6 Signboards

On a joy ride home, a guy sat in the empty seat beside me. 2 song tracks later, he waved a hand in front of my face. “Hi” he said, Can I get to know you?

I couldn’t agree less because it is a long ride home, a chat wouldn’t harm! What’s your name? Where do you stay? I learnt that he plays in the rugby club (not the usual in-school CCA), and sheepishly said he is also in the Choir. So you just came back from training? the curious me asked. Yes, he replied.

It took me guts to talk to you, he admitted. Oh? I am amazed. Why so? I don’t bite and what’s the most harm I can do to you? He laughed, I laughed. He is so peculiar, he said he was counting the signboards. “I said to myself I will talk to you after the 6th signboard” That touched my heart, in a ticklish way, because he mustered that much courage just to talk to me.

It was finally my stop to alight, I told him to excuse me and he stood up to make room for my exit. He said Goodbye, Fateha. I replied him a Goodbye.

I didn’t look back and throw a wave because, it will be weird to wave to a person who was a stranger to you 20 minutes ago. I just walked away.

Dear readers, here is the twist. He is 15 years old and I am 22.

Thank you very much and goodnight.