The day was Friday, October 27th, 2023, and I was at DFW airport with about an hour till my scheduled flight. I'm not exactly a people-watcher, but put me in an airport, and suddenly I'm the Sherlock Holmes of human observation. Especially in a gigantic airport like DFW, where one encounters people from all walks of life and from almost every corner of the world.

As I sat there, sipping my coffee, I couldn't help but observe the individuals around me. To avoid any potential awkwardness, I wore my earbuds without playing anything. A man dressed in a sharp suit sat right in front of me. He frequently checked his watch. He had this carry-on that he meticulously set on the seat next to him. It was so conspicuously well crafted that I could tell it was a luxury brand. I took out my Pixel phone to scan it through the Google Lens. It was Valextra, and I nearly had to call 911 to get my jaw off the floor when I realized the price: $7,950. In contrast to this man, the people on each side of him wore sweatshirts and sweatpants, reminding me of a gym. Next to me, a young couple was talking. Their baby was resting quietly, and they reassured each other that he would not cause any wailing havoc on the impending flight.

As I admired the cute baby and the parents, the selfish part of me was secretly hoping to be far away from their seats on the flight.  Meanwhile, behind me, either an Indian or Pakistani uncle spoke animatedly on his phone. He spoke in Hindi, but thanks to my exposure to Bollywood and my time spent in Rajbiraj and Biratnagar, I comprehended everything he said. He was probably talking to his wife, complaining about how he had to discard the homemade chips and some other pickles as the luggage was overweight. That's all I was able to eavesdrop on when suddenly, I noticed a group of young people dash through the terminal. Their hurried footsteps echoing the palpable fear of missing their flight. Amidst this flurry, some weary folks were sleeping on the carpeted floor with their backpacks serving as makeshift pillows. A couple of passengers buried their noses in some books. And finally, whether scrolling through social media, catching up on emails, or simply seeking distraction, most travelers had their heads bowed down on their smartphones.

The unanticipated announcement of a two-hour flight delay startled me, and I empathized with the collective groans and frustrations of those around me. With that delay notice, the joy of people-watching faded away. I then messaged my friend that my arrival was way past midnight. Our plan was to go for dinner straight from the airport, but we had to cancel it. I started scanning for restaurants at the terminal, and my gaze landed on the board of Plaza Premium Lounge. With a glimmer of hope, I hastily opened my travel card app that I had gotten a few months ago. And guess what! I had possessed complimentary access to this lounge with my credit card. This reignited my dopamine circuit, and I made my way to the lounge.

Upon entering, I found the lounge was smaller than I had expected. Despite the size, the ceramic tiles with the teal and grey-colored furnishing with a tinge of beige color under the warm light made the place very cozy and inviting. I chose to sit nearby the charge station, facing the wall. I pulled out my laptop, connected it to my earbuds, and then switched to YouTube to kill some time. It was there that I stumbled upon the latest release from music artist Lauv, a song titled "Love U Like That." Pressing play, I found myself tapping my toes to the infectious beat, momentarily lost in the melody. Once done listening to the song, I was about to go and grab some food at the lounge when I heard a voice from behind.

"Hey, I saw you're listening to Lauv's latest song. What do you think of it?"

As I turned behind, I noticed a girl at a nearby table, one AirPod dangling as she leaned in with curiosity.

"It's really nice," I replied, mentally kicking myself for such a lackluster response. Her sudden appearance had caught me off guard.

With a smile on my face this time, I quickly added, "Actually, it's a refreshing change from his usual vibe. I can already tell it's going on repeat during my flight."

"I know, right! I have already listened to this like multiple times," she responded enthusiastically.

"Not many people know Lauv or listen to his songs. I am happy to meet another fan," I continued the conversation.

"Tell me about it. That's why I had to come say hi when I saw you jamming out," she explained.

I smiled back. I have a thing for the way ladies speak; it's the first thing I notice about them. It's difficult to describe in words, but her voice and the way she spoke were magnetizing. I mean, do not get me wrong, she was beautiful. Strands of braided hair lovingly tucked behind her ears, beneath the perfectly arched eyebrows, her eyes were big and expressive. But it was when she spoke, through her full and soft lips, leaving her truly mesmerizing.

"I think you were about to do something," she said, sounding almost apologetic.

I paused for a moment before replying, "Well, my flight's delayed until 9. I was just going to grab a bite. If you haven't eaten yet, do you wanna me?"

She hesitated, then said, "I don't usually do dinner on the first meet, but why not?"

"Haha, making exceptions already? I'm flattered," I teased, a glint in my eyes.

She smiled in return.

"After you," I gestured, allowing her to lead the way as we headed for the lounge's food spread.

While we ordered food, we finally exchanged names. Paige! What a beautiful name. When we returned back to her table, I noticed the print of UTD on her sweatshirt.

"So, University of Texas Dallas, huh?" I remarked, signaling at her sweatshirt.

"Yeah, heading home for fall break," she confirmed. 

"And where is home for you?" I asked.

"Up north, Chicago. What about you? Where are you off to?" she inquired.

"Raleigh, visiting a family friend. I actually live here. What made you come all the way south for college?" I continued. 

She responded, "My dad and grandad, you know, they both attended UTD. After my brother, it was my turn."

"Wow, UTD runs in your bloodline! That's awesome," I remarked.

Our conversation flowed effortlessly as we ate. But then, a notification chimed on her phone.

"They're boarding my flight. I've got to go," she said regretfully, gathering her things.

"It was really nice talking with you. Time flew by," she remarked, packing up.

"Likewise," I agreed. She looked at me multiple times as she put her things in the bag.

 I checked my watch; I still had an hour left. She was now walking away.

My throat tightened with the urge to say something witty or charming. Lost in the captivating conversation, I had momentarily forgotten the fleeting nature of our encounter. But as she began to walk away, a sudden impulse surged within me.

"Paige!" I said out loud.

She turned back.

"Would you like to continue this conversation when we both get back to Dallas?" I stood up and asked her.

With a smile spread across her lips, she answered, "I would love that."

"Can I have your number then?" I asked, passing her my phone.

"Sure thing!" She replied, typing her number and saved it with a smile emoji next to her name.

"I will text you tomorrow," I said triumphantly.

With a nod and a smile, Paige bid me farewell. I watched her walk out of the lounge and into the terminal until she took a turn and was out of my sight.                                                                          

                                                                         ******

When he entered the lounge, I couldn't help but notice his sense of elegance. I was accustomed to the lackluster college style of fraternity shirts, shorts, oversized cargo pants, and streetwear adorned with prominent brand names; however, his minimal yet timeless outfit stood out. He wore navy cotton pants, neither too tight nor too loose, paired with a beige linen shirt, tucked-out for a causal feel and had its sleeves neatly rolled up to his elbows.

With his back turned, he remained unaware of my presence. I seized the opportunity to strike up a conversation when I noticed him playing Lauv's latest song. Though our interaction was brief, sparked by our mutual musical preference, I sensed his reluctance for prolonged conversation and gracefully allowed him to return to his laptop.

I was pleasantly surprised when he invited me to join him for dinner. Despite having had a sandwich only an hour ago, I accepted his invitation to spend time with him. Our conversation flowed smoothly, with him asking more questions than I did, I believe. When the airline app signaled boarding, I found myself reluctant to part ways. As I gathered my belongings, I hoped he would ask for my contact information, but he remained silent, briefly disappointing me.

As I walked away disheartened, he called out my name. My joy knew no bounds when he requested my phone number, leaving me blushing as I exited the lounge, grinning ear to ear. I was lost in thoughts of him as I was walking to my gate that I collided with a lady, causing both of our belongings to fall to the floor. While hurriedly grabbing our things, we exchanged apologies. Reminiscing about our encounter, even the monotonous flight announcement didn't disturb me. The flight attendant's reminder to switch our phones to airplane mode abruptly snapped me back to reality.

Panic set in as I realized my phone was missing. Despite frantically checking all my pockets and searching my backpack, it was nowhere to be found. Before I knew it, the plane was airborne, leaving  DFW Airport behind.