Something

            The first time I met her was when I moved to this city , in literature class . I saw her sitting alone on the desk . I approached her slowly , then I stared at her . She kept being quiet , never stared back at me . I didn’t know whether it’s because of her never notice me or  because she didn’t want to be friendly with me . So , then I decided to start the conversation first .

            “Hi , may I sit beside you ?” I asked her with friendly face .

            She then slowly looked at me and didn’t say anything , just stared at me from my head to my toes , then slowly nodded . She then kept staring at my face . It made me feel a bit uncomfortable , then I asked her something while I rubbed my cheek with my palm .

            “What’s wrong ? Did you see dust or something on my face ? I’m sorry , before I came to this class , I helped my friend in English class to move the old books from the bookshelf to library … What’s your name ? I’m Cynthia …”

            She’s quiet for a while , then looked at my hand , looked at me again , and then shook my hand slowly .

            “I’m Rainy… ,” she answered with that little smile on her lips .

            “Rainy ? Wow , your name is so beautiful , do you know why your name is Rainy ?”

            She shook her head and then said ,” I don’t care why my parents gave me that name , but I do care about my life , I feel that every day is a rainy day in my life , not sunny day , no summer , only rainy …”

            I smiled , I thought that literature class must be her best choice , I knew that already from the way she talked .

            Day by day was passed , and I always met her in literature class . We became closer and closer , and she became more open to me . Sometimes , during the recess time , she came visit me in English class or French class , and then after I finished my class , she went to canteen together with me .

            Slowly , I knew about her family . She’s the only child in her family . Her mother , a teacher in elementary school , got a divorce from her father when she was still 10 years old . A year ago , her mother married a man who works in Kanada but sometimes comes back to this city to visit her mom and her . Normally , once a month , her father must be home to visit her and her mother .

            One day , when we were still eating together in school canteen , there’s something that made me shocked . There were some red marks on her both hands , it looked like someone hit her with a cane . So , without any hesitate , I asked her , about what had happened to her hands . First , she rejected to answer me , but after a few times persuading her , she finally answered me .

            “I got this because I failed my mathematic test two days ago . My mom was angry , so she used the cane to hit my hands …”

            I was surprised . I never guessed before that her mother treated her like that . Then , slowly she said that it’s not just her hands that her mother hit , but also her back . She cried after she told me about that . She said that nobody else she could share about this with besides me . So , after that I helped her by applying a cooling cream to her hands and back . After school , I offered her to accompany her going back home . She rejected my offer . I nodded , then we went to the bus stop , when she stopped the bus , I also stopped the same bus . We were both surprised , so far , we didn’t know each other’s address . Then she asked about my address , and when I mentioned it , she was surprised . She said that actually we stayed in the same apartment , just got different level . So strange , I never realized before that she stayed in the same apartment with me , or maybe because I always went home late before , only today I went home quite early , because my Dad was coming to visit me from Canada . Yes , my parents both working in Canada since I was 3 years old , but they always come visit me every 3 months or sometimes once in a month . I also often talk to them via web cam every night .

            Reaching our apartment , I hugged her before we went to the different directions . When I opened my apartment’s door , I saw my Dad there . I ran and hugged him , I missed him very much after 3 months no seeing him . We talked for a while , asking about each other’s condition and then I told him about Rainy . He was a bit shocked when I told him about Rainy .

            “Dad ? What’s wrong ? Do you know Rainy ?”

            He didn’t answer , just smiling , and then he shook his head slowly . A few days after he came visit me , my Dad had to go back to Canada , but unluckily , I couldn’t send him to airport , because I had to attend class . So , I just hugged him , said bye , and he took a cab to airport .

           

            That night was unforgettable night for me . The night that cut my heart deeply . When she knocked my door and when I opened the door for her . I was so shocked , when I saw her wrists full of blood and she cried so loud . I helped her to go inside my living room and immediately got a first aid box and covered her wounds with bandage .

            “Rainy , what happened ??”

            “Cynthia … I… I’m… “

            “What happened , Rainy ?? Just tell me , okay ? Be honest …”

            “I’m… pregnant …”

            After that , she fainted . So I tried to wake her up by shaking her body , but always failed , then I carried her to my bed room and after she conscious , I gave her a glass of water .

            “Rainy , what actually happened ?? As I know , you don’t have boyfriend , right ? So , who made you pregnant ?”

            She then dropped her tears slowly , then she answered “It’s actually my step father . He raped me since I was 15 . Last month when he came visit me , my mom wasn’t at home , so he used that chance to rape me again . Today I checked my urine using test pack and I saw the result was positive . No wonder my period’s late . ..”

            “What ???”

            She then cried so loud again . I hugged her . After she calmed down , she saw my family portrait in a small frame beside my bed . She was shocked after she saw the photo . She grabbed my arm and asked me to go with her .

            “Cynthia , come on !! We have to go to my house now !!”

            “What’s wrong , Rainy ??”

            “Come one !! Just go !!”

            So I followed her . When we reached there , I saw one familiar man was inside and was flirting with a woman that I never met before .

            “Daddy !!!” I shouted at him .

            “Cyn… Cynthia ??” he was shocked also seeing me .

            “Cynthia , is that your Dad ? He’s my step father !” said Rainy .

            I ran away , leaving them . My heart felt so damn hurt . So many questions running inside my mind . Did my Mother know about this ?? Did my father divorce my mother ? Why this thing must happened to me ?? Why it must be Rainy ?? Why ?? Why ??

Singapore , April 28^th , 2013

Josephine , 19 years old 

This is the English Version :)