Stranger Land - (KTH)

6. Getting To Know You

Maya's POV

"So, Maya Lim, tell me about you."

I widened my eyes. It feels like I am seated in a counsellor's office, being interrogated for my first round of introduction.

"Why are you always looking so tense Maya?"

V spoke again when he noticed I was not answering him, apart from staring into him like he is some sort of math equation I am struggling to comprehend.

"Um." I took a gulp of the apple juice and placed the glass on the coffee table before making myself comfortable on the couch while tucking in both my knees under my dress, a pillow on my lap.

"What do you wanna know?" I asked again this time, more confidently as I positioned myself to face the man in front of me.

"Just anything. Anything about you. I have talked with you a few times, but I really don't know you much as a friend."

I hummed a few times, trying to think about what can I share with him about myself. To be honest, I am really bad at introducing myself, so this can get a little awkward.

"Well...I am a transfer student from Singapore, an architecture major. 3rd year, and um...I'm a mix?" I raised the last part in a questioning tone which made V broke into a round of laughter as he dropped his head to the side, laying sideways on the couch.

"I know all those Maya. It's in your form remember?" He wiggled his brows.

"Yea, I do, the form which you so conveniently stalked to get my info." I playfully rolled my eyes.

"Partially true, just coz I was so intrigued about who you are."

"Liar, you only told me you were asked to key in the info. By the way, I didn't know you are the president of the international student council."

"Mhmm, how would you know? Again, you don't actually socialize that much don't you?"

"I have my reasons V, I'm pretty swamped with assignments. I can't afford to slack. It's not easy studying abroad, all alone."

V's gaze softens on me, I'm not sure if he is taking pity on what I said coz I noticed my tone dropped a little deeper when I was talking.

"You're feeling lonely Maya?"

I looked directly at him, noticed his soft eyes on me, as he asked me so sincerely about how I feel. The only other person who shares a lot of concern about me is none other than Sarah. It feels refreshing to have a second person in this foreign land, asking me about my wellbeing.

To answer V's question...well, I have no answer for that.

"I don't know. I won't say I am physically lonely, I have all these amazing hommies around, nice seniors, Sarah is an amazing housemate, I am doing pretty well catching up with classes, I enjoy the weather here, and I al-..."

"Are you feeling lonely Maya? Emotionally?"

V cut me short halfway. His voice dropped an octave deeper.

"Huh?"

"Maya, I know you're surrounded by a lot of amazing people, I can see that, you settled in pretty well. But, my question is, are you feeling emotionally alone? You miss home don't you?"

How did he picked whatever I am feeling so accurately?

"I-I, well, it happens at times, I do miss home a lot." I nervously chuckled, already losing the logic in why would I open up so much to a new friend, particularly still a stranger about how I feel.

Lowering my gaze to the pillow on my lap, I fidgeted between my fingers, trying to hold back the chocking sense brewing in my chest. I am tired, dizzy and homesick, probably not the best state to be in while holding the conversation with a man like V.

As I was waiting for the next series of question from V, I didn't hear it. Instead, I felt a presence nearing me gently.

I quickly looked up and noticed how close V's face is to me right now. My ears could hear the insane beating of my own heart as I become aware of the hazel eyes in front of me.

The tightness on the messy bun on my hair which I kept intact with a pin came loose as I felt my hair dropped low to my waist, bits of it brushing my ears.

"There you go. You can let loose now."

He said while maintaining the proximity, eyes running up and down my eyes to my lips as I took my lower lips between my teeth, trying to hold my breath.

"You can breathe too Maya. Don't allow yourself to suffocate too much, sometimes, its good to speak out and share one or two sets of laughter with people around. You deserve it."

V gently head bumped me with his forehead and moved back to his original seat, a couple of meters further from me. His hand is now holding the pin I used to tuck my hair in a bun.

It took me a few seconds, but eventually, I did let out my breath and used my fingers to run through my wavy hair, ruffling it lose.

"I guess, thanks for saying that, I appreciate it." I used my left index finger to reposition my glasses.

"How about as a starter, drop all your formalities and awkwardness with me? Let's be real friends?"

V extended his right hand excitedly towards me, flashing me his boxy smile, melting my heart just a tiny bit.

"Hi, my name is V, and I am a good boy."

I laughed before doing the same, taking his hand in mine while putting in the introduction, like how it should have been when we first met.

"Hi V, I'm Maya and I'm a bad girl." I tried to say it in a mocking dangerous tone.

"Well, can't wait to find that out." V winked at me as we both dropped our head back, laughing out loud for something so simple and meaningless.

The rest of the night passed by with both V and I exchanged stories about our family, our own lives and ourselves.

I soon learned that V is currently living by himself in the states while his parents are both travellers and they meet up monthly for a couple of days. Never the less, he is still being showered with so much love by his parents and he couldn't stop talking about how amazing they are.

From my side, I shared on my interesting upbringing, being a hybrid of a Chinese father and Indian mother, I could converse in multiple languages.

He was very intrigued when he learned that I have a talent with language and passion in arts which landed me a scholarship opportunity with this transfer program to NYU for my degree.

V, on the other hand, is an engineering major, he studies mechanical and is very passionate about machinery. His fascination when he talked about physics and manufacturing blew me off my mind.

When I asked about his status as one of the most likeable people in international society, he shrugged it off by saying he enjoyed meeting new people and love being sociable.

Both of us also found out that I dislike soft pastel colours and V is the opposite as me as he loves pastels and dislikes dark colours. We also exchanged our favourite fruit preference, in which V was determined that strawberries are heaven on earth while I argued that blueberries are fairies in disguise.

Time must have passed by without us keeping in track as the next thing I know, someone was shaking me awake while I continue to grip onto the fabric I was holding, burying my face deeper into the pillow.

"Maya! Wake up!"

Sarah. That's Sarah's voice.

I opened my eyes, saw Sarah standing in front of me with her party outfit, arms over her chest.

Lazily opening up my eyes further, I grumbled as my pillow suddenly felt hard on my cheeks, rising steadily. I was confused.

Only that, it's not a pillow and I am not in my room.

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🍀
It's time V and Maya get to know each other truthfully than just bumping into one another.