A Tale In Every Tone

Chapter Two (Part Three): Blame It On The Rain

Clyde

She had barely finished eating when dragged her out of the restaurant.

"Why are you so in a hurry?" she said, aggravated. She still held a drink in her hand.

"I'll show you something." I said.

"C'mon, walk faster."

"Okay." She panted while catching up to my footsteps. 

It took us five minutes to get there. Alvira gasped in amazement.

"So many lotus flowers!" she burst out loud.

"Yeah, there was a Lotus festival right here last week." I explained.

Alvira

Every kind of lotus flower lined up in the park from red to purple.

"They're so beautiful." I complimented. "But I liked the blue rose you gave me more than this." I said, waiting for his response. 

He didn't. I looked at him clearly. I've never seen him so much sadness in his eyes before.

"My girlfriend likes them. Lotus is her favorite." he blurted out.

"Your girlfriend?" I asked blatantly. "Then she should be the one with you right now, not me." 

He paused. He looked down and said, "Well,that's the problem. I haven't seen her for three years. I don't know where she went to."

"That's...horrible." I commented. "I mean, if she really loves you, she wouldn't disappear like that. And she'll make a way for you to see each other." I went on.

"I know that, believe me. But I still love her. And I'm still looking for her. It hurts... so much." 

He covered his face with the palms of his hands and slumped on the bench near us. I watched him for a while .I didn't want to interfere with his feelings. Is he crying? For real? I've never seen a man crying before. I sat with him on the bench to find out.

"Help me please." he spoke softly.

I don't know how to help him, neither I can do something to help. But I know how to comfort him. 

"Were you crying?" I said as I patted him on his back.

"No." he answered firmly. "It's just frustrating."

"How could I help you?" I asked. He looked at me with a glint of hope.

"Help me find her." he said.

"Are you serious? That'll be really difficult." I widened my eyes as I said."I think she doesn't love you anymore, after all those years."

"I know she loves me. She declared it to me. I'm hanging on to those words. I'm not gonna stop." he asserted.

He's really stubborn. I don't really trust that girl. He has to move on. But there's nothing I can do if he insists.

"Then I'll help you." I agreed. It wasn't too long before a smile appeared on his face."Where is she anyway?" I got curious.

"A friend of hers told me she's here in China." he conveyed.

"So that's why you're here. Now I get it." I said. "Where shall we find her?"

"I think she's only here in Beijing, or in Shanghai." he said. "She loves the city."

"Probably, you live in Manhattan, right?" He nodded. "We'll start tomorrow." he directed.

"I need your number."

"Oh yeah,my number." We had exchanged numbers so it'll be much easier for us to communicate.