The sky looked pretty, the white wild flowers looked pretty in her hands and Zara felt dumb.
She didn't expect to find him looking down at her with the sun behind him and flashing his teeth. Man that smile ,no the teeth, they were quite straight but he sure had some sharp canines, kind of giving them some character.
She kept staring at him and did not know what to say other than ask what was he drinking the last time they kissed. And then he had to catch her off guard talking about the matter directly!
She wanted to hit him with a bat for making her fall and blush. She had thought if she met him next time, would be confident and act as if its all okay, no big deal. How are some people so exorbitantly confidant and effortless in their manner of talking and in general? She wondered. She tried to hurt him with her nails, and he just smirked.
She stood near him as he got a call.
'Adam is with Selena now, so they are both heading back home,' he while he put back his phone in his pocket. She always noticed how abrupt he was in his phone calls and everyone around seemed to have been normalised to it.
She gathered herself together, she wanted to make decent impression at least. No matter what she thought, she was herself a very debonair when it came to be around a person who made her giddy and intimidated. That was something she could not deny to herself and was under no disillusionment.
'We do not have to wait for them,' said Leo looking around checking out at the general splendour around him with people in their own circles, chattering while drinking their drinks form the near by bars.
'Do you want to join them? Or if you want let's have some drinks and then we can head back.'
'Yes, sure,' nodded Zara looking up at him.
'Selena must want some alone time with Adam.'
'I had like some beer, its hot.'
'What about you?' she said moving her hair from her face.
'Likewise, i do rather fancy a pint,' he replied a bit relaxed.
They both went toward the bar, toward the counter and the whole place was full. As they got nearer, it was getting crowded and Zara started feeling uneasy. She didn't want to show it him. It would appear she was asking him to fetch for him, but then wasn't that what gentlemen's do? Oh no wait, times have changed men aren't supposed to be too courteous, thanks to feminism! Maybe oh maybe not. That's so confusing! She thought.
She tried her best, but felt a little scared seeing swarms of people crowding around the bar. Then she stopped suddenly looking down at her feet. It was difficult to move them, they felt heavy and she did not want to look ahead.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Leo.
'Wait here, i will be back in a jiffy,'
He got infront of her holding her by her arms as a push came from the front to their way and Leo almost lost his balance over her. His hold felt slightly tighter he probably feared they would both fall.
'Is there anything else you want, some water maybe?' he asked again looking ahead and then looking back at her.
'No i am good,' she replied.
'I need to make a call, is it okay if i stand a little further and wait over there?' She said pointing at a spot in the corner which had a standing table and less people.
'Sure, go ahead,' said Leo and she noticed a flash of something in his eyes which then left as soon as it appeared.
She walked to the table and texted Aly, whom she planned to meet later. Something told her she should tell him she is hanging out with Leo especially after she had not been able to share with him how she felt. So she sent him a text informing him and asking if he would like to join them later.
But she got a very rushed reply from him and Leo appeared infront of her with two bottles of beer in his hand.
'These are all i could manage,' he said.
'No, these are great,' she gave him a small smile.
"Thank you," she said again as their hands touched when he handed her the bottle. She was trying to be cordial and full of manners.
'You are welcome,' he replied sounding amused with a formal smile, hiding the smirk.
The chilled beer felt good as she drank and took some tiredness off of her. They both took some gulps in quietly and finally she heard him ask,
'We are in a square with flowers shops all around us and yet you get yourself some wildflowers.'
'Well they are pretty, and i love them' she said looking at the bunch she kept on the table.
'Hmm,' was all she heard and she felt a little peeved and usually she wouldn't offer justification or anything.
'Well, every one or some one would eventually buy the flowers from the shop, be it the roses or lily or whatever.'
'But no one would look at these or want these and that's unfair, they are as beautiful as the other's and they smell pretty.'
'Why should i ignore such beautiful flowers?'
'A thing of beauty is joy forever.'
'Keats,' he said as he raised his eyebrows.
"And these make me happy," she said looking up at him again to find him looking at her.
'That's a nice thought and for free,' was all he said as he picked a single bud to smell it and she went back to drinking her beer. She felt a bit of ease expressing something as silly and non consequential. She felt like she expressed herself to some one for the first time about something which she thought never really mattered. But him asking her felt like it did.
It's funny how, you have interesting conversations with someone which could usually seem boorish and nonsensical. She smiled to herself and looked at the flowers again. They indeed looked beautiful.
'Do you come here often?' he asked.
'Seldom, on my way back from the studio.'
'Especially since i stated staying over at Selena's.'
'But not that often?' he asked again.
'Yes, i suppose so. I mean..well..,' she had nothing more to add to her answers.
'We can come here often, and stand here if you would like to,' he said again.
'How long are you here for?'she asked directly thinking if they would ever come here again. He might be leaving soon again like last time. She was't expecting much anyway in their course of interactions or anything really. She took notice of her drink and then her eyes went to observing his arms again and she felt embarrassed again thinking about the last time she checked him out the similar way. She quickly took her eyes off of him before she got caught and stated looking at her bottle which was about to be finished.
'I am here for some time, i will keep travelling back and fourth.'
'There are some projects here which i would like to see to fruition, so just looking for a place now.'
'Oh,' was all she said and on the inside she felt an amalgamation of emotions which she could not comprehend herself. They both became quite again for sometime and then he initiated the conversation again,' I wanted to see you the next day, but had to leave because of an unwanted emergency.'
'I didn't want to explain over a stupid text,' and then he went quite again.
'You could have called,' was all she said not looking at him. She knew he was looking at her but she did not want to face him especially when she was feeling so lost and angry and relieved, especially attracted to him at the same time.
Am i going bipolar! she thought to herself.
When she finally looked up, she found him looking at her with a bit of a sourfaced,'I waited for your reply, i wanted to know if were interested in hearing form me further.'
And she did realise that she could have replied as well and he could have explained better as well.
'True,' she said and exhaled looking at the finished bottle.
'Would you like to have some more?'he asked her.
'Sure, but my treat,' she said.
'Um.... but if you want to have some draft beer i can get that also, i know another place,' she said hoping that she could avoid the crowded bar. The air felt nice and breezy and she was enjoying drinking the beer there and his company.
'Next time,' was all he said and left her at the table heading towards the bar not waiting for her reply.