The rain was coming down hard. Anna huddled deeper into her coat, pulling her scarf tighter around her neck. She waited impatiently for the bus, her eyes scanning the wet street. Finally, the headlights of the bus pierced the gloom. Anna sighed with relief and boarded.
The bus was almost empty. Anna chose a seat by the window and watched the rain streak across the glass. A young man sat opposite her, his head bowed, lost in thought. He wore a worn leather jacket and carried a worn guitar case. He looked like a musician, maybe a folk singer.
Anna glanced at the man again. He was staring out the window, a melancholic expression on his face. He seemed to be deep in thought, lost in a world of his own. Anna wondered about his story. Where was he going? What kind of music did he play?
Suddenly, the bus lurched to a stop. The young man jumped, startled. He looked at Anna, a flicker of apology in his eyes.
“Sorry,” he mumbled, “I was just… thinking.”
“It’s alright,” Anna said with a smile. “The rain always makes me think too.”
The man smiled back, a shy, hesitant smile. “It does, doesn’t it?” He paused, then added, “I’m writing a song about the rain. It’s… it’s about feeling lost and alone, you know?”
Anna nodded understandingly. “I know what you mean.”
The bus continued its journey. The rain continued to fall. But the atmosphere in the bus had changed. A comfortable silence settled between Anna and the young man.
“Do you play any instruments?” Anna asked, breaking the silence.
“I play guitar,” the man replied. “Sometimes I sing.”
“Would you ever play your song for me?” Anna asked.
The man looked surprised. “Really?”
“Yes, I’d love to hear it,” Anna said.
The man hesitated, then a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. “Okay,” he said, “but only if you promise to tell me what you think.”
Anna laughed. “I promise.”
The man reached into his guitar case and pulled out a battered acoustic guitar. He tuned it carefully, his fingers moving with practiced ease. Then, he began to play.
His voice was raw and soulful, filled with a deep emotion that touched Anna deeply. The song was indeed about feeling lost and alone, but there was also a sense of hope, a yearning for connection.
When he finished, Anna was silent for a moment, lost in the afterglow of the music.
“It’s beautiful,” she said finally, her voice trembling slightly. “Truly beautiful.”
The man smiled, a genuine, heartfelt smile. “Thank you.”
The bus reached Anna’s stop. As she got off, she turned to the young man. “Thank you for sharing your song with me,” she said.
“Thank you for listening,” he replied.
Anna smiled and waved goodbye. As she walked away, she felt a sense of warmth and connection, a reminder that even in the midst of the rain, there was beauty and connection to be found.
Vocabulary Notes
Huddled (verb)
Meaning: To curl one’s body into a small space, especially because of cold or fear.
Example: “Anna huddled deeper into her coat.” (She made herself smaller to stay warm.)
Similar Words: curled up, snuggled, crouched
Impatiently (adverb)
Meaning: Showing that you are annoyed because something is not happening as quickly as you want it to.
Example: “She waited impatiently for the bus.” (She was not happy about the wait.)
Pierced (verb)
Meaning: To make a hole in something with a sharp object; here it means the bus headlights shone brightly through the darkness.
Example: “The headlights of the bus pierced the gloom.” (The lights shone strongly through the darkness.)
Similar Words: cut through, penetrated, shone through
Lurched (verb)
Meaning: To make a sudden, uncontrolled movement forward or sideways.
Example: “Suddenly, the bus lurched to a stop.” (The bus stopped suddenly and unevenly.)
Similar Words: jerked, stumbled, swayed
Mumbled (verb)
Meaning: To speak quietly and unclearly, so that the words are difficult to understand.
Example: “‘Sorry,’ he mumbled.” (He spoke quietly and not clearly.)
Similar Words: muttered, whispered
Melancholic (adjective)
Meaning: Feeling or expressing sadness.
Example: “He was staring out the window, a melancholic expression on his face.” (He looked sad.)
Similar Words: sad, gloomy, sorrowful
Hesitant (adjective)
Meaning: Not wanting to do something because you are unsure or nervous.
Example: “He smiled back, a shy, hesitant smile.” (His smile was not confident.)
Similar Words: reluctant, uncertain, unsure
Mischievous (adjective)
Meaning: Enjoying playing tricks and annoying people.
Example: “Then a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes.” (He looked like he was about to do something playful.)
Similar Words: playful, naughty, impish
Battered (adjective)
Meaning: Old and damaged.
Example: “He reached into his guitar case and pulled out a battered acoustic guitar.” (The guitar looked old and used.)
Similar Words: worn, damaged, old
Raw (adjective)
Meaning: (of emotions) strong and difficult to control; (of a voice) rough and untrained.
Example: “His voice was raw and soulful.” (His voice had a strong, emotional quality.)
Similar Words: emotional, natural, untrained
Soulful (adjective)
Meaning: Expressing deep feelings, especially of love or sadness.
Example: “His voice was raw and soulful.” (His voice expressed deep emotion.)
Similar Words: emotional, expressive, deep
Afterglow (noun)
Meaning: A pleasant feeling that remains after an experience.
Example: “Lost in the afterglow of the music.” (Still feeling the pleasant effects of the music.)
Similar Words: pleasant memory, warm feeling
Story written by Google Gemini 2.0 AI
Images created by Designer AI
Hello this is Steve. If you enjoyed the story, please would you take the time to leave a meaningful comment and click on the like icon. If you want to know when the next story has been uploaded, please click on the notify bell icon to be notified. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to my channel and tell your English learning friends, so they can benefit too. Thank you.
CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads
Reading Short Stories/Content for English Learners 
Leave a comment