smile can bring you near to me

the first time I saw you

'Vegas, please please listen to me. I really like you. You know that right?'

'You are sick Pete. How can you lie to me about such a thing.'

'Vegas, I was desperate. I wanted you. I need you. I can't live without you. Please, I am begging on my knees. I will change myself. I promise. Just don't leave me.'

Vegas laughed like a maniac. He went near Pete and in a low seductive voice said, 'how will you change yourself, girl? Will you grow penis in your pussy overnight or will you get rid of your breasts?'

The slap echoed in the room. Vegas was flabbergasted. But Pete was really angry.

'Is that what you want? I can't believe I loved a person like you.'

'Well, I never asked to be loved by a girl like you. And feel blessed because of that. Cause if you were a guy I would have fucked the shit out of you for the slap.'

Almost four years back

Pete first saw Vegas when she was in the first year of college. Vegas was in his last year in the same University. They met during the college fest. Vegas was a hot mess. Every single person, girl or boy was drooling for him and Pete was no different. But it was different in a way, cause she doesn't even remember why but their was a strange kind of attraction that she had for Vegas.

For almost a year Pete followed Vegas. What time does he come for the college, who are his friends, what does he eat, what does he like to eat, his one night stands, his temporary relationships, his anger, his smile. That damn smile. Pete would have killed for it.

And the worst part was that  Vegas had no clue. No fucking clue of the fan-following him. Everything was normal, Pete was happy living in her fantasy observing Vegas from far away. But than the day came. The Farewell. Vegas being three year older than Pete had successfully completed his 4 year Finance degree.

Pete never thought about this day but then she was getting impatient by the sudden turmoil of events. She never had the courage to talk to Vegas. But now it was all coming to an end. She won't be able to see him again. She had to do something. So she finally decided to at least initiate a conversation.

She went infront of his class, it was their last lecture before farewell and exams. But then she heard a girl crying inside the classroom and Vegas was going out. He looked furious. So Pete hid herself. But she listened to whole conversation.

'I like him since 2 years why he doesn't even wants to talk to me. I thought we were friends.'

'Look, Nish, I already warned you about it. Didn't I?' One of a guy Pete has seen with Vegas was speaking to the girl.

'I saw him once with a girl, so I thought I had a chance.'

'He's probably gay. And he hates girls.No he despises them.' She must have misunderstood.

But Pete understood everything. For so many months Pete has never seen Vegas with a girl, there were always guys with him. Even all his dates were guys. And like his friend said, he despises girls. This must be the reason Pete had never seen Vegas around girls. And Vegas is gay. He'll never be into Pete. Pete had no chance. Silent tears started falling from her eyes. She looked at the girl inside the classroom and saw herself there. She can't be the one. She can't be that vulnerable. So Pete went back, thinking maybe it was never meant to be. She thought she'll move on.

She thought….

She

Will

Move

On.

After restless 36 nights

There was not even a single day when Pete didn't miss Vegas. This whole thing was one sided but Pete still was not able to move on. She wished to see him. She wished to talk to him. Nothing more. But what should she do.

Fighting against all odds, Pete decided to do something that people of this generation were too good at. Texting. But she didn't even had his number. The last number, Pete somehow pulled out was now non- existent. Vegas must have changed his number. He was rich, so going to his home was risky as it was guarded and surrounded by lots of cameras. So Pete opened her Instagram. She thought of leaving a DM over there but then she remembered the words his friend coated, 'Vegas hates girls. He despises them.'

So she did what she had to, to talk to him. She  created a fake identity on Instagram with her childhood picture in which she had short hair and looked like a guy. She named her profile 'Perth'. And followed some accounts that followed her back so that it looks real.

She messaged Vegas once but as expected he didn't reply.He didn't even see the text. Vegas was a famous guy, People sometimes used to call his friend group SIR  Smart, Intelligent and Rich guys. So no doubt Vegas had a good number of followers. It was not easy for him to reply to everyone.

After a few days Pete decided on doing something. She never had anyone to talk to. Slowly losing the hope that Vegas will ever reply to her, to Perth. She decided to tell him about her, her text used to be about what she(he) did whole day, how college life is boring, how she finds difficulty in making friends and so on..Somedays when Vegas used to post something she used to talk about that as well. It was her 62nd message, almost after 58 days of constantly texting Vegas before sleeping each night that the reply came

'who the fuck are you?'