Rain That Smells Like Spring

• Skye Park, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2015

Mia was tired after her demanding dance class, as she came out of the building, it started to rain. "Good thing I brought an umbrella." she thought. "Taxi!" she called out waving her hand. Mia sat in the backseat of the cab and watched as the raindrops fell heavily against the windowsill. She was silent; remembering the days her dad and herself went to catch frogs at the park during the rainy season. Mia smiled to herself. Those days were blissfully dreamlike. Her mother always scolded Mia and her father when they came back home with their clothes torn and dirty. Fortunately Mia did not regret one single moment during those "happy times" as she liked to call it ... But he left. Mia's smile froze and her heart heaved. The bittersweet memories she had whenever it rained was just like dancing on pointe. It hurt awfully but she always enjoyed the moment. "Thanks!" Mia called out as she was gathering her bags, not giving a second look at the driver when she was paying her fee. The rain gradually ceased to a drizzle. "I won't bother with the umbrella." she thought. The gentle pitter patter made Mia's heart fuzzy as she walked towards her cozy unit. The rain caught on her hair making it dewy. She shook like a dog when she got inside, covering her tabby kitten with rain droplets. "Sorry, did you miss me?" grinned Mia. "Come on let's get something to eat, I'm starving!" said Mia as she scooped her kitten in her arms.
~~~
The taxi driver didn't budge where he was. His knuckle were white from holding the steering wheel too tightly. He couldn't see properly because of the tears he was trying so hard to hold back were now pouring out of his eyes and dropping onto his shirt. His chin was trembling and his whole body was slowly rocking back and forth. He didn't dare to look up in case she came back. "Ohhh Mia, I'm so sorry your daddy has failed you all these years. I never should've left but I'm glad to see you have grown into a beautiful young woman. If I could go back in time, I would spend every second of my life being with you."
~~~
"I'm going to make a romantic dinner for the two of us, Kitty." said Mia as she pirouetted whilst balancing the salad bowl and the bottle of champagne in her arms. "You deserve it for waiting so long for me to come home. And of course I deserve it too from doing all those grande jete-" Mia never got to finish her sentence as the plates slipped from her hands and came crashing down onto the floor shattering into a million pieces. Kitty yowled with fright and hid beneath the sofa. All this, Mia did not notice. What she just realised was the most important thing right now.