Open Topic: Week 13 LJ Idol
She used to sit in class and stare at the back of his head and wonder what was going in his mind.
It wasn't like it was a spectacular back of the head, just your average back of the head with admittedly gorgeous hair, but something about him drew her to him. The front of him was even better but she rarely got a good view of him from her spot in the lecture hall. She wondered where he came from, what he had seen of the world, who he knew. She wanted to know it all. Every class, she would tune out the professor and wonder if he would think she was stupid for repeating this class again or if they could be friends regardless. She would watch him and try to imagine conversations that they would have - if they'd be silly and irreverent, serious and thoughtful, or somewhere in between. She even pictured herself being ballsy enough that one class period, she would go and grab a seat next to him and they'd strike up a conversation and she'd say something so witty that he couldn't help but wonder about her the way she did about him. She never did have that kind of nerve though. She stuck to her spot in the lecture hall staring at the back of his head and dreaming of what ifs.
What she didn't know is that he noticed her. Oh, not in class. Sitting in the front row, he never did pay attention to the others around him. However, he'd sit there at the front desk of their dorm doing his work, and watch her as she'd walk in and out of their dorm with her friends smiling and laughing. Her smile captivated him. He'd wonder what it would be like if that smile was directed at him. What did he need to do to make her smile? He'd imagine himself striking up a conversation with her and she'd laugh at one of his jokes and he'd leave such an impression that she couldn't help but think about him the way he thought about her. He couldn't do it though. What if she didn't like his jokes? What if she didn't smile? What if she hated him? He was relegated to simply sit at his desk job and watch her.
If they had it their way, the two would have have never met and this wouldn't be much of a story.
Luckily though, fate decided to play a role here.
One Saturday night, rather than being out with her friends, she chose to stay in and watch TV and recover from her long week of classes and work. She didn't think much of this moment then but later on would reflect on fate and timing. It so happened that as she was watching her show, she noticed that she never did pick up the package from the front desk that she received a week before. Shrugging her shoulders, she decided to make her way downstairs to the front desk and see what this package was all about.
Meanwhile, he was stuck on Saturday night working the front desk. He had plans to go drinking with his best friend but that had to be put on hold to be able to cover the desk shift. Luckily his friend was understanding and didn't mind waiting for him to finish his desk shift.
As she got to the front desk, there was instant recognition on both if their parts. They stared at each other for a moment wondering what to say, what to do. Do they let the moment pass them? She didn't know about him but she couldn't. She knew instantly if she didn't take that moment to say something, she never would.
"You're the guy in my Psychology of Learning class!" Way to go Captain Obvious!
"I am?"
"Tuesdays and Thursdays?"
"Yeah, that would be me. I didn't know we had a class together." She figured she wasn't that noticeable but having it pointed out to her hurt. He must have caught the expression on her face because he was quick to add, "I wish I had known but I don't tend to pay attention to people in class."
Knowing that made her feel a bit better. "Do you watch Scrubs? I'm in in the middle of watching it right now." She asked inanely. Way to be witty, she thought. Out of all the things I could talk about, it has to about how pathetic that I am that I'm watching Scrubs on Saturday night by myself.
"No, I never did. Is it any good?"
"It is. I'm really into this show right now. You should definitely watch it!" She gave him her package slip and he searched around briefly before spotting the huge envelope and passing it to her. They stood awkwardly staring at each other. "I, uh, guess I should go back upstairs. It was nice talking to you."
"Wait!" he called out as she started to turn away. "What are you doing tonight?"
She smiled and he couldn't help but smile in return. "My friends are out tonight so I'm just chilling and watching Scrubs. Exciting life, eh?"
He had to take a chance. He needed another smile, another moment with her. "I know I don't really know you yet but when I get off work in an hour, do you mind if I come upstairs and watch Scrubs with you? I promise I don't bite!"
She laughed; normally she used that line with her friends. It amazed her that someone like him thought like her. "That sounds good! My dorm number is 215. Just knock!" She waved as she walked back upstairs before jumping up and down like a little girl. All of a sudden, she couldn't wait to find out what goes on his mind!
He grabbed his phone and sent a text to his friend as soon as she left. "Change of plans. Hope you understand!"
This entry was written for LJ Idol: Season 9. Topic: Open topic. This is based on a true story of how I met my fiance. Yes, I was actually watching Scrubs and struck up a conversation about Scrubs on our first conversation...but we never did watch Scrubs that night, or ever actually. We ended up watching The 5th Element and hanging out until 6 AM with two of our friends. I took liberty with the conversation we had as well as his thoughts - he did though spend 4 months watching me coming in and out of our dorm and couldn't find the nerve to speak to me. This is dedicated to my fiance, aka, the boy who I spent half a semester staring at the back of his head. I'm really lucky that I get to spend the rest of my life figuring out what goes on in that head of his!