Rachel had completely zoned out. Though she was supposed to concentrate on the presentation Ryan was giving in the classroom, she was more interested in Ryan himself.
He was saying something about how Brexit impacted the economy but all Rachel could see was the absolute confidence radiating from his tall, chiselled physique and the pang she felt in her heart everytime he flashed a dimpled smile at the class. His rimmed glasses created an aura of intelligence around him while his tousled brown hair kept him from appearing too nerdy.
"Any questions?" Ryan asked the class, his voice startling her.
Rachel knew there were two types of presentations where no one asks any doubts. One was when everyone understood everything that was being told and the other was when no one understood anything being told. She shook her head, mainly because she didn't pay attention to what he was saying, along with the rest of her classmates who seemed impressed by his presentation.
Ryan grinned. He knew his presentation had blown everyone away. "Well then," he said, "I'd like to conclude my presentation here. Thank you!"
Walking down to a smattering applause, he took his place next to Rachel, who applauded him the loudest with a huge smile on her face. She wished she could give presentations as effortlessly as him. Ryan grinned at her and checked his phone from underneath the desk. He scanned the messages and the twinkle in his brown eyes grew more. Looking at Rachel, who was still stupidly staring at him, he said, "Rach, Alex is coming to meet me in the cafe opposite to our college after about two years. Come with me during the break. I'll introduce you."
Ryan didn't usually mention Alex in his conversations but all Rachel knew about him was that Alex was his high school friend. And from Ryan's face, it was evident that he couldn't wait to catch up with his old friend again.
"Cool!" Rachel said, "It would be fun!"
"Great then!" Ryan exclaimed, "You go ahead after the lecture. I have some work with the professor and I'll join in five minutes."
"I can wait for you here itself if you want."
"Actually, go order two cups of cappuccino and something for yourself. They take ages to make those. Also, do keep an eye out for Alex."
"Okay."
Rachel walked to the cafe and looked around for a place to sit. But the cafe was bustling with people all around. The air was filled with the aroma of coffee. Rachel could hear the clinking of coffee mugs, the never ending chatter of the occupants and occasionally, cheerful laughter. She spotted an empty couple seat at a corner, perfect for her and Ryan. It faced the window and had a little rose in a glass vase. Rachel was tempted to go and sit there but she remembered that she had to save a seat for Alex as well. Reluctantly, she watched as a young couple occupied those seats within a few moments.
The only three empty seats were next to a girl who was sitting all alone in a table for four. Between standing awkwardly and sitting awkwardly, Rachel chose the latter. Approaching the girl, she asked, "Hey, are these seats taken?"
"They aren't. Make yourself comfortable," the girl said.
Rachel smiled at the girl and sat down.
"Your order?" the waiter asked her. "Two cappuccinos and one garlic bread please," Rachel replied.
Minutes passed in silence till the waiter got her order. The aroma of the garlic bread made Rachel drool. It had been so many days since she had her favourite dish. As she hungrily started digging in, she felt bad for eating alone and offered the girl some. "Oh no, thank you so much," she replied, "I'm waiting for someone, so I'll have something with them."
Rachel quietly took in the girl as she was busy typing something on her phone. She had straight dark hair that brushed her shoulders and wore green contact lenses. There was something about her that seemed serious and mysterious. So different to Rachel's blonde haired- blue eyed Barbie doll appeal but just as beautiful.
"Oh, hey guys!" came Ryan's voice as he walked in cheerfully. "Hey Ryan!" said both Rachel and the girl simultaneously. "Wait, you know Ryan?" Rachel frowned at the girl who gave a big smile towards Ryan. "Well, yeah. He was the guy I was waiting for," she said. "Wow it seems like you to hit it off before I even entered the cafe!" Ryan laughed.
Rachel couldn't comprehend anything. "Wait, what-what's going on?" she stammered in confusion.
"Let me formally introduce you two," Ryan said, "Alex, this is Rachel. Rachel, Alex." Rachel's eyes widened in surprise. "Alex is a girl?" she blurted out. If it's any consolation, she didn't use to behave like one before," Ryan said, "But why, Alex, you seem a bit changed. You actually look like a girl today!" "That doesn't mean I am going to stop using your expensive deos whenever I can." "Well then, there goes that hope down the drain," Ryan chuckled, "Here have this cappuccino."
Rachel sat and watched as Ryan took a bite of her garlic bread and gave a bite to Alex too, who accepted it this time. As the two started catching up on each other's life, she felt increasingly uncomfortable at the sincerity he showed Alex as he listened raptly to her stories compared to the amount of neglect and the occasional playful insults that she faced. Ryan, for all the careless flirting he did with her, talked gently and sincerely to Alex, almost like talking to a crush. Nevertheless, she plastered a smile on her face the entire time and managed to sound as normal as possible.
Once she reached home, she slammed the door and yelled in frustration. Anger and jealousy enveloped her. After all she had done for Ryan, he still thought Alex was better than her? A small voice in her head reminded her that she didn't know much about Alex, but she shut it down. That was not the point. Rachel had secretly loved Ryan for two years now. She had built up so many dreams while waiting patiently for him to ask her out. A few days ago she thought she detected some feelings from his side for her too. Turning the music on, Rachel sobbed into her pillow. Was this because she waited for so long, trusting him to make the first move? Was he going to take a piece of coal for a diamond?
No, she thought, I'll show him what I can do and win his heart back.
To be continued.
He was saying something about how Brexit impacted the economy but all Rachel could see was the absolute confidence radiating from his tall, chiselled physique and the pang she felt in her heart everytime he flashed a dimpled smile at the class. His rimmed glasses created an aura of intelligence around him while his tousled brown hair kept him from appearing too nerdy.
"Any questions?" Ryan asked the class, his voice startling her.
Rachel knew there were two types of presentations where no one asks any doubts. One was when everyone understood everything that was being told and the other was when no one understood anything being told. She shook her head, mainly because she didn't pay attention to what he was saying, along with the rest of her classmates who seemed impressed by his presentation.
Ryan grinned. He knew his presentation had blown everyone away. "Well then," he said, "I'd like to conclude my presentation here. Thank you!"
Walking down to a smattering applause, he took his place next to Rachel, who applauded him the loudest with a huge smile on her face. She wished she could give presentations as effortlessly as him. Ryan grinned at her and checked his phone from underneath the desk. He scanned the messages and the twinkle in his brown eyes grew more. Looking at Rachel, who was still stupidly staring at him, he said, "Rach, Alex is coming to meet me in the cafe opposite to our college after about two years. Come with me during the break. I'll introduce you."
Ryan didn't usually mention Alex in his conversations but all Rachel knew about him was that Alex was his high school friend. And from Ryan's face, it was evident that he couldn't wait to catch up with his old friend again.
"Cool!" Rachel said, "It would be fun!"
"Great then!" Ryan exclaimed, "You go ahead after the lecture. I have some work with the professor and I'll join in five minutes."
"I can wait for you here itself if you want."
"Actually, go order two cups of cappuccino and something for yourself. They take ages to make those. Also, do keep an eye out for Alex."
"Okay."
Rachel walked to the cafe and looked around for a place to sit. But the cafe was bustling with people all around. The air was filled with the aroma of coffee. Rachel could hear the clinking of coffee mugs, the never ending chatter of the occupants and occasionally, cheerful laughter. She spotted an empty couple seat at a corner, perfect for her and Ryan. It faced the window and had a little rose in a glass vase. Rachel was tempted to go and sit there but she remembered that she had to save a seat for Alex as well. Reluctantly, she watched as a young couple occupied those seats within a few moments.
The only three empty seats were next to a girl who was sitting all alone in a table for four. Between standing awkwardly and sitting awkwardly, Rachel chose the latter. Approaching the girl, she asked, "Hey, are these seats taken?"
"They aren't. Make yourself comfortable," the girl said.
Rachel smiled at the girl and sat down.
"Your order?" the waiter asked her. "Two cappuccinos and one garlic bread please," Rachel replied.
Minutes passed in silence till the waiter got her order. The aroma of the garlic bread made Rachel drool. It had been so many days since she had her favourite dish. As she hungrily started digging in, she felt bad for eating alone and offered the girl some. "Oh no, thank you so much," she replied, "I'm waiting for someone, so I'll have something with them."
Rachel quietly took in the girl as she was busy typing something on her phone. She had straight dark hair that brushed her shoulders and wore green contact lenses. There was something about her that seemed serious and mysterious. So different to Rachel's blonde haired- blue eyed Barbie doll appeal but just as beautiful.
"Oh, hey guys!" came Ryan's voice as he walked in cheerfully. "Hey Ryan!" said both Rachel and the girl simultaneously. "Wait, you know Ryan?" Rachel frowned at the girl who gave a big smile towards Ryan. "Well, yeah. He was the guy I was waiting for," she said. "Wow it seems like you to hit it off before I even entered the cafe!" Ryan laughed.
Rachel couldn't comprehend anything. "Wait, what-what's going on?" she stammered in confusion.
"Let me formally introduce you two," Ryan said, "Alex, this is Rachel. Rachel, Alex." Rachel's eyes widened in surprise. "Alex is a girl?" she blurted out. If it's any consolation, she didn't use to behave like one before," Ryan said, "But why, Alex, you seem a bit changed. You actually look like a girl today!" "That doesn't mean I am going to stop using your expensive deos whenever I can." "Well then, there goes that hope down the drain," Ryan chuckled, "Here have this cappuccino."
Rachel sat and watched as Ryan took a bite of her garlic bread and gave a bite to Alex too, who accepted it this time. As the two started catching up on each other's life, she felt increasingly uncomfortable at the sincerity he showed Alex as he listened raptly to her stories compared to the amount of neglect and the occasional playful insults that she faced. Ryan, for all the careless flirting he did with her, talked gently and sincerely to Alex, almost like talking to a crush. Nevertheless, she plastered a smile on her face the entire time and managed to sound as normal as possible.
Once she reached home, she slammed the door and yelled in frustration. Anger and jealousy enveloped her. After all she had done for Ryan, he still thought Alex was better than her? A small voice in her head reminded her that she didn't know much about Alex, but she shut it down. That was not the point. Rachel had secretly loved Ryan for two years now. She had built up so many dreams while waiting patiently for him to ask her out. A few days ago she thought she detected some feelings from his side for her too. Turning the music on, Rachel sobbed into her pillow. Was this because she waited for so long, trusting him to make the first move? Was he going to take a piece of coal for a diamond?
No, she thought, I'll show him what I can do and win his heart back.
To be continued.
