Old Sepia Pages

20. a boy

20th october, sunday, 2019

dear diary,

2 years ago, we performed the EDM version of Titanium for the opening of the science fest in our school. I uploaded that video to YouTube. This one guy, Arnav, found the video and searched for me on Instagram. At that time, I had a private account. So he sent me a request, which I accepted after following him back. He was impressed by my singing. He showed my covers to his friends, one of whom was Scott, who sent me a request too.

We talked occasionally. He seemed like a pretty cool guy to me. He sings too. And he's a pretty smart kid. Also cute.

A few days ago, Mikki messaged me out of the blue, "how do you know Scott?" Turns out, he is in her medical college. He's one year senior to us. He sang a song on the orientation of their music society, and Mikki's first thought was that he sings as wonderfully as I do. Then she found out that we already follow each other, and when she got to know him, she thought we needed to meet ASAP, because we'd get along really well. She started shipping us before we even met officially.

2 days ago there was a food fest in Hansraj College. I asked him last week if he was going, and he hadn't even considered it. I guess I mentioned it because I had just received the invite and Scott and I were making small talk. Anyway, sometime later he said that he was coming, and so I said that I was coming too (even though I hadn't really planned to), and I would meet him and Mikki there. And I was very excited about it, too.

So I waited for him at the gate of the college, and since Mikki had really worked me up about this, on an impulse I decided I had to impress him. I had a gut feeling he was fond of books. I took out Ikigai from my bag and read as I stood and waited. And I waited. And I waited. I called up Mikki to tell her I was gonna kill them both when they came.

20 minutes later, I heard a male voice say, "So are you gonna kill us now or later?"

I glanced up. He looked just like he had in his Instagram photos. "Later, maybe," I said as I shook hands with him, "because you're cute."

We vibed immediately. We couldn't really talk at the fest because of the loud music, so we went to Rico's to eat. And there we had a proper conversation. I felt as if I'd known him for a long time, (which I had, to think of it).

He's a chill, easygoing person with a genuine smile. I felt relaxed. So relaxed, in fact, that I took out my phone and said, "I'm gonna click a picture of you and send it to my friend Sherry with the caption, he's not as cute as I thought he would be." I even told him that Mikki was secretly hoping we would get together as a couple.

There was an exclamation mark on his face. Then he chuckled and smiled for the camera.

The plate of fruits with chocolate sauce that I'd ordered arrived 40 minutes later. The fruits weren't ripe, and the chocolate was Hershey's, which I detest, so I told the waiter that it was terrible. Now, agreed, I'm an honest person, but I think I need to learn how to say things. Because looking back, I sounded like a snob, and that's not who I wanna be.

Later, though, Scott told me that immediately he sensed I'm someone who speaks her mind, and he liked that.

Coming back home in the metro, he said something about a 'next time' and it didn't feel weird or sudden at all. I mentioned that there was a Wattpad writers' meetup in CP the next day and I'll be there, and he said cool, he could come, just like that. He asked me if I read a lot. "Yep," I answered.

"I wish I could read so much literature too. But I've never been able to develop a habit. Books just don't engage me."

Oh man,  I thought, he's missing out on life. "I'll help you with that, don't worry," I promised without thinking.