Smitten

I love music.

It’s the best thing in my life. It is so potent and influential on my life that at the same time it has the power to make me the happiest person in the universe or a depressed one. Music is something I can relate to at an atomic level, that, when I close my eyes and get lost in its rhythm and beat I can feel it seeping through my entire system and reach the very core of my being. It can turn me from a blubbering mess to a joyful child, instantly changing my temperaments and that’s one of the reasons why it is so special to me.

The first time I saw him I was high on music. His music.

“Arika! You look fabulous! Can we go before the next band starts?” Alyna pleaded as I reapplied my lipstick and pouted in front of the mirror to check if it was alright.

Alyna is my little sister and my best friend. She’s one person whom I can count on at any point in my life, we share a bond which combines friendship and sisterhood making our relationship exceptional. I can tell her all my messed up thoughts and actions and trust her never to judge me.

“Nobody is going to spot you in that darkness Arika!” she exclaimed making me laugh.

“Come on, let’s go!” I grabbed my sling back and took Alyna’s arm running towards the stage where the next band was about to start.

The crowd started cheering as the lead guitarist played a few chords increasing the level of excitement. The air was filled with cackling energy as everyone anticipated the music which was shortly going to fill every heart in the arena. I smiled and Alyna hooted. People gathered around us everywhere and I looked around thrilled, there was a guy standing next to me, he was tall with—

“Good evening ladies and gentleman.” A voice boomed from the mic. An incredibly sweet voice.

My attention was instantly diverted to him, the lead vocalist of the band ‘Purple Gaze‘, standing with his legs apart and the mic grasped in his hands, his eyes were twinkling as he gazed at the crowd with a tight smile. I have attended many gigs by Purple Gaze before but this is the first time I realized he was unbelievably—cute! The music blazed in the background and as his voice filled the speakers I was lost, completely mesmerized and enraptured by him. He continued singing and you could see just how much he enjoyed doing this, he smiled as he sang each phrase and it was as though he was seducing the entire crowd just by singing.

“Alyna!” I screamed and turned to watch her head bang to the song along with the entire crowd, I clutched her arm and pulled her close. “Isn’t he extraordinarily CUTE?”

She turned to get a good look at him and nodded in confirmation. “Oh yess, that one is real cute!”

I could feel my pulse race and I closed my eyes, turning my mind towards the music and soon lost myself. They played around 6 songs back to back and everyone loved them, especially the drummer and of course the star of the night, Arjun Kamath.

Alyna and I went to the ladies room and I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

I was smitten.

“What are you so distracted about Ari?” Alyna asked as I set my hair combing back the strands with my fingers.

“I can’t stop thinking about him Alyna! He’s just adorable and his voice is making me crazy!” I declared.

“Do you, maybe, fancy him?” she smirked, knowingly.

“Maybe.” I confirmed.

She laughed and tugged my arm. “Come, let’s go.”

We walked outside, half the crowd was gone and the other half were lounging around having drinks and food. I was looking around the entire place casually to see if he was anywhere and with a start realized what I was doing. Shit!

We walked outside the door and I instantly spotted him standing there with a bunch of his friends laughing about something.

“Arika! Go tell him you find him cute.” Alyna nudged me.

“I’m really nervous!”  I said, there was a swarm of butterflies in my tummy.

“Of what?” she sounded incredulous.

“I don’t know. What if he has a girlfriend and finds me creepy?” I blurted.

“Heyy! You find him cute, that’s all and that is not at all a big deal. Just go tell him that.”

“Are you sure?” I asked her one last time.

“Of course I am. This crop top makes you look damn hot, so just go!” she said, with a lot of conviction.

I looked at him and something about him tugged at me and I suddenly had the courage to go.

I took a deep breath. “Okay, here I go.”

I walked towards their gang and a few of them turned and checked me out. I put on my best smile and walked straight to him.

“Heyy, I’m Arika.” I extended my hand and he clasped it, his fingers were very lean and covered my entire hand, I looked down at our hands for a slight second before looking up at him again.

“Hi, I’m Arjun.” He said releasing my hand.

“I know.” I said and smiled again. What was I doing?! “Your Gig was awesome. We loved all your songs!”

“Oh, thanks a lot Arika.” My stomach fluttered when he said my name out loud, it was dreamlike hearing him say my name.

“You’re welcome.” I said. “Oh, and you’re really cute too.”

There, I did it! I went up to him and said it!

“Oh.” He laughed a little nervously. “Thank you!” he smiled at me and I was gone.

The way he said it and smiled looked completely honest, like he meant every word. His sheer honesty got to me and confirmed what I already knew.

I was smitten with him.