Falling in Love

It is really hard to accept your fate when you are going through difficult times, but it is even harder when you know that the undesirable fate is just because of your stupidity. He was pacing fast, to and fro with a bottle of beer in his hand, thinking about why he could not understand everything and let it slip through his fingers. He punched at the door. He was unable to think, how he could not have felt it before.

Why? He wondered to himself. Why did I do this? Why did she not listen to me? 

But he knew, he could not make her responsible for this, her decision was the reaction of his action.

*********

“Hello ladies, what's happening?” John Montgomery said to the group of girls, “What can I give you?” He winked.

John Montgomery was a real playboy. He was also a dream of every girl in the town. He was tall, strongly built with a six-pack. Dark brown hair and a fair complexion. He worked as a bartender after college. Almost every girl had a huge crush on him.

“A bit of you would be nice,” the one with the red top said.

“Ah! Maybe a kiss,” other one sighed.

“Sorry ladies, you can not have these in here,” he laughed. “Although I would love to,” he winked at them, which made the girls giggle.

Almost every girl in the group was drooling over him, except for one girl sitting quietly. She was not even looking at him, she was busy with her books. 

She was a pretty girl, with big beautiful eyes. She had a perfect figure, with great curves. Wavy brown hair and fair complexion. The best features were her big brown eyes, the sparkly glow in them could make anyone fall for her.

“What's up with you, gorgeous,” John looked at her. “Don't you want to enjoy your weekend?”

“Excuse me, are you talking to me?” She looked up at him.

“Yes,” he replied, looking into her eyes. 

“Then never, talk to me like this again, ever,” she sounded resentful 

“Spencer!” One of her friends called.

“What! Just because you are drooling over him, doesn't give him the audacity to hit on every other girl.”

“Spencer, interesting,” he wrote something on a paper, “here, this is my number.” He took the order and walked away.

“What a jerk.” 

“God Spencer, you are so lucky,” a friend of hers said. “John Montgomery gave you his number.”

“You should totally call him,” another one said.

“Watch me,” She sarcastically smiled and threw the paper away.

“No!” They all shouted, unitedly.

********

“I saw a girl at the bar today,” John said, thinking deeply.

“You see a lot of girls daily,” Mark smiled, “There must be something really special about her that John Montgomery remembers her,” he laughed and continued, “you don't even remember the girls you sleep with.”

“Stop it, Mark,” he replied. “Yes there was something special, I … I don't know, she didn't even look at me.”

“Oh! So this was the main reason,” he smirked. “So what now?”

“I don't know, I mean how is that even possible,” John sounded confused. “It was the first time I gave my number to someone and she threw it away.”

“So, what's the problem with it?” Mark asked, opening a pack of chips. “If you like her, go and decently tell her.”

“Like her!” He said, laughing. “I just want to get back to her for this.”

“That is wrong John, leave it,” Mark said.

John just smiled, slyly.

********

 "Hi, you are Spencer, from the bar," John said.

John was at a local grocery store when he spotted Spencer near the vegetable aisle. 

"Yeah, may I help you?" Spencer replied coldly.

"Come on, I was just doing my job, I am not a bad boy," John explained.

"Yeah, I never really knew that some job descriptions also ask their employees to flirt," Spencer rolled her eyes.

"Ok, just give me one chance, hi, I am John, John Montgomery," he extended his hand for a handshake.

Spencer hesitated.

"Just one chance?"

"Ok," she smiled, " I am Spencer Marin." She shook his hand.

Of course, I am impossible to resist, he thought.

"I am studying English Literature, and at night, I am a bartender," John introduced.

"I am studying Law," Spencer replied.

"Want to grab coffee? Or a drink, anything?"

"Yeah sure."

********

"How did it go?" Mark asked.

Mark and I were doing our duty at the bar. It was a Saturday night and the bar was crowded.

"We had a drink, we laughed and now I have a date, tomorrow," John turned towards Mark. “And you.. ,” he pointed at Mark, “are going to cover for me, here.”

"Sure, you mean you guys are getting along? Well, that's nice, you are having a real date."

"Suck it up, it's just a part of my act," John replied, sarcastically. 

********

"So, what is your favourite thing to do?" Spencer asked cheerfully, "Other than hitting on girls." She smiled, mischievously. 

"You are never going to forget it, huh!" He replied smiling, his full toothed grin.

"Well…" she pretended to be thinking, "I might… someday."

“Oh God, I am going to hear this for the rest of my life,” John shook his head, laughing.

"What makes you so sure that we are going to be together for the rest of our lives?" She asked.

"Hmm… I have a feeling," John winked.

Spencer blushed.

Got you finally, John thought to himself.

"Emm… you didn't answer me," she tried to change the subject.

"About what? Being together till eternity or my favourite thing."

He finally had got her, and he was not ready to let go of the chance this easily.

"Your favourite thing!" She hit him on his shoulder, blushing.

John held her hand and looked deeply into her eyes. She got confused and couldn't move her stares away. She started reaching him for the kiss.

" Well…" he let her hand go and looked upwards, pretended to be thinking. “I like reading books, watching TV, gaming and many others." 

She looked intense and confused. 

Hah! How did you like that!

"Emm… John…. Emm…. I," she stumbled," Need to go. “She picked her stuff and left immediately.

"Hey wait up," John called from behind. 

He started laughing.

Of course, nobody can resist John Montgomery's charm. John ran his hand through his hair.

********

What was that, am I falling for him? She thought.

I might be, her heart skipped a beat.

She smiled, shyly.

But does he feel the same about me? She wondered.

Of course, his meaningful jokes, the way he holds my hand, looking at me intensely. 

Her heart argues back.

But when I tried to kiss him today, he moved away.

Might be a coincidence. She comforted herself.

She lied down and tried to sleep. But was unable to. She couldn't stop thinking about her and John spending their lives together.

I love you, John…

********

"So-o, how did it go?” Mark asked, while lighting his cigarette.

“It was good,” John replied plainly.

John and Mark were on their way for the basketball game. It was a saturday night and the big game was on. John was behind the wheels and Mark was sitting on the passenger seat. 

“What do you mean good,” Mark took a close glance at John.

“Well, it was good,” John looked at him. “And that’s what I mean.”

“Did something happen?” Mark asked, confused.

“Well,” John started. “First I gave her a signal for kissing and then I simply blew it off,” he laughed loudly. “I wish you could have seen the look on her face.” 

“I really do not think that you should have done it,” Mark sounded crossed.

“What do you mean,” John became angry too.

“I mean you should stop all this,” Mark looked at him. “What you are doing is not ethical.”

“Oh right,” John replied sarcastically. “Now I am going to take notes on ethics from Mr. Mark Marshall,” John sounded angry.

“I am just saying that…” Mark was not completed when John interrupted.

“Don’t,” John raised his hand and stopped him. “This has nothing to do with you plus, I do not want to kill my mood, I am really cheerful right now,” he completed.

As they reached the game, the place was over crowded and full of loud roars. They bought some drinks and were heading towards the entrance when John spotted Spencer.

“Spencer!” he called out loudly and went towards her. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I am here for the game,” Spencer replied with a smile.

“I did not know before that you are into basketball,” he smiled back. “Here, meet my friend Mark,” he turned towards Mark and gave him a look, “Mark, this is Spencer, remember I told you about her.”

At first Mark remained silent and stared intensely at John then looked at Spencer and smiled. “Hi Spencer, nice to meet you.”

“Same here,” Spencer replied cheerfully.

“I have heard a lot about you,” Mark looked at John. “He talks about you all the time.”

“He does,” Spencer smiled with a blush and Mark wished he could kill himself right there.

“Yeah,” Mark replied. “Hey why don’t you join us?”

“Oh,” Spencer looked at John, as if not sure. “Actually, I have come with a few friends of mine,” she pointed towards the counter.

“That is absolutely ok,” John replied. “You can join us all,” he smiled his most charming smile. “If you do not mind.”

“Yeah sure,” Spencer smiled. “Let me get them.”

They could see her talking to her friends, he remembered them from the bar, and from their expressions, it seemed like they were interested in more than joining them for the game.

“Hi, I am Charlotte,” one of them put her hand forward, John shook it with a smile. “You are John, the bartender, right?”

“Hey!” Spencer looked at her resented.

“What! I am just asking,” Charlotte smiled.

“Well, this is, you already know now, Charlotte,” Spencer rolled her eyes. “And this is Macy,” she introduced the other girl.

“I guess we should be going, or we will miss the game,” Charlotte said.

“Yeah, your friend is right,” Mark smiled at her, and they all left.

*********

“So guys what do you think?” Spencer asked.

Spencer, Charlotte and Macy were all at the salon, getting their hair treatment, when Spencer asked them all about John.

“Well, I think,” Macy looked at her. “I really think he is into you.”

“You think?” Spencer smiled.

“Totally,” Charlotte agreed as well. “I mean, how he was looking at you continuosly, while you weren't looking," she stopped. “He is totally into you.”

“How long has it been?” Macy asked.

“4 months,” Spencer replied, looking at her.

“Wow,” Charlotte exclaimed.

“What?” Spencer looked at her. “Good wow or bad wow?”

“Of course, good wow!” Charlotte crossed her arms. “What is wrong with you?”

“I don’t know,” Spencer said. “We haven’t really you know, dating,” Spencer said, looking at her hands. “I mean he hasn’t said anything openly.”

“Well, make the move then,” Macy suggested.

“Yeah,” Spencer replied, thoughtfully.

********

“Hey John,” Mark shouted in his ears.

“Wow!” John rubbed his ear. “What is wrong with you dude?”

“I had been shouting your name for quite a while,” Mark said to him. “Where is your mind these days, every time I see you, you are not present,” he came near to him. “Are you falling for her?”

“Shut up,”John said, annoyed.

“Then do what you are supposed to do,” Mark said angrily.

Or am I? He shrugged the thought out of his mind.

*******

“Hey Spence, oh sorry, Mark,” John was at Mark’s place, they were supposed to play some video games.

“Where is your mind dude,” Mark looked him in his eyes. 

“Nothing,” John replied. “I guess I am just spending more time with her.”

“Speaking of her, well, I was wondering if you are not really interested in her,” he hesitated. “There is a friend of mine, I was thinking about introducing him to her.”

“DON’T,” he shouted, Mark looked at him, confused. “I mean, I have not completed what I have started.”

“Are you sure, this is the only reason?”

“Yeah.”

********

“Come on,” John was trying to call again and again. 

“Who are you calling?” Mark asked John, clearing the bar.

“Spencer, you know, I have been trying to call her since morning and she is not picking up,” he stopped. “ I wonder if everything is alright.”

“John,” Mark looked at him. “You are falling for that girl, you are not yourself lately, and I am pretty sure this is the only reason.”

“Stop it Mark,” he turned towards Mark. “I am done with your lectures, I have told you many times that I have no interest in that … nerdy thing,” he stopped. “I just want to humiliate her, and that’s it, OK!” as he turned around, Spencer was standing right infront of him.

“Spence…” he started to say something.

“Don’t,” she stepped backward. Her expressions were saying everything, a tear rolled down her face, and John felt something broke inside of him.

What was that? He wondered. 

She turned around and ran out of there, Macy and Charlotte following her.

“Spencer, wait!” he shouted and ran after her. “He crossed the doors and found her outside, “wait, let me explain.”

“Explain what!” she shouted. “Explain what was your further plan to humiliate me?” she looked at him with disbelief. “Well, congratulations, I am humiliated, as I was falling in love with you.” she said and went away. John couldn't say anything further and watched her walk away, he felt as if a very vital part of him was going away.

********

“Please don't,” John stopped Mark from turning on the lights. “Let it be like this.”

“Dude, what is wrong with you?” Mark asked, pulling him out of the couch. Countless bottles of beer were lying everywhere. " Have you been drinking all night?"

“Nothing, I just don't want to do anything,” John replied.

“And why is that so?” Mark asked him. “You have gotten what you wanted.”

“Shut up,” he barked then let out a sigh. “You were right, all along, I wish I could have understood it then.”

“So what?” Mark stopped. “Get up and run after her, she deserves it.”

“Yes,” he stood up. “You are right, why couldn't I think about it?”

“Because you were busy drinking beer,” Mark smirked.

********

“Spencer, just listen to me,” he pleaded with her.

Spencer was in her college, when he went to her, he knew and looked around, asking everyone for her and then he finally found her.

“I don’t want to,” she replied without stopping.

“Please, just let me say something, then you will be allowed to do whatever you want.”

“Stop creating a scene, and leave.”

“Please,” he held her hand.

“No!” she looked into his eyes.

“Please,” he moved forward and also looked into her eyes, he was inches apart. She moved her eyes away.

“I don’t want to talk to you,” she said and walked away.

He was watching her go away, he did not want to lose her, he looked around and found stairs, he stepped onto them.

“Hey everyone, I need all of your attention,” he shouted, everyone started to look at him, including Spencer.

“Oh my God,” Spencer said.

“Hi, I am John Montgomery, I don’t go here, that girl over there, Spencer Marin,” he pointed at Spencer and she covered her face. “I am in love with her, madly in love,” he looked at her with admiration. “Well, it was not like this before, I wanted her to fall for me, and then wanted to dump her,” he stopped and looked at her again. “But in attempting to make her fall for me, I fell for this beautiful lady, just couldn't understand it in time.”

Spencer came nearer. “And why should I believe you now? After all I am a nerdy thing”

“Well,” he stepped down. Took her hand and placed it on his chest. “Because I have really fallen for this nerdy thing, and my heart is speaking for me.”

“And what if you betray me again?” she could feel his heart racing fast.

 “Well, like I have come here to express my love for you, you can also come at my college and throw some eggs at me,” Spencer laughed, and slapped him against his chest.

“You moron,” she smiled. “Don’t ever do this to me again.”

“Never,” he kissed on her forehead and held her tightly in his arms.