A World Without Fire

G. Yellow does that too

I said, "Don't judge me! I'm amazing, okay? People fall for me. I was the charming girl in school, and in college, I got 30 letters... love letters, okay?"

She started laughing again and said, "I have no doubt you were charming (that comment felt a bit awkward), but I need to ask... you're a girl, and so am I. You get what I mean? How would dating work?"

I hadn't thought of it that way, I just wanted to talk. "Shraddha, should I act like a guy? How about that?"

She immediately said, "Nahh! You're too charming (she smiled, pausing) for that." Her intense eyes locked on mine as she said it slowly, and my shoulders rose and fell awkwardly. No girl had ever made me feel this uncomfortable before. Then she added, "I'll be the guy."

She tied her loose hair into a messy bun. I asked, "Do you even know what happens on a date?"

"No," she admitted. I grabbed two chairs, placed a table in between, and started arranging items on the table to demonstrate.

"When I arrive, you stand up and pull out a chair for me (I even showed her how). Got it?"

She nodded. When I came back to sit, she stood up and greeted me, "Hi, Divya."

"Hii, Shraddha... wait, Shraddha isn't a boy's name!"

"I love my name. don't change it," she insisted. I nodded, and she pulled out the chair for me. As I sat, she leaned from back side close to my ear and whispered, "You look beautiful."

It tickled my ear, sending goosebumps down my arm. "Shraddha, I didn't teach you that!"

She pouted and said, "I saw it in a movie. I thought I should give a compliment."

"On a first date, you shouldn't get this close while talking. This isn't a movie, people feel uncomfortable, you know."

"So movies show lies? Seriously? I thought the first date ends with a kiss or... you know... ding dong...sex."

"Yeah, sometimes it does, but not every date is like that. Some are just about talking-eating." (Why was I feeling nervous?)

"Okay!" She grabbed her ear's lower part and released it thoughtfully. "So tell me, what are your hobbies?"

"Such a boring question. Since I'm playing the guy here, let me ask you!" I nodded for her to go on.

Shraddha asked, "Who was your first kiss with?"

"Hey! That's not the kind of question you ask! Good thing you're a girl. anyone would've left you by now. Ask something normal."

"This is such a weird date—no romantic talk at all. If this is what a date is like, it's pretty boring," she teased. I couldn't decide if I could even call this a conversation.

I calmly explained, "I learned how to kiss in school, so my first kiss must've been a boy from back then."

She got excited and asked, "Wow! What did he look like? Was he handsome?"

I nodded and said, "Hmm."

"And after that?"

I avoided her gaze. "No, that was it."

"Do you know what happened to me? I used to attend extra painting classes. The teacher there, oh my God, he always gave me good marks."

"Maybe because you were genuinely good at drawing?"

"Nope! You know... he probably had a crush on me. After that, I had crushes on three boys at school. They all had girlfriends, though. And in college, there was one guy."

"Wait, you're playing the guy here. Shouldn't it be girls you had crushes on?"

"Okay! Then I have five crushes on girls"

"Five? its should be four?"

"Including you?" she winked

Is she flirting with me? Oh gosh! My eyes widened in shock. She's such a pro at this. here I was, trying to act like the hero, and she's way ahead.

"Forget it. Stick to the gender role—say it was a guy." My shoulders rose and fell again.

"Okay, what do you like?"

"Chess and paintings."

"I don't understand chess, but I've heard it's difficult."

"It's not difficult at all."

"What do you do in it?"

"Two kings fight."

"Then why call it chess? Just call it war," she said, laughing.

"Good idea. By the way, since you're into painting, why don't you show me one of yours?"

"Let's go!" Finally, I'd get to see her room again and feel the smell of paint.

She turned on the lights as we entered her room, and I followed behind her. "How's the room?" she asked.

She played soft romantic music. I instantly knew she'd picked that up from some movie too. I didn't say anything and instead looked at her paintings.

"Which is your favorite painting?" I asked.

"I haven't made it yet."

"What's your favorite color?"

"I don't really have one, but I like white. It blends with everything."

"So does yellow?"

"But white loses its color and becomes something else."

"Yellow does that too if you mix it with dark colors."

"Stop arguing! I like white, and that's it," she said, irritated. I couldn't help but laugh.

She handed me a water bottle and said, "Here, have a beer."

I controlled laugh and replied, "I don't drink. What if you take advantage of me?"

She winked and said, "I wish you'd take advantage of me instead." Wow, she's bold! This girl doesn't seem like this is her first time at all.

I took a sip of water and asked, "I like the taste of this."

"Yeah, I always buy that one."

My gaze fell back on her paintings. "Which one's your favorite?" she asked me.

"I like all of them, but the one is especially good." Looking at painting.

"Are you talking about me? Oh, you're saying I'm beautiful?"

Wait, what? I genuinely meant the painting in front! Why does she find romance in everything? Does this girl ever step out of her movie world?