After searching through the labeled jeans, shirts, shoes and other stores for clothes and apparel, Thomas and I found ourselves in a computer shop. For the rest of the time, Thomas told me that her sister had a unique style and she wouldn’t probably like anything he picked out for her—even though I suggested most of it. Her sister would definitely accept the gift out of courtesy but wearing it would be a different story.

As I shifted from one generation of digital audio players to the latest, Thomas scanned the glass shelves of the latest handheld devices.

“So your sister’s a techy?” I asked as I tapped my finger on the touch screen.

“I think tech-junkie would be more suitable. Last Christmas she begged my dad to buy her the latest touch phone and promised that she’d never have a boyfriend until she’s eighteen.” He fiddled through the menu on the black handheld device he had.

“Did your dad say yes?” I turned to his direction, purposely letting my long, black silhouette-like hair fall onto one side.

“Yeah he did. But he raised the deal until she’s twenty-one.” He turned to the sales attendant. “Do you have a white one like this?”

“Yes we do,” the sales attendant said.

“I’ll get that.”

“And she agreed to that?” I continued, getting back on the conversation.

“Mhmm,” Thomas sounded. “She did add the fact that the phone should be completely accessorized complete with portable speakers, headphones, a mic and everything else.”

“Pretty clever,” I mentioned.

“Too clever. She always tries to outsmart everyone she can.”

Thomas paid for the white handheld device and pretty soon we found ourselves out of the mall and on my way home, walking on granite sidewalks, passing by café’s, bookstores and other shops in a street on an uphill slope. We talked about his sister and how traditionally they always go to this Japanese restaurant one hour away from their house for her birthday. And they would probably do it again tomorrow. After that, we talked about the people at school. He told me that people in his class were mostly very attentive and not much people cause a lot of ruckus, and most of the girls were really gaga for Andrei. I countered him mentioning that my classmates weren’t entirely different from his; we just had more silent type guys and not enough Andrei—which frankly I didn’t really mind. They’re not at par with my level of excellence. And I also said that the girls in my class are also pretty much head over heels with Andrei.

“So…are you like that too?” Thomas asked in a covert way, almost like he was embarrassed.

“What do you mean?” I looked at him blankly.

“Andrei,” he said hastily. “Like the others.”

“Do you mean I like Andrei too?”

He nodded; eyes eager for my answer.

Do you have concussion or something? How the hell would I like someone that parades at the school with his goody, smart, hunky persona? “What makes you ask that?” I turned to him with a wondering look.

“It’s cause…” his cheeks began to red.

“No,” I answered before he could.

His eyes widened in surprise.

“Contrary to the general populous, I don’t like Andrei.”

“Why not?”

I put my index finger at the bottom of my chin and pondered with a royalty-like grace that I could only pull off. “Simply because I don’t find him attractive.”

“Then what is attractive to you?”

“I don’t know how to answer that. I don’t have anything particular in mind yet.” Nothing I could share with you anyway.

For the rest of the walk, Thomas was inexplicably silent. I thought I might have said something out of character, but as I reviewed our conversations in my head, I didn’t say anything offensive or depressing for him to trigger such negative emotion. He usually was very talkative.

I stopped at the corner street of Keystone; the part where we part. “Thanks for the good time.” I smiled and turned left down the street.

“Snow. Wait,” Thomas called out.

I turned around and gave him a mild inquiring look.

He ran forward and stopped at a close distance from my face. “I have to tell you something…I didn’t really invite you out to pick something for my sister. Well, I did, but it’s not the whole reason why I wanted you to come with me.”

I kind of figured it out already that I wasn’t really the expert you’d hope for, since you kept on dismissing my choices for your sister and the fact that you picked out a gift with no hesitation whatsoever and not ask my opinion about it. You could have at least asked me what color you should buy.

Suddenly, his knees began to shiver. “We’ve been in the council for six months already. And I’ve seen you—how you are with people. How you take time to listen to their problems and how head on you are on what you want to do. You’re very sweet and innocent and you’re really strong at the same time.” He looked down on the ground, like text was painted on them.

Oh my…did he want to quit the council? Was this a resignation speech?

He leveled his head with mine and gazed at my eyes. “I guess, what I’m trying to say is that…Snow Wheatchester, I like you. I liked you ever since we met and I’ve been liking you more and more.”

I paused for about five seconds, and then I took a deep breath and stared right back at him. I produced the best possible angelic face with a smile I could. “I like you too,“ I said.

“I know you don’t like—huh? What? Did you just say you like me?”

“Of course I did.”

He grew bright red. “Oh my…what should we? Wait, are you sure? About what you said?”

“Of course, I’m sure,” I said with the brightness of the sun. “You’re the best Finance Adviser I had ever worked with. You’re great at numbers and you’re fabulous on your work. How could I not like you? How could anyone not like you as a colleague with the effort and time you give with your duties? It is a pleasure to be your senior in the council.”

His face was in suspended animation. “That’s it?”

I smiled politely. “What else is there?”

“There’s—no. Nothing. I was just…forget about it.” He turned around and walked the other way.

“Thomas,” I called out with a confused face.

He turned around.

“Was that not an okay response?” I shot out.

His face crumpled in a way he might want to say something, but his lips were tight-lipped. Instead, he left me with a grin and continued his way home.