Love At First Sight
When she first saw him, she knew he had to do something. That guy was exactly his type. And when she saw what he had in his hands, her excitement grew even more.
But what could she do? She didn't want to make a scene or embarrass herself in front of everyone else. The clock was ticking: the young man could get out of the train any moment. She racked her brains and ended up thinking of an elaborate scheme to make him fall under her charm.
Strangers On The Train
Have you ever been in a train coach, spotted a stranger, and wished you could get to know more about them? Not many people follow their wishes on this one. After all, the train can be a hostile place for socializing.
People are on their way to work or other obligations and are not always in the right mood to start a conversation with a stranger. However, this type of situation can sometimes lead to wholesome and quirky stories like this one.
Train Crushes
Sometimes, you can get crushes on random passengers you see on the train or other forms of public transport. These tend to be hopeless crushes: even if the two of you regularly catch the same bus or train at the same time, not many people know how to start a conversation in this context.
In these situations, people can become paralyzed by the fear of being awkward or bothering the other person. However, our protagonist has found a way to start the courtship process with these mysterious strangers.
Millie Bratt
The person who has discovered this method of getting closer to strangers on public transport without invading their space is a young TikTok user named Millie Bratt.
Millie usually works as a beautician in Birmingham, UK, and uses TikTok only as a hobby. However, her story has made her go viral on the platform and catapulted her to influencer status.
It Caught Her By Surprise
That evening, Millie was coming back from work just like any other day. She was scrolling through her social media, looking forward to finally getting home and ordering herself some dinner.
It had been quite an uneventful day, and she expected it to remain like that until it was time to go to bed. But suddenly, catching her by surprise, it happened.
She Saw Him
The train stopped for a minute in one of the towns included in the route. The train was packed, and Millie raised her eyes from her phone to see if there was a senior person or someone who could use her seat more than herself.
And suddenly, she saw him. She stared for a few seconds, like she had just fallen under an unspeakable spell. But could that be…?
Like A Spell
Had Millie ever seen that guy before? Not that she could remember. She didn't think she had ever seen him on that train or anywhere else. "If I had, I'd remember, that's for sure," she thought to herself.
He was exactly Millie's type: tall and thin, with dark, longish hair and fair skin. But when she saw what he had in his hands, she couldn't contain a gasp.
Her Favorite Book
The boy was carrying a copy of "House of Leaves" by Danielewski. That was her favorite book! And what was even more outlandish was that she had never met anyone else who had ever heard about it, let alone read it. What were the chances?
Right then, she knew she had to do something. Her heart started galloping when the guy sat down right next to her.
She Had To Do Something
Right after sitting down, the guy opened his book and started reading. Millie's thoughts started racing. She had to do something. That could be the love of her life right there!
She thought about saying something and starting a conversation with the boy about the book. He probably didn't know anyone who ever read it either. But a realization quickly popped into her mind. There was a problem.
Did He Like Her?
Could she really be sure that the handsome stranger would welcome a conversation with her? For all she knew, maybe he just wanted to focus on the book. Maybe things would get awkward. Maybe she wasn't really his type.
Maybe, despite Millie's interest and all they had in common, the guy would be rude. Maybe she would end up making a fool of herself in front of everyone. She started thinking about what she could do.
She Couldn’t Talk To Him
"In the UK, we don't talk to each other here. We can't. We just can't do that," Millie recounts on the TikTok video that uplifted to social media stardom, alluding to Brits' typically private and reserved character.
"So, I was like, 'How can I get his attention? How can I get to know if he likes me back?" After thinking for a while, she finally came up with a master plan.
Her Phone
Millie took out her phone from her pocket and opened her Instagram. She put it onto her profile and left it like that for a few minutes so the boy next to her could see it.
She prayed for him to take a look so everything could get into motion. However, the guy seemed to be too absorbed by his book. So Millie decided to incorporate a further step into her plan.
Nudge
She decided to subtly nudge the guy with her elbow. She tried to make it seem like it was an accident: softly enough for it to seem unintentional, but strong enough to make the guy wonder if something was going on.
The guy jumped on his seat. He looked at Millie, who had her eyes set on her phone, trying to seem distracted; then, he did it: he looked at Millie's phone and her Instagram profile for a few seconds. But suddenly, something fateful happened.
The Train Stopped
The train stopped at another town. It was the guy's stop: he closed his book, quickly got up from his seat, and stormed to the door right before it closed down.
Millie felt disheartened. It seemed like her plan was a victim of circumstance. Was that the end of it? Wouldn't she get the chance to start a conversation with that boy? Would she ever see him again? Was he even interested in her in the slightest?
Ping
But it was Millie’s lucky day. "So he gets off at his stop - and then I get a little ping on my phone," she recounts on her viral TikTok video. "He's only gone and bloody followed me, hasn't he?! I cannot believe that this worked and I was like, 'Oh my God! How genius am I? Why have I never done that before?'"
"So, there you go! Guys, girls, if a hot guy comes and sits down next to you - just open up your Instagram. If he follows you, he fancies you!"