Pastel Pink Is Your Colour

When Sher Shavik Silas found out that his high school crush, as luck would have it, was in the premises of his very own college, he was on cloud nine. This joyful news reached him from another freshman, with whom he had instantly hit off, as a result of a truth or drink game they were playing in their dormitory a fortnight before The Great Disappointment and a night before an assignment due date. In that moment, as he sat in a ritualistic circle of semi-strangers and himself half-drunk, he was forced to disclose the name of his crush. There and then he spewed out the name of one of the only two crushes he ever had in his life. 

"Lena Lovelack," he confessed. The other was his eighth grade English teacher, who was instantly dethroned by the former. "Lena, Lena, Lena," he shamelessly sung and before long, he was passed out on his bed, the happenings of the night already fading from his conscience. 

It was the next morning, after class when his friend walked up to him and they both fell into a conversation about the assignment they hadn't submitted that he finally mentioned a "Lena Loveless". To this, Sher furrowed his eyebrows and said, "It's Lovelack." 

"Uh, yeah. Same thing." his friend shrugged it off. 

After hesitating. "What about her?"

"She broke my brother's heart and now there are speculations that she's dating her Chemistry professor. He's forty six," he stuck out his tongue. 

With every sentence, Sher's confusion skyrocketed. He stopped walking. "Hold on, you know her?"

"Yes, she broke my brother's heart and we happen to study in the same college," with his hand he gestured around himself.

And that my friends was the exact moment when Sher realized that all the stars had aligned for him. The girl he yearned for with all his might was in fact a freshman in the his college. In a daze he barely murmured an "Oh." 

"You didn't know? Then how did you know her?" 

"Yes. From, uh, high school and preschool. We were kind of friends."

"Now that is an achievement. Are you still into her though?"

Sher snapped out of his reverie to protect his vulnerable dignity. "Naw." But he knew that couldn't have been far from the truth. He discerned that he was still in love with her and all it needed to rekindle the fire of this love was a silly game of truth and dare. Life, all of a sudden, had become beautiful, perhaps even brighter. Then came the day when he would talk to her, which was two weeks after the Incident of the Confession. Sher had been mustering up the courage to speak to her for days now and after finally figuring out the exact coordinates of her location, he found her, in all her grace and magnetism, walking towards him. His heart threatened to burst through his chest. He placed a hand on it and prepared himself. She was closer now and he noticed that her hair was shorter and that her arms were more muscular than when he saw her last, but he didn't mind, for why would he? Lena looked as regal as ever to him. Now it was time to approach her. He saw her thick brown hair bouncing with every step she took away from him. 

Then, "Lena". His throat felt like sand paper. 

She looked over her shoulder and from her beautiful mouth came the inquisitive sound of a perfectly pronounced "Yes?" 

Sher, all of a sudden conscious of his rugged attire, took one step closer to her and barely being able to look her in the eyes, spoke. "Lena Lovelack?" 

"Yes," She turned her whole body towards him. 

"Can we talk?" He gestured. "Alone?" 

She glanced around, confused.  

"It's Sher. Remember me?" He smirked with confidence.

She made a face that hinted towards the negative. "I'm sorry."

"Oh," He scratched his temple. 

"But we can talk, sure. Maybe I'll remember," She pointed towards the college cafeteria, her eyebrows raised expectantly. 

Sher was elated. "Ladies first." 

In the cafeteria, Lena took out her pastel pink wallet to pay for the water bottle. It matched the color of Sher's face at that moment. It reminded him of the color of her water bottle when they were in preschool and the color of her nail polish on the eve of Prom; the day he almost told her he liked her but didn't. That was a bad memory he didn't like to go back to. 

"What did you say your name was again?"

"Sher Silas. We were in preschool together. Also high school." 

"It's so weird because I don't remember you at all. Are you sure I'm the person you're looking for?"

You are everything that I am looking for and more, he thought. "Yes. With a name as unique as yours, I don't think I could get it wrong even if I wanted to." 

This made her smile and what a smile it was. A smile so distinct, so beautiful that Sher instantly looked away, for he knew that if he lingered any longer, he would die, quite literally. 

"I'm sorry, I still don't remember. I'm guessing we weren't close?" 

"We were friends, not best friends but good enough friends in pre school. In high school we went our separate ways but we still hung out sporadically." 

"Really? Why can't I remember? Wow I'm getting old, aren't I?" 

"Well, that's a pity," he sighed. "But I don't blame you. I'm not a very memorable guy." 

Lena leaned in and pat him twice on his arm in a reassuring manner. "I'm sorry I forgot you." 

"No hard feelings." 

"Well, I have to go now, so if you'll excuse me." 

Before she could leave, he stopped her. 

"Wait," He struggled to formulate a proper sentence. "I've always had a crush on you and when I found out we were in the same college, it was, and this might sound corny, like a dream come true. I just wanted to tell you and get it off my chest." 

"Wow. Okay," Lena was stupefied.

Sher got a little closer, towering over her by a few inches. "I have been practicing for this moment for two weeks now. I'm just gong to say it. Would you like to go on a date with me?" 

He saw Lena take a step back. "Look, I've got some work to do and, I just don't know you, I'm sorry," And just like that, she was gone. 

The weeks following The Great Disappointment were synonymous of eating stale bread. Sher Shavik Silas was ashamed. For the first time, he regretted nurturing feelings for Lena in his heart. In the desperation to get his mind off the mishaps that he bore, he shifted his focus to his studies and worked on all his assignments and group projects with such vigor that a passerby wouldn't know his inner turmoil. Then one day, a mysterious note arrived for him. It was inside a pastel pink envelope carefully made by hand. Sher snatched it from his friend's hand and went into the bathroom. For a few minutes, he just stared at it, knowing damn well who it was from. In delicate cursive handwriting at the top left corner were written the Initials, L. L. Underneath it, the letter read: 

I confess, I do remember you. In fact, long before you saw me, I saw you. I know you must be confused but I hope this letter answers all your questions. When I found out you were in the same college as I, I was over the moon. My reputation in this place has already been stained, and when I realized that you looked past it, I was elated. However, my experience with relationships has never been good. When you asked me out, I panicked. To be honest, I would have said yes, but the love I saw in your eyes for me, I got scared. I have always liked you as well, and how can I not? You have been one of the kindest people I have ever come across and kindness these days is hard to find. I just wanted you to think that I was cool and popular and if I played hard to get, you would chase me. In all honesty, I just wanted for you to think highly of me and not know me as the person I have become. I am sorry if I hurt your feelings and no, I don't have dementia. I do remember every memory we shared. After all, how could I forget? 

So, will you ask me out again? 

End Scene.