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The rain was falling down heavily from the sky as he walked alongside the sidewalk with an umbrella in his hands. Jon was wearing his suit, fully dressed, and looking ready for work. His hand gripping against the umbrella, his eyes set on the pavement below, and he continued to march on—not caring how heavy it was raining. He can hear the sound of cars going by on the road and the sound of the rain drumming against the ground and on his umbrella.
He quickened the pace of his walk, not paying attention to the surroundings, seeing as his thoughts were somewhere else. Each step Jon took on this path always made his mind go somewhere he wished would be buried deep inside. And yet the memories were too persistent in his mind for it to go away. Or maybe Jon simply doesn’t want it to be gone, still clinging on to a false hope.
He came to a halt when he realized he had arrived at some place with the rain no longer hitting against his umbrella.
It was a bus stop.
Jon looked around to a familiar sight. Watched every part of it looking the same as every morning. The place was maintained frequently despite being an old bus stop. He let out a sigh as he closed his umbrella and take a sit on the chair and he gazed out on the road watching the cars drive past him. It was stupid for him—to do this routine every morning going all the way just so he could reach this particular place. A bus stop.
Jon watches to the side of him, seeing nothing but an empty sidewalk with rain still falling down from the sky above. His eyes linger on the empty sidewalk for a while longer before he lets out a deep sigh, feeling slightly cold from the rain. The longer Jon sits there, his mind starts to wander away—to the memories of the first time.
Jon rest his eyes for a moment. He can still remember it vividly. Like a movie playing back in his mind.
It was raining and Jon took the wrong direction. Walking farther than he was supposed to with his bag on his head to protect him from the rain. And he was met with an empty bus stop with no one else there. Jon quickly took shelter underneath it. Letting out a sigh of relief as he felt safe from the rain. Though part of him was wet from the rain.
Jon takes a look at the damage the rain does to him, not realizing the footstep that is growing closer to approaching him. The person stood beside him, all humming and joyful at this hour. Fingers tapping against his legs and his head nodding along to the hum.
Jon slowly glanced to the side to observe the person beside him. The person seems to be full of energy at this time despite the weather. He never encountered such a high-spirited person at this time and in this weather. Jon looked at them closer, taking in on each part of his appearance—from the top to the toe. Looking all neat and presentable like he was about to go somewhere important.
Jon’s eyes darted back to the person's face. Examining each part of it. Realizing how good-looking he was. Jon must have been staring for a while when the person cleared his throat, snapping him out of the trance. Jon noticed that there was a slight red on his face.
The person's head turns to the side to face him. Jon was ready to hear a lecture on how staring at strangers is weird and not acceptable.
Instead, the person started to smile at him—started to ask him how was his day. He just stared at the person dumbfoundedly, eyes went wide. Not expecting he would strike up a conversation after Jon deliberately stared at the stranger shamelessly.
It took a moment for him to answer the question. Responding with ‘It’s.. peachy’ he said with a tinge of sarcasm in it. The other person caught on it and responded with a chuckle. And they fell back to silence, with only being accompanied by the sound of the rain and the cars. He starts to fidget—feeling the awkwardness around them from the silence. He tried to think about what he could say to break the ever-growing silence.
Jon turned to the stranger hastily and about to open his mouth not realizing that the bus had arrived. Glancing to the side, blinking to see the bus right in front of them. And the person beside him was about to get in. But stop himself to look back at Jon “It’s nice talking to you” he heard the stranger say right as he got in.
Jon had a weird look on his face ‘It’s nice talking to you?’ They barely speak other than How was your day and his failed attempt to strike up a conversation.
“Hey!” The bus driver called out to him and his head snapped in the direction of the sound
“Are you getting in or not?” He asks.
He stood there stupidly forgetting that he was at a bus stop. “Right” he caught up “Uh… This is not my bus” he muttered.
And the bus driver only shrugged as the door closed right in front of him. Watches as the bus drives off leaving him alone right there at the bus stop.
The next day he went back to the same bus stop. Don't know why but just had a thought that he should. He sat at the chair and waited. When he finally heard the footsteps approaching he looked up to see the same person as yesterday.
The stranger immediately smiled upon seeing Jon, remembering him from yesterday. And this time Jon smiled back at him. Watching as he took a seat beside Jon. Jon tried to be the first to strike the conversation this time. And they talked and talked like they had known each other for so long.
This goes on for days and weeks. The same routine every morning. They would meet at this particular bus stop. Sitting side by side as they talked about their days from the day before. They were pairs of strangers. And yet Jon felt more connection to him than anyone in his life.
But every story always had an ending.
Jon’s eyes opened and head turned to the side to finally catch a glimpse of the stranger approaching closer with smiles plastered on his faces. Jon watched as he stood in front of him, grinning stupidly at him. Looking eager to talk to him. Like best friends who hadn’t seen each other for many-many years. And Jon will return it with the same smile. It feels so real. Like he was there with him—talking to him like normally they do.
And yet all Jon saw was anything but him.
All he saw was an empty sidewalk with the rain continuing to fall down. No one was beside him. No one approached him looking like they were eager to talk to him.
He was alone at that bus stop.
His gaze continues to linger on the pavement as if something will suddenly change the more he stares at it. And yet nothing changes, beside him is only an empty sidewalk. He glances back to the front, trying to distract his mind with something else. But it was futile. Because this place held an important memory for him. Something he wishes it would come back just so he can experience it one last time.
But he knows he has to let it go. No matter how painful it was.
His head fell back hitting the back wall of the bus stop, closing his eyes once again, and letting out a heavy sigh. He hears the Bus from afar coming close and yet he has no intention of standing up. Still had that sliver of hope he would appear even though Jon knew he won’t. The bus finally came to a stop right in front of him and heard the door opening. “Hey!” Came a voice from the bus and he opened his eyes to see the bus driver calling out to him “Are you getting in or not?” He asked sounding slightly irritated for having to make him wait.
He blinked once and stood up from where he sat, walking straight to the door. He has one foot inside and stops himself momentarily to give another last look at the sidewalk, trying to engrave it in his mind.
Something to remember.
Before finally stepped inside the bus the door behind him finally closed.