Okay I admit it. I'm a boring person who lives a repetitive life that circles around home, school, and books. Oh and also this guy I like in school.
His name is Cray Newton.
He's actually popular at school because apparently, he's a school athlete. He's also so quiet and he has this mysterious charm that made me drawn to him.
Don't get me wrong, I've never fell for someone just because of his looks or popularity. I fell for him because we have this similarity that I swear if I ever find a guy with this same habit as mine will be my first and last. Guess what it was. Books. More specifically, books and music.
Our first meeting was actually in a book cafe near my place. I thought we were never gonna meet again but turns out he was a popular guy at my school.
I was trying to reach a book at the top shelf when I saw someone at the opposite side of the shelf, at the moment I got the book I wanted, we locked gazes, and that was when I embarrassed myself by falling from the stool I used to reach the book.
He immediately went to my side, helped me got up, and asked,
"Are you okay?"
I was about to say "I'm fine" when the cafe manager shushed two kids running around the cafe.
We were about to part ways when one of the kids nudged him towards me making him lose his balance and we both fell.
We locked gazes, again.
What surprised me was when he said,
"Newton's first law of motion"
I was puzzled and asked "What?"
But then he realized that we were in a very awkward position.
That moment went for like a minute or two (but it definitely felt like forever to me) until we decided to stand up again. Both looking aghast.
Checking both left and right, I left in a hurry when I saw that there would be no more external forces that might embarrass me again in front of this guy.
I went back to my table, continued reading my book, still flabbergasted about what happened. Then in my peripheral vision, I saw someone was approaching me or rather, going towards my direction.
I shrugged and was about to continue being boring when a waiter approached me and gave me a cup of hot caramel macchiato with a blue post-it sticking to it.
I read the note which says, "Newton's first law of motion: an object at rest or in motion will stay the same unless acted upon by an external force. I was glad to experience it with you. Thank you for being the external force in my idle life.
Ps. I hope you're fine. Have a good day!
~Newt"
I let out an inaudible sound. Am I dreaming or am I just assuming things because I refuse to believe that someone will use my favorite Physics topic to hit on me and on top of that, I AM QUITE AWARE THAT I AM NOT SOMEONE LIKEABLE.
Panicking, I searched for the guy and asked the waiter where the sender of the note was when he told me that he has already left.
The next day at school, during lunch, I tried to busy myself by knitting a hat which was really effective. I stopped for a moment to take a sip until someone called me and gave me a book.
A book with a blue post-it that says,
"Newton's second law of motion stated that when a constant force acts upon an object, it causes it to accelerate. You need to take responsibility for constantly acting upon my heart that causes my accelerated liking towards you.
Ps. Hi Ally! This is one of my favorite books. I hope you read it.
~Newt"
I almost threw up the apple juice I was drinking. Am I just imagining things?
What's the probability of the guy from yesterday attending the same school as me?
Okay I admit he's cute, but how can he easily hit on me like that? And why is he ordering people around to deliver his cringy messages (which I admit made my heart skip a beat)?
I looked around again, looking for this guy who calls himself Newt, but he was nowhere to be found. I let out a frustrated sigh and continued with my boring business.
Weeks had gone and I haven't heard from Newt again. I guess he got tired. (That was just two instances! How come he got tired that easily?)
One Tuesday afternoon, I decided to go to the school's soccer field to watch my friend Luna who joined the women's soccer team. I sat on the nearest bench, took out my usual bottle of apple juice when someone sat beside me.
He was wearing a football gear, sweating heavily as if he had just ran a whole stadium. I shrugged and thought "He just wanted to rest. No need to be nervous".
Several minutes later, I decided to read the book this Newt gave me when the stranger beside me said,
"I'm glad you did not throw it away." I was surprised and fell off my seat but then he laughed and said,
"this is the second time I've seen you fall, I hope the next time would be falling for me."
Then he took off his helmet and said,
"Hi Ally, I'm Cray Newton. You may have known me by now." And held out his hand, which I shook in return (with my hands trembling in embarrassment)
He smiled at me that melted my heart and said
"I've been looking at you from afar for years now. You never saw me because you never really look at other things in school other than your books. I was always trying to get your attention during my play. But you never seemed to be interested."
Still flustered, I mustered up all my courage and replied,
"Why me? I may be the most boring person you'll ever meet in your entire life. I mean, look at you, you're popular, you look-- good, many girls like you! Why me?"
He did not reply instantly but instead, he smiled at me.
After what seemed to be centuries of smiles, he said,
"How would you know that? I thought you were never interested in anything except for your books? How did you know many girls like me? How did you know I was popular?"
I was stunned. I indirectly told him I like him and by the looks of it, he might know that I've liked him for ages now.
Our first meeting was actually our first official meeting because like him, I've always looked at him from afar. I always attended his football games but because he wears a helmet, I never realized that he was looking at me whenever he stops and looks around the stadium as if he was searching for someone which I assumed was a girl he likes (which turns out to be true!)
I've always liked him. I just never thought that he would like me back.
Like I've said, my life spins around books, books and him.
He broke the silence by saying,
"I've always admired Newton for coming up with the Laws of Motion. Most people would just shrug off these instances but him, he explained perfectly natural events in a way that people would understand how this leads to that. And you know what made me admire him more? You. Every law of motion applied to everything you do.
First law, you acted as the external force which made my idle life move again.
Second law, every smile you flash whenever you greet the guards everyday accelerated my admiration for you, and lastly, the third law of motion--"
"Which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. And I guess, I am obliged to exert the same force in order for us to stay in motion? I like you too. I've liked you for a long time now." I finished what he was about to say with the biggest smile.
He smiled back, and held my hands.
Oh Newton. Thank you for being our modern day cupid. I owe you big time.