Water almost immediately drenched her shoes as she left her workplace, promising a cheery walk back home. She cursed and attempted a few times to open her umbrella before it opened, the rain dropping and sliding along the waterproof material with a musical chime.
She walked through puddles, uncaring at that point as her shoes were already completely saturated. Her apartment wasn’t far away, but the summer storm made it seem a world away.
The morning had been sunny and warm when she walked to her work, so she had to buy that cheap umbrella that didn’t block all the water from splattering on her arms and neck, raising goosebumps. She shivered and walked faster, almost power walking at this point. She was already planning a hot shower and a Netflix show when she noticed someone in the rain, standing still.
The man didn’t have anything to protect himself, and he was looking at a puddle with the most miserable expression she had ever seen.
“Hey, you okay?” She shouted above the storm, not daring to approach too close. He looked up at her, his eyes red-rimmed, and she knew something bad happened to him.
He cleared his throat before replying, his voice low and fragile. “I didn’t expect it to rain this hard.”
“Neither did I. Do you want my umbrella?” She was already shoving it in his hand, noticing how it was frozen.
He didn’t know how to reply, disconnected from reality as he looked. “I-umm… are you sure?”
“Yeah, I live nearby anyway, you need it more than I do.” She smiled at him, blinking away the rain falling in her eyes, and saw a tiny smile spread on his sad face.
“Thank you.”
“Are you going to be alright?”
He tightened his hold on the umbrella, used his free hand to wipe his face from water, salty and not.
“I will. Thank you.”
“Alright then. Take care.” She smiled at him one last time and continued towards her apartment, eager to seek warmth.
When she looked behind her shoulder, the stranger wasn’t there anymore.
Conatus 
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