Rain Will Fall

Let the rain wash away (all the pain of yesterday)

"I.. It happened about a month ago." Rain starts. "When things were, well, you know."

He opens his eyes briefly to look at his boyfriend. The anger is still there but it's mixed with so much more. His gaze is so intense that he has to turn away. He makes the mistake of locking eyes with Sky when he does. The swirl of emotions he finds there is so overwhelming his breath catches in his throat which makes him unable to continue. He closes his eyes once more and tries to calm himself down. He feels how Phayu softly squeezes his hand in a way to encourage him to go on.

"Dan... He..." He stutters. "The way he spoke to me, it was always different from what the others were saying. What they said hurt but the things he... I should have realized it then. I'm so stupid!"

Rain feels frustrated tears running over his cheeks. He's angry at himself for not seeing the danger he was in, for not seeking help when he got the chance, for letting it come this far.

"Shh... It's okay, baby. You're not stupid. It's not your fault." Phayu tries to console him as he softly strokes his hair.

Sky moves closer to him and gently takes hold of his hand. He gives it a light, reassuring squeeze.

"Rain, we are not angry at you. You are not to blame for what that bastard did to you. Never, you hear me? But you need to talk to us so we can help you. Properly this time." He says in hopes to convince his friend to continue.

The boy takes a shuddering breath and gives them a small nod. He still can't bring himself to open his eyes again. He inhales deeply to steady his nerves. 'I can do this!' He thinks.

"One of those days I was running late for class. I ran into him. It was my fault, I wasn't paying enough attention. I did apologize at first but he replied in such a condescending way, it made me feel frustrated. I couldn't help it. I mimicked his tone and I guess that made him angry. I wanted to walk away from him but he grabbed me and dragged me towards the bathroom. I tried to break free, I told him to let me go but he wouldn't listen."

He pauses for a moment as the memories from that day flash before his eyes. He can still see it all so vividly. A shiver runs through his body.

"The things he said, what he was insinuating..." He looks over at Phayu now. "He told me that people would tell you I was cheating if they found us together. I knew you wouldn't believe them. I told him so. I really stood up to him. I even managed to knee him when he touched me!" Rain says, wanting to let his boyfriend know that he had been able to fight for himself.

"I made him double over! I got out of that bathroom and to my car, all on my own!"

He looks from Phayu to Prapai before turning his gaze at Sky, a proud gleam in his eyes for what he accomplished that day. But none of them seem to share this feeling. In the way he is telling them his story, he is not acknowledging what was done to him. Although it was good that he managed to get out of that situation, it should never have happened in the first place. And why did no one help him? It makes them feel sick thinking about how other students turned a blind eye to the assault. Because that's what it had been, even if Rain doesn't seem to realize that.

"Rain..." Sky says somberly.

The boy shakes his head. He doesn't want to hear it. He knows he antagonized his classmate and that it had been his own fault but he had solved it himself. He doesn't need his best friend to confirm that he had provoked Danaisak into hurting him.

"You messaged me that day, didn't you? Told me you were feeling sick and wouldn't be coming to class?" Sky asks, already knowing the answer.