#khaliun fell in love reaaaaal quick and she did NOT want to waste time

[noa-de-cajou]

July 2020

“Demetriaaaaa you need to help meeeee.”

The people in the café are looking at us weird. Probably because I'm hunched over the table in front of a nearly blind albino woman dressed all in white. I don't care anymore.

“Do I? We barely know each other.”

I look up at her in despair. Demetria’s technically just the new kinesitherapist near my future school, we’ve met once at a party, and I've invited her for coffee like it's something super natural and not totally weird to do, but I really really really need help.

They don’t really see me but I can feel her eyes judging me behind her glasses.

“Demetria pleaaase I'd do anything for you! Well, almost anything ! Which is already a lot!”

A chuckle escapes her.

“Khaliun, honey, I am messing with you. Just pay for the drink, that’ll suffice. How may I help with your endeavor?”

Oh thank goodness there might be hope for me still.

“Well. You… You remember the party at the park, right? When I was with my sis?”

“I do. What about it?”

Summer party in the beginning of July. A bunch of people gathered at the park downtown to celebrate the end of the exams and Tungalag took me there after we went to the fair to celebrate the fact that I have finally managed to get my bac. Barely, but I did! And she introduced me to Demetria because Demetria studied at my future uni but the thing is I stopped looking at her pretty quick because my attention got caught by something else.

“Right. Um. Do you know… Well… I was told that you… that you knew Ether?”

Demetria’s smile gets a little too stretched to not be uncanny. Aaaaah crap I really hope I didn’t mess up too bad.

“We were in high school together, yes. What about it?”

Okay. Okay. She's not mad. Just a little uncomfy. I can do this.

“I wanted to know if you could, uh, I don't know, introduce us?”

Well. Technically I have introduced myself already but with all the noise, and the drinks, I don’t even know if she got my name.

I remember her yelling something to Demetria, though I don't remember what. I don’t remember what because she took my hands in hers and then she started to make me dance on the grass and she was in sandals and I had those orange sneakers and I don't think she was drunk there was just a lot of noise and then she laughed and I felt dumber than ever in the best possible way.

She had nice clothes. A tank top showing most of her back and arms, the prosthesis and and the huge tattoo on the other one. Must have hurt a bunch to sit through it all. Her hair is cut short, really short, and one of her eyes is also fake but she moved with grace anyways. And she has a little scar on her eyebrow that looks kinda cute and freckles and snake bite piercings and a beautiful smile and nice lips that look a little dry and she smells good and…

Anyways I think I have a really big fat crush.

Demetria raises an amused eyebrow.

“Introduce you. My, my. And what for, pray tell?”

“I think I might be in love.”

She blinks. Slowly sets her cup down on the table.

“Khaliun, you are aware than I am five years older than you, right? So is Ether.”

Oh. Okay. I thought she was a little younger.

But I don't give much of a shit, actually?

“I don’t mind! I just… I don't know, she’s just… pretty, and funny, and smart, and… and…”

And I'm so very screwed.

“Okay, so if I understand correctly, you want me to be… how do you say? Your wingwoman?”

“Yup. About right.”

“Hmm. I’m not against it, but… Ether and I, we don’t have the best history. She might not take it well if I’m the one trying to set her up with someone, of all people.”

A… history. Oooooh boy. What have I gotten myself into? Oh well that’ll be a problem for future me.

“I don’t need you to get me a date or whatever, I just… I know she studies medicine but does she live nearby? Does she go on walks often? What kind of things does she like? I just… You know, if I'm going to flirt with someone, I wanna do it properly!”

“That sounds more like wooing than flirting, but I see your point.”

She sips a little coffee from her cup and smiles. Hell yeah I'm nailing this.

“Well then. She lives in one of the buildings surrounding the park. If you have an animal or work out a lot, you may have a chance or two.”

Welp. Guess I know where I'm doing my morning runs from now on!

“Okay, noted! Anything else?”

“Not really. You just wait for her to notice you, if she's interested she'll strike up the conversation herself. Lucky for you, you seem like the social type. Also, be careful, she tends to get a loooot of one-night stands, so maybe hold off the sexual tension for a while or she might get the wrong idea. Just talk with her here and there. That should do it.”

I nod frantically as she speaks. Yup, sounds like a plan.

“Demetria, you're an angel sent from above.”

“Oh, Ether would tell you I crawled out of hell.”

“Well, it's always good to have a second opinion, right?”

She blinks. Again. Then chuckles. Again.

“Oh, I wasn’t expecting much, but you, Khaliun? You might actually succeed. Given how peculiar you are.”

Hehe. I’m kinda glad to hear that.

“Thanks! I gotta run now, but thank you so so so much, really, oh and here’s the money for the coffee by the way!”

I slap a few coins on the tables before jumping up. I have an errand to run for mom and a jogging itinerary to prepare. Demetria simply waves.

“Why, you're welcome. Contact me again whenever you wish to.”

Oh if this works out I sure will. But I need to put effort into it.

So I do. I change my running plan, pass by the park every day. I see Ether a few times, from afar, when she’s heading to work. She looks tired but she’s still beautiful.

After a few days, she starts waving at me. After a week, she starts hanging around the park. And after two weeks, I see her sitting on a bench one sunday morning, in shorts and t-shirt, smiling, like she's been waiting for me. So I stop running. I’m sweaty and panting like crazy and a mess and she just looks so perfect.

“H-Hi,” I wheeze. “Fancy… seeing you here.”

She laughs and it's a symphony to my ears.

“Hi, Khaliun.”

Oh lord she remembers my name. She. Remembers. MY. NAME.

“I’ve seen you more often lately. Is it intentional or…?”

Okay. Breathe, Khaliun, breathe. Don’t mess this up.

“Uh… Yeah. Kinda. Been thinking about you a lot since the party.”

Her smile gets wider.

“Really? So you’re running here every morning just to see me?”

When she puts it that way, it sounds kinda ridiculous. But she's right, and she knows she’s right because I blush like crazy.

“Well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about you too. You're really cute.”

AAAAAA SHE CALLED ME CUTE EVERYBODY STAY CALM I MIGHT JUST ASCEND- Oh I am SO FUCKED and I'm SO HAPPY ABOUT IT.

“I live nearby, you know” Ether adds. “We could… I dunno. Go to my place, if you wanna talk more.”

I’m very, very tempted to say yes. Because she seems receptive, and by how she's eyeing my bare arms she likes what she sees.

But I remember Demetria’s advice. About her. About hooking up. About rushing in headfirst.

I should take this slowly.

“Well… Actually, I was hoping we could maybe just… walk around the park? Talk a little? Maybe grab a bite afterwards? If you want, I mean.”

Ether looks a little caught off-guard, but she slowly gets up. And… I think her cheeks have darkened a little. Awwww.

“Sure! Sure, we can do that too. I’d love that.”

Score. That was a good move.

And so we walk. And we talk. And sometimes our hands touch. And we get a drink from a vending machine. And we talk more. And she doesn't stop and neither do I. And we exchange numbers. And I walk her home. And I stand in front of the door blushing like an idiot.

An idiot who’s definitely in love.