"Just ask her out, man." Mateo laughed. "You're just going to keep talking about it until she shuts you down, so go ahead and get it over with."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence." I sneered. "She likes me." I insisted.. "She definitely likes me. Lina and I hit it off so well in that group lab."
"If you say so. She's Muslim, man, those girls only go for other religious guys."
"Is she?" I asked. "I thought it was more of a cultural thing for her, the hijab and everything."
Mateo laughed. "Dude! You're the one who supposedly hit it off with her, why are you asking me?"
"No, yeah. Of course. I... think she just does it for her family." I agreed.
"Then you'll have to deal with her family. You always do this man. You always go for the weird girls."
"It's not weird for a girl to wear a hijab." I rebutted, feeling defensive of my crush.
"Maybe, but it's weird to like them as much as you."
"I like her because we hit it off." I argued. "I don't go after a girl just because she's different."
"Ok, The goth chick in junior high. What was her name? Mattie?"
"You're just jealous she didn't date you." I rebutted. "Who doesn't want to date the goth chick?"
Mateo continued, "Then the hippie chick with all the crystals and shit. She got you to go vegan!"
"So? I wanted to see if it worked out."
He leaned over dramatically, and grasped at me like a beggar. "Ahh! Mateo, Mateo, please, I need meat, can I have some of your lunch?"
"Shut up." I laughed, "I wasn't that bad."
"You couldn't even make it through the school day as a vegan." He jeered.
"She made me lunch, I wanted to be nice."
"And then Sienne." He turned his head and raised an eyebrow.
"Don't." I interrupted him, suddenly feeling cold. I covered my eyes in the frustration and shame of a recent disappointment.
"I'm telling you man, it's like you're drawn to girls who are different somehow. Are you really gonna give up pork just to disappoint this girl?"
"Dude. I'm not going to pretend to be something I'm not. I'm just going to ask her out, and we'll see how it goes."
"Well, now's your chance." He gestured behind me.
We were sitting in the group study area of the campus library, in sight of the main entrance. I didn't even know Lina was in the library when Mateo and I came to study, but I watched as she gracefully made her way to the exit. My heart fluttered. She was undeniably beautiful, so much so that it was hard to look away. The oval shape of her face gave her a soft approachable appearance, and her pleasant round cheeks accented her every laugh and smile. She had low cheekbones, and sultry almond shaped eyes, accented by understated makeup. It drove me crazy. Her features were at once soft, and proud. Gentle, yet strong.
I watched as fabric billowed behind her as she walked. She was in particularly traditional clothes today. A soft pink hijab, like a dusty rose, caressed her face, and trailed behind her like windblown petals. She wore a sort of black robe, with subtle embroidery, and beneath that a grey dress. She looked ready for a formal occasion. I brushed myself off, and combed my hair with my fingers, trying to build confidence. I wasn't that bad looking. Short parted hair held in place with gel, a patterned grey collared shirt, and jeans. Not as formal as her, but I considered myself generally rugged and attractive.
A balled up piece of paper hit my shoulder, and I jumped.
"You're insufferable when you get like this man." Mateo cut through my reverie. "I'm telling you, the only way to get over it is to just bite the bullet. Don't come back to the dorm until you ask her out."
I smirked with bravado and confidence I didn't fully feel, and rose to my feet to chase after her. "I'll tell you the good news tonight." I winked. He just laughed and shook his head.
"Oh Lina. Alina, my Lina my love." Mateo swooned in mockery as I left.
I turned around, and flicked him off, a smirk smeared across my face, then turned to chase "Lina my love."
Her pace was brisk, and she was already quite a ways off by the time I exited the library, but it wasn't hard to find her. It was later in the evening, and only a few students walked the campus. The graceful billow of her long modest gown made her one of a kind in the fading light of dusk.
I felt awkward chasing after her from so far behind, but her pace didn't slow. She turned to a more isolated part of the campus, where a walking path encircled a man made pond, and I gave up the chase not wanting to seem desperate, or to intrude when she seemed so determined in go somewhere. I watched from a distance, as she walked across a short platform to a gazebo that extend out into the pond. She stretched her arm back, and cast something out into the fading light. I blinked, curious, and watched as she turned back towards the main campus. Ah, this was my chance.
I adopted my best subtle smolder, and started walking her way. We would coincidentally cross paths, as I was 'on my way to my nightly walk around the pond'.
"Lina." I called out, and smiled when we reached talking distance.
She blinked, then smiled broadly as she spied me. Despite being so close, she didn't seem to notice me until I announced myself. "Miles! How are you?"
"Good, just on my way to a walk around the pond." I explained. Nailed it.
"It is beautiful tonight." She agreed.
"You are too." I took my shot. "You look stunning in that dress." Stunning, Ravishing, Radiant. Mateo and I teased each other about using old fashioned romantic terms to seem more mature back in highschool, but the habit just stuck now that we were in college.
She blushed furiously, smiled, then grabbed the hem of her robe. Her posture was bashful, but she started swaying back and forth as she spoke. "Thank you. I just got back from a diner out with my family."
"Would you like to walk with me, maybe?" I asked, gesturing to the pond.
Ambivalence flashed across her face, and a furrow etched her brow.
"Not if you don't want to... of course." I held up my hands apologetically.
"No, I mean, I do. You're nice, but...I... My family... We're pretty traditional, so we really shouldn't spend time together outside of class." She gave me an awkward but earnest smile.
"Oh..." I stated. "Sure, that makes sense." My stomach was plummeting, but I wouldn't give it up without one last shot. "What if... I wanted to ask you out though? You can still date right?"
She clutched the hem of her robe tighter, then a strange calm came over her "You're very sweet, Miles. Maybe... Maybe if things were different, but no, I don't think so. We really shouldn't be comingling." She perked up. "We can spend time together tomorrow in class though."
I smiled sadly, and nodded, "Yeah, of course."
"Have a good night!" She offered, almost apologetically.
"You too." I called out.
The sad smiled stayed on my lips as I meandered to the pond. She'd let me down easy, and I could only be grateful for that, but I was still disappointed in myself. Maybe Mateo was right. I always seem to ask for trouble with my interest in girls. She's definitely religious, duh, there's no way she'd date a guy like me.
I took a deep breath and sighed, as I walked out onto the Gazebo. It was dark, now, and the lights lining the walking path turned on automatically, but as they did something caught my eye. Floating out in the middle of the water was a small floating shell, bobbing up and down just above the surface. It was so dark I was surprised I had spied it. Leaning closer, I realized it was a small box, shiny with black lacquer. Curious, I stretched out for it only to come up short. Spying a branch caught in the pier of the Gazebo, I used it to pull the box closer. The little box bobbed closer, and closer until I was able to snatch it up from the waves, dry it off on my jeans, and hold it up to my eyes. It was very smooth, but I could still make out the clean seam that encircled the tightly shut box. Tugging against the seam, it opened smoothly from hidden hinges to reveal a gold ring enclosed in silk. I balked.
Wait a second... Was this what Lina had thrown? A ring? Shit, she said she just got back from a family dinner. What the hell happened?
All kinds of thoughts flew through my mind. Had she just rejected an engagement? Or maybe this was some heirloom she was saying goodbye too? If she had turned down an engagement, didn't that mean she was single? I flustered. Even after her rejection I couldn't get those thoughts out of my mind.
Well shit... What should I do? On one hand, returning it seemed like a bad idea. She'd gotten rid of it for a reason, and besides, that'd let her know I was watching a private moment. On the other hand, just throwing it back out into the water just seemed ridiculous, if nothing else, I could pawn it for a few bucks, but of course I couldn't do that either. Dammit... I just wanted to ask a girl out, and now I've gotten myself tangled up in a social conundrum without even getting a girlfriend. I ran my hands through my hair and sighed.
Curious, I held the ring up to my eyes for a better look, then plucked it from its silken cradle. It was a strangely large ring, and looked far too large for Lina. Driven by a passing curiosity, I slipped it onto my finger to check, only to realize very suddenly, how bad of an idea that was.
