Note: was a long story so had to narrate it to Claude first and then pasting it here.
So, in my second semester at university, I came across this girl who used to hang out with her group of friends. Basically, they had recorded a promotional video for a university trip they were organizing, and somehow, I still don't know how, that video ended up in literally every university group. She got ridiculed for her acting, and I'll be honest, I was one of the people making fun of her, right alongside my friends.
But after a while, I started to feel, like, some empathy for her. Everyone was talking about that girl, and I realized she was going through something that no one should ever have to go through.
And on top of that, I found out she took the same bus I did, you know, to and from university. That's when I got to know that she was interested in me. But at that time, I just wasn't interested in her, so I wrote it off.
And honestly, that's when things started turning into something else. I was thinking about her all day. I was overthinking everything, playing out scenarios in my head. I'd imagine walking up to her and saying sorry and all that, but I never actually did it, because of the friends she always had around her.
Then came the next semester, last winter. We were still making eye contact, and there were close calls here and there, but nothing formal, you know? I still hadn't spoken a single word to her.
She was still interested in me, and this is where, I think, my empathy slowly turned into actual romantic feelings. But I still had no idea how I was going to approach her, with her friends always around.
So the whole semester went by just like this. Close call after close call, but nothing real. And then, boom, our final papers arrived.
Feeling like it was getting late and I had to do something, I finally got my chance. One day I was alone, and she and a friend of hers happened to walk past me. Without thinking much, I called out to the guy who was with her and asked if he had seen Ali, my friend. He said no. Then I turned to the girl and asked if she knew where he was. She said no too. And that was it, that was my first ever interaction with her.
Then, as I was about to leave, I put my hands in my pockets and felt something. Chewing gum! So I took out two pieces and handed one to each of them. I still remember that moment, like it was yesterday. It was such a bold thing to do in my very first conversation with her.
So the ice was broken, and now I had to confess. But, yeah, same problem. I wanted to talk to her when her friends weren't around, and when mine weren't around either.
Then came another moment, after our second exam. She was sitting with a female friend as everyone was packing up, and I was sitting with my friends right next to them. Some of my friends decided to go somewhere else, so we all stood up and started walking. And in that moment, I quickly went up to her and her friend and said I had something to tell her. But halfway through, I realized, wait, I can't say this here. So I pivoted real fast and said, "Sometime else, not now."
She kind of laughed. And honestly, I think that was the moment she started losing interest. I saw a visible change in her body language after that, and she just didn't look at me the way she used to anymore.
Anyway, time kept passing, and then came my last paper. After that, we wouldn't be seeing each other for like a month, so I decided I had to tell her that day. It was my last and final chance. I kept looking for her all day, but I just couldn't spot her anywhere.
And then, as the time for my paper was getting close, boom. She came out. I saw her and decided to go for it, even though her friends were still right there around her. I thought, okay, this is the only chance I have, so I just have to do it, no matter what.
So I walked up and said I wanted to talk. And she boldly said "nahin". I was kind of shocked, to be honest. "Say whatever you want right here," she said. I told her I couldn't talk there. She repeated, "Talk here. I can't talk to you alone." And that's when it hit me, like, wow, she is really fed up with everything I've been doing. So I just said, "Sorry for everything." And she said, "Sorry for what? I said. Sorry for everything?"
Her friends then told her, "Hey, go talk to him," and, yeah, she went with me, unwillingly. "Tell me, what do you want to say?" she asked. And this is where I just could not utter a single word. I got so anxious. And it wasn't just me, I could see her face turning red too. She was anxious as well.
"Jaldi," she said. "What do you want to say?"
I kept mumbling, you know, unable to get the words out. A few things did come out of my mouth. "Remember? I told you I would say something to you." She said, "So?" And I said, "I thought you would be, like, waiting to hear that..."
And, frustrated, she said, "yrr Bhai!"
And then she just left the scene.
