Red
It was a dull rainy day in London when two young people stumbled across each other in the weirdest way possible.
She had been bickering on the phone in the red telephone booth from what seemed like forever. She couldn’t just stomp and go away because she was a person who always made the opposite person agree to what was right. She started growing impatient as her mother continued her lecture about how good boys were so rare and that she was a fool to have left her ex-boyfriend, a conversation she neither liked having, nor did she like where it went once they both got heated up. After all, she got her stubbornness from her mother dearest.
She knew this would go on and on unless she surprised her mother with something totally unexpected. Her mind started working up as she discarded one after the other possibility, and started growing more and more depressed. Maybe this time luck wasn’t at her side, she thought as she sighed deeply at the stupid arguments her mother kept doing with her. If only she could stop her stubborn mother once and for all. But that seemed like a distant possibility and totally out of her league as her ideas started to wane in her mostly genius mind.
“Are you even listening to me Samantha Trudy Young? Listen to me kid, I know you hate listening to your old gal’s banter, but I’m telling you what is right for you, love.” Sam internally gagged at the usage of the word ‘gal’ by her mother. “Yes mother, I know, I know. “ She trailed off as her sight fell on the bench outside. A guy sat on the bench with such ease, even though it was pouring and had an amused look on his face as he unabashedly stared at her. What the hell?
She in turn glared at him through the glass as she hummed her response to her mother’s questions. The realization hit her suddenly as she remembered him offering her to call first. He has been waiting for his turn all this while? It must have been hours! That too in rain...
She gestured him to come inside, the surprised look on his face almost made her laugh. Of course he was surprised. He had been observing her arguing away on the phone for hours, and even though he had to finish his art piece, he sat there admiring the way she kept her stand, along with that determined look on her face, which was slowly fading with time, and the frustration which brought creases on her pretty face. Even though she had an umbrella, she was almost as drenched as he was. He saw her brown hair cascade her face with wet ringlets and had a sudden urge to keep her eyes protected from her hair.
Not wanting to look like a stalker, he had tried to stop looking at her for some time, so when she signalled him to come closer, he did get startled for a second. After which he regained his casual walk of confidence and strode towards her. As soon as he went inside the telephone booth, he became painfully aware of the little space in between them. He could see the eyes he wanted to look into from such a long time. As he stared into grey swirly with an eyebrow raised, she flushed as the voice from the phone became louder, and thus embarrassing for her. Keeping a hand on the speaker she whispered embarrassingly, “I suppose you want to make a call, I’m so sorry for keeping you waiting. My mother won’t stop, and I can’t disconnect on her.”
“I can help” he said a cunning smile adorning his face. This was the first time she had actually seen him properly. He was handsome, no doubt about that. That made her a bit uneasy, what with the tiny space et al. He took the phone from her hand before she had the time to react.
“Hello ma’am, I’m Leo, your daughter’s boyfriend. We are actually getting late for a movie but she didn’t want to break the news to you like this. We’ll be in touch soon. Good day!”
Samantha stood absolutely stunned, her mind couldn’t wrap around the fact that a stranger had shut her mother’s mouth and also hung up on her. Even she couldn’t have done that before.
“Thank you! You saved me – for now. “She said with a heart-warming smile with a relieved sigh. “I’m Sam.”
“I’m Leo, and you owe me a cup of coffee.” He said smiling and shaking her extended hand.
