MILES AWAY

III- Felicity

III- Felicity

Felicity

/fɪˈlɪsɪti/noun

intense happiness.

Yawing softly, my eyes lids flutter open. The surrounding coming into focus. The birds chirping fills my ears and I realize its already past 7 am.

I rub my hands on the soft sheets, remembering the previous night.

A smile tugs at my lips. That was interesting.

Slowly sitting up I raise my arms and stretch. Turning around I grab my phone and start scrolling through the timeline of my non-existing friends.

I guess that's what social networks do right now. Thousands of friends are just one click away, but we still stick to our reserved nature.

And for me that's fine. Introverts or extroverts, they are all the same. Both tries to make their lives better. Some do it in these ways, and some have the capability to change it according to situation.

My fingers automatically open up our last night's conversation.

Again, a smile appears on my lips.

Is it okay to feel this giddy for a stranger? He was a little creep though.

Am I turning nuts?

"You're gonna be late for school Manya"

Quickly deleting the conversation, I jump out of the bed and usain bolt towards the bathroom to start my day.

I decide to take a cold shower, to get rid of all the thoughts of last night. Well, I tried to.

Looking in the mirror my eyes fall to my shoulder length black hair.

Such a mess.

I comb through it and put it all up in a messy bun.

A girl with brown eyes, dimpled cheek is what I see in the mirror.

A typical Indian girl. Nothing too fancy.

After the shower, I hastily dry myself and head to wear the uniform. I wish our school was liberal enough to permit casual clothes. But it is what it is.

Hurriedly I go to the dining table being as late as usual, getting those disapproving looks from my parents. Smiling awkwardly, I eat my breakfast and get on the school bus shortly.

Surprisingly, never once did he from last night leave my mind. I was trying my best to push those thoughts away. But all in vain.

I hate school. Not in that sense, but I hate the dramas which go on in the school. A new week—a new drama. I have been the scapegoat a few times and its pretty nerve-wrecking.

Entering into the school, my ears fill up with the chitter-chatter of the students. The school corridors bursting with immature hormones, daily mocks and taunts on the nerds and the underachievers. Couples showing their affections openly, not caring about how everyone would judge their PDA. But to be honest no one really cares.

I'm used to it by now. Though I've never been the victim of bullying but I've never been able to help someone being bullied. So I'm no less than the bad guy.

I enter into the classroom. Prying eyes observe my every step and I know right then I'm screwe-

"Hey babe" Arms coil around my waist and push my back into a hard chest.

No

"I missed you" Lips trail behind my neck and a kiss is placed behind my ear.

I try to free myself from his hold but I'm afraid of creating a scene.

"Leave me please" He not so gently unwound his hands, making me release a sigh of relief.

I look at him, eyes full of hate. A body of uncontrolled testosterone. Hazel eyes stare back at me, a smirk fixed at his lips.

"What? I'm your boyfriend"

The Previous Night

'Manya'

She seems to be a decent one. But I was not sure about it cause this site is not as clean as it claims to be.

But I hope she is.

Hey

I send the text and wait for her reply.

Hello. How are you?

Not gonna lie, the first person to ask this question. Majority are like 'male or female?', and if it's a male, they'll skip, as if they are thirsty for the female population.

I'm good. Thanks. What about you?

.

.

.

We messaged back and forth and I got to know that she's 17, going to be 18 in a few months. She seems to be as introvert as me.

She asked about my name.

Manan means deep thought, a profound mind

We had a lot of similarities, a lot like 'the female version of me'.

I laughed thinking that.

Even though we were alike in many ways, we clashed at our choices of entertainment. I consider myself to be a movie person. I like to visualize the story, take into account the expressions of the characters. But she, was the complete opposite, a book lover. She despises movies.

The most astounding fact was that I didn't feel like I was being dejected. Rather I was impressed. Impressed with the fact that not many people in this time are into books. Sure enough people are into literature, but girls this age normally aren't like this, like her.

Can we exchange numbers?

Why did I say that? I don't know. It was like a spur of the moment. I was thinking something and the next thing I know I have sent this. I know taking or giving a number to a stranger is dangerous. But I didn't think of her as a stranger.

From the first second I felt there was something other worldly, magnetic about us. As if we were being tied by the doings of God. And I was never the one to question the God. I live my life unplanned, as it is by this that you can live life to the fullest.

But now that I think about it, she might say no, she might think I'm a creep to ask for her number this soon, there can be hundreds of things going through her head-

Sure

A genuine smile broke out on my lips.

She agreed?

I quickly saved her number and messaged her. She was shocked at how fast I was.

Was I that fast? I don't think so. I should have been faster.

We chatted for quiet some time. Talked about our favorite food, families, my job and everything. I didn't think me being 23 and she being 17 affected our conversation. We chatted away like any normal friends would have.

She asked for my photo.

Now, I don't really like to click selfies. It's way out of my nature. I cropped some group photos and sent her.

I didn't think she would find anything in a Punjabi turban boy but what she said made me laugh.

You look like a king

I too asked for her photo. She looked nothing like a 17-year-old. A lot younger to be honest. But who cares? I believe her. And I believe her talking style is way more mature than a 17-year-old. I didn't have any doubt.

We said good night shortly after. She had school and I didn't want to be that nuisance who would ruin her schedule.

I kept my phone next to my pillow.

Closing my eyes, I remembered everything we have talked about. Everything unfolded in my mind like a movie.

Is it weird I'm feeling this way?