster now.

Louder.

Maria didn’t hesitate.

She went straight to the covered walkway.

And there he was.

Of course.

Standing at the railing.

Watching the rain fall into the empty courtyard.

“You’re predictable,” she said softly.

“You came anyway.”

She stepped beside him.

Closer than before.

This time—

Their shoulders almost touched.

Neither of them moved away.

The silence between them felt different today.

Not empty.

Not light.

Just…

Full.

Maria took a slow breath.

“…David.”

“…Yeah?”

She hesitated.

Her heart was beating faster now.

“I need to say something.”

He finally looked at her.

And for the first time—

There was something in his eyes.

Not confusion.

Not curiosity.

Something deeper.

Almost like—

He already knew.

Maria swallowed softly.

“…I think I like you.”

The words came out quieter than she expected.

But they were steady.

Real.

The rain seemed louder suddenly.

David didn’t speak.

He just looked at her.

And in that moment—

Maria felt it.

Not rejection.

Not surprise.

But hesitation.

Like he wanted to say something—

But couldn’t.

“…You shouldn’t,” he said finally.

Maria’s heart dropped slightly.

“…Why?”

He looked away.

Back at the rain.

“…Because it won’t end well.”

Her chest tightened.

“That’s not your decision,” she said softly.

A pause.

David’s hands tightened slightly against the railing.

“…Maria—”

He stopped.

His voice faltered.

Just slightly.

Like even saying her name felt heavy.

“…I do,” he said quietly.

Maria blinked.

“…You do what?”

He exhaled slowly.

Then looked at her again.

And this time—

There was no hesitation in his eyes.

“I like you too.”

The words were simple.

Soft.

But they felt heavier than anything else he had said.

Maria’s heart raced.

“…Then why—”

“Because,” he interrupted gently,

“…this isn’t normal.”

The air between them stilled.

“…What isn’t?”

David didn’t answer immediately.

His gaze softened again.

“…You,” he said quietly.

“…And me.”

Maria frowned.

“I don’t understand.”

He gave a small, almost sad smile.

“…I know.”

The rain kept falling.

Neither of them spoke for a while.

But something had changed.

The space between them felt smaller.

More fragile.

Like something beautiful—

That couldn’t last.

“…Do you regret it?” Maria asked suddenly.

David looked at her.

“…What?”

“Saying you like me.”

A pause.

Then—

He shook his head.

“…No.”

His voice was quiet.

But certain.

“…That’s the only thing I don’t regret.”

Maria didn’t know why—

But that made her chest ache.

Not in a bad way.

Just…

In a way that felt real.

The bell rang in the distance.

Neither of them moved immediately.

“…We should go,” Maria said softly.

“…Yeah.”

But still—

Neither of them moved.

For a moment longer—

They just stood there.

Side by side.

Watching the rain.

Like it was the only thing keeping the moment together.

The rain felt heavier that day.

Not louder.

Not stronger.

Just—

Closer.

Maria Edwards walked into school without her umbrella.

Again.

Her hair was slightly damp, her sleeves cold against her skin, but she didn’t seem to notice.

Because her thoughts weren’t on the rain.

They were on him.

David.

“…I like you too.”

The words echoed in her mind, over and over again.

Soft.

Certain.

Real.

She held onto them like something fragile.

Like if she thought about them too much—

They might disappear.

When she entered the classroom, she didn’t even look anywhere else.

Straight to the back.

And there he was.

Relief settled in her chest instantly.

“…You’re here.”

She didn’t realise she had said it out loud.

David looked at her.

A faint smile forming.

“…I said I would be.”

She smiled back.

Small.

But real.

Maria sat down, her movements lighter than usual.

For a moment—

Everything felt normal again.

Until—

“…Maria?”

She turned.

Her friend was staring at her.

Not confused.

Not amused.

Concerned.

“…Who are you talking to?”

Maria blinked.

“…What?”

“You just said ‘you’re here’ to… no one.”

A pause.

Maria turned slowly.

David was sitting right there.

Looking at her.

“…I’m not talking to no one,” she said.

Her friend frowned.

“There’s literally no one behind you.”

Maria’s chest tightened.

“…Stop joking.”

“I’m not joking.”

Silence.

Maria looked at David again.

He didn’t say anything.

But his expression had changed.

Softer.

Almost…

Sad.

“…They just don’t notice,” he said quietly.

Maria swallowed.

Then turned back to her friend.

“You just don’t see him.”

Her friend’s expression shifted.

From confusion—

To something else.

“…Maria, there’s no one there.”

“I said you just don’t see him.”

Her voice was firmer this time.

The conversation ended there.

But the feeling didn’t.

All through class, Maria could feel it.

The looks.

The whispers.

“…She’s talking to herself again.”

“…Is she okay?”

“…That’s kind of weird…”

Maria ignored all of it.

Because beside her—

David was real.

He spoke.

He listened.

He was there.

That was enough.

At lunch, she didn’t wait.

She walked straight to the covered walkway.

And like always—

He was there.

The rain fell steadily, creating a soft curtain around the empty courtyard.

“You heard them,” Maria said quietly as she stood beside him.

“…Yeah.”

She looked down at her hands.

“…Does it bother you?”

A pause.

“…No,” he said.

Then softer—

“…It bothers me for you.”

Maria looked at him.

“…Why?”

He didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he watched the rain.

“…Because you’re the only one who has to deal with it.”

Her chest tightened slightly.

“…I don’t care,” she said.

And she meant it.

“I know you’re here.”

Silence.

David turned to her slowly.

“…Maria.”

Something about the way he said her name—

Made her heart ache.

“…What?”

He hesitated.

For a moment—

It looked like he was going to say something important.

Something he had been holding back.

But then—

“…Nothing.”

Maria frowned.

“You keep doing that.”

“Doing what?”

“Stopping.”

A pause.

“…Some things are hard to say.”

Maria stepped a little closer.

“…Then don’t think. Just say it.”

David looked at her.

His expression softened again.

“…That’s exactly why I don’t.”

She didn’t understand that.

But she didn’t push.

Instead—

She said something else.

“…I meant what I said yesterday.”

His eyes flickered slightly.

“…I know.”

“I don’t regret it.”

Silence.

“…I know that too.”

Maria took a breath.

“…Then why do you look like you do?”

David didn’t answer.

But his hand shifted slightly on the railing.

Closer to hers.

Not touching.

Just—

Close.

“…Because I do too,” he said quietly.

Maria’s heart skipped.

“…You regret it?”

He shook his head.

“…No.”

A small pause.

“…I don’t regret liking you.”

Then softer—

“…I just wish it was easier.”

Maria’s chest tightened again.

“…It is easy.”

She turned to him fully now.

“You’re here. I’m here. That’s all that matters.”

For a moment—

David just looked at her.

Like he wanted to believe that.

Like he almost did.

But not completely.

“…Yeah,” he said quietly.

But it didn’t sound certain.

The bell rang again.

Students began moving inside.

Maria didn’t.

“…David.”

“…Yeah?”

She hesitated.

Then—

She reached out.

Slowly.

Carefully.

And took his hand.

For a second—

He froze.

Like he wasn’t expecting it.

Like he wasn’t sure if he should.

But then—

He held her hand back.

Gently.

And in that moment—

Maria smiled.

Because to her—

That was proof.

He was real.

No matter what anyone said.

No matter what anyone thought.

He was real.

And she wasn’t going to let anyone take that away from her.