Tatiana Walters was heading home after class when she spotted Alexei Novik, the Belarusian guy who was in her Psychology class. They spoke a couple of times. He seemed quiet and reserved. She liked him and wondered if he would think her very forward if she were to ask him out on a date. She wasn’t an old-fashioned young woman but he, being from Europe might find her unconventional behavior unattractive.
He was alone as usual, so she walked up to him. “Hi, Alexei,” she said, smiling. He was was always so serious. She hardly ever saw him smile.
“Hi, Tatiana,” he replied quietly.
“It’s hard to believe that we’re in the New Year, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is.”
“And we’ll be graduating too. Are you excited?”
“Yes.”
“I’m going to miss being on campus.” I’m going to miss you.
“Me too,” he agree. I’m going to miss you.
“You don’t have a girlfriend, do you?” She had to ask.
“No. Do you have a boyfriend?”
“No.”
“What kind of books do you like?”
Strange question. “I like the Action and Adventure, Classics, Detective and Mystery and Historical Fiction. What about you?”
“I like all that you’ve mentioned as well as Sci-Fi, Suspense and Thrillers and Biographies.”
“What are you currently reading?”
“John Grisham’s The Guardians. What about you?”
“Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory. It’s a romance. That’s another genre I like.”
“So, do you have any plans for the weekend?”
“No. Do you?”
“No.”
He stopped for a moment and turned to face her, his eyes intent on her upturned face. “Would you like to attend a book reading with me tomorrow afternoon?”
After she recovered from her shock, she replied, “Sure, I’d love to.”
He smiled. “I’ve never been to a book reading before. It should be interesting, though.”
To be quite honest, they were more looking forward to seeing each other and spending time together than attending the book reading. He walked her to the bus-stop, waited with her until it came and then he continued towards the subway. On the ride home, he thought about her. After the book reading he could take her somewhere nice to eat.
Sources: Society 19; The Oprah Magazine;
Notes to Women 