IN LOVE WITH YOU [SLOW UPDATES]

3

PHI's POV

"Do you wanna go out somewhere tonight?" Pam inquired.

Oh man, Pam talks a lot! Doesn't she stay quiet for a while?

She gifted me a headache with her incessant talking.

"No, I don't feel like it. Some other time," I said.

We were both heading towards our rooms and parted ways on the next street.

I didn't feel like going with her and above all, I did not like this gloomy weather. I felt kind of homesick. I wish I could just go back home. I thought of calling Duke-my best buddy- but he might be sleeping. It was a late night in Thailand.

"Maybe he's awake, playing a video game or partying somewhere. I'll just text him in case he's asleep," I thought in a desperate move to get away from my loneliness.

I texted him a short message, and waited for an hour, lying on my bed looking distressingly at the window. I did not get a reply. Maybe he's asleep. That loser is of no help when you need him.

I thought of having coffee at the cafe around the corner. I put on my shoes, locked the room and walked towards the cafe. There were many university students, couples and singles on couches and chairs, sipping coffee and chatting.

I ordered a cappuccino and paid my attention to a man singing some sad song on the extra small stage. With my cup in hand, I moved to a corner table. I noticed my neighbour in the cafe, serving coffee, muffins and cookies to others. I had seen him a few times in the hallway but we never chatted. I guess he worked part-time here.

Sipping my coffee, I was observing everyone in the meanwhile. My eyes caught a familiar figure in the opposite corner - it was Naina, sitting in a corner listening to the singer quite attentively, munching a cookie. She wore a loose hoodie with jeans, the same clothes which she was wearing in class. She looked the simple kind, with no makeup, no hairstyle. But she does look beautiful with those long hair and brown eyes.

When we met in the library today, I did not have much to say. I could not think of anything at that moment, I could have asked so much about her interests.

"She might be thinking I'm just a mean fellow," I sighed.

I wanted to go up to her and apologise for my behaviour. I sure would be pissed if someone would have shown me such an attitude. But I don't know, maybe she doesn't want to talk now.

Finally, I made up my mind that I'd go up to her. With my coffee cup, I made way to her through a bunch of students who were busy laughing.

"Hey.. can I?" pointing towards the extra chair beside her.

"Uhh, sure," she was hesitant. I could make out from her voice that she agreed just for courtesy.

I sat there in silence for some time, trying to come up with the perfect line to say. And I realised I was taking too much time, I got nervous and decided to just say it now.

"What happened in the library today, I hope you did not feel bad about it. I just didn't know how to continue the conversation so ..." I spoke but that wasn't how I wanted it out.

Shit man!

I looked at my coffee, embarrassed.

"It's alright. I get it, you're an introvert. I was the same a few years back. God knows how many people thought of me as some arrogant bitch," she scoffed.

"Something like that, I have trouble in making small conversations, but I'm very fun with my friends," I'd just say anything now to keep the talk going.

"So am I. But I've learnt to make small talk gradually because arrogance is not the best first impression. Plus people are too judgemental these days," she said smiling a little and extended her hand to get a tissue from the table. Surprisingly, she took a lot of time to open up the tissue. This was something that happens to me when I get nervous. My hands get greasy and tremble sometimes and I'm unable to do such things with ease.

"That's true, people are judgemental," I said halting my observation.

So she's nervous too...

She looked at me for some time and instantly I looked away.

"Don't get uncomfortable, I was just.."

"No, I'm not. I'm totally fine," I cut her mid-sentence.

"You were breaking eye contact so I thought.. okay, let me give you a tip. If you can't make small talk, just smile at people. This one helped me. You can smile, can you?" she said slightly tilting her head and peeking into my eyes.

"Sure I can," and then I gave her one of my best smiles. It just came naturally because I was amused with her head tilting gesture.

"See, if you smile like that no one needs that small talk. They'll be happy watching you," she giggled.

She had a beautiful laugh. Carefree, neither too loud, nor too timid. Her eyes creased at the corner forming laugh lines.

"You should laugh more often," I don't know how I said it but I just said it at that time. It was not as if I didn't know how to talk to girls, I can talk well after I get comfortable.

"So you don't know how to do the small talk, but you do know how to flirt," she narrowed her eyes targeting me.

"No, I wasn't flirting, but never mind. I'll head back to the room now. Great to see you and thanks for the tip," I said standing up to escape from the awkward situation I created for myself.

"Sawasdee Krub," she said folding her hands and smiling.

"Sawasdee Krub," I replied similarly folding my hands while my eyes gleamed with mixed emotions of surprise and happiness.

Oh god, she's cute!