~ Pushtiie S ~

They were finally sitting at the café; again; he sipping on his ice-tea to beat the heat, she still had nothing. The last time they were there he had had 2 cups of coffee and a sandwich, but she had had nothing. It left him wondering if it was a girl thing or just her. She had not eaten much at lunch either. It was a moment he remembered well. She sat opposite him with hardly anything in her plate. But what caught his attention was how much she enjoyed every morsel of what she ate. There was a funny contentment to how she smiled when she chewed. He had forgotten the food in his mouth until she looked at him and almost started laughing. He was gaping with a half smile. He had been so embaressed that he swallowed with out chewing and immediately coughed. That made her laugh even more. Yet, she had tried not to make it so obvious to the others sitting around. It was like they had shared a secret. The very first, of many, if he could have it his way.

Now she was sitting in front of him and he was floundering. He had wanted to be here… since the time he had seen her that morning. He spent the entire day noticing things about her when she was completely oblivious. How she played with her hair, how she shifted at her desk, how she turned in his direction but did not look. He was more aware of her then he was of himself, most of the times. She was just another girl, but to him she was something. He looked forward to working with her. There was just something very comfortable about being himself around her. But right now, at this moment, he did not know what to say to her. He wanted to say so much that it was becoming difficult to decide where to start.

He had hoped for these moments since the last time they met, for in his head he had wasted them. There were so many questions he wanted to ask and so much he wanted to figure our about her. But he was tongue tied. He just sat there looking at her… not being able to decide if he should talk to her or hold her hand. That thought had him running for cover anywhere he could find it. He did… at the counter where he ordered his ice-tea. When he came back she was in one of her drifty moods. She was looking at the street with that faint content smile. He half wanted to stand a safe distance away and just look at her, take in that contentment. But she sensed him coming and looked in his direction. He just continued walking to her.

She had tied up her hair, in an untidy bun at the nape of her neck and he did not like that. He wanted to see those wild curls free and playing with her face as the occasional gust of wind gave them flight. He so wanted to ask her to untie them. He was not sure he could… yet.

“Feeling hot, are you?”

“Yup.”

That was it…! He was now killing himself about what a fool he could be. Every other planned thread of conversation promptly vanished from his head, like on cue. He just sat there… … …. Blank! She brought out a pen-drive and held it in front of him. He understood after a minute that she had actually brought for him, what he had asked for. She had NOT forgotten!!! Thankful for the change of subject in his mind he reached for his laptop. Putting it on the table he brought it out and switched it on. She just sat opposite in her own space, talking occasionally. Each time she did, he would lower the lid and listen… actually just stare. Most of the time he could hardly hear what she said, he only saw her lips moving and the eyes lighting up. She had such passion when she spoke.

When he got to paying attention to transferring the stuff to his lappy, he turned it around and started showing her his family pictures. Mum, dad, brother, him a while ago…. Suddenly he stopped! HE WAS SHOWING THIS GIRL HIS FAMILY PICTURES? ??!!!??? No sooner had this thought crossed his mind, he needed to order another drink.

“Be right back.”

She just nodded. The unknown counter was now more a friend then it had ever been before. It always seemed to be there for him to run to. Of course it charged for its rescue services, but it was there when he needed it. He took a little longer this time then he had the last time. He could not understand why he had started showing her his family pictures…! How was he going to deal with being like this around her? The newer emotions that he was experiencing were proving to be a little more then he could handle. He possibly always wanted to feel like this, but now when he did, he realized he was not ready for it. What was he going to do? He had what he wanted right in front of him and yet no way to make it his. He ordered and made his way to the table again.

The insecurity within him seemed to love the state he was in. When he realized what he was thinking, it felt very true. This time he summoned the courage and pulled his chair closer to hers. He just sat there for a bit and looked at her. She just smiled back. After a few moments he started to tell her how he was not even worthy enough to be sitting in her company or be her friend. He told how honored he felt to be there with her. He thought she would like the compliments, but to his absolute surprised, it angered her. She told him how she refused to be put on a pedestal and hated it from the bottom of her heart. She was just a normal human being and liked to be treated like that.

He was not totally sure how he felt. He was killing himself and yet, he was just so happy. There was this funnily normal thing to her, but he just could not see it. In his mind… or then was it his heart?? she already was on that pedestal. This bout of anger just had him falling even harder. Oh my god!!! WHAT WAS HE GOING TO DO?

“I’m going to get late, if I don’t leave now.”

Of course the easiest means… escapism…! Before she could say anything he was putting his lappy back, zipping his case and gulping down his drink.

“Oh ya, it is quiet late.”

Althought he kept gulping, everything about him had frozen. Did she not see it at all? How was that possible? She was one smart cookie, may be she was playing it such. His mind was on overdrive. Here was a woman he was possibly falling for and she did not even seem to notice. Everything about him changed around her and she was just unshaken…? He finished gulping and placed the glass on the table. She had also put away everything that need to be go back into her bag and was ready to leave. They got up and walked out in silence.

“I’m going this way.”

“I am off this way.” She said pointing in the opposite direction.

“Ok.”

He helped her get an auto and then turned around to walk off. But he stopped and turned. He looked after the auto and caught a glimpse of her from the little glass at the back. She was sitting still with her head turned to the side. The side he could see. He could have bet she was smiling.

Much Love and light
Pushtiie