How We Came To Be - Part 1

Warning: Another VERY long post, which I felt inclined to write, as a sweet remembrance.

It was someone that I had randomly messaged on G4M a little more than 2 weeks ago. Someone whom I thought was cute. Expectations weren't high that he would respond, but he did. We ended up chatting on MSN and exchanged numbers. In the last 2 weeks, we've been texting and calling each other. Finally, we decided to meet up last Friday.

He has very a busy schedule and works hard for someone so young. He's only 19, has to attend class every weekday morning till noon, then has to handle two part-time jobs back to back almost daily, up till late at night. So, I understood that he could only meet me later at night. We decided to meet at McDonald's in Green Lane, after he got off work at around 10:30 pm. I arrived around 10:20 pm and waited around, listening to MP3s on my cellphone. It was almost 11 and he still wasn't there. I bumped into a friend of mine and his BF, who were both studying upstairs (it's a double storey McD outlet). After passing some time chatting with both of them upstairs, it was already 11:40 pm and I was getting restless and slightly frustrated. It also didn't help when I called him after I had arrived at McD's, only to let him abruptly cut me off as he was busy.

Just as I was abandoning all hopes that something good would come out of that night, he called and told me that he'd be arriving soon, apologizing for the long wait in the process. I told him how long I had waited, and was actually upstairs with some friends. He suggested that maybe we should meet another time, since he wasn't that properly dressed and had just got recovered from a cold earlier that day. But I insisted, since I had already there and had waited almost an hour and half. So, I promptly went downstairs looking for him and found a slightly shorter guy, who wore a cute pair of glasses and turned to smile at me. I didn't immediately recognize him, but went over to talk to him. I found a place to sit while he got some food. Poor lad was hungry coz he hasn't eaten since lunch.

Amidst him munching down his dinner/supper, we talked casually about each other, like how we do on the phone. Only now, it was more lively since we were face to face. He apologized about how he was eating, since he was so hungry. I found it slightly amusing and adorable, the rather crude manner he was noshing down the food, like half child and half starving. After a while, he complained of being cold so we moved outside. I got some coffee while we sat outside. He had 2 smokes while we were outside, which I slightly disapproved of. Someone so young shouldn't start ruining his lungs. He told me that was his last pack. (By the way, McD's 'premium roast coffee' tastes like watered down expresso that's bland without any aroma. Stay AWAY from it unless you need caffeine to save your life!).

Later on, he wanted us to move elsewhere. It was about almost 1 am when we left McD's, I wasn't sure. I was undecided on where to go, so we ended up driving around town for almost 20 minutes. It was a relaxing night drive for me. During the drive, we talked about anything and everything. He would laugh adorably when something was funny. He would look slightly troubled when he thought of work. But overall, I felt comfortable around him. I didn't feel awkward or distant. It was as if, he was an everyday friend that I met all the time. I did notice some subtle but detectable signs in his body language. In a way, I felt as if he was trying to get close, but hesitated and unsure. Or perhaps it was just me?

After a short while, he decided that we should go to the beach. He then directed me to his favorite spot, somewhere in the Tanjung Tokong area. The place was right beside the Tanjung Bungah hotel, and it was apparently a public beach spot for fishing as well. When we arrived, we sat on the walls that were erected to protect the houses by the beach from soil or sand erosion. We talked a bit more as we gazed into the almost starless night. Not a hint of breeze was felt, yet it didn't feel warm at all. The gentle splashes from the sea beating onto the beach filled the night. It felt calm and serene. I thought I saw a lighthouse flashing the distance in front of us, as we faced the sea, but he told me it was probably a ship.

As we talked, sitting side by side, he would occasionally throw a smile as he looked at me. The signs from his body language were still subtle but getting a bit stronger. I still felt that it was just me. As the night progressed, he sat with his back facing me, just occasionally glancing back to smile as we talked, though we weren't talking as much but rather, enjoyed the peace of the night by the sea.

Suddenly, he leaned backwards, lay on his head on my left lap and clasped my left arm with both of his hands onto his chest. As he lay there with his eyes closed, I gently stroke his hair and ear with my right hand. As he held me closer to feel more snug, I could hear the rustling of the stones and bottles on the beach, as small beach crabs scampered to find morsels of food. The echoing splashes of the sea felt closer and the night was still. It's been so long since I felt the closeness of a cuddle and this felt incredibly romantic to me. It was something I had never expected to experience that night. It was one of those perfect moments that we hear about, and it was a moment I never want to forget.

After about an hour, both of us got up and briefly walked further down the beach and back, hand in hand. I told him I wanted him to attend my birthday gathering on Saturday night, and he agreed on condition that he would only want to sit next to me.

TO BE CONTINUED.....