Breaking stereotypes

Chapter-12

May~
He isn't here at Library today. Ofcourse he isn't. Why would he come every day? It's getting hotter and I am starting to wear more, simple, cotton with cute patterns and comfortable dresses.
At my lunchtime, I go to my usual place just to see him waiting there, in his casuals acting as if it's all a coincidence. Sorry but he fails horribly this time.
"Hey", he starts.
"Hey", I respond. We look at each other like what next?
"Wanna go somewhere else?"
I didn't thought he would take the initiative but since he is a friendly person it's not too surprising.
"Where is Adya and how is she?"
"She is at school and she is doing good."
"Okay." I feel a little relieved but how do I believe what he is telling is true?
"So?" He looks at me curiously. "Ah sure", I say with an awkward smile. I am actually dancing inside.
People at the restaurant gives us weird looks, judgemental looks. I don't know why they're doing this but it makes me angry. I try to ignore them but he seemed affected. I hate it now.
~
We decide to eat by roadside. I have always wanted to try it here. I still hesitate with all these "trying new things" which even he seems to notice. With him, I feel free. I don't feel pressurized. I don't feel like I am being caged, how I usually feel in any type of relationships including friendships. May be I am experiencing friendship for the first time and I am going crazy over it.
I suggest we order different foods so we can share. I hesitate and feel a little embarrassed but he didn't seemed surprised at all as if he estimated this is how I would be from inside. How? How did he know my inner side I never show to anyone. People usually call me stoic and cold. My own mother calls me stoic and cold. Without any thought, I blurt out, "May be we are good at reading people." I say it so casually I didn't even planned to. Before I could realise and react, "May be I am good at reading you", casually eating his garlic cheese bread. I act like it didn't affected me much, just as it doesn't affects him at all and continue to eat my chowmin.
I come back to work all red and hot and since it's summer I blame it on the sun instead of that sunshine boy.
~
I want his number. Today. Now. But how? What if he doesn't comes tomorrow? We didn't plan to meet tomorrow.
Evening time~
I go to the game arcade centre we went the other day, hoping to meet him. What am I doing? Is friendship getting on my brain? On every cell of my body?
Gotcha! I see him. He is playing alone. Don't he have friends around his age group? I wonder but then stop thinking. He hasn't noticed me yet. How will he? He is too busy in his own world of games and I am too busy adoring him, I mean adoring my cute gamer friend I correct myself.
I go near him and poke him twice. He doesn't even flinch. God! How much does he loves games?
But I can understand him. I am the same when it comes to books, romance books specifically.
Before I poke him thrice, I sense people noticing me, noticing us way too much. Ah the afternoon restaurant scene re-creates! And look at him, still not flinching even a little. To avoid my frustration and embarrassment I smack him at his back. He finally looks back. Everyone is staring at us but we're busy staring at each other.
I smile at him but he looks shocked as if he didn't expected me coming here to see him. Okay, I caught him off-guard this time. Why does it feels like a victory? Does every friendship duos have psychological battles like this? I think I am enjoying this friendship way too much. Does he feels the same? Cause I hate one-sided feelings alot. Everyone does I guess.
"Heyyy. . You?! What are you doing here?" He looks behind me wondering if I was alone or with some friends to play games with.
"What am I doing? I am here to meet you." He looks even more surprised.
"I mean isn't that what friends do? We're friends right?" More surprise appears on his face. I start feeling shy for some reason. I have never done this before. Did I overdo it? Aren't we officially friends yet? Oh my God! It's getting embarrassing now.
"Nevermind, I just. . I was just. . I start running. Why am I running? The meme pops up my head. It's not the time for memes Jas! You're embarrassing yourself infront of a lot of people including the person you think to be your friend.
He asks me to stop but I don't listen. I feel embarrassed.
I come out of the arcade as he chases and stops me by holding my wrist. I startle and he leaves immediately.
Our first physical touch. I am afraid of physical touch, men, even if it's just holding hands, even if it's with a friend. Even him. He is no exception in this case. He seem to read my discomfort. As he leaves my hand, I stop running as well, standing right infront of him. Both of us standing right infront of the arcade.
"I am sorry, it's just that I have never had a friend before, so. . I'm sorry may be I crossed a boundary.
"Are you an idot?" He replies.
"What?"
"The reason why I reacted that way because I was very happy to see you. I was happy that you came to meet me. I didn't expected that. That's why I was shocked. You didn't cross any line idiot, I am just so happy."
Did he just call me an idot, twice? And why am I not angry about it? Instead I feel relieved. Does this friendship means so much to me? ME? Who isn't afraid to lose people.
There's a little silence between us but he keeps staring at my face waiting for my reply.
"So are we friends?"
"Ofcourse we are! You idiot!"
"Hey it's the third time you call me an idot, now I am getting offended."
"Okay, sorry", he says half joking around, half really apologising, but you really are."
"What?"
"An idiot."
"Hey" I raise my hand to slightly punch him and he tries to defend himself.
"But a cute idiot" he finishes. I stop my punch mid-air.
We are close enough to feel each other's breathe.
I'm hot again and blaming it on the hot evening again.
"Okay, I forgive you, only this one time and it's a total five now. No more 'idiots' from you."
"Okay ma'am." He says with the sweetest smile he has given me till now.
Does me coming to meet him makes him this happy? I feel happy by the fact too.
"Wanna go somewhere?"
"But you were playing your games."
"It's okay, I can continue later on."
"But how could you? Don't you love playing games? I would never leave my book mid-reading for anyone." I say.
"We will see."
Did he just teased me?
I think the weather is getting into me too much.
"Okay, we will see." I reply him in a friendly, challenging way, feeling like I am gonna lose this game. I am starting to hate some of the facts again.