Suraj Das

25 years old, agender, they/them, restaurant employee penned by Nico

[suraj-s-dream]

SURAJ DAS: 26 year old, amateur filmmaker, agender they/them, cute and awkward and often at a loss when it comes to American things. Originally from Mumbai. Moved to Roswell 2 years ago, before that they were illegally in LA after a semester and a half of film school. Lives in Trips Trailer Park and is a cook at Crashdown Cafe. penned by Nico

BIOGRAPHY (summary)

Suraj always wanted to become a filmmaker, but born in India, it was always combined with the American Dream. They left for Los Angeles to attend UCLA, but didn’t make it through more than a single semester before working in an Indian restaurant took up all their time. Their visa ended, and alike many other employees there, they were stuck. Eventually they got out, when the owner was put in jail and the employees were compensated. Suraj ran off to Roswell instead of staying up, taking a job there and continuing their dream. They’ve made all the music videos for b2un, and are working on a full-length feature. 

WANTED PLOTS

For someone they can figure out their sexuality with. Suraj is ace, but they don’t know that. They’ve kissed people, because kissing people is fine, but a step beyond that has never been an option for them. The very thoughts scares them. (TAKEN BY ADIYA)

For a friend who they can tell their secret to. They haven’t told a soul about the time they spend in LA being an illegal immigrant, but it is so essential to the person they are now. They weren’t always held-back, awkward, and shy. Someone who knows might be able to see a more authentic version of Suraj. (TAKEN BY MIA)

WANTED CONNECTIONS

Actors they can work with

Ace friends? PLEASSSEEE

Besties who they can hang with 

Movie lovers

ESTABLISHED CONNECTIONS

Friends: Brook, Emmett, Rose, Mei, Adiya, Sparrow

Unlikely friends aka people Suraj really likes: Mia, Sparrow, Ender

Neighbors: Emmett

People they’re awkward around: Wes, Striker

Their muses: Sparrow

People they like from a distance (because they’re nice): Lara, 

[suraj-s-dream]

dikaur​:

          she leans closer,  only slightly,  just enough to get a peek at what they were typing,  and as an impressed   hm  hums from her mouth, she sits back.    “ see,  i knew you’d be the right person to ask. you’re like the linus pauling of words, except less about synthetic plasma and more about articulation.  ”    she’s convinced she’d still be typing up the subject if it were left up to her.

        there’s a surge of energy that courses through her,   not like she lost any since they knocked at her door but a new sense of excitement when something as minimal as cooking for her came up.   “  yeah  ?  ”    perhaps cooking food for another isn’t inherently romantic,  they do it for work after all,  but the future possibilities,  the second wind of  WE SHOULD DO THIS AGAIN:   that’s what excited her.        “  i’d love that,  we can swap dishes.  like a two person potluck.  ”   in an attempt to play it cool,   she spoke too soon.   cooking had never been her strong suit.      “  or you can cook for me and i’ll judge it like i’m gordon ramsay.  ”    better.  a fake accent and performance felt more up her alley.

               “  that makes sense, drinking is shit anyway.  ”   the irony wasn’t lost on adiya but it shined a spotlight on their differences.   a mild loss of control for someone whose high school was filled to the brim with a rigid study schedule and inflexible revenge plan was exactly why she did like to drink.   suraj,  on the other hand,  seemed to be a lot more put together in that way.   she was the loose thread on the end of a shirt sleeve and they were a perfectly hemmed piece of fabric.      “  i think my parents would kill me if they knew i drank.      i love them but we live by a very strict       don’t ask,   don’t tell policy.  it’s more comfortable that way.  ”      there’s ease in the way she sits now, still keeping a safe distance but this time she wasn’t tensed up while doing so.   adiya had never considered herself an outright selfish person but  it’s fair to say she spent most of her relationships    talking   instead of listening.  it’s not the same with suraj.

            “  tell me about your family,  are you close with your parents ?  are they still in mumbai ?  ”

Suraj chuckled, having always been seen as ‘the writer’ in the family had mostly meant writing the wishes and such for any type of event when their mother didn’t feel like it, or taking charge of some other situation that was in dire need of communication through email. That wasn’t the same as this though, Adiya didn’t know all of that, she just needed help with writing it and she reached out. “I don’t know what half of those words mean, but yes,” they answered, grinning. 

They let out a laugh at the idea of Adiya as Gordon Ramsay, or perhaps the quick switch after proposing to share food. They made no assumptions about her cooking prowess, though their mom’s words repeated through their head, warning them that American girls couldn’t cook. Though in their mother’s case that could just as easily mean that they didn’t cook the way she liked. “Either works, as per my upbringing I always cook for a whole family and the neighbours.” 

With a nod, Suraj hoped to convey that they were glad someone agreed with them, not that anyone in Roswell so far had coaxed them to take alcohol against their wishes, but they still felt awkward about it regardless. People on tv screens so easily took up a glass, making it almost seem a part of the human experience, though in a way it was. “I understand that,” they said with a nod. “I didn’t really have to tell my parents anything, my sisters did that for me,” they offered with a grin. They closed their laptop and placed it on the salon table, pulling their legs in a little, trying to look more comfortable, if mostly for Adiya’s sake. 

The question was… nice. It was always nice to be asked things. “Uhm, I guess so, if I compare it with most people, they’re still in Mumbai, taking care of my sisters and their family’s mostly. Our… relationship is always a bit… weird. They support me but also wished I had done something different with my life, though they don’t really mind that I’m so far away, but I guess they really would’ve liked the opportunity to brag,” they admitted. “My sisters used to love that I made movies, now they just want me to go back and make them in Mumbai, and my little brother is too busy at college and courting girls to really talk with me.” Though the words weren’t all positive, Suraj spoke with love about their family, far away and doing their own thing, which they had always liked about them. “How about yours?” They asked, smiling.

[suraj-s-dream]

marinera-stella​:

“No?” From experience, she knew that people behind the camera were more comfortable there, observing from a distance; however, it was hard to forget Suraj, drawing attention to themselves, dressed as a Christmas alien. Sure, it was for an opportunity, but anything could be made into one by shifting the lens. For one, had they not stepped out, they both might’ve never even met to have this conversation, but she heard her friend out, seeing their distaste. It sprouts a light laugh out of her. The number of times she’d been met with that face among friends was plenty. “Ah, mm, roger that,” hums the feline, “but I’d ask you to think about it, yes?” It was the only time she planned to ask. She might’ve been a natural instigator, a pusher, but her tendencies to try and please everyone weighed her down at times. “Let me think, there are — karaoke clubs, arcade bars, lounges, drag races, masquerades, and you can tap out at any point, no questions asked.” A pause. “You also don’t have to give me an answer now.”

Suraj smiled, and nodded at the question. “Yes, uhm, no,” they said. It was strange because Suraj did aspire to become a director, they did force themselves into the spotlight very often. But that wasn’t as scary as being in a club where everything was beyond their control. Being a director often meant taking that control, or having people around them who could help them with that. Real life wasn’t like a movie set, and they liked the idea of that. They were about to answer, when she said they didn’t have to right now. Some of those options did sound interesting, and they figured they might like it, but they weren’t sure how. “I’ll think about it,” they said, grinning. “Uhm, just… let me know, so I can prepare for it,” they said.

[suraj-s-dream]

breannesamaya​:

“No, not if eaten in moderation. What other candy do you know that is that complicated to eat? Outside of caramel and taffy. And logically they’re too big to be qualified as candy. An apple is on the more solid sides of fruit. Let’s complicate that and add a coat of hardened caramel and then sometimes, add nuts to it.” Suraj was right though, more teeth problems mean more dentist trips. Perfect pipeline operation. “I think I’m just mad that a hulking piece of fruit is being shilled as candy. It’s not candy." 

Suraj remained confused, mostly because they weren’t sure what taffy was and often realised how different their candy regiment had been at home, where they had mostly whatever their mother made. And when coming to the USA, they had continue to try and find the things they had eaten when they were younger. “Uhm… the apple, you mean?” they asked.

[suraj-s-dream]

aylinfms​:

“i will do” they reply, smiling back at them, they pull out their phone and make a note, “see now i won’t forget”. “nice to meet ya suraj. i’m aylin. in the back, got it” they were feeling a whole lot better about this thing, they take a sip from their coffee cup, closing their laptop lid, “now i can enjoy my morning…”

THE END

[suraj-s-dream]

dikaur​:

             “  my original idea,  thank you for asking,  was a middle finger emoji  and,  ”     it only takes a few clicks on her phone to bring up the rest of her previously thought-out (or lack thereof) message.   “  this gif.     it’s from the office.  ”     pride resides in her voice like it lives there.  “  but then i was like,  maybe i should keep my door for this job open, you know ?  in case i don’t find anywhere else.  ”

              she had found herself scooting back to allow more space for suraj when they sat.  not wanting to come on too strong,  pulling her knee closer to her.  and immediately,  almost as soon as,  her face lights up at their laugh.  as if the simple sound of it were contagious.      “  right,  okay.  ”    brown hues observe  the way their fingers placed on the keyboard like they belonged there;  endearing.     “  dear to whom it may concern, i,  adiya kaur, am sorry to tell you that i will be putting in my two week notice.  ”    she’ll have to use her professional email to send it.   a resignation letter coming from an email account called:  BOATZNHOES096  probably won’t be taken too seriously.  besides,  it would be embarrassing to repeat that email name aloud to suraj.  not as if they know her as anything besides a ridiculously vulgar  person  -  she spent countless times after their conversations beating herself up over the things she’s said  -    still,  she doesn’t want to push it.   “  and   blah, blah, blah.    i trust you to zhoosh it up.  ”

           in spite of the fabrication told to get them here  ( a very tiny white lie, she’d argue )   she  didn’t want to spend the whole time strewing words along for them to type.    finding herself insanely bored of it already,   adiya had more interest in getting to know suraj.       “  so,  do you like to cook ?  ”   her chin moves to rest on the knee that was propped up.     “   i know you do it for work but do you genuinely like it ?   and do you just not drink alcohol for religious reasons or ?  just because of the orange juice thing,  i was wondering.  ”   she’s proud of herself for leaving the:  HAVE YOU EVER DATED ANYONE question out for this round.

Suraj, who normally had more moderate reactions to most jokes people made, actually laughed. They had made up some expectations about the gif that Adiya would share with them, and this was not at all what they expected, but they could somehow see it all happening in their head. From the sight of Adiya writing the message, to someone receiving it. “That’s wise,” they agreed. “Though the idea you had was pretty funny,” they said. 

They chuckled as Adiya spoke, dictating her email before completely letting it go. Suraj’s fingers worked to fill in the rest, ending with the send off that she wanted to use, whether or not she actually wanted to keep it in her message, they couldn’t be sure, but because this was Adiya, and they liked Adiya, it seemed like it would be a good joke. They checked the four lines again - having learned to keep it short, though because Adiya wanted to keep the door open, they also put some sympathy in there - as the questions were directed their way. 

They had planned on staying longer than it would take to write this message, it wasn’t like reading someone’s essay. Suraj saw the situation between them as kind of normal, Adiya kept some distance, though instead of her talking, she was asking questions. Which was new, but appreciated. “Uhm, I guess I do, though I wouldn't say making burgers and fries is something I do at home as well,” they said with a smile. “I like to make the dishes my mom makes, so more traditional Massari things,” they said. “I can make you some if you’d like to try some day?” They asked. They bit their lip at the question about the alcohol, it wasn’t a straightforward answer, but it wasn’t a straight-forward question. The reason they were so comfortable around Adiya was perhaps also because in some way they shared a culture. “Kind of,” they said. “It used to be, when I would only be allowed to drink at religious occasions. Now I just don’t… like the idea of losing control to it.”

[breannesamaya]

Location: anywhere that works probably at crashdown...

Status: closed { @suraj-s-dream }

"Okay but hear me out... candy apples were designed by people who hate having teeth." Breanne examined the popular halloween treat in her hand. "How are you supposed to eat this? It's begging for a trip to the dentist."

[suraj-s-dream]

breannesamaya​:

Location: anywhere that works probably at crashdown…

Status: closed { @suraj-s-dream }

“Okay but hear me out… candy apples were designed by people who hate having teeth.” Breanne examined the popular halloween treat in her hand. “How are you supposed to eat this? It’s begging for a trip to the dentist.”

Suraj chuckled. “I mean… isn’t all halloween candy? Or is that supposed to be a conspiracy theory, that like… dentists support the holiday because it means more customers? It would be smart, if it’s actually like that,” they said.

[suraj-s-dream]

lcvity​:

“Oh you should have seen your face!” Reyna was hugging her stomach with one arm, while the other worked on wiping the tears that were slipping through her eyes. Scaring Suraj was a much needed discretion for the own fear they were experiencing. If she was going to get stuck in a creepy ass haunted house with anyone, she was glad it was them. Though she doubted they would share the same sentiment after not only having placed a horribly realistic fake spider on their shoulder, but also laughing her ass off when her stupidly childish prank worked. “I’ve never seen anyone jump so high!”  Her laugh echoed in the darkness hat surrounded them, so much so that she almost didn’t catch the sound of footsteps approaching them. Immediately, the amusement she was experiencing began to drain from her face. “Did you hear that?”

@suraj-s-dream​

Suraj was easily frightened, mostly because by the time they had placed themselves in a situation, they had thought of many different outcomes already, different ways they could’ve been scared. It resulted in constantly looking around themselves. Now they found themselves separated from the group they had come with - never a good start - with someone who seemed to have more confidence than they did. And she didn’t hold back, Suraj was white as a sheet and had uttered a shriek already, plus done an intense jump. They didn’t hold it against her though, they figured she was probably just as scared as they were. They jumped at the comment. “Huh? What?” they asked, eyes searching the dark. This was real. Oh no. “Should we run? Do we run?”

[suraj-s-dream]

fckemms​:

now would be a great time to carry a barf bag . something brown and made of paper to breathe through at least . judging by the loss of colour in suraj’s face , they’re going to need it . despite their utterance , emmett can’t be sure that they actually are okay . not by the looks of them . ❝ i guess i’m not really helping , huh ?? it’ll be okay . it’s fun , i promise . like riding a rollercoaster , ❞ words reassure , palm shifting to the other’s back . it was best that the stories stopped coming . instead , attention turns to the small book of flash art , opening the laminated pages so that both of them could browse , but not before waving to the employee who heard the entrance chimes go off . ❝ you never thought what you might get before ?? ❞

Suraj had been on a rollercoaster a few times, tried to remember the feeling in the pit of their stomach, the strange sensation that warned of danger, but that was a happy to be there. Adrenaline, the knowledge that you were about to do something scary, but changes were that you would survive it. And if not… well, that was the fun of it it would seem. The lurch of their stomach and the sudden burst of energy that came once the first cart started speeding down. This was like that point where you were pulled upwards, ready for the drop. “That’s a good suggestion, uhm, that’s a good…” they couldn’t come up with the word, instead focussing on the book. “No,” they said with a nervous laugh. “I never thought I would get a tattoo.” They looked through it. “I definitely don’t want anything ufo related.” Their eye fell on a small flipbook, the ones they used in old movies. They pointed it out to Emmett. “Too on the nose?” They asked.

[suraj-s-dream]

riggsfm​:

“names can always be changed,” riggs hummed, his shoulders lifting in a small shrug as he did. “just play with it until you find something that feels right, you know? you’d be amazed at what ya come up with if you just take a breath and relax about it.”

Relax about it. Suraj eyes widened for a moment, then they tried to relax as suggested, knowing there really wasn’t much of a reason to be frightful about this. Nobody had read the names yet, and how often would they appear on screen after all. They just had to keep looking, perhaps find some movies from South America, try to find a good name on screen. “That’s true, well… at least in a movie script, I’m not so sure names can easily be changed in real life,” they said.

[suraj-s-dream]

aylinfms​:

aylin smiles brightly at the other, “no worries! you’ve said me a lot of stress” that was true, hopefully the bride liked the idea too. it was good to hear someone elses thoughts on the matter, “i’m glad too! i’ll let you know how things go” . they nod, liking the sound of this idea already, “yeah, yeah! that’s brilliant” aylin agrees, “they’ll always have a memento of the day then”.

Suraj smiled, and nodded. “Yes, please do,” they said, filling Aylin’s coffee again, ready to move on to the next table. “Uhm, I’m Suraj by the way, Suraj Das, in case you can’t find me, I’m usually in the back,” they said.

[suraj-s-dream]

meixuan​:

“Cake is always better than pictures. I should know.” Mei chuckled softly and nodded her head. At Suraj’s question, her nose wrinkled a little —- never a thought that had crossed her mind, to be honest. “Only if it helps my work,” she answered them. “So yeah, got an insta for the shop.” She pulled her phone from her pocket to show them the page.

-

Suraj grinned. “Your cakes at least,” they suggested. “I wouldn’t say cake in general.” They smiled. “See, photography,” they said, leaning over Mei’s shoulder to get a look at her page. “Ooh, those are great pictures! It’s a skill to make food look delicious! I saw this blog post once from someone who compared McDonalds advertisements to the real deal, and then showed how they got the better version in the studio. Though… that is mostly lying, I don’t think you do that.”

[suraj-s-dream]

dikaur​:

            jesus,  she’s a cliché ( giggling at the nudge like a little kid )  but   at least now she’s beginning to feel a lot more comfortable.    the euphemisms and vulgarity will continue to be locked in a closet for the most part but she’s feeling more relaxed.  she turns on her heels,  her nerves hiding in the way she clutches her orange juice as she takes them to her living room. 

            “  shut up,  you did research on how to write my resignation letter ?  ”   although her timbre had formed into an obvious admirable tone,  she’s grateful to have been turned away from them, knowing that the blush on her cheeks would have given her away.      they’re delightful,   a south asian person that her pāṭṭi would approve of;  they entertain her longwinded rants about being a celebrity,  watch her audition tapes even if it’s against their will.   they let adiya just   be  without showing any judgement or asking her to chill.      “  you’re a genius, suraj, anything you find would be better than my original idea.  ”    which wasn’t saying much since her original idea was simply a middle finger emoji.

              adiya is aware that honesty will give her the answer she requires sooner than later,  but she’s also aware that   that’s   why she won’t mention it yet.  she sits down,  one knee up on the couch to angle herself sideways as she pats on the cushion beside her.       “  i know it needs to start with,  like,   to whom it may concern     or whatever to be all fancy and shit but maybe i can add my own flair  ?     like at the end we say,   from your number one bad bitch adiya kaur.  ”

Suraj, oblivious to people’s thoughts when it came to anything other than friendship, chuckled. Their sisters always had great joy when it came to their lack of recognition, the times they would run around and whisper to their mother about the girls who would follow Suraj home, or the ones who would come around to study. Suraj themself hadn’t noticed until much later that there was any type of interest there aside from wanting to be friendship. 

“I did, not a lot, but just enough to come off as if I know my craft,” they said, grinning as they followed Adiya back. “What was your original idea?” They asked, though they had some idea of what it could’ve been. They’d known each other for a while now, Suraj felt like they understood her likes and dislikes, her humour - which was either the right amount or a little too much for them - and her dreams for the future. They did want to give her a role in their movie when they finally got working on it, if only because the amount of effort she’d put into convincing them. 

Suraj took a seat, their laptop out on their lap, one leg folded under the other. They open up Pages, thinking they could airdrop the email to her eventually. They lean back, eight fingers on the keyboard as they watch her instead of the screen, fingers finding the small squares to find the F and the J. “I think it would depend on the type of relationship you have with your boss, but it can’t hurt, right,” they said with a laugh.

[suraj-s-dream]

ezrafms​:

she nodded her head quickly, lips sucking in as if in a guilty expression. “i write when i can, yeah. lately thing shave been more difficult for me, so i say that i’m a writer, but i don’t actually accomplish anything.” her shoulders lifted in a half-assed shrug, though eyes remained on them. “and i don’t mind you saying your thoughts aloud. if anything, it’s nice to hear another creative brain and how they think, y’know? gives me hope that i’ll get back there eventually.” she was giving them her full attention now, book closed and set to the side, elbows on the table. “sounds like a coming-of-age type deal. i have a soft spot for stories like those.”

“Oh, I figured being a writer didn’t really suggest you had to write a whole lot,” they said. “Uhm, just that you do.” They shrugged in return. Suraj wasn’t a writer, or well, if anyone asked, they weren’t, but they wrote. “I’m not a writer, I’m a… uhm, scenerist,” they said, smiling. “But I don’t write scenarios that often.” They chuckled. “I have many stupid questions and thoughts,” they offered. “Sometimes so that I rather ask google.” They bit their lip, it wasn’t a compliment but regardless it still made them feel a bit awkward. “I hope it will be a good one,” they said. “I’ve had muse for it since last february, but the process is going very slow.”

[suraj-s-dream]

marinera-stella​:

A hand taps down on the counter as if a deal was struck. “Then, it’s settled.” Like a rodent, she knew all about the ins and outs of the city. With enough of a head start to save up and prepare, she figured slipping in a round-trip ticket as a birthday present when their day came couldn’t hurt, and there her mind was again, two steps ahead of everything. It was exhausting at times, but in this case, she latched on, trying to focus on a more uplifting subject. “When the mood strikes, let me know the spots you want to visit, and I’ll sort out the rest, yes? — How do we feel about nightlife?” Taking a long sip of her drink, she wiggles in her seat in contentment. The food, in general, had that effect on her, but seeing their face perk up also had something to do with it. They deserved to be rooted for, and given the topic at hand, she felt it was the least she could do. “You just say the word, director.”

Suraj chuckled, and nodded in response, after all, they were perhaps less the prepared type, they knew little of New York to start with. Their sisters, the oldest of the two, had always asked them why they didn’t watch more Hollywood movies, if they wanted to learn more about America, or why they didn’t just go to their precious Europe. But while introverted, they were curious for the places and things they knew nothing about. “Nightlife?” They made a face. “Uhm, I was never much for going out,” they admitted. The very thought of going out and being surrounded by strangers in the night scared them. They worried, though they never knew for what exactly. “I never really went out that much, but I don’t like clubs and all that,” they admitted. Hoping they wouldn’t need to explain it.

[suraj-s-dream]

dikaur​:

                suraj was cute.  kind.  as much as she adored that,  it made reading them and their intentions complicated when she’s certain they would do this for anyone they considered a friend.  they were,  in adiya’s eyes,  simply a decent person.  which was part of the reason she had grown a liking to them.  a genuine liking,  not just the  would totes bang    kind of liking.   one that was reminiscent of her high school years;  the innocence of passing notes in the school hallway or giggling way too loudly at a joke.  it was that kind of liking.

             yet neither of those expressions were a match to the fluttering felt in her stomach when they said they enjoyed hanging out with her.  flattered,   her lips press into a smile.   adiya knew,  for the most part,   she was a GRADE A ,  boss ass bitch.   but the validation from someone like suraj was always needed.      “   i enjoy hanging out with you too,  ”   she’s quick to admit,   “  we should do it more often.  i mean,  you know where i live now,  you know where i work.   i’m usually only at those two places, so.  ”      and she’s extremely happy the conversation managed to move away from pulp - filled orange juice into something a little more intimate ?   even if the intimacy was purely platonic,   at least it was going somewhere.   “  and i got orange juice for ,  like  ,    days.  ”    she lifts her glass up slightly,  as if to make a toast to the fact,  only to bring the glass to her lips and take a sip of the juice.     “  okay,  shall we ?  my job ain’t gonna quit itself,  although that would be awesome. save me the hassle. ”

Suraj chuckled. “I mean, I know where you work now,” they said quickly, nudging her. They weren’t sure where all this confidence was coming from, she seemed to get back to herself a bit after the compliment. It must've worked. But again, they found it easy to believe that maybe she was finding all of this very awkward. Maybe it was the job, maybe she wasn’t sure if she wanted to quit. “But I do know where you live, so I’ll take the opportunity to come by when you want to have me, after all, there is orange juice.” 

Suraj raised their glass as well, they smiled as she took a sip and nodded back in the direction of the living room, completely under the impression that they were going to help her write a resignation letter. They had looked up some samples the day before, watching for common things, trying to figure out what might work best for Adiya and her job. It couldn’t be hard, according to some videos they’d see what might help was to keep it vague, to the point, not too much information. They could do that. “Lead the way!” They said. “I did some research yesterday, so I feel I have a good grasp at what we could write for it.” 

[suraj-s-dream]

riggsfm​:

“well then maybe your first step should be comin’ up with nicknames for people,” riggs hummed, one of his eyebrows quirking up. “might be a bit easier to come up with one for…” he gestured, meaning whatever it was the other was working on, before he continued, “because it’s usually easier to come up with them for people you know.”

Suraj nodded, returning to their script for a moment to write down the comment above the first time the character’s names showed up. They looked back up when the other said ‘people you know’, and then nodded. “Yes, I guess, I mean, I hope, I am still not happy with the names I got for them,” they said.