Clever Subterfuge

Raindrop Matchmaker

"You know, I'd kill for an instruction manual that explains how to be a responsible adult," mumbled Fiammetta as she moved to place her books out of the way and lay down melodramatically in the center of the library floor. Crossing her arms over her torso and shutting her eyes, she refused to acknowledge the upcoming exam dates.

"Lord knows you need more than a few pointers Fiamma," responded her roommate Lori. Her raven black hair falling in sheaths across her face and like Fiammetta, Lori was too exhausted to take any action for it. Both girls were lounging on the second floor of the library, where consecutive floors became more and more noise hesitant. Multiple students scattered in near proximity of electric plug-in spots, most still in the clothes from days past and scruffy hair. Fiammetta herself was sporting fashionable cowlicks and a red spot where her face rested on her closed palm.

Lori lethargically flipped the page of her organic chemistry textbook and rubbed her face before facing the front of her watch, checking the time until she had to leave for one of her last lectures of the quarter.

"Speaking of pointers, I'd say you either invest in another phone charger or a watch, Fiamma. Don't you have a calculus lecture in five minutes across campus?" Seconds were all it took for Fiamma's eyes to turn into saucers and for her breath to catch. In mere moments she sprung to her feet and was leaving the vicinity with instructions for her roommate to take her things back home. 

It always rained in the early fall in the area she went to school in. This was a fact that wasn't relayed to Fiamma before moving in and so she only prepared for the weather she experienced in the summer. Biggest mistake imaginable, yet you'd think a person of her age would have enough logic to research her new home a little more. You'd think.

So she ran carelessly in her useless leather boots that protected her from two raindrops, thin sweater and scarf that shielded her from nothing. Absolutely nothing, not even a brisk wind. Unfortunately she was so late for her final midterm that such trivialities turned minimal. Around this time of the year, she imagined places with trees changing colors, people preparing jack-o-lanterns and rain that brought that feeling of a fresh start. 

This much was true for her campus, every glance contained a scenic panorama and yet none of it mattered as it zipped by Fiamma's line of sight. 

Fortunately, all that was necessary for her calculus midterm was a pencil with an eraser. It remained stuffed in her pocket and proceeded to poke her as she prompted forward for a seat. All professor's have the same facial expression as they hand over an exam to a student, at least the nice ones do and it is a wonderful sense of pity transferred from one to another. She grasped the bunch of papers and sent a silent student's prayer, for a sense of false hope. 

It's funny how people constantly fail to realize the significance of certain moments, later to look back and smile at how different people were met. 

Fiamma, chewing on her pencil and glaring at an exam that was utter nonsense, completely oblivious to the rain that began to pour outside the classroom. Giving up after half an hour and turning in her filled exam. 

"Great, just fabulous. What's the worst that can--" she mumbled as she pressed the door open, revealing another sign of her idiocy. Ignoring the rain, she walked out and mentioned under her breath how she never fails to suprise herself with her lack of logic.

"You'd think that after living here for a few months, that you'd come to realize that the rain here is a total jerk," mentioned someone from her side, "you'd also think that someone would realize the moment the rain stopped pouring in their face."

He stood there, with a red umbrella extended to shield her from the rain, exposing his shoulder at her expense. With a mop of blonde hair drenched with rain,  falling over his forehead and clear blue eyes, he smiled and appeared genuinely humored by her stupid expression. Silently, she lowered her eyes and swallowed her pride if it meant getting back home without getting drenched wet.

It was a comfortable silence they walked in, her boots thunking in the puddles and her face huddled in her red scarf as habit dictated. The buildings of the university were red brick and old-fashioned, the trees had escaped their subtle subterfuge and shifted to a vivacious array of oranges, reds, and yellows. With the thick clouds and rain, it was impossible to tell the time past the exam, fortunately neither were too particular about it. It must have been halfway past the hour considered the void of cyclists barreling through the bike lanes. 

"Your name is Fiammetta, right?" he asked as they approached the dorm neighborhood she lived in. She peered at him from her scarf to search his expression, confused as to how someone other than her roommates knew her name.

"Yes?" She paused before asking again, "so you live in this neighborhood too?"

"Nope, I actually live across campus in the other dorm neighborhood," he mentioned before moving his gaze towards her, kind smile in tow, "besides I was raised to always help a lovely lady in distress, even if she refuses it."

"I'm so sorry! If I knew that I wouldn't have let you be stupid like me and walk all this way," she pleaded in front of her dorm building, he withdrew the umbrella once they were shielded from the aquatic bullets that fell mercilessly. 

"It's alright, besides I'm going to use the most cliche line ever and say you can get even by agreeing to going to dinner with me this Friday." He turned and paced away before even getting a certain answer, Fiamma chewed her lip and glared at his arrogance before realizing she had forgotten something.

"Thanks stranger!"

Even from afar she could hear his boisterous laughter, and an "It's Arthur, and 5:30 sharp!"