The sun was shining when the fair began, but the weather changed fast. The sky grew dark and it looked like a warning. The air felt heavy and still. Big clouds moved over the fair, and soon, large drops of rain fell.
Maya stood in the middle of the fair. She looked at her beautiful art stands. She had worked on these paintings for months. She ran from tent to tent and held onto ropes and heavy covers. Her hands were shaking. Sweat was in her eyes, and her hair was wet. She was worried.
This is bad, she thought. She was worried that all her hard work might be ruined.
Then she saw him.
Adrian stood in the mud. He had rolled up his sleeves. His boots were dirty. He used his strong arms to lift a heavy statue that had fallen. Rain and paint were on his face. The wind was very loud.
"Go inside! Now!" he shouted.
"I can't leave the art!" Maya shouted back.
"The art is not as important as you!" he said. "You must stay safe!"
Suddenly, a very strong wind blew. The tents shook. Adrian grabbed a large piece of cloth just in time. He pulled Maya toward him as a pole fell down right where she had been standing.
They slipped in the mud. They were a little bit scared, but then they looked at each other and laughed. Their hearts were beating fast. By mistake, their hands touched in the mud. Then, they held hands tightly as they stood up to fix another tent.
For a moment, they forgot everything else. They forgot the fair. They forgot their old problems. They even forgot that they had been angry at each other for a long time. It was just the two of them, wet, messy, and happy to be alive.
All of a sudden, the wind got even faster. It blew in from the water. Adrian saw a heavy sign falling toward Maya's favorite paintings. He jumped in front of them to keep them safe. The wood hit his shoulder hard.
"No!" Maya cried out. She ran to him.
"Are you okay?" she asked. She held his arm while the rain poured down.
Adrian moved his head to say yes. He pushed his wet hair out of his eyes.
"I'm fine. Just stay calm. Help me finish this."
Maya nodded. Her hands were still shaking, She but she kept looking at him. He looked brave. He looked like he finally knew what was important. Right then, Maya knew something important. She didn't want him to leave again.
After a few hours later, the rain finally stopped. The fair was a mess, but they could fix it. Adrian's clothes were covered in mud, but his eyes looked bright and happy.
Maya leaned against a wet table. She was breathing hard.
"You didn't have to stay and help, you didn't have to do that," she said softly.
"I did have to do it," he answered. He looked at her. "This is not just about the fair. It is about us. I want to show you that I can protect what matters. I want to show you that I can be there when things get hard. I want you to trust me."
Maya had tears on her face, mixed with rain. her heart beat fast.
"You are very annoying," she said.
He smiled a little. "I know. But you are still here with me."
Maya bit her lip. She felt a warm feeling in her heart. For the first time in a long time, she felt open and happy. She felt like she could breathe again.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket. She brought it out and looked at the screen. Slowly, the smile left her face, her face went pale.