The Shape of You [Love Story]

I: First there were the eyes

First there were the eyes that gleamed of sun and summer. Then there was the boyish gummy smile that made you want to smile all of a sudden. And that innocent smugness he carried around wasn’t just smart, it had to be orchestrated.

Yes, perfectly orchestrated. I really don’t think this is first love. Way too much to be first love. Love it is, is it?

Where was I? I was on the train. It’s about 6.20pm. And lucky, he was there again, with two of his friends. I see him in the evenings on this train often, and I know this train is his usual ride to his destination. Is it more than pure coincidence? That I’ve seen him twice in school but six times on this train now. As usual, no amount of tiredness can refuse a gaze at him.

Funny, he seems to enjoy sitting opposite me (well there is space anyway so go ahead to lounge anywhere?). Oh gawd, my heart is racing. School was intense today but nothing is more intense than your crush sitting right across. Should I get up and move to the next cabin? Or should I exit this train and get on the next one? I have to stop staring at him (I do that all the time so this must not be habit) because I have to divert once he realises the staring, and of course I have to look tired which is why I stare listlessly in the first place. My eyes are rolling now, this is getting weird and I have to pretend it is normal but it is not.

As I fidget a little, the view of the beautiful lake Catrun from the windows came into view. I looked over and was just amazed that the sky had nicely turned into a serene orange against a still lake. Going home during this time was definitely worth it when the sun was setting. I lifted up my mobile phone from my bag and snapped a shot of it, something that I’ve done about a thousand times already and I have a massive collection of Catrun’s lake pictures now. As I put away my phone, something caught on and I trembled immediately. He was glancing at me. Our eyes met.

Help. My heart was sending butterflies to my head now. Why is my head fluttering?

As if the train knew it was my stop to alight, I had just arrived at my station. The minute the train doors opened, I grabbed my bag and burst out of the train. He was still looking on when I ran out, what the hell.

OK, breathe. No wait, don’t breathe. Lungs did not care.

A Love Letter To Boss

Halsey, a sweet, intelligent girl had a job at a firm.

Doing her best always, she tried to prove herself as an upcoming success.

Even when alone, she worked past office hours,

Loving everything she did no matter how hard

Failure and criticisms stole her smile on the longest day.

One day, there was something Halsey could no longer forget.

She had loved her boss, so deeply so that,

It was more than fleeting love at first sight.

The boss on the oafish dictatorship voice seem

At times a scum, at times a soul so divine that sees and knows

Halsey not as a bird trapped, but an infinite talented star

That took all the sun, rain, clouds and thunder into her hold.

Three hour pep talks often he gave,

Were in the spirit to get off the dime, better than unsaid.

But there it is, this love wind blew in from the windowless,

Anticipating each call from this name madly in office.

Her heart had left elsewhere, already taken.

But Departure told this good girl to call it all in.

Goodbye, Mr. Boss, I had loved you too much so.

Remembering all the things he had told her,

Thinking if any kisses had any meaning,

Words that cared and cared not,

Never even a spark of an affair.

They were not meant to be, he a father, a husband,

A millionaire owner player feeding but never offering affection.

This time, a final glance at his distant frame,

Was all she could get, so by the last Friday,

Halsey packed up and left,

Mind and body would rather get the sack.

- Vander

Disclaimer: All poetry and fiction here are original material written by Vander. Please note that all text references, descriptions and indications are purely fictional (make-believe if you didn’t know what fiction is!) and is in no relation to any actual entities).