Anxious As Hell

The Longest Night

Chicken wings, potato chips, two slices of garlic bread and a glass of coke with lemon. She was not pleased with her diet at all since the day she arrived there. And this was going to last for a long time.
Her eyes searched for an empty table. No use. The food court was maybe two times more crowded than its capacity. First week of the semester. Were people hungrier than usual?
Hopelessly, she turned to make her way to the garden where a few more tables were placed. It was cool and windy outside but she was sure that she wasn't going to eat her lunch standing.
As she was walking towards the door with her tray in her hands, a waving hand caught her eye. Before the vision got clearer, the owner of the hand had already stood up. It was a man in about his late thirties. He was tall and slim. He had a friendly smile on his face. She could feel the warmth of his polite intention as his approaching face got more and more familiar. He was sitting in the next raw to hers in the classroom. Was he from Iran? She couldn't remember properly.
"I'd be glad if you could accompany me." He not only looked but also sounded very polite. With pleasure she nodded.
They headed back to the table together. She sat down on the chair opposite his. She felt imprisoned inside the intolerable noise. Her lips said "thank you" as he was looking at them starving for a word or two from her.
"Thank you." She was going to thank him many times for an unknown period of time from then on. This was the first.
He attempted to say something, then he gave up and surrendered to the noise. Their eyes met for a few times. With an intention of saying something each time yet preferring to remain silent. They both wanted to keep their first words special. They didn't want them to scatter around like a broken glass on the floor and lose value. They didn't want to sacrifice them to the uproar. Better remain in silence than be a part of the noise.
As she finished her lunch she realised that he was watching her, again with a smile on the face. He had already finished his.
He asked "Coffee?" She nodded again. He disappeared for a few moments. When he came back he was holding two cups in his hand.
Black without sugar. How did he know how she liked her coffee? Did it just occur to him? She was mesmerised.
He had a little box of creme and a few cubes of sugar in his pocket. Just in case.
They went outside. They were finally away from the maddening noise. The only sound was the whistle of the boats going and coming on the river now.

"I am Shayan. And you are Yalda, right?"
Was this just good memory?
"Yes." she just smiled.
How could just an ordinary smile look so beautiful on just an ordinary face?
"Such a nice name. Does it have a meaning?"
It did indeed. She was born on 21 December. So her father gave this name to her without giving it a second thought.
"The longest night of the year."
She sounded so smooth and peaceful, yet mysterious. There was something about her.
"Impressive."
He wanted to learn more about her.