The girl in blue

 I wonder why while admiring the view, people say: 'it looks like a picture!'. But when they stand before a picture they exclaim: 'It looks just like the real thing in nature.'

Usually, those people do not bother to take a second look at the 'the real thing' designed by the most celebrated artist – nature!

As much as I enjoy nature's landscapes, I prefer human nature. I am always amazed by this wonder of nature.

Every day I take the train from the university back home. This is a long ride, and I usually amuse myself watching the passengers. One can learn a lot by observing the way they dress and behave.

Every one of them has a life story that extends from the past to the future. It unveils itself to me only during a short time frame in which instance we share the train ride.

In that brief moment, I try to guess the life story of my fellow passenger. What was his life story before our paths crossed here and now? What his future will be like once he disembarks and disappears from my sight?

Sometimes I see the same passenger again, but usually, I focus my attention on a different passenger each time. I find older people more interesting to watch. They have a rich past engraved on their wrinkled faces, and their personality is clearly shown in their every move. In contrast, the smooth looks and the tendency of the younger generation to follow fashion trends of the moment blur their own personality. It seems that all young people wear the same uniform tailored by some aging fashion gurus in Paris.

Shinjuku station

That is why rarely I find myself watching young people, but that day a girl in blue embarked at Shinjuku station, and I couldn't take my eyes off her. Although she was young, she caught my eye and held me entranced as if she were one of those large magnets capable of lifting a car.

I watched this girl the minute she first set foot on the train. For a minute she was hidden by other passengers, but then I saw her sitting on the bench right across me.

Most passengers sit staring blankly at the air, trying to regain some peaceful moments at the end of a long working day. Not the girl in blue though. She was full of energy.

She lowered her big bag from her shoulder to the seat next to her, parted its edge with the long fingers of one hand while fishing out a book with the other.

Indifferent to the continuing movement around her, she opened the book and started reading intently, her eyes cast down, her long eyelashes curving outward like the curved parcel shelf above her head. The two wrinkle between her eyes like a gun-sight directing her eyes towards the book.

Her luxurious black hair covered part of her face as she lowered her head in her reading posture.

It was clear to me she was a young student, probably her first year of college, since I haven't seen her on that train before. I figured she is using traveling time to catch up on her learning material for her next exam. I tried reading the book's title, and for a brief moment she had lifted her book, and I could read it.

Yes, it was Shakespeare's Sonatas. Now I have decidedly categorized her as an English literature student.

The girl was wearing a short blue dress, displayed a couple of shapely legs with a pair of high heels blue shoes showing the beautifully curved arches of her feet. I instantly named her in my mind "The girl in Blue."

For a brief moment, I let myself submerge in this perfect beauty.

Then I noticed that she put down her book and stood up gracefully, stretching her small body to put her bag on the shelf above her.

Her shirt slide-up unveiling a piece of a smooth sun-tanned of perfect skin back. Then she turned towards me, her bright blue eyes holding my gaze. It seemed to me her full lips curled up in a small smile before she sat down again, uncovering pearly teeth, transmitting a flutter of electrical current down my spine.

As I inspected her every feature, I felt that we had established a secret connection.

The train came to an abrupt halt at Takao station, as if it was waiting for her to settle back in her seat. Many people swirled around her, hiding her from me. I hoped she would not get off the train before my end station.

Takou station

Once the people disembarked, I was glad to see the girl in blue still seated in her seat in the same position bending over her book.

My heart fluttered with joy. She did not get off.

When you look at someone intently as I looked at that girl in blue, you can find more details you haven't noticed at first look.

I've noticed how she arched her thin eyebrows whenever she found a problematic sentence, and how her full lips curved when enjoyed some beautiful verse. How she pulled back a rebellious strand of hair with her right hand while holding the book tight with her left.

The better you know someone - you feel closer to him.

I watched her fondly, noticing the gleaming of her delicate heart-shaped necklace. I thought that it was ideally suited. A heart of gold attached to the chain showed through the cleavage of her dress, slightly opened by her tilted posture.

I was fascinated by that heart of gold that danced on her full breasts with the train's pace.

Suddenly her eyes lifted towards me, as she turned a page, and again the long lashes opened showing on that deep blue-purple shade of her eyes.

My heart stopped with excitement. Of course, the girl in blue was aware of me, and that look she gave me as if saying; "Wait for me. We'll get off together at the last station". Her unique blue-purple eyes were engraved into my mind. How pretty she is, and what profound wisdom lays behind those eyes.

My mind, already trained in guessing strangers' stories, already had weaved the story of the girl in blue. The girl is probably was raised in a big city, judging from her elegant looks and how indifferent she is to the crowded train. A country girl would have been sticking out like a sour thumb in this environment. She's probably from one of the richest districts of Tokyo, judging by her expensive, elegant clothes, and in the casual manners of a girl who's used to live in luxury.

The girl must have done very well at the private school she was attending and naturally continued to study English literature at the prestigious Tokyo University. Her parents wanted to introduce her to a wealthy person of their social circle, but she refused, arguing that she is still young and has to graduate first. Her wealthy parents wanted to rent her an apartment, but she wanted to be independent. Now she's heading back from the dormitories, where she went to see if she could get a room. I know she found out that first-year students are not eligible to a place in the dormitories. Now she is returning to the cheap flat she is renting near where I live. Her apartment is not in a good neighborhood, but she doesn't care.

All this formed in my mind in a flash, as I was watching the girl in blue. The gleam of that golden heart, sitting in between her breasts, jumping up and down by the train's movement, almost put me in a state of hypnosis. I knew it's not polite to stare, but the curves of her full breasts had put a spell on me.

Kopo station

I lost interest in anyone else aboard that train. I was focused on the girl in blue. I've started fantasizing how we are going to be a couple. That brief look and a slight edge of a smile had fed my imagination. She is clearly not a superficial girl, judging from the intensity with which she has an interest in that sonnet book. Of course, she was also pretty and delicate, and probably good-mannered too.

I imagined that she will stop reading, gently close the book, stand up, stretching again to place her book inside her bag, allowing me another glimpse at her smooth, silky skin, then she will turn toward me flashing an inviting smile. It is possible that her apartment is indeed near me, and she will disembark with me at the last station. I will get off first and help her down the steps. A girl wearing such high heels has to be careful.

That scenario was so real in my mind that I almost got up to take her in my arms. She will thank me with her enchanting smile, and we will continue strolling together, chatting as friends. After a few blocks, she will stop walking, and say in an inviting smile: "this is where I live. Would you care to come for a cup of coffee?". I felt like we were already old friends.

The train's conductor rudely interrupted my fantasy: " Next stop is Kopo. Passengers, please make sure no bag is left behind".

And then it happened...

The girl gently closed her book, stood up, stretching her body to put it back in her bag, and then took down her bag. The train had slowed down. I saw the girl standing, her bag in hand, waiting. I wanted to get up to help her, but many passengers rushed towards the door and kept us apart. My heart started to race when the girl in blue walked straight towards me, wavering on her high heels, trying to keep her balance.

The train abruptly stopped, and she almost fell, bag in one hand, she smiled an embarrassed smile at me.

Here it comes, I thought to myself, she is going to sit beside me, and we are going to start a conversation.

But the girl straightened her back, walking past me and disappearing from my sight.