Love story of a T-shirt

By Julia Fernandes

September 24, 2011

(I get a lot of demand to write love-based stories. So, based on popular demand, here goes a short love story that is purely ripped apart from some corner of my vivid imagination).

She looked at the time on her mobile; it was well past 8 pm. She wondered how long it would take before he would show up for the party. It was around eight months since Alese had joined this new company. Among all the colleagues there was one tall, handsome man that had stirred something in her heart and soul. He was Adelrich, the team leader -- flamboyant and intimidating yet soft and a very generous soul from within.

The party was thrown on the success of a project of which she was a part of. Despite being in the same team they rarely had the opportunity to talk or get to know one another better. Whenever their paths crossed, Adelrich could feel her presence, but the stiffness in his body language suggested the subtle tension he would feel each time she passed by him. Both felt something that neither could talk, or express or even deny.

Before the party could begin all the team members were informed of the dress code for the party, which was a customized T-shirt associated with the success of the project. It had the project logo on it. Everyone was instructed to wear the T-shirt. Being new to the party culture, Alese did not think much of the sentiments attached to the T-shirt. When the T-shirt was given to her, she opened it, took a good look at it and decided that she was surely not to going to wear it as it did not gel with the outfit that she was wearing at that time.

She kept the T-shirt in her office drawer and headed to the party. The party was just beginning and the team members were slowly trooping in one-by-one. But there were no signs of Adelrich, whom she was eagerly waiting for. She did not want to leave the party without seeing him. She sat in one corner of the sofa and waited till the time passed.

And then, little after 8 pm, Adelrich walked in. He looked good in the T-shirt. The atmosphere instantly changed with his towering presence. When he saw her, he was sad to see that she was not wearing the team T-shirt yet he said nothing to her. He casually mingled with his team members and then headed straight to the bar for a drink. Alese kept following his movements.

With a glass in his hand, he stood bang opposite her and locked eyes with her. She too looked at him, but was unable to maintain more than a few seconds of direct eye contact with him.  Just when he was beginning to get into the groove, Alese, already running late, made a dash to the exit. Being new to the party scene, she did not realize that she ought to have informed the hosts that she is leaving.

Like a Cinderella in hurry, she left. Adelrich did not expect that. He stood there stunned and hurt. He perceived her abrupt exit as rudeness towards him. The party continued whole night but Adelrich was in no mood. He simmered with anger from within while Alese had no inkling about what her action had done.

The next day Adelrich’s behavior towards her had drastically changed. Alese could sense his anger towards her and she kept wondering why? After a few days Adelrich wore the same team T-shirt to the office. He made his statement without saying a word. It was then that she realized how much that T-shirt mattered to him and how hurt he felt when she did not wear the same.  

The following day, Alese, too, wore the team T-shirt for the first time and walked into the office. All heads turned to look at her. She looked cute in the T-shirt. Adelrich was surprised, but pleasantly happy. This time she also made her statement, that she was sorry for hurting his sentiments.

So, through a simple T-shirt two people in love communicated without exchanging a word between them. While one wore the T-shirt to express his hurt, the other wore the T-shirt to express that she was sorry. And, thus began a wonderful love story. Many things happened and many things did not happen. Their worlds gradually changed and they moved away from each other.

Today, both do not know where the other person is. Whether or not they will ever see each other or come face-to-face with one another only a -- T-shirt can tell!