At a glance (Part 3)

And then began a series of beautifully mundane conversations.

“Oh I’m a double major,” she said, “I’m studying English Literature and Dance.”

“I am a Physics major, ” he said as she almost spurted the water she was drinking out of her nose!

“These guys that I hang out with are my buddies from school. We’ve been together a long time, they make sure I do not turn into a geek and have some fun with them. But they don’t judge me for what I am studying, they support it. They were actually the only ones who did,” he said with a sense of pride as he glanced at his friends. “When I had to study for exams, they patrolled the halls, beat up anyone who made noise. They love me, and they might be loud mouthed and bad boys according to other people, but they’re my life”

“I went there tonight to dance,” she said, “it has been a while. I love dancing, but not the stuff I’m studying, just dancing as the music moves you. I haven’t had the chance and I thought tonight was it.”

“Oh, these glasses?” she said as she took them off, “they’re fake. I just wear them for the shape. I have big eyes, these sort of soften the blow.”

“I have never been in any major trouble,” he said as he blushed, “I am actually very afraid of my mum.”

Suddenly, it was bright, light was streaming in through the windows. That’s when they realized they’d been talking all night. Finally, it was okay to head back to their dorms. They thanked the gracious café owner and started walking towards the campus. It was a different light. They felt it as they walked with their people. Suddenly, he didn’t even remember about that loss, it seemed bleak in comparison.

She went to her dorm, him to his. 20 minutes in she heard a knock on her window. It was him. 

“Hey.”

“Hi. Umm… aren’t you going to get into ‘actual’ trouble for this?” she asked.

“Probably, but this is important. What’s your name?”

“I’m Kimberly.”

“You probably know this but I am Jarrod.”

“Nice to meet you. Wait a sec…”

She pops inside while he is still at the balcony in broad daylight. 

“Here is my full name and my number and details for my Instagram account. You probably were or weren’t going to ask for it, but I wanted to talk to you again. So…”

“I was going to ask, but the queen of the unexpected beat me to it yet again.”

He kissed her forehead, put the piece of paper in his pocket and jumped off the balcony. 

Him, a physics major, with buddies that have a heart of gold.

Her, a dancer and a hip-hop enthusiast with fake glasses. 

A cursory glance, a brief touch… is it ever enough?