The Yellow Umbrella

Maya was a quiet student . Every morning , she stood at the bus stop at 8:00 AM. And every morning , she saw him. He was tall with messy brown hair , and he always carried a blue guitar case . Maya didn't know his name , but in her head , she called him " Music Boy ."

She wanted to say " hello ," but she was too shy . She usually looked at her shoes or her book . She thought he was way too cool to talk to a girl like her.

One Tuesday , the sky was very grey . Suddenly , it started to rain . It was a very strong summer rain . Maya had a bright yellow umbrella , but the boy had nothing . He stood under a small tree , but he was getting wet . He looked very worried about his guitar case .

Maya felt her heart beat fast . She took a deep breath and walked to him.

"Um... excuse me?" she said . Her voice was small .

The boy looked up . His eyes were bright and kind . " Yes ?"

"You can share my umbrella ," she said , holding it over his head . "Your guitar shouldn't get wet . Music is important ."

He smiled , and Maya thought it was the most beautiful smile she ever saw .

" Thank you so much ! That is very nice of you. I’m Oliver."

"I'm Maya," she replied , blushing .

They stood close together under the yellow umbrella . The rain made a loud tap -tap-tap noise on the plastic above them. To break the silence , Oliver touched his guitar case .

"Do you like music ?" he asked .

"I love it," Maya said . "I listen to music every day when I study ."

Oliver’s eyes opened wide . "Me too ! What is your favorite band ?"

They talked for twenty minutes . They forgot about the cold wind . They forgot about the crowded street . They talked about their favorite songs , their difficult teachers , and the best places to get pizza . Maya wasn't shy anymore . It was easy to talk to Oliver. He laughed at her jokes , and she felt like she knew him for years .

When the bus finally arrived , the rain stopped . The sun started to come out behind the clouds . Oliver looked at the bus and then at Maya. He didn't want to leave .

"You know ," Oliver said quietly . "I don't really want to go to the university library today . I’m quite hungry . There is a great cafe near here . They have the best hot chocolate in the city ."

Maya smiled and closed her yellow umbrella . "I love hot chocolate ," she said .

They didn't get on the bus . They let it drive away . Instead , they walked down the street together . Maya was very happy she decided to share her umbrella . It was the end of a rainy morning , but it was the perfect beginning for Maya and Oliver.