What Sofia Wants

Rain was pouring from the hot silver sky, causing an unnatural darkness for the afternoon. I had been glancing at her for a steady five minutes, she was a young girl seemingly to be in her late teens. There she stood dancing in the rain, eyes closed and face stretched out to the sky above inviting every raindrop to kiss her cheeks. I admit I should have just left her alone, but seeing her twirling in the rain? It was almost beautiful, enchanting even. I wanted to get a better look, I wanted to say hello and ask what in the world she was doing. It being springtime the rain was quite often, once a week or so. Even with the many rain showers this month I had never seen this girl until now, but here she was in the middle of the street, mistreated from the rain, twirling and dancing. She looked like she was in another world, uncaring of the her surroundings. All she seemed to care for in that moment was the feeling of the rain against her skin. Her hair was long and blonde, reaching just above the tip of her breast. She was in a white dress just above her knees, vines tracing the scalloped hem and a dark denim jacket to cover up her wings. I hoisted my khaki dreary-day trench coat from the coat tree and my brolly from the umbrella rack located just at the base of the coat tree constructed of a durable beech wood with a black finish for a more versatile look. I proceeded to walk outside, hesitating at the porch steps my brain and body reluctant to go into the harsh rain. My curiosity getting the best of me I went into a half run into the glistening street. You could hear the pattering of the rain hitting the pavement with slight force. The rain was gentle sounding like as if several tiny guinea pigs were running the streets of Reese. I could hear a faint sound of thunder, it was distant and far. I trampled through newly formed puddles feeling the water begin to soak through the bottom of my jeans. I stopped 5 feet within her distance, I could feel words bubbling up from inside me but to no avail, for no sound dared to leave my lips. It was as if by the time the words had reached the tip of my tongue they had evaporated into mere thoughts. "Don't you just love the rain?" She asked in a delighted, exasperated tone. I guess she noticed me, then again how could she not? I was only a short distance away, but I guess watching her get lost I too had lost the path in which my own mind was once travelling.

I was baffled, stuttering on my thoughts before attempting to answer her simple yet complex question. Did I like the rain? It's alright, gives me a break from the days errands, it's peaceful and serene. More than that I like how easily it is to fall asleep to. The gentle sound of the rain hammering the roof begging to come inside makes me feel cozy and puts my mind at ease. Setting up a perfect, blissful slumber. "What's your name?" I requested, shrugging off her previous inquiry. She allowed her gaze to turn away from the rumbling sky above and opened her eyes glaring at me. Her eyes, they got me even more lost than before and they were even more enchanting than the frail raindrops against her silhouette. They were striking and I once again found myself stumbling on words. The blue hues were like that of the pale blue Hydrangea macrophylla. They were electrifying in a way almost unimaginable and it felt as if I could swim right on through them with the greatest of ease. I felt that if I looked close enough I would find wispy clouds floating through them, each cloud holding onto a dream. "Sopia." She spoke softy interrupting my thoughts. She gave me a quick grin and looked as if right then she would have walked away. My words caught on my tongue, I was unsure of what to say. Here before me is what some may call a dream, an enchanting miracle from somewhere far from earth. "Sophia." I let her name trail off my tongue, It tasted blissful as it was leaving my mouth dry and empty. I could say it a million times and never could it lose its bliss. "I don't know if you noticed but it's sort of raining, maybe you should come inside. You could get sick standing out here like this, Sophia." I was almost yelling over top the rain. I approached her almost unknowingly her essence and complete control over me and all I wanted to do was get her out of the rain. Sophia looked like she belonged in the rain, like it was her home and he I was kidnapping her. she took a few steps back with a smile and did a small twirl before standing still again. She took a deep inhale and let it all go. It was in that moment she had breathed the entire earth. "I just absolutely love the rain! Have you ever stood in the rain, walked in it? It feels like its just washing you of everything. You feel almost water proof even though you are soaking wet. Then you go back inside and the minute you are out of the rain you feel kind of trapped and you can't help but go back outside and go back to it. When the cool breeze sweeps over my face and the first few drops of rain touches my cheeks....oh! It's almost a heavenly feeling. A shiver runs down my body which gives me goose bumps and the sweet smell of the wet mud brings back old memories. The tender plants & flowers look so refreshing on getting wet in the rain. Rain, it washes the tears away. I can cry and pretend it's just raindrops from the beautiful sky. I love the power of rain to prove you wrong. You dash into the rain in a fit of pique hoping for absolution denial something earth-shattering and life altering. Instead you get really wet you blink your eyes a lot and all the silly movie inspired needs you thought to take from the rain become background noise the rain takes control it commands your attention. Soon there is nothing but the rain. You sit your wet butt down in the wet grass no longer caring if the neighbors see you or what they might be thinking and you just sit there in the rain thunder and lightning creating the backdrop to the white noise in your skull all around you. It's like shock therapy and meditation in one neat package. i love the tiny pitter pattering sounds that make everything seem so huge so endless. I just love it." She was rambling, but it was beautiful. Her words were poetry, words that if you caught in a jar could be worth millions. I didn't understand what she meant but I wanted to. I wanted to listen and feel the words, know every meaning they possessed. Sophia looked at me again, She knew what I was thinking and continued with her endless array of words. "Sometimes it's just nice to feel like everything else is meaningless for a few moments, you know? It's like almost fantasy like. Like you can not feel it with your skin but actually feel it, if that makes any sense. Its a beautiful feeling having every doubt finally pushed away. Every tear following the rain into the sewage drain." She ended her lecture there and walked up to me grabbing me by the arm. "Do you have any tea?" I laughed at her pleasantness. Her question was so off-guard, so unforeseen. I nodded and Led her to my small, petite home. It wasn't much a place, but it was home to me. I grew up here and I never left. I grew up to this town and it's all I know. At this point in my life I don't see the reason in leaving.I just graduated highschool, I planned on going to an art school in Wyoming. However, I haven't always been the kind of kid with money in my pockets nor was I fed with a silver spoon. I wanted to follow my dreams but I don't have time for them. Senior year my parents had passed away in car accident and I was then left here all alone. I was 18 senior year so it wasn't like they could take me to a foster home. I was just simply on my own now. I had to get a job at the local gas station,It wasn't best paying job but it got me through the year. I went from highschool, straight to paying bills. I found no time for silly things like art. I simply buy things cheap off the internet and sell them for more than they're worth. It's wrong, I know, but when it comes to keeping this place? I would do anything. My soul is tied to this community and I wouldn't leave it for anything.

Sophia sits down on the cheerless, worn couch and take a place down beside her. "you never told me your name, you know?" She smile the fantasy smile again and I felt myself melt a little.