18 years old

"Sweet devil of Nirvana!" I yelp as I am thrown forward in my seat with many other passengers accompanying me in the city bus, letting out all colorful words in many languages.

"What in the world are you doing, driver?" someone shouts from behind me, earning a scoff from the conductor.

"Surely, he didn't do it on purpose, brother, now did he?" the conductor says in the defense of the driver. The driver-conductor bond of city buses is amazing, really. "What happened?" the conductor asks the driver who is glaring at the new comer - probably the same person for the cause of the nearly an accident of a city bus with many citizens in it.

I bend my head to take a glance at the person who had to bend his head to get through the door of the bus. Woah, the height is too impressive to not let my curiosity take the better of me and want to look at the person's face now.

"All these youngsters these days think they own the public property that they can come in front of the city bus like a villain and try to act hero." The ladies in my front - probably in their 40s - says with a bitter face.

I feel a presence besides me, just now realizing the said tall person - man, is sitting beside me now. How did I not sense his presence till now?

I look out the window to stop myself from turning in his way and stare like a freak.

My toxic trait is intense unnecessary curiosity.

I can see his veiny hand on his lap from the corner of my eyes, the ladies in my front turns their heads to look besides me and smile.

Wait, they're smiling? I think I just heard them shit-talking about him less than a minute ago. One of them is even blinking oddly in his direction. Oh, my bad, that's called batting eyelashes - my friend told me about it. Or else, me and sensing flirting? Not even from a mile away. I'm worse at it than the anti-romantic parallel twin of Shakespear.

My head turns on its own to right and my lips part.

Gorgeous.

That's the first word that comes in my head when I let my eyes roam on the elegant beauty besides me. The man is? handsome? and beautiful at the same time. Is it even possible?

'No but who cares?'

Exactly.

Sharp jawline - that's the first thing I notice in the person I meet for the first time - with clean shave which is enhancing his jawline even more. Light pink lower lip and a little brown upper lip - full lips. Olive golden skin, a little tanned - have you been sunbathing lately, mister? Straight long nose. High cheekbones. Long eyelashes- shit, I'd die for them. How can a man have such pretty long and dark eyelashes? Last I checked, my favorite pair of impressive eyelashes has been of Taylor, Alex of Red, White and Royal Blue movie. Girls die for such beautiful feature, does this man even realize it?

Maybe he's not real, is he?

I narrow my eyes and look out of the window again. Surely, I'm not hallucinating. I internally scoff at my own silly thought. I recall my recent studies on that mental issue. Our sub-conscious side of brain cannot form a new face unless we have seen the same face somewhere in real life even for a second. And no, I haven't seen him before. I agree, I'm bad with remembering faces but who could forget such Greek God face? I probably can't.

Okay, maybe 'I' can. I do not trust myself nor my brain for forgetting things.

I was about to increase the volume of my earphone which I decreased when the man besides me pulled out his villain trying to act hero stunt - according to the ladies who are giggling and whispering among each other now when a deep voice comes from besides me, "Do you accept card?"

Wait, 'besides me'?

My head snaps to my right with red rage very clear in my eyes. How dare him ask me such question? Do I look like that kind of girl? I'll throw him out of the window.

I feel my veins instantly cooling down when I find his face turned to the conductor. Oh, right, I have a mask on. He hasn't even seen me.

'Get your head out of the gutter, Ezra.'

Yes, I'm sorry, okay?

The conductor is looking at him with a done face. "No, we don't." the conductor scowls while looking him up and down. "Why did you get on the bus if you didn't even have such small amount of cash? You don't look like you can't afford few coins."

I blink at the back of the head of the man who sit stills and take out his phone from his back pocket. Oh, now I notice, he's wearing a pressed khakhi pant with white tugged in shirt whose sleeves are rolled up to his elbows.

That's rich, at least according to me. People who know how to dress are rich people to me.

My eyes nearly pop out when I notice a silver with diamonds watch around his wrist and the crown of Rolex in it. Damn, it probably cost as much as I would barely get if I decide to sell both my kidneys. I shake my head when the deep voice comes again.

"Online payment?"

His voice.

Sweet Devil of Nirvana.

I can feel the vibrations of his voice in my bones.

The scowl on the conductor's face deepens as he barks out, "No, not that too. Only cash. If you don't have, get off on the next stop."

What's the problem of this conductor dude? He's being rude for no reason. Is he jealous of his handsome features or something? I smirk at my thought and my smirk widens when he proves me right - he stomps away to attend other passengers muttering, 'rich freaks think they have it all - face, arse and slash - but not cash, huh?'

I try not to laugh at how funny it sounded to me. He wasn't wrong at some point though. The dude got face, arse - of course and maybe slash too - his veiny hands say it for me, no comments.

The man suddenly turns to me and I stop breathing. Did he notice I was judging him for not having cash? Oh, come on, dude, I judge everyone, don't take it personally.

And wait a Goddamn minute, why am I just now noticing those perfect thick eyebrows? Right, I was busy confirming if he was real or not after nearly drawing his eyelashes in my head before my head started contemplating if I was hallucinating him or not.

But now when his head is fully turned to me, I'm contemplating my previous theories on his side profile. If I found his side face beautiful, then his front look is absolutely enchanting, alluring, breathtaking even - it literally did take my breath away.

'Just what in the world did your mama eat during her pregnancy when you were in her womb, dude?'

"Do you have online payment service on your phone, miss?" His lips move in different shapes and it takes me a moment to realize that he is talking to me.

"Huh?" Shit.

'What a first great impression, Ezra. The best way to make a fool out of yourself in front of such a handsome rich man.'

"Online payment service. Can you give me cash if you have right now? I'll transfer the money to you online."

"Uh, no. Sorry, I don't have online payment service available at the moment." I answer him while taking mental notes not to stutter. Then without thinking twice, I open my bag and pull out some coins and hand them to the conductor who looks at me with raised eyebrows.

"To where?" the conductor asks the man whose eyes are fixed on me. I look up at him and freeze. Right, look up. He is tall, very tall, I'm barely reaching his shoulder even if we are sitting. I was about to look away when I notice something.

His eyes.

Oh God.

Are they gray?

I've never seen gray eyes in real life before. They're? what do I say? Beautiful? Not enough.

"Pearlia." He answers the conductor.

I feel two pairs of eyes burning holes on my side face. I turn in front to find the ladies glaring at me. I blink nervously and increase the volume of my earbuds. 'Car's Outside' by James Arthur barely soothes my quickened nerve as I pretend to read the e-copy on my phone. I still feel the man's eyes on me but I choose to ignore it because? come on, what do I even say? Why did I pay for his ticket? It would be too awkward to even talk about it cause even if it was such a small amount, it's still odd for someone to pay for a complete stranger. Now when I realize what I did, I feel a little stupid. I shouldn't overthink over such small thing because I do it sometimes - give tips to the taxi drivers, buy my friends soft drinks, give some spare coins to the poor children playing on the street - it's totally normal and more for me because I would forget it all within few hours.

But I feel like it wouldn't have been this awkward if it was someone else other than him. What was I even thinking before doing it?

'Think before doing anything at all? Excuse me, madam. Since when do you do that?'

I hate when my inner voice is right. That sarcastic witch never shuts up.

His constant stare is starting to make me feel uneasy. Is he a creep or something? He doesn't seem like one though.

I take a quick glance at him to find him already staring at me and I immediately look away. His mannerism and attire don't justify the possibility of him being a creep though.

Oh, my God, stop overthinking.

It's nothing. Few coins are nothing. Even he must not be overthinking this much over the fact that a stranger paid for him. He must be grateful even, right? Uh, maybe his male ego is bruised? It's so typical for the male population these days and he does look like someone who would offer to pay for a woman's coffee like a gentleman - which I don't like personally. Do they think we cannot afford a cup of coffee? And that's entirely a different thing cause the girls are at fault here too. The egoist men be doing it like a charity and the girls think they're interested in them and want to directly get into their panties. Such a confusing concept it is for me - the buying something for a woman who is not even theirs by a man out of nowhere. It can be misinterpreted in many ways. Wait, did I really just write a whole damn paragraph on nothing in my head?

Ugh, I need to stop. I groan and zip my back a little more aggressively than unnecessary. Why did I get frustrated this easily over nothing? This is not me. I take a deep breath and let the next song - 'Push 2 Start' by Tyla get in my head. It was 'Car's Outside' by James Arthur before it, right? Did I leave my Spotify on shuffle mode? I chuckle at my audacity to think I can put it on something else other than shuffle mode. I'm too broke to buy the premium plan of Spotify so have to buy whatever the bloody music app sells.

'And you just bought a handsome rich looking man his bus ticket, you broke ass.'

This witch - my inner voice, I mean - will never stop reminding me about it, will she? I'll just pretend I lost those coins now. Got robbed if needed to convince myself.

'You could have saved those coins and bought a shashe packet of conditioner.'

Right, why didn't I think of it before?

'Again, when do you ever think?'

Oh, shut up. I won't regret spending some money on such a good-looking man, alright?

'Of course, you won't.'

My own sarcasm will kill me someday. I tap my right earphone twice to change the song and Who by Lauv starts playing. The Spotify plays a very big role in worsening my mood swings during ovulation.

Vibrations.

Of a deep voice.

From besides me.

I look at him. His head is tilted a little as he observes my eyes and glasses. I adjust my glasses on my nose and blink. Don't you dare say anything about my glasses, mister! I narrow my eyes at him and he blinks in surprise. Hah! Who knew I could fluster a big man?

He's saying something but I can't hear him. I decrease the volume, "Sorry?"

He glances at my phone in my hand on my lap then look up at me, "I asked how I can pay you back."

"Oh."

Of course, he would ask me that. He's gentleman like that, huh? Or just egoist? In any way, it's hot.

He's waiting for my answer. I shake my head and say, "It's okay-"

He cuts me off with a hiccup. His eyes go wide for a brief second before he hiccups again, his shoulders moving up a little with the movement as he looks away and cover his mouth with the back of his hand as another hiccup follows soon after. I didn't think a hiccup can turn as many head as today, almost everyone in the bus is looking at him even though he's not being that loud. The ladies in the front look like they're ready to fight the world for him. I roll my eyes. Do they think he will fall on his knees to thank them if they do as minimum as offer him a drop of water to cure his hiccup?

Ignore the last line. It's in my every breathe to be extra for no reason.

"Oh my, are you alright?" The batting eyelashes one asks him with the concern of a nurse. As if. Huh.

"Here, have some water." One of the ladies says and passes him a bottle of water which I push back towards her with a sweet smile. She may not see the smile because of the mask but I hope she senses my sarcasm.

"Water will only make it worse." I say and blink. They scowl.

"Who said that!" One of them barks in my face.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Such a disappointing behavior from someone I used to call a lady. She is not a lady anymore.

"I am saying it." I raise an eyebrow and she scoffs.

"And who do you think you are?" She needs to stop barking on my face. I'm starting to take it as an offense now. People can be so indecent.

"A biology student."

"I-" She shuts up immediately. Good, stay that way, please. You look better like that.

Okay, that me being a biology student was a clear lie but the lady still needed to shut up. I'm not a biology student. That word terrifies me even. But they don't know that so I see no issue here to let them think I am. The truth is, I saw that lady, no, woman drink water from the same bottle directly and for some reasons I don't want the handsome man to drink water from it too. The reasons being I just don't want to and that's a good enough reason for me. Disgusting it would be if they indirectly kiss, right? And the desperation in the woman's eye to make the man drink from the same bottle her mouth touched directly gives me creeps. Eww. Yikes.

A hiccup.

Shit, I totally forgot about the man besides me. He's been keeping his eyes on me all this time. "Imitate me, okay?"

He nods once without questioning and I'm glad for it because I'm not sure if my method will work or not. I read about it on google once randomly. I put a finger under my ear near the jawline - yes, I also have a nice jawline, thank you. "Under the ear, near the jawline. Now, press a little. Just a little, not too much." He does as he's told and hiccups again. "Now take a deep breath. Good. Now exhale. Perfect. Repeat a few times."

He keeps the eye-contact without even the instruction or else? what would have I said? Please, keep looking at me with your beautiful gray eyes, I want an excuse to stare and probably get lost in them at this point? I'll look creeper than the women in front.

'God, Ezra, shut up for heaven's sake, will you?'

Yes, I get it. No more paragraph writings.

I nod as he continues taking deep breath and rubbing the spot under his ear.

"It's nonsense. Here have some water-" The lady is cut off by the man himself now. Bingo.

"It's okay, I think the hiccup is gone now."

And it really did. Phew. Thank God. I swear, if it didn't work, I would have thrown myself out of the window.

"Thank you, Doctor." He's talking to me. Wait, why is he calling me a doctor? I frown before the realization hit us both. Both for entirely different reasons.

Me because I realized he was thinking of me as a biology student all this time as I made him think and no doubt, he did as he was told without questioning and him because he realized that I am indeed not a biology student. How did he catch my lie so easily? I gave away no hint except for not answering the doctor call. I look away and suddenly my e-copy which I am not able to read at all is very interesting.

He chuckles softly, I wouldn't have noticed it if he wasn't sitting so close. I look at him and smile sheepishly. He couldn't see anything else other than my eyes because of the mask. "How did I not notice before that you aren't actually a biology student?"

He's speaking very softly, it sends tingles on my skin. It's totally different to how he was talking to others.

There my delusions go. You can't blame me for being a natural observant freak. Even my astrology sign says it, alright? And yes, I believe in that stuff too. Typical, I know but whatever. He must be speaking in low voice to not let the women in front - who are surprisingly not glaring at me and are busy talking about something else - hear. I cannot thank him anymore for it.

"I? I'm actually?"

"Either a law student or a business student if I'm not entirely wrong. Or maybe I am. Maybe you are not a student in the first place, are you?" He gives me a small smile with a raised eyebrow.

Oh God, his smile.

Oh God, his eyebrow.

Oh God, him.

Am I usually this cheesy and stupid? Yes. Yes, you're right. Absolutely. I mean, just look at him. His smile.

"Uh, no? I'm a? business student." I say and look back at my phone. "How did you know?" I ask, curiosity getting the better out of me.

"Your formal clothes."

I look down at my sky-blue tugged shirt in black pants, almost same attire as him. Does that mean he is a business person too? A corporate man? A lawyer?

"Your short hair."

I subconsciously touch my shoulder-length hair and even put a strand behind my ear. Did I really just do it? Put a strand of hair behind my ear? I never do it! I grit my teeth and look out the window. He's pissing me off with every right assumption. Smartass.

"Your professional tone."

I look back at him and blink. My professional tone is natural. I talk like that even with my friends and family but he doesn't know it so nice guess.

"And you pulled out the money in a second. A science student is never this organized. Are you studying management or administration?"

Sweet devil of Nirvana. What is he? Reincarnation of Sherlock Holmes or Holmes coming out the book himself? How did he notice and assume this accurately by such small details?

I nod slowly, a little scared now. His lips curve up slightly as he tilts his head.

That? that was so hot? and cute!

Woah, no. don't let him get in your head but telling him what you're studying won't really affect you, right?

"Uh, Administration."

"I would have guessed but you being a law student was also a possibility."

"Y-Yeah. Nice guess."

"Thank you and thank you."

"Hmm?"

"One for curing my hiccups and another one for paying for my ticket."

"Oh, right, hiccup. Are you okay now?"

"Yeah, thanks to you."

"It's okay."

And there goes the awkward silence. Wait, Ezra Schaeffler never let the awkward silence affect her. That's right. I have my phone and music too. He gets in his phone too anyway, texting, probably his wife.

Oh, I never wondered how old he must be. Strange, that's the first thing I do whenever I meet someone new - guess their age, I mean. He looks like he's in his mid-20s, maybe even younger but he looks experienced, I can say by the professional tone and fashion sense. Is he in his late 20s then? Definitely not a year older than 30.

He suddenly stands up and look down at me. I feel like a little girl in front of him. How tall could he be? 6'2? Taller? Or I'm just very bad with measuring heights.

'What do you mean by Or? You are bad with it like everything else.'

Don't listen to that stupid witch. I'm good at curing hiccups.

'Sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night.'

It will now.

"I'm under your debt and I will remember to pay you back, miss."

And he's bending his head and leaving.

Just like that.

I sigh and increase the volume in my earphones, replaying Car's Outside along with the meeting with the stranger who caught my attention in less than a second.

'Why does the lyrics sound relatable?'

No, it doesn't. Shut up.