My first date

I absolutely had no idea what I agreed to when she called me up and asked if we could go to the amusement park. I mean, of all the places, why did I say yes to this place? I hate crowds, the noise of children, parents running behind the children, the dancing lights, those innumerable shops that always had something you wanted to buy, those bouncy rides, and let's not forget the giant wheel. I gulped.

I could have just told her that we could catch up at some cafe, or if I had my way, pizza maybe. But the amusement park? Why didn't I say no? I kept questioning myself.

Maybe I agreed because I couldn't stop myself from saying "yes." I mean, it was just the first time she called me, but I was already red in my ears. What was happening to me?

It was my first date with her. She arrived on time. She asked me if she had kept me waiting. I told her that I had also just then arrived. So, who will know that I arrived 30 minutes early? I didn't want to be late and keep her waiting. For, I know one thing about girls for sure, they didn't like to be kept waiting.

"That's strange," she said, with a smile. Rithik told me that you are always late. My best friend, Rithik, was her schoolmate. Does that idiot never miss a chance to pull me down? I'll deal with him later.

"Not always", I replied to her, shrugging and smiling back rather sheepishly. She then led me into the park.

I watched her smile at me and then thought to myself, "She has such beautiful hair, and her smile is so cute. Also, those beautiful pairs of eyes. " I then stopped: What was wrong with me? What was I doing? Am I daydreaming about her right in front of her?

She had been talking about something, and I had completely missed it, zoned out with my thoughts.

"What? Sorry I didn't get you! " I retorted back to her.

"Shall we start with the giant wheel?" She asked me in a sweet tone with bright shining eyes.

I looked again at those deep brown eyes. How could I deny her? And before I knew it, I found myself automatically replying to her, "Of course, why not?"

And then, there we were. The two of us on the giant wheel, sitting in our seats, all our safety straps pulled up. The operator kept loading people into each bucket, and with each bucket getting filled, we kept going higher and higher off the ground. And with every passing moment, I was getting more tense and terrified. No, I couldn't do it. I couldn't take this ride.

"I'm scared of heights" I shouted to her face, my anxiety making its final blow on my willpower.

She looked at me, surprised. Anytime now, I expected her to laugh at me like everyone else usually did. Instead, she held my hand tightly and then called out to the operator to lower us.

Standing on the ground felt like getting back my life. I start apologizing to her that I couldn't do it, that it was my greatest fear, and that I hated crowded places. 

I then asked her, confused, "You didn't think it was funny?" "How come you didn't laugh at me?"

"Well, I was surprised," she said with a wide smile. She kept going: "You see, I haven't met any guy who would agree to do something that scared him the most, just for my sake, and that too, on their first date."

My ears grew redder. I found myself falling. Falling for her, it was as if the entire gravitational force was focusing on me to make me fall.

And then she added, "Also, I like guys who blush."

"What no, guys, don't blush," I said, trying to keep my smile in check.

Then, with a sarcastic laugh, her brown eyes looked at me and she said-

Who said guys don't blush? Guys blush all the time. They are just better at hiding it. 

"Not at all," I said instinctively, my ears even redder than before.

-Shruthi Rajaram

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for reading my work. If you liked it and would love to read more, support my writing by hearting it and subscribing to my writing. Ciao!!