First class

Ryan stepped into the lecture hall, clutching his textbook and notebook. His first class was a 200-level course on digital media trends, filled with a motley crew of students from diverse majors. Amidst the early morning hubbub, he moved toward his usual spot near the back, slouching into the uncomfortable wooden seat.

Just as he began to tune out the professor's preliminary droning, a sudden shift in the air caught his attention. Turning, he found himself looking into the soft, doe-eyed gaze of one of his classmates. She had always caught his eye, a splash of color in the drab environment, like a character from a graphic novel come to life.

She exuded a gentle, wholesome aura, draped in pastel shades that complemented her porcelain complexion. Her loose sweater of pastel pink and baby blue hugged her petite frame, teasing the outline of small, perky breasts beneath. Her black hair was styled in soft, loose waves cascading over her shoulders, catching the soft morning sunlight filtering in through the windows.

Her dark, brown eyes were alight with curiosity and something else that Ryan couldn't quite decipher. They held an uncharacteristic gleam, a cryptic secret dancing just beyond his reach.

“Hi,” she began, offering a smile that made his heart flutter in his chest. “I'm Lily. We've been in the same class for a week now, but we never really talked, right?”

Her voice was gentle, honeyed notes that seemed to match her look perfectly.

Ryan loaded for a while before he nodded, realizing that she was indeed talking to him, he offered a nervous smile in return. He found himself involuntarily drawn to her, a strange magnetic pull that he couldn't explain. “Yeah, I guess we haven't. Nice to meet you, Lily.”

The class went on and so did we, as we talked, it felt like if we fit together like two puzzle pieces. Whatever topic I would bring up, she would also know it and be able to keep conversation. Whenever I made a dumb or awkward joke, she would give out giggles that sent my heart into overdrive mode. Before either of us knew it, the professor announced that class had ended, and we were to read the textbook to prepare for the next class.

“Would you like to hang out sometime?” Lily's question, innocently laced with a hint of flirtation, hung in the air as the lecture room gradually emptied. I could hardly believe it. Lily, the soft-spoken angel I'd been ogling for months, had just asked me out.

“Absolutely,” I responded. There was an electrifying charge in the air, an underlying current that was both thrilling and terrifying.

“Can I get your number?” she asked, holding out her phone expectantly. My mind short-circuited for a moment, unable to process that this sweet, wholesome girl was asking for my number.

I hastily punched my digits into her phone, my fingers trembling slightly with a mix of nervousness and excitement. She beamed at me, her happiness infectious.

“Got any plans for later?” I managed to ask, my voice nearly a squeak.

“I have two more classes. Why?” Her voice was light, her eyes sparkling with unspoken anticipation.

“I was… Wondering if… You… You wanted to hang out?” I stuttered out the words, internally cringing at my inexperience.

She paused, her lips curving into a knowing smirk. It was as if she found my nervousness amusing. “I'm free,” she eventually said, her voice holding a mysterious promise.

With a quick 'ok' and a clumsy wave, I escaped the room, my face aflame. I had to share this victory, no matter how small, with someone. I pulled out my phone, quickly texting Josh.

[Me]: You wouldn't believe it, but Lily just asked for my number.

[Josh]: No way dude, you're lying.

[Me]: I swear, man. I'll send you a selfie later as proof.