CHAPTER 2 - The Beauty and the Nerd
900 Words
A pink envelope fell from her book. Ameelah Grayson’s forehead furrowed in confusion as she picked it up. Still wearing a curious crease on her brow, she checked the front and saw that it was addressed specifically to her. Intrigued, she opened the envelope and was immediately greeted by the sweet lavender scent of the pink paper inside. She inhaled the fragrance deeply, then, with a growing smile on her lips, she unfolded the paper and read its content:
“If I die today with the prize of having you in my afterlife, I would not hesitate to offer my life to the call of death.
It is you who giveth my breath,
It is your smile that lets me live each day with vibrance,
It is your rare look that makes me shiver and dance from time to time,
It is you I adore, my Ameelah, my love.
Yours forever,
Mr. Blue”
She giggled softly as she finished reading the short love poem on the scented pink stationery.
In the days that followed, the same pink envelopes with handwritten love letters and poems continued to arrive. Sometimes they were slid secretly into her bag; other times, they were tucked carefully between the pages of her textbooks or notebooks.
Ameelah was becoming more curious and truly felt excited to meet this mysterious admirer who had been sending her letters for almost a month. Whoever he was, he seemed like an old-fashioned man who followed the classic ways of courtship. In this modern era of mobile phones, where dates are arranged online with a few clicks, finding a man who sent handwritten letters on scented paper completely amazed her. Her secret admirer, who signed as “Mr. Blue,” seemed like a special man with a unique way of sharing his heart.
She walked toward the University’s front lounge and read Mr. Blue’s latest letter once more. She giggled and smiled; his words had a way of perfectly melting a woman’s heart.
Sitting on another lounge across from where Ameelah sat, a man in big, round black eyeglasses and old-fashioned clothes watched her with a hopeful smile. He saw her reading the pink paper and giggling to herself. His smile widened when he saw her lean down and quickly kiss the paper. When Ameelah stood up to walk away, the nerdy-looking man followed her with sparkling, adoring eyes. He ogled her, wanting to memorize every detail of her presence.
“Ahh, Ameelah, when will I have the guts and bravery to tell you what I feel for you?” Darmiel thought with a heavy sigh. He knew everything about Ameelah Grayson’s background; he had done his research thoroughly.
Who wouldn't know her? She was the reigning Brandenforth University Ambassadress, considered one of the most beautiful faces on campus. She was pursuing a degree in Performing Arts, majoring in Musical Theater—a different path from her elder brother, an Architect, and her sister, a Civil Engineer, who both worked for the family business. Her parents were giants in the Construction Industry, owning one of the largest multi-billion dollar firms in the country.
“How could a simple and plain man like me have you, Ameelah? Compared to your wealthy suitors, I am nothing,” Darmiel continued to think, letting out another frustrated sigh.
Days passed, and Ameelah continued to receive the pink envelopes, each containing a different poem. While Darmiel would watch from a distance, giggling as he saw her reaction to his words, Ameelah remained completely oblivious to his presence. Today marked the thirty-sixth letter she had received from "Mr. Blue."
“Who are you, Mr. Blue?” she wondered as she reached the end of the letter. She was becoming both curious and excited. No one had ever done something so romantic for her before. “No matter how you hide, I will discover your identity one day,” she thought as she tucked the letter back into her bag.
After her last class, Ameelah headed to the campus bookstore to buy a storage box to keep all of Mr. Blue’s letters safe. The first semester was ending soon, and she still didn't know his name. She shook her head and entered the shop.
She chose a medium-sized pink box with a small flower design and picked out a new fountain pen. As she approached the cashier, she checked her wallet and was about to place her items on the counter when another person placed their purchases down at the exact same moment.
Ameelah’s attention was caught by what the man beside her was buying. Her forehead furrowed. She looked at the man, whose face turned ashen the moment he realized who she was.
Immediately, the man grabbed his things and stepped backward, trembling as he tried to let Ameelah pay first. But Ameelah couldn't contain herself. She pulled a pink envelope from her bag, removed the scented paper, and turned to the man who was now refusing to look her in the eye.
“Excuse me,” Ameelah said suddenly, causing the man to freeze in his tracks. “Can I see that pink envelope and that stationery in your hand, please? I just... I want to smell it.”
The silence in the bookstore became deafening as the Beauty finally stared directly into the eyes of the Nerd, who was in shock glaring at her now.
- Writer
