Part -2 How I was so love-struck

Chris became the object of my dreams and fantasies from that day on. Chris and I began chatting quite a bit and before we knew it we got lured into a helpless pining for each other.  We exchanged numbers in no time and our calls began to get increasingly longer. I was in love with this guy’s voice. It seemed harder to keep talking to him without meeting him, and I knew I just had to meet him!

Several phone conversations, odd smiles on campus and embarrassing running into each other, I knew it was time. I wanted to meet him alone, tell him what I felt, but then again, I didn’t want to be the first one to do so. I guess I was scared of a rejection even though deep down I knew he liked me as much as I did. This I was convinced about.

But then it happened. One day, right out of the blue, he called and just blurted it out — “Would you like to go out with me? And it’s perfectly alright if you think it’s too early, I understand.” I didn’t know how to react, and like I always do, when in anticipation for something, I recoiled in exasperation. I mean I was happy, but I sure wasn’t convinced that this was actually happening.

I was as happy as happy could be and was I thankful that he asked me first, or what! I’d by then about had it with my premonitions of acting like a fool who was dying to meet him. I was so scared; I’d look like an imbecile and say or do something really silly, only because I wouldn’t know what to do!

Yes! I did say, ‘Yes!’ and added in the expected, ‘I would love to,’ to make me sound all confident. That’s all he was waiting for and he quickly asked, “So, Friday evening sounds good to you?”

Exasperated at it actually happening and since I love saying the wrong thing, I replied promptly too, “Sure, as long as it’s after five, but then again, how late do you think we’d get?” I just said those words and wished I could slap myself real hard. ‘Why do I always end up saying such stupid things?’ I thought to myself. Here was a good-looking guy whom I obviously had the hots for and I ask him, how late we’d be? God!

Well, my man came to the rescue and giggled (much to my embarrassment) and said, “I promise, I’ll drop you back by midnight.” I had to cover up, so like the excuse-maestro I am, I quickly added, “Oh! That’s OK, it’s just that I live with roommates and I’d like to let them know when I’ll be back.”

He said, “You and your roommates have nothing to worry about, just tell them you are going out with a class mate to study or something like that,” and then much to my already pink embarrassment added, “I am sure you would have made excuses before, don’t you think meeting me is worth making an excuse?”

I wanted to reach out through the phone and do everything I could possibly do to him right then, but instead chose to act like a well-behaved Indian and said, quite simply, “Oh totally!” He then asked me to text him my address and told me that he’d pick me up on Friday at 4.30 pm. Like that wasn’t enough he added the, “I can’t wait to meet you,” part and ensured I had sleepless nights all week.  

He hung up and I jumped up and down and did a little mad victory dance. The week flew by and the evening before the D Day, I went to a mall to get a haircut and probably buy some really nice clothes, because needless to say, I wanted to look my best. As I window shopped and hung around, I see a familiar face and guess who it turns out to be?

Walking towards me along with a girl is my love of the moment, the one and only Chris. He excuses himself from her and comes up to me and asks me the most obvious of questions that my mind just refuses to recollect. Why do you ask? Well, if you saw him in his plaid patterned jacket and his white graphic tee and his blue jeans, you’d know why! Not to mention his perfect jaw line, flawless skin, perfectly styled gelled hair and the way he smelled — I keep wondering how I contained my frenzied urge to lean over and kiss him. He looked so utopian, so flawless and so beautiful, that I couldn’t take my eyes off him or even speak. He was waiting for me to say something and I was still admiring him. Minutes passed of pointless conversation; we told each other how good the other one looked and how surprising it was to meet and then he also nodded to his friend waiting for him and she smiled back. He had told her about our date the next day. Wow! So he was as serious as I was about the whole thing.  

The hair dresser did something to my hair, and I don’t remember what I bought, all I knew was that I’d seen an angel and was looking forward to spending an evening with my Adonis the next day. I didn’t sleep that night and had to force myself to catch some winks, just so I wouldn’t look like shit, the next day…