Love at First Sight - Part 1

The Poetry in Motion

His radiant smile,

Her shy laugh.

His eyes twinkling like stars

Hers on him.

He didn’t look at her,

She couldn’t look elsewhere.

She was just one in the crowd,

He, her first love

She was standing there, looking towards the grand entrance; the announcement was in progress in the background. She saw the troop walk onto the stage and as the music started to play the dancers took their positions. And, there he was, right in front of the formation, dancing like poetry in motion.

She loved dancing and didn’t miss a single opportunity to see dance performances in college fests. Today was one of those days when she had come to a dance fest with her friend, Vrinda. Till now, the performances had not been very exciting and she had been chatting with Vrinda without bothering to notice what was happening on the stage. But he had caught her attention.

 

She stopped listening to what Vrinda was saying. She couldn’t even hear the song he was dancing to. The only thing she could do was look at him, jaw dropped. As if nothing else mattered. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. Yes, he was a good dancer, but there was something else about him. Something, she couldn't describe.

The performance came to an end and he walked off the stage. She forgot about Vrinda and rushed towards the backstage. She had to find him. Through the crowd, she made her way to the green room but he wasn’t there. Disappointed she turned around.

Then she saw him. He was talking to another girl, his silhouette glistening in the setting sun. His sweatshirt was resting on his shoulder, hair falling shabbily on his forehead. "He was looking so… sweet? No! Sexy. Yes, that’s the word," she thought! She felt so jealous watching him talk to someone else that her own feelings surprised her. After all, he was a complete stranger. He smiled and she missed a heartbeat!

She walked up to him and said, ‘Excumeyoudawel.” It seemed like words fell off her mouth without making sense. “Uh, I what?” he asked, unable to interpret what she spoke. “Oh that smile, kill me please,” she thought to herself before gaining composure and said, “Oh, I meant you dance well.” She wasn't sure if she should smile or keep a straight face. She didn't want her face to give away her thoughts. She didn't want him to think she was stupid or mad or scare him off or.. look desperate!

He blushed. Then smiled and said, “Thanks a lot.” They had just spoken for a few seconds when his friend came to call him. They had won the first prize and he was needed on the stage to collect the trophy. He said bye to her. She saw him walk away as the lyrics of a song came to her mind:

“I like the way that you walk
And, all the things that you do
You like honeydew

Those bees are all around you”

She had her eyes on him all the time. Vrinda found her and asked her what she was up to. She pointed in his direction and said “isn’t he cute?” Vrinda smiled, “yes, he is. Now let’s go eat something.”

“No, I want to talk to him but I don’t know what to say,” she argued. “Tell him he dances well,” Vrinda suggested. “Done. I have already told him that. I want to talk to him more!” she said. For a few minutes they both kept standing there thinking of a way to help her start a conversation with him. Then she sighed and spoke, “leave it, Vrinda. I don’t have anything else to say to him. Let’s go,” she said and started to walk with Vrinda.

Her dad was there to pick her up and she had lost him in the crowd. She was struggling to understand her own feelings and as she hugged Vrinda and waved her goodbye, her mind kept wandering off to him. In the car, she messaged Saurav, “I am in love. And, I need to find him.”

She didn't even know his name but she knew that the Cupid had struck. This was love at first sight.

To be continued…