The rain had always been Lila's secret comfort. There was something about the steady rhythm of droplets against glass that made her heart feel lighter like the world was washing itself clean. Tonight, however, the rain felt different. It was heavier, colder, as if it carried a warning she couldn't place.
Lila adjusted her umbrella and hurried down Maple Street, her boots splashing softly through shallow puddles. Her phone buzzed in her coat pocket a message from her best friend reminding her of tomorrow's meeting. She smiled faintly but didn't reply. Her mind was elsewhere.
That's when she saw him.
He was standing under the faint glow of a streetlamp, coat collar turned up against the rain. He seemed almost carved out of the night itself tall, sharp-featured, with dark hair plastered to his forehead. His eyes, catching the light of the lamp, seemed to hold a story she wanted to know.
Her umbrella caught in a gust of wind, flipping inside out with a loud snap. Lila gasped, fumbling with the frame. The rain poured harder. Her boots slid slightly on the wet pavement.
"You okay?" a deep voice asked.
She looked up. He was stepping toward her, holding a closed umbrella of his own. His voice was calm but carried something magnetic, something that made her forget for a moment that she was drenched.
"I… my umbrella broke," she said, her voice almost drowned by the rain.
He smiled faintly, a small curve that felt both kind and knowing. "Here. Take mine. You look like you could use some shelter."
Before she could protest, he held it over her. The warmth under the canopy was sudden and unexpected and so was the silence that followed. Lila glanced up at him, meeting his gaze.
"Thank you," she murmured, her voice softer now.
"No problem," he replied. His eyes lingered on hers just a moment too long before he looked away, scanning the street as if searching for something.
They walked together in silence, the patter of rain blending with the quiet hum of the city at night. Lila felt an odd mix of curiosity and comfort. There was something about him, a pull she couldn't explain.
At the corner, he stopped. "This is your street?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yeah. Thank you again."
Before she could turn away, he said, almost softly, "I'm Evan."
"Lila," she replied, smiling despite herself. The sound of her name on his lips felt… strange. Important.
He tipped his head slightly, as if memorizing it. "Maybe I'll see you again, Lila."
Her heart gave a quiet, startled jump. "Maybe," she echoed.
The rain didn't ease as she stepped into her building. She didn't notice Evan walking away, disappearing into the darkness with a slow, deliberate stride. But she could feel him lingering in her thoughts long after the rain had stopped.