That One Perfect Date

Would he say yes?

Does it look good if a girl asks a boy out?

What if he says no? What is he going to think of me? Can we face each other again?

Is he going to tell his friends?

Would I be able to take a no from him?

Umm yes, I think I’ll be fine. Let me at least try first.

I have a record of deliberately losing out on opportunities that I truly care for. I vowed to myself just a few months prior that I would take every opportunity that’s meant for me. I’ve since been actually doing so.

This is something I would regret at least for the next few years if I didn’t take a chance. Amidst murmurs of dubiety, I gathered courage and asked him out for the next day’s lunch over a text. You can imagine the kind of pace with which my heart must be beating while awaiting his reply.

And then, it’s a Yes from him. Whee! I’m on cloud nine now.

Now that he’s coming out with me, my mind resumes its job.

What do I wear?

Where do we go?

Is he going to tag his friends along?

Is he going to cancel the plan at the last minute?

How do I maintain eye contact with him?

Do I ask him if he had a girlfriend during lunch or later? Or don’t talk about it at all?

What topics can we probably discuss?

Where do I get matching accessories for my dress now? Oh, wait. How do I first decide what to wear tomorrow?

Amidst all these thoughts, I know one thing. He’s way out of my league. After 2 weeks, we would go to our respective places and probably never meet again. So there’s hardly any hope for more.

I just want to talk to him some more. See him some more. Listen to him some more. Finally, be with him for some more time. And gladly, he said yes.

As I stroll down my memory lane, I vividly remember the first time I saw him in a hospital. He had a fever yet his eyes beamed. It was an immense crush at first sight for me. I kept on looking at him. That was probably the first time after many years I was looking at an incredibly handsome guy too close. Since then it has become a habit for me to look at him secretly during sessions. I knew that I would talk to him at least once and tell him about my crush for him before we go away from that place.

The day has finally come after a couple of months. We have had just 15 min in an activity meant for strangers to know about each other. We discussed our likes and dislikes. And then, I confessed. Mission successful. He’s visibly shocked for few seconds and once he fathomed what he just heard, he blushed shyly 😊 And we continued to talk. I felt an instant connection with him. It did not feel like we’re talking to each other for the first time. It seemed like I knew him for ages. Like the heroine from a famous Telugu movie Ashta Chamma feels for the name Mahesh, I felt similar vibrations for his name thereon.

The next day he initiated a conversation with me while I started feeling nervous around him. That night all our conversation started playing in my mind on a loop. I hardly slept. All through the night, I was grinning profoundly.

Isn’t it such a pure feeling? You have no expectations from that person, you don’t throw any question if he likes you or not, you don’t seek an answer, you’re unbothered about his background, habits, lifestyle, family, or friends. All you can just feel is enormous happiness at his thought. Just thinking of his name can make you euphoric.

Isn’t life blissful this way!

I have no clue when I slept that night. His thoughts lingered on even after I woke up the next day. The clock just ticked 1. I wore a black dress while he wore a white shirt. “Oh boy, you look stunning,” I thought while he walked towards me. When he asked if we could go on his bike, I refused. “Let’s take a cab,” I shyly told him. I expected this coming and I’m well prepared to say so.

The restaurant is hardly 5 mins away and the silly me made us take an auto instead of his bike :P Now don’t ask why 😆

A minute into our 5-min journey, my untied super-flowing curly hair found its way onto a nail hooked to the auto. As I struggled to take the strands off covertly while talking to him, he slowly leaned over me, touched my hair, and took them off. All this while maintaining eye contact. Ah, what a dopamine moment I just had :D How do I hide my blush now?

We had good food and if somebody said I’m eating less and that I have to eat more, it’s him ❤ You got my points there, handsome😁

Ah, I must tell you, his smile is heavenly. His eyes crinkled when he smiled. I kept on stealing glances at him throughout the lunch. Of course, got caught by him many a time doing so.

When it’s time to return after almost 2 hours, I urged that we walk back citing no cabs around. Haha! I can spend 10 more mins with him if we walk.

You see all this happening on a peak sunny day. Being a little sensitive to bright sunlight, as an involuntary action, I half shut my eyes to avoid light as soon as we started walking. He may have noticed it or the poor soul probably had enough of my non-sense that he decided not to spend any more time with me😂 😝 He reminded me of my own words that my immunity power is a bit on the lower end of the scale and so we should be taking a cab.

Oh dear, what all did you guys discuss in just 2 hours that you got to know about each other’s immunity levels? 😉 😂

Dedicating one of my favorite songs to you, gentleman ❤

अभी ना जाओ छोड़कर के दिल अभी भरा नहीं

अभी अभी तो आई हो, बहार बन के छाई हो

हवा ज़रा महक तो ले, नजर ज़रा बहक तो ले

ये शाम ढल तो ले ज़रा, ये दिल संभल तो ले ज़रा

मैं थोड़ी देर जी तो लूँ , नशे के घूँट पी तो लूँ

अभी तो कुछ कहा नहीं, अभी तो कुछ सूना नहीं

अभी ना जाओ छोड़कर के दिल अभी भरा नहीं |