“I bet the nerdy guy will be alone on Valentine's Day.”

“Yeah, who’d date him? What’s he up to on his phone in the corner?”

“Watching porn, do you think?”

“Nah, not on campus!”

1st of February. I squint my eyes at my class’s gossiping girls and at the poor bespectacled guy seated on the back bench. Dressed in baggy pants and a loose t-shirt, his auburn hair dishevelled, bangs covering his forehead, he's deeply engrossed in typing. These girls think he’s watching what!? So much for being a student of an esteemed engineering institute! 

Also, what if he is nerdy? The lunch bell interrupts me before I can tell off the girls for disrupting my test preparations. Mr Nerdy walks by my bench. I stare, wondering if he heard the mean girls. Or if he left because he wasn’t interested in maths.

Aren't nerds interested in higher-level university math? Ever since I came here, I met weird namunas on the campus. It's a conflicting combination of emotions. I'm always torn between starting a war with the ill-mannered students and minding my business. A pen hurled in my direction is my reward for spacing out in the middle of the lecture. 

That evening, I dust off my dungaree, fix my hair, and bike to the girls’ hostel. I know what it feels like to be different. The girls dislike me for not dressing fancy and gossiping. I'm fine without friends. My tribe is on the social media.

Poor Mr Nerdy. If only he could find a friend.

***

The girls become aggressive, and the guys join in mocking Mr Nerdy for fun. Freshers ragging freshers! I’m about to lash out at them, but remember our college anti-ragging s’s FB page. I submit an anonymous request, mentioning my classmates.

Mr Nerdy is left alone, starting the next day. Initially, the guys and girls suspect each other, but soon their attention switches to topics such as dates, Valentine’s.

Should we date at eighteen? As long as it doesn't disrupt studies and it's genuine dating! 

***

During lunch hour, I see Mr Nerdy engrossed on the phone, alone on the last bench. He will probably skip math lectures, as usual. Does he even eat? Impulse leads me to him.

“Hi, I’m Arohi...”

Though startled, Mr Nerdy gives his name.

“Ha… Harsh.”

“Oh, can I sit here?”

I join him and ramble about my hometown, Howrah, and everything that comes to my mind. He listens, putting his phone away. His hazel eyes beneath the thick glasses catch my attention, and I find them attractive. He’s quite the looker — tall and slim, quite kind too. Why am I daydreaming like the other girls?

I cut my train of thought, plugin my earphone into my phone and play my favourite podcast on YouTube.

“I love Mr Inspire on YouTube. He really has a way of lifting you up. I went six months here making no friends. On this remote campus, his voice is my guiding light. Sometimes I feel so alone when the girls call me tomboy and shun me... It’s… Sorry. You should listen to Mr Inspire when you’re feeling low.”

Harsh smiles. His smile for a second is so bright. I feel I’ve I touched his heart. I don’t know why.

***

We hang out together and making friends with some non-horrible classmates. The mean girls again verbally assault Harsh about being dateless on Valentine's Day. I hastily commit to being his date and then regret it.

I'm curious about his reaction to my words. My thoughts a mess, I roam the hallways in search of him.

I’m here to study, not date. As I berate myself, I listen to Mr Inspire’s old podcast. He didn’t update a new one. He usually live-streams, so? Why? Harsh also enjoys this podcast. I was hoping we could both listen if he hears the gossip.

I arrive at an empty classroom and find it’s not empty. At the end of it is Harsh recording audio. His voice is so... similar to that of Mr Inspire. The way he phrases things... Of course Mr Inspire's voice is all we hear. No one saw his face!

“Ha...” I trail off when we notice at each other. I dismiss any wild ideas. To my disbelief, Mr Inspire admits to being harsh.

I freeze and then shake my head.

“Harsh. I told the girls we were going on a date.”

I blurt out the random thing on my mind

“What?” he mildly frowns. his glasses are off, hazel eyes fixed on me.

I smile with a shrug.

“I always wanted to go on a date with Mr Inspire.”

My feelings sound suddenly so heartfelt. My pulse is high and I’m sure my face is read. He laughs. 

“Don’t tell me you’re the weird Nasa-girl in the comments section? I also saw her channel had a lot of astronomical stuff.”

Stunned by the precise guess, I breathlessly chuckle. “Guess we're both weirdos with secret online personas who already have a history together. Think we can we go on our first friendship-wali date?”

He smiles and takes my hand. “Well, it can be Valentine's-wali date...”

We both laugh and leave the classroom. I never thought our hidden online persona would bring us closer. What a fate.

***

Fin!