Nisa

“I feel strange today, a little nervous but I know I shouldn’t be it’s not like he's going to bite me or anything”. She said to herself as she brushed her hair in front of the mirror thinking of the possibilities of her first date in what felt like years.  She run a stick of red lipstick across her lips puckered up and smiled back at her reflection. The war paint was complete and she was ready to slay her charming victim.

Meters out of the front door she picked up her fluffy big black and white cat, nuzzled it's nose against hers and wished it adieu. It was a few minutes’ walk to the nearest bus stop. She kept her head down all the way checking her phone for any messages praying her new knight in shining armor didn’t cancel on her right when she was about to begin her journey towards him.

The first bus arrived and she walked in took her sit as it proceeded to the next stop. She took a sit at the back and searched for pictures of her date. With every swipe of his pictures she begun to have second thoughts noting things about him she didn’t like, like his dressing, how he cut his hair, his shoes. She sighed and threw her phone into her carry-on bag.

As the bus slowed down to its next stop a handsome young man walked in and made his way to the back taking the empty sit right next to hers. She turned to face him “my goodness he's gorgeous” she said to herself. The young man turned and for a second and their eyes met before she quickly averted her gaze.

For a few minutes as the bus drove to the next stop they both sat there quietly each too shy to offer the first hello. Moments passed in wonder as they both traced each other’s attractive features. He stared at her eyes, she gazed at his lips. He followed the length of her nose down to her upper lip then stopped at her chin. “She is divine” he taught to himself as they both stared away from each other, then…

A quiet panic begun to build inside her and she begun to question the probability that brought them together. Her mind raced with new questions “What if he doesn’t like me?” and “Maybe he already has someone” together with “should I say hi first or let him” and so on and so on, to an infinite cacophony of doubt that soon struck her new admirer in equal measure.

She leaned her shoulder to the window on her right, placed her hand on her forehead and sighed as she gazed out in bewilderment. He turned to catch a glimpse of her face once again and a familiar sadness engulfed his being seeing her in such a crest fallen state. 

The bus turned then screeched to a halt upon arriving at its finally stop. He turned to look at her once more as the rest of the passengers hurried out of the bus, and they both sat there for a brief moment each hesitant with eyes full of expectation!