Chapter 16: Chapter 16

Ingrid's POV

"Unlucky," I whispered to myself when I saw the heavy downpour of rain. I'm so unlucky because I didn't have an umbrella and when I will go home now, the rain won't even stop. It's been almost a month since I came to school and every day I have a pocket umbrella. Now that I didn't bring it, the rain poured.

I just hate the rain, especially whenever I see other parents picking up their children when we were young. I was the one who just stayed to one side waiting for the rain to stop because apart from not being picked up, I was also not carrying an umbrella.

"Ingrid, you can come along with us," Steffanie told me with another smile. She stops her car in front of me. I saw some of our senior high friends inside. I didn't immediately like the idea of going with them.

“Yes, Ingrid, Jayvee, and Sarah are gone. You won't need to be jealous.” I even heard their laughter as if they were insulting. I couldn't stop frowning because of that but I just smiled slightly.

“Hey, stop teasing her, Ingrid has a new one. She was even given a cellphone,” Steffanie said. I want to defend myself but what is the use of such with their narrow brain?

"Oh, can she pay what she owes you now?" they asked while still laughing. Steffanie laughed too because of that.

"I'm not really trying to collect her debt to me because that's just a coin to my Dad but if she will, why not?" Steffanie asked, turning to me. I will soon be able to pay her as well. I am also very grateful that she helped me.

"I hope everyone has Dad, right, Ingrid?" Juliane laughed before turning to me. I clenched my fists because of their insulting looks.

"Hmm, are you coming with us?" they even asked me. I just shook my head there.

“It's up to you, you too. It will take you a while to go home with the pouring rain,” Steffanie said. Before I could speak, Indigo arrived while smiling at me.

“I told you it's going to rain today. You are not listening to me.” He laughed at me. Then he noticed that I was talking to people. He calmed down and smiled broadly at them. I could see the parting of my friends' lips and the way they looked back and forth between Indigo and me.

"Your friend?" Indigo asked me. I never told him about them.

"Yup, we're friends!" Steffanie's while smiling at him. She was also sweet looking at Indigo so for some unknown reason. I felt a bit of irritation.

"I'm Steffanie," Steffanie said before holding out her hand to Indigo. They also introduced themselves one by one while still looking at Indigo in amazement.

"Indigo," he said with a smile.

"You can ride with us. It's raining so hard," she said in a soft voice. I knew she was interested in Indigo based on her face.

"We can? Sure. Let's go, Ingrid,” Indigo turned to me because of that. I don’t know but there is a pain in my heart. Maybe it's just unacceptable that I'm not the only one he smiles at like that. Maybe I'm just so used to him already.

"You can ride with them, I'm going first," I said, running away from there. I just felt the rain too. It's fine if I get wet in the rain. What’s not right is how I feel right now. I hated the fact that maybe like Jayvee, Indigo is also the same.

I'm also just irritated by the painful words I've heard from them. It seems like it's easy to say random things like that.

There was a part of me that was ashamed of what I had done and self-irritation prevailed. I know I’m an affectionate person. When given too little attention, this is me again, becoming selfish. I just hate myself for being like this because I can only prove that they are right. I just really lack care and it's true.

I just waited for a jeep to stop by but I can't even see one. I'm sure no one will really stop in front of me. I just hugged my bag while letting me get wet.

You fool, Ingrid, what about belongings now? You let your pride prevail again. Stupid.

I just bit my lips because of that. I just close my eyes and am irritated with myself. If I had only endured their brief insults to me, I might have come home earlier.

I was shocked to feel the rain stop but just frowned when I saw Indigo worried while looking at me. I can see how he looks irritated at me right now. This is the first time I see him looking at me like that so I just avoided looking at him. At least I'm irritated with myself too. I’m being selfish again so no one really lasts my attitude.

I don't know why sadness eats me up again.

"Why did you run?" he asked when he sat across from me. I didn't look at him.

"Look at you now… you're shivering because of the cold." I don't know but there is anger in his voice. I just bit my lips hard and kept staring at the road. The rain is getting heavier. An umbrella alone is not enough. I can also see that he's getting wet

"Why are you here? Why didn't you just ride with Steffanie? You are getting wet too,” I said gently. Only then did I realize how shallow I was. I'd rather have him go there than see me like this.

“We both go home together, Ingrid. What do you expect me to do? That I will be there without you?” he said, trying to hide the annoyance but could not get past me.

“Why are you angry? You can just come along with them? No one told you to follow me here!” I don't know why I'm irritated again even though he didn't do anything.

“If you feel annoyed at me because you didn't ride with them, there will be more next time. I'm sorry. You don't need to go home with me at the same time next time,” I said, suppressing my annoyance before standing up. I don't want to shout at him or anything.

“I am not angry nor even regretting it. As for me, you can just talk to me. I'm always willing to listen. I just hope that you won't be wet with the rain,” he said to me calmly. As if trying to understand me even though I'm the one who seems to be upset and suddenly saying things to him now.

"Come here, let's ride a cab," he said but I shook my head.

“I don't have money, I can just walk. I hope that you just ride with them then you don't have to spend money now,” I said. When I looked back at him he was holding back his anger.

"I'll pay, you'll get sick of what you're doing, Ingrid," he said to me, holding me by the wrist.

"Don't, I'll just wait here," I said but it looks like his decision is final. You can't even see a smile at his face while looking at me now. I didn't know if I was just too stubborn or what. I just sighed and didn't have the strength to argue anymore because I was about to fall into the extreme cold.

He immediately called a cab. He was still holding me by the wrist while I was just letting him.

“You are both wet, Sir, Ma’am. It's raining hard,” Manong said. If it was just a normal day, he would definitely be talking to Manong but now he really looks mad and he is angry so he just smiled slightly before looking at me. I just averted my eyes. My eye just stayed out the window. Slightly guilty because I poured out my frustration and annoyance for my friends to him.

I looked at him as he handed over a towel.

"I don't need it. We are about to go home too," I said even though it looks like it will take a while because of the traffic.

"Just use it, Ingrid," he said in a serious voice.

"Lover's quarrel, Ma'am, Sir?" Manong asked so Indigo and I looked at each other. I, on the other hand, immediately averted my eyes because I felt like he was looking at me to the point that it could reach my muscle.

Instead us going home. We went to his apartment because it was closer. He even looks in a hurry.

He opened his door widely to let me in. It was actually the second time I went here. The first visit was when I did a project here because it was a bit noisy at home.

He just looks stupid but he is very clean when it comes to his belongings and apartment. This one is just really a perfectionist.

Soon he came out of his room with a towel and some clothes there. I was magnetized to my seat when he himself wiped my wet hair. Just like earlier, he still looks angry at the world. His face was just dark as he looked at me, far away from Indigo who didn’t look likes he can be angry and was smiling every day.

"You can go there to take a bath," he said pointing to his bathroom. I think back and forth between him and the bathroom.

“How about you? You're also wet?” I ask.

"After you," he replied. I didn't fight with him anymore because he looked like it was final. Just thinking deeply while in the bathroom. I also blushed because of the idea that I get mad at him earlier.

That's not good, Ingrid.

When I was done, I just saw him just standing in his kitchen.

"I made you coffee," he said, pointing to the coffee on the table.

"Thank you…" I weakly said. I don't even know if a voice came out of me or what.

I sat quietly on the sofa here in his living room. The fragrance of his clothes was also vivid in my nose. It smells manly. I just combed my hair while thinking about what to say to him. I don't know how to deal with him when all my stupidities earlier can really kill me now.

It was also a long time before he came out of the restroom. While wiping his wet hair, he went straight to my place. Unlike before, he looks calm now. He just sat next to me. There is still space between the two of us.

There was only a long silence between the two of us. Until we spoke together.

"Sorry."

"Apologies."

We looked at each other because of this and both nodded before averting our eyes.

“I know you won't act like that for no reason but you shouldn't run like that. I thought something bad would happen to you, the road is slippery,” he preached to me.

"I'm sorry, I just don't want to stay there any longer," I said, averting my eyes. He was silenced because of what I said.

"Why?" he asked but got no answer from me. The two of us were just enveloped in silence.

"I'm sorry too… I didn't notice that you're uncomfortable with them…" he said before taking the comb from me. He combed my hair himself. We are both silent while he was combing my hair.

“Your notes. It's already wet,” he told me when he finished combing. Then I just remembered that so I immediately wanted to cry while looking at some notebooks that were already wet. We rarely take a lecture but those are very important.

Because you are so stupid, Ingrid.

"Ask for a lecture to your classmates, let's rewrite it," Indigo told me.

"No one will send it to me," I said because I had no friends in the room. He just stared at me before he nodded. He just picked up his phone before starting to type there.

"Here," he said, showing some lectures he had borrowed. I can't help but feel my lips parting because he easily borrowed.

He also gave me his extra binder. He even looked at my penmanship in a notebook before he started writing.

"I can do that," I said.

"We'll do it together, you'll finish tomorrow if you'll write it on your own," he said before writing seriously. I argued with him but he also did not agree so eventually we both rewrite it. He also made an effort to imitate my handwriting.

I just stared at him because of that. Why would he help me? I don’t want to get used to it because maybe eventually, he’ll leave me too.

“Why? You like me now? ” he asked, raising an eyebrow at me. I blinked a few more times before speaking.

"As if!" I said before rolling my eyes at him.

Maybe.