Although my new feelings were uncomfortable, it was still something new, and because of that, I felt alive. All my thoughts were now occupied with Nai. I watched her, of course, trying to do it unnoticed, pretending she wasn't interesting to me. But, nevertheless, I tried to catch her gaze. I was undeniably embarrassed in those moments.
But one day, during a break, something happened that I couldn't have even imagined. Something that turned my life upside down.
Nai approached me!
For the first time in my life, a lump rose in my throat. I didn't know how to respond, didn't know what to say when she said:
"Hi, how are you? I'm Nai."
She spoke to me so sweetly. So, gathering my courage, I tried to reply clearly and with a bit of cheekiness. I used all my artillery. My acting talent showed itself far better than I had ever performed on stage:
"Well, if you're interested, everything's fine with me! How about you? How's school, the class?"
I answered her far too indifferently, without emotion. But inside, there was fire, flames burning. Looking at her, I felt her eyes burning through me from the inside.
"Oh my God!" I thought to myself, adding, "I'm going to burn up like in a fire."
Although on the outside my face remained stone cold, as if I didn't care about anything — including her. But despite hiding my feelings, I still felt like she saw right through me. My emotions were flowing like a stream after the rain — I was everywhere, but nowhere I should have been. I froze, waiting for her response.
Raising one eyebrow and smiling, Nai looked at me with that scorching gaze and said:
"Yes, I'm very interested! So, how are you? But if it's a problem...?"
She said it firmly, and I began to realize I was losing control of the situation. I quickly interrupted her, saying that of course, it wasn't a problem, and I was glad she asked.
Her brown eyes, black hair, golden skin tone, perfume! And her figure! Despite her small height, she was so graceful.
I had never smelled such scents, never seen such a wonder. It was as though I had been blind all my life and had only just regained my sight.
And in that moment, I realized that I could ruin everything, and I urgently needed to fix the situation.
I looked at her, smiling slightly, and added:
"And I also want to say that if this is a problem, then it's the most wonderful problem in the world."
"Oh, you're mine! I'm a poet and a romantic!" I thought to myself. I think she thought that too, as she burst out laughing. She laughed until she cried. Her laugh was beautiful, a little funny, contagious — and I started laughing too. We couldn't stop, and we laughed from the heart.
She said I had really cheered her up, and her eyes sparkled. I don't know how, but before my eyes, my whole life flashed by. I saw her in a wedding dress, pregnant with our children, getting old, and even sitting by my bedside as I was about to leave this world.
So, despite the first few minutes of our conversation, everything felt so easy and natural.
"Why was I so nervous?" I thought in the end.
Moreover, she had come up to me — so everything was fine, I reassured myself.
Yes, I'll admit it felt strange that the girl took the initiative. But at that moment, I didn't care.
The important thing was we were talking.
I kept repeating to myself:
"Seize the bull by the horns! Go for it, idiot!" — and at some point, I gathered enough courage to ask her what she was doing this Friday after school.
I was sure she would say: "Busy," "Can't," "I have a boyfriend..." I was sure of everything, except this. I thought she came up to me as a classmate, a friend, or to copy some homework from me, but then, from her sweet lips, came the most pleasant word in the world at that moment:
"Nothing."
Then, with a slight hint of confusion, she added:
"Wait, are you asking me out on a date?"
Again, she squinted her eyes and looked at me intently. Oh, God! — I thought. — This is strange. Very strange. But pleasant. Yes, she's a titan!
I almost choked on my feelings. I was stunned, not expecting her to answer like that, and I started rambling again:
"Well, like... what? A date?"
What an idiot I am! — I thought, and focusing, I quickly corrected myself:
"Yes! Yes, I'm asking you out on a date! I hope you'll join me, and we can get to know each other better. I'm really interested in getting to know you!"
I said it with such a serious face, I'm sure Othello wasn't as serious when he strangled poor Desdemona.
And Nai smiled again, asked for my number, and said:
"With pleasure."
She took my phone from my hands, wrote herself down as "Nai," and then turned and quietly walked away.
I stood there, rooted to the spot, still staring and wondering what this was, how it happened to me.
My God! — I thought. — How did this happen?
I saw her walking away down the long, bright school corridor, and the sunlight seemed to illuminate her. She wasn't walking — she was floating.
I couldn't believe what was happening.
Where was I, a poor guy, and where was she — like a princess!
But it happened.
And thank Zeus, I had somewhere to write her number down. If you could have seen me, dear diary! The drama I had when I waved my arms holding my new phone.
When I checked if she really had written her number, I saw that she was number nine on my list. My favorite number. And I thought, "This is lucky." Finally, the dark streak is over, and it's gone for good.
But it turns out our classmates had been watching us the whole time. And as soon as she left, the guys started joking around and teasing me playfully.
"Jerk, leave me alone," I replied. But honestly, I was really pleased.
It was my first victory in love matters. The first time I felt like a guy, a man, a teenager, wanted, and just... alive.
Since then, every day of waiting felt like eternity. I couldn't wait for Friday.
I even took the day off from work, even though Fridays paid more. My uncle Amy, when he found out I was going on my first date, gave me a little money. Of course, I initially refused, but he insisted. In the end, I agreed, promising to work more than usual. He smiled and patted me on the shoulder.
He saw how nervous I was and supported me with advice.
He kept repeating:
"Buy her flowers!"
"What flowers, Uncle Amy? Don't make me laugh," I replied. "She'll just laugh at me!"
And Mars was yelling at him to leave me alone. It was fun.
Well… his advice wasn't exactly spot on. It didn't match the relationships of modern teens. His understanding of love and respect for girls was stuck in his youth. Old man, I thought to myself, but I still appreciated that he cared about me.
Raul, when he found out about the date, gave me his cologne. Yes, it wasn't full, but it was very good. And I appreciated it because Raul was a womanizer and a player. He told me a lot about sex, but I always asked him to change the subject. I wasn't interested. I was even afraid that I might live my whole life like that. Well, I won't write here the crude stuff he said about Nai. It was awkward. But I loved him and was ready to accept even that twisted side of him.
So, for the first time in my life, I focused on myself not because I had to, but because I wanted to.
I got a haircut, bought new shoes — the ones I had saved up for. Of course, I left some money for the date itself, even though I worried it might not be enough. But wearing old sneakers would've been ridiculous.
Uncle David gave me clothes, and sometimes Raul let me borrow some of his. So I didn't have to spend money on clothes.
But this was the first date, and I had to look and smell good. Just to be sure.
I knew that help from friends wouldn't last forever. Sooner or later, I'd have to rely only on myself. But I tried to push those dark thoughts away, especially at such a time.
All the while, I was afraid she'd change her mind and cancel the meeting...
After all, we had only crossed paths at school — during breaks, in class. At most, we exchanged glances. We'd never actually talked. We just nodded at each other, greeted, and walked past. It felt strange. And because of that, I was even more scared.
And then, early in the morning, I opened my eyes and said, "Finally, it's Friday."