The Day I First Saw Him

My heart stopped.

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

I had never seen a boy so perfect.

Sitting above me was the most striking breed of male. Obsidian Black eyes and Jet Black beautiful hair combined with his pale skin. Dressed casually in a leather jacket, T-shirt, Jeans and sneakers. His beauty was something I couldn’t put into words. His hands were veiny and his fingers slim. His physique was lean, not too muscular but not too thin.

He was my perfect boy and it seemed as if he jumped right out of the story books that I was so obsessed with.

The branch cracked below him and he lowered his book, his eyes showed frustration and irritation. The weak branch had interrupted his peaceful reading. He sighed as the branch cracked once more.

I got up and jumped out of the way.

Our eyes met for the briefest moment just before the branch completely snapped and it fell.

The boy was ten feet above ground and I was certain that he would break one, if not two bones.

Instead he landed on his feet and held his head in annoyance as the branch fell with a thud behind him.

He had landed on the floor before the branch? Just what kind of human was he?

Just then the bell rang and I knew I had no time to waste. Math class had started. I ran at top speed, not realizing it, but leaving the book I was reading behind. I ran through the maze of corridors passing my peers, each busy in their own world. I reached the classroom a whole 7 minutes late, but I was surprised to be the second one there. The first one was the boy.

The same boy

How did he even get there before me?

I took my seat behind the boy and imagined a romance novel in my head. The main characters; him and I of course.

“You’re early today, Mr Reese.” The Math teacher, Mister Brian eyed the boy – Reese through the edge of his thick square framed spectacles.

Reese didn’t reply to the teacher’s remark.

After our class had about 17 students, Mr Brian began the normal lecture. Math always bored me. Not because I was bad at it, just because it was too easy. English on the other hand, was filled with secrets and plot twists. Reese seemed to be pretty bored too. I didn’t think I had ever seen him before in math class, but I had heard his name and seen his name on the list couple of times.

He was my rival in English.

After the class finally ended, I got up but Reese stopped me. He waited till everyone was outside and then he took out a book.

The book I had been reading below the tree.

“Holly Bourne. You’re a romance-heartbreak fan?” He asked as he handed me the book.

That was the first line he ever said to me.

And it was music to my ears.

“Yeah, you read her too?” I asked.

“Used to. Now I’m more into mystery, thriller, and suspense. You know…that kinda stuff.”

“That’s cool. Have you read…Dan Brown?” I quizzed.

“Duh! Who hasn’t read ‘Da Vinci Code?’ Have you read…Elif Shafak?”

“Course I have. ’40 Rules of Love’ was epic.” I replied with a slight roll of my eyes.

He tilted his head to the side.

That was his habit.

A habit that I fell in love with.

A habit that I began to mirror.

That had been the shortest and briefest conversation, yet I could feel a connection. I saw him more often, and then it seemed to me as if he had always been there…I had just never cared to noticed. They say readers are observers. That could be if a reader would ever be out of their fantasy. It almost seemed like fate. It seemed like he and I were meant to be. That’s what I told myself as I hugged myself to sleep that night.

That was the first day I was thinking about something other than books.

That was the first time I had taken interest in reality.

That was the first moment I had felt alive.