My boss is not around so I managed to make a one-shot, tell me what you think afterwards.

I’ve been sleeping for almost two hours maybe judging from the dryness of my lips that were seemingly glued together with mightybond whatsoever and my mouth tasted terrible. I felt someone tapping my shoulder, squinting my eyes open, I recognized The disturber as the unibrowed, barbecue sauce-stained-shirt wearing buffy bus driver and I thought What the hell does he want.

“Sorry ma’a,m, engine malfunction, if you could just step out for a minute while we fix this ”

I was certainly flummoxed.

Wow with the fusion of politeness and douch-baggery there mister, I thought, yawning as I slung my bagpack over my shoulders and headed for the craggy and rusty bus exit. I glanced on my swatch and figured I still have an hour or so to idle around as the doughy guy fumbled around the engine with a set of tools I was never familiar with and had last seen when I was an energetic five year-old sneaking around my father’s toolbox.

I sat, more like slouched on a bench, a plastic blue-hued canopy hovering over me, a smelly trash bin not far from where I’m sitting and a bunch of weeds growing beneath the wooden seat, and they call this a waiting shed.

How…retrogressing-ly innovative.

I sighed and took out my Iphone5 where I remembered a traumatic battle between me and the 49th level of this stinking game everybody had come to love and had become so mainstream that almost everyone is enticed to play though sometimes half-heartedly and due to bandwagon but they play it nonetheless, be informed that we’re talking about that stupid candy crush by the way, so yeah, time to face the nemesis, I thought and tapped my way through the virtual pathway of never-ending annoyance and that faux-suave voice of a man that says ‘Sweet’. Do I have to mention that I’m scowling whilst playing? Meh.

Halfway through it, while cracking my thumb bones and blowing air to my now sweaty hands, I notice an approaching person, it was a woman wearing a cream colored wool sweater with plaid button-up polo on the inside with its collars sticking out, a seemingly ripped-by-a-dinosaur’s-claw denim shorts and this black, ghetto bonnet that looks funny to me. It isn’t really very girly, in my opinion. I like it when girls wear beanies and bonnets that droop down a little behind the head and stuff like that but this one, it’s really funny, the tip of the bonnet seemed hard for it was sort of standing proudly on top of her head, like it was gelled or sprayed with hairnet, it even has this embroidered unfortunately unintelligent word tucked on the center of the garment.

It says ‘bbyxinnocenz’

Don’t ask me, I don’t even know what the that means.

The woman sat beside me, lips pursed and seemed to be in deep thought. Probably thinking what time we’ll be able to hit the road again, or maybe she’s an ex murderer, a hustler? Meh, I doubt it, she’s too pretty to be one. And yes, here I am planning to beat the 49th level of a stupid game and yet shamelessly checking out a random stranger, I should get a life. A lipstick magically appeared from her hand as she smoothly applies it on her already lipstick-clad lips, retouch time motherer.

“Do you know most lipsticks contain fish scales?”

“Says who?”

“Says a very credible and informative magazine I’ve read when I was thirteen”

She chuckled and then scowled at me. “Don’t tell me what to do”

Well aren’t you a lovely little .

In the distance, I hear the beefy guy curse a string of cuss words in an incredible speed his parents would’ve slapped the crap out of him if they ever heard, seems like the fixing is going to take a while and I’m still stuck at ing 49, with a too. What an awesome day. Out of nowhere, she started humming a song in which I reckon as Lorde’s Royals, at least she has taste in music.

“And we’ll never be royals” she softly spoke in a raspy voice I couldn’t believe she possessed, now that’s down right y right there, I don’t mind being erse as of the moment.

“It don’t run in our blood, that kind of lux just ain’t for us” I followed along and she looked at me, I thought she was going to go mad and say ‘You don’t interrupt one’s singing did I even invite you? I don’t even know you” but instead she continued it whilst still staring at me.

“Let me be your ruler, you can call me queen bee” in which she stopped, I guessed she wanted me to finish it so I did.

“And baby I’ll rule let me live that fantasy”

“Nice voice” she said afterwards.

“Ditto” I answered. “Although I don’t really agree with a certain part, I know artists do that nowadays, to purposely change the verb wherein it doesn’t match the subject, you get me? They think it’s cool, I think it’s dumb”

“Well aren’t you something” she whispered and we stared at each other for the longest time I have ever stared at a stranger, a pretty stranger.

“Tiffany” she extended her hand. I was a bit skeptic but shook it out of courtesy and good thing I did, she has the softest hands I have ever touched. Not that I touch a lot of strangers’ hands though.

“Kim Taeyeon”

“Well, nice to meet you Kim Taeyeon”

“Just Taeyeon”

“Alright, so what do you do Just Taeyeon? What’s your story?” she inquired as she popped a bottle of red bull and sipped, do things just magically appear in her hands?

“I’m into music, dj-ing and stuff, nothing grand though, still learning the art, also I’m taking up Math at McFord’s, you?” I said as my game and willpower to win it already tossed in the air and forgotten.

“Awesomesauce, that’s cool, I’m into English literature and music on my free time, I go to Willson’s, actually on my way there to learn the same everyday and kick some balls when the need arises”. She finished and gulped down the rest of the drink.

I chuckled.

“You’re a different girl”

“How?” Tiffany asked.

“I don’t know, you tell me” I flirted and saw her eyebrow lift and a small smirk on the corner of her lips in which she bit after scoffing at me, I found it somewhat enticing, no matter how odd that might sound.

“Hey you, ma’am, everything’s set and we’re off in a minute” shouted the er of the year. I painstakingly stood up and grabbed my stuffs before bidding her farewell.

“Well, that was a worthwhile moment, thank you very much” I, in my politest tone, said to her and did a playful bow. She smiled, is it just me or was her smile a sad one?

“Guess so, don’t get killed then” she waved; I chuckled on my way back to the stupid bus feeling bittersweet.

As the renewed engine roared and the vehicle started moving, a debate commenced inside my head, a mix of logical reasons and irrational impulses arguing like a cat and dog. Throwing caution to the wind, I screamed ‘stop’ as the bus halted, dashed my way back to the ugliest waiting shed I have ever seen in my life, and she was still there.

At first, she was befuddled upon seeing me catch my breath looking like I was in the middle of an asthma attack or I’ve swallowed a poodle’s furball or whatever.

“Well hello again, Just Taeyeon”

“How long does it take to go to Willford’s?”

“Thirty minutes max, why?”

“I think I’m in the mood to tour an absolutely foreign school with an absolutely foreign person with a ridiculous bonnet”

“You did not just say that”

“I just did”

“The fare’s on you”

“The pleasure’s mine, do you mind if we get some dinner too? I might starve to death.”

“Smooth move” she said and for the first time, I saw her genuine smile, disappearing bright eyes and all. My heart skipped a beat. Oh this would definitely take a while.

***

Hers are the eyes like those of a meek feline

Swathe in the fairness of her face is the innocence of a child

Deep in her orbs live vivid curiosity; a faultless inquisitiveness

And I, a vagabond child of the winter snow, was enchanted; inadvertently ensnared

A round of applause echoed through the room, from my view I can see the clapping hands of my classmates. It has been a routine every Wednesday at poetry class that we read out loud, today, is Wednesday. My unlucky day I don’t fancy the theatrical intonation and contortion of faces which seems to me as if an individual is suffering from stomach constipation just to convey whatever message their poetry work has. Not to mention the choreography and synchronisation of hands and arms flailing in the air like a swaying but dying seaweed on the bottom of the ocean bed.

All I’m saying is, just freaking write the damn poem and voila! Finished No more, no less. People keep complicating things by adding and adding and adding stuffs with the cliché alibi of innovation and improvement. I raise my middle finger to that my friend.

My professor fixed his glasses that have gone astray from the bridge of his crooked nose; his clap was lethargic as if saying ‘not that impressed’, but meh, I never knew what this old ’s thinking.

“For whom was that?” he questioned.

For someone named none of your business I wanted to answer but restrained myself and timidly said it was for a stranger I had crossed paths with a week ago.

“I see… it was well-made; in my understanding, it’s about a chance encounter?”

“You could say that, yes”

“…and of piqued interest, an expectant soul hoping for something to blossom”

I kept mum, mainly because I didn’t know what to answer. I just thought of a silent ‘Whatever’ as a response to him, that day I went home with an A+ which was kind of super cool, like sick wicked cool, I have to thank that ‘Just Taeyeon’ girl, I mean I wouldn’t have created such a ‘masterpiece’ as per my lanky four-eyed classmate named Gus who’s been leaving me crumpled notes under my desk, like what the fudge this is so high school, it’s disgusting. Anyway, yeah, so my classmate Gus whom I dumped three times in a row with the same phrase ‘I’m not interested in guys’ but still he perseveres, stubborn bastard that Gus, I hope he gets sick of it soon.

So back to Taeyeon, whom I have to thank but have no idea how because I don’t even know her contact details and I might end up as chopped human meat if ever I dare go alone on some place I’ve never set my foot into, exaggerating here since McFord is just a couple of miles away, but still, you’ll never know who roams the streets looking for a victim with a hot bod a.k.a myself.

My professor, Mr. Augst was right though, about the chance encounter, without that happening, I wouldn’t have been annoyed by some girl saying that lipsticks are made of fish scales like did she grew up reading encyclopaedia britannicas or what? But she was funny and fair; she has nice skin, like milk and silk, even the words rhyme, ing perfect. Yeah, getting astray again, so without that eventful happening, I wouldn’t have the inspiration to write my feelings and thoughts and transfer it to a piece of paper.

The day after I brought Taeyeon with me to school, Kelsey, my aussie friend poked my sides and started chanting ‘Tiffny az a galfriend’ in which I grabbed her left to shut her up, that shut her up but not without leaving a remark that goes something like ‘I’d warn you to be careful and be safe, but guess you guys don’t need those things so just drink lots of water and keep it going till morning’ That , doesn’t attraction come first before ? Or love infatuation whatever bull coated in sugar, spice and everything nice?

I’m not one to think about the joys of blossoming mutual attraction and whatnot kind of that only happen in movies and make the fragile hearts of weak women break and a bucket full of their salty tears and snots lined up near their feet. I believe that attraction is ever so present, mutual attraction as well but it doesn’t, most of the time ends up in wedding bells and extravagant honey ing moons no, I believe that the best way to enjoy such things is to enjoy it whilst you have it, savour the present and not plan the future. So all I’m saying is, yes, I might be attracted to that little dimwit I met and she might be attracted to me too, the tard me.

It kind of saddened me a little when we parted and she didn’t even left me her number or address or something, how are we going to hang out again right? It irked me a little as I kicked a small rock on the pavement which rolled down onto the stream with a liquid-y plonk.

Liquid-y is not a word, I just made that up.

And so I headed home with low shoulders and decided to review some notes instead when I saw a very unattractive handwriting on the upper right part of the last page of my notebook, like chicken feet marks on rich soil.

Just Taeyeon

07353-1569

Goddammit that little sneak! I said to myself feigning anger yet smiling broadly. But since I’m not sure whether this number is true or she might be bullting me, I tested the waters.

You just won a million dollars! Congratuinglations!

Hi Tiffany, took you long enough

That , mocking my skills.

How’d ya know twas me?

Apparently, no proper organization would text clients a ‘Congratuinglations’

Point taken

I see you’ve seen your notebook, yes?

Obviously, dumb-o

It went on till three in the morning, we were texting as though it’s apocalypse day tomorrow and it’s our last night on Earth. Finally, after an exchange of colourful but senseless and random , we bid goodbye albeit through phone and hoped for a good night’s sleep. Five minutes into bed I hear my phone buzzing against the mahogany nightstand, I snatched it without the concern to check first who the other person on the line is and yelled, in my abnormally loud voice ‘DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS?!’

“According to your last message stored in my inbox; it’s 3:03am but now it’s 3:12am”

Bewildered with the unfamiliar yet proverbial voice I heard, I checked the caller id and my eyes shot open as though I wasn’t dying of tiredness and sleepiness a while ago; a sudden frantic rhythm of beating started in the confines of my chest as I placed the phone back to my ears.

“Hey…” I said.

“Sorry, were you sleeping?”

“About to”

“Sorry”

“Stop saying sorry, God!”

“Okay, sorry”

“Are you dumb?” I sort of laughed-teased, she chuckled, she laughs like my freaking grandma, sorry granny, I love you lots.

“You laugh like an old woman in her menopausal fifties”

“I get that a lot but hey thanks for the crisp description”

And we laughed some more.

“So…”

“So…”

“I just want to say good night, properly. Good night Tiffany”

“Good night, Just Taeyeon”

We had agreed to meet again, this time, at McFord's, Taeyeon said they have better belgian waffles, she must think she could lure me in with food, but if she only knew she need not to because she had at that stupid lipstick remark the day we met.

I heard an endearing giggle a silent yet audible ‘okay’ before the call dropped.

The line went dead but I have never felt so alive.

This was totally random and , i have no other words XD

Anyway, to aid your imaginaion, i was aiming for this kind of clothing for Tiffany,and something casual but cool for Taeyeon: