The Date (part 2)

Finally, because of the weather there weren’t much people here, lots of parking spaces available. However, Mr. Charming here decided to park somehow a block away from our destination, when there’s like a whole empty row of parking lots in front of the restaurant.

“You must be the type to actually love walking under the rain.” I mocked in an exaggerated gasped, surely he noticed that the rain isn’t going to stop any time soon. It’s a steady sideway drizzle just shy of a real downpour now, but no signs of stopping for real yet. But he shrugged off my comment and turned off the engine anyway. Still wearing the smile I’d seen. Ooh I noticed his dimples, almost-not-there dimples, if only he could wear that smile a little bit wider.

He turned to me and gave me his boyish grin a second before turning to the back, rummaging through his belongings before reappearing again with his dark navy blue umbrella. He handed me the umbrella and before I could even give a reply, he was gone, not like gone gone, but he was out of the car, already heading toward the restaurant. Uh-huh, give me the umbrella, leave me in the car while he makes a dash towards the building, such a gentleman he is, NOT.

I jumped out of the car, trying to keep up with him, I tried sharing the umbrella as well, straining to do so, I mean with his height and pace, he was  too fast! Hello? Darling dear? We’re on our way for ice cream and burgers, we’re not running late to catch any train or what so ever. It suddenly hit me that he might’ve been trying to avoid me, or was it something else? Fingers crossed it was something else, say like he has a phobia bout umbrellas or stuff like that.

So by the time we reached the block, he’s not soaked but still, wet is wet. He brushed the rain off himself, pfft not my fault, I tried. Just as I stepped beside him, I finally noticed our height difference, standing by his side, my eyes are actually leveled with his chest, I had to practically tilt my head straight upward if we were to talk this close. He held me by my elbow and ushered me in, it’s so cold right now that his sudden touch startled me because his hands were surprisingly warm.

We gave our orders, and guess what, my goofy retarded side of me decided to pop out, because the moment our orders are placed, I pulled out my purse like yeah you know me I don’t go on dates often (I don’t really know dating taboos) and I don’t really like people buying me food and stuff like that. So when I saw him doing the same. “Oh, you’re buying?” I asked, and when he’s actually paying. “You sure?” was the only thing I could muster next. Err no duh, he has a job, of course he will pay for the food, my heart did this little flutter kick of happiness, but then I mentally face palmed myself for giving such an embarrassing remark, why is it embarrassing you ask? Because I delivered my comment in a “You’re kidding right? You’re going to split it at our table later right?” way. Him smirking at me made me flushed red. Instead of just saying something simple and neat like “Thanks for the treat”, no-o-o I went for “I CANNOT believe you are buying me food, are you trying to make me owe you or something??” Double mental face palm, note to self if ever a guy is buying, he’s buying.

Alright so where were we, right to the second floor, sitting in the far corner, quite isolated, but not really much of a crowd to start with. I decided it was hard to sit face to face on our first date, so I sat diagonally with him. He didn’t seem to mind, on contraire he seems to enjoy the closeness as he shifted closer till our knees were actually touching. We chomped down our meal in silence and I was wondering what to say when Richard asked, “So how’s work at the store?”

“Boring but I’m glad I’m helping out,” I said without making eye contact.

“Uh-huh of course it is, so how about your studies? Applied anywhere?”

“Um the results aren’t out till August, there are some other places I applied, but haven’t heard any news yet.” I finished half my fist-sized burger, catching Richard who’s already on his last, he eats food with gusto, just my type of guy. I applied myself to my sundae. “So how’s work at your place?”

“Lots of projects coming up. Well you know the stuff, hell work for the next few months.” He held up his maraschino cherry from his sundae, “Want mine?”

I nodded and he put it on top of my sundae and smiled. I smiled back. “Why is it hell work?”

He made a face. “I’m going to meet lots more of clients, foreign clients as well. I’d be lucky if they’re like not picky or something, then there are the meetings, I might need to go overseas for the meetings, and basically I don’t think I would have the time to even sleep at all.”

I winced in sympathy. 

“Well there you see how tiresome having a job is, you should be grateful that you can relax and laze off for now.” He shrugged. I like the way his nose crinkled when he takes another big chomp on his last burger, how a strand of his pale blonde hair sort of fell over his broad forehead, and he had nice eyes, smiling eyes. And I caught those smiling eyes looking back at me, his eyebrows arched in questioning, I laughed an awkward laugh and he just grinned back at me.

“I like how you’re eating a whole burger and sundae to yourself.” He said, still eyeing me. “Some girls would be like, Oh, just a small fat-free-portion of ice cream in a cup, no burgers coz it’s fattening yada yada. But you’re all over that thing”

I laughed, startled and wondering if I should feel embarrassed. “I don’t really worry about what I eat when I’m hungry.”

“I like that.” Richard said, grinning. I don’t see it but I can practically feel his gaze lock on me, it made me fidgeted nervously throughout our meal, but honestly I don’t hate it.

So after our meal we made our way to a park (his choice of venue). But it was quiet there with empty cars parked around ours. But instead of taking a stroll which the starting heavy downpour forbids us to, it obviously cannot make up its mind whether to give us humans a slow drizzle or a heavy downpour, it kept shifting in between. Nevertheless we stayed inside. More talking, bout his job, bout my days at the store, bout our families. Time seems to fly at a much faster rate when you’re enjoying the moment, and soon enough it was almost five, my wonderful  dream date is about to come to an end. Cinderella has her curfew, I have mine too.

“It’s almost five” I sighed and he nodded. “Guess I’ll have to drop you back at the store” he said making a dramatically exaggerated long sigh.

“Awh, we can stay a little bit longer,” I smiled at him, something in me melted seeing him doing that. I’m missing him already. His smile, his pout, his dimples, but most of all his smiling eyes, I’m not sure when I’d have the chance to see him again. I can feel my stomach climbing its way into my throat as he flashed his sly sideway grin,

He chuckled abruptly and I averted my gaze again, it was getting a little embarrassing to be caught staring, again. Suddenly I felt his warm hands clasped my wrist, and I felt his calloused fingers, softly grazed through the back of my head to my cheeks, and before I knew it, I was pulled in his embrace, drawn to his lips. I managed a muffled disagreeing noise before he silenced me with his kiss. It was filled with hunger, full of lust, as if claiming what’s his, his hands snake its way from my back to my waist, to my shoulders, to my neck, pulling me closer, my heart somersaulted painfully in pleasurable way (bitter sweet thing), and I was out of breath as we finally broke free (I think I held my breath the entire kiss, pardon me for not being an expert on kissing), the kiss startled me, leaving lingering tingles on my lips and instantly when his lips left mine I buried myself in his chest (you know in case one kiss is not enough for him), I could practically feel my face heat flushed, my fingers traced my lips where Richard’s had just been. Then I felt it, his soft warm lips on top of my head, a soft chuckle followed, I could feel he breathe through my hair, his arms made its way around at the small of my back, pulling me in tighter. His arms were strong, and I surprisingly felt safe in the circle of them. 

I willed my reckless pulse to slow down and when it wasn't beating at an abnormal sonic pace any longer I tried pulling back, only to find his fingers on my chin when I was caught off guard and in seconds his mouth found mine again. But this time, it was much, much softer, slower, passionately, making our kisses linger (I figured he realized that I am not used to this kissing thing). He angled his head further, giving a long, extended kiss, holding me at the base of my jaw, this time I could feel his warm lips, I can breathe in his cologne, smelt of spice and a woodsy scent, I can taste his breath, peppermint and sugary sweet. Everything about the kiss was so surreal. And this time, I didn’t pull back (I surprised myself doing so), because everything about him is welcomingly warm, that I let everything else fall away, and let my heart whim over.

And damn it for the bad timing, my phone rang so suddenly, it startled the crap out of both of us, I practically jumped on my seat, moment gone. Hastily I punched the call button, it was Aunt Isle, demanding that I returned to the store ASAP, it was five minutes after five, talk about punctuality in getting off work. I slid a sideway glance his way and gave him an apologetic smile. He was looking right at me. Grinning, a big, stupid, self satisfied grin.

“What?” I asked noticing the tips of his mouth twitching, pulling the grin wider, his dimples sank deeper.

“What?” I challenged again when he just laughed, now realizing I myself had a crook smile on my face, his laugh was contagious and pretty soon I started cracking up as well, we both just laughed, easing the firing, passion building, make out session we just had. When we finally held our laughing mode at bay, he finally pulled his car out of the park.

“Now that should satisfy your wanderlust,” he said in between his lingering laughs as we made our way back to the store.

“What do you mean, wanderlust?”

He chuckled, “We won’t be meeting again for another lengthy period of time, I told you I’d have a lot of work piling up, and I can’t fly back and fro all the time.” He paused before adding, “So don’t you go find yourself another man.” He warned half jokingly.

“Oh, that. Yeah, that would be enough –  for the time being.” I joked. He laughed aloud and pulled my hand closer as he laced our fingers together, is it just me or this holding hand thing felt really good, I gave his arm a little pinch (which he returned with a sideway glance), okay not a dream, we just met, dated, and kissed. OMG we just kissed. This is not a dream, definitely not a dream.

“You are really the sweetest thing, you know that?” He said.

I shrugged, “Yeah I know, you were ‘sweet’ too back then”, and I shoved him playfully at his shoulder. He laughed and found my hands again, stroking his thumbs at the back of my hand.

“I meant you, you tasted sweet but you are also sweet in person,” He said in a matter-of-factly manner it left me speechless, was that a compliment? “I thought differently of you before, but now that I know you’re just that sweet little innocent girl, it made me – ” he paused, seeming to find the right words, “made me want  you more, made me want to protect you, to be by your side, day in day out, all the time.”

I gaped at him, surprised that he was capable of forming such, such cheesy romantic pickup line, my heart fluttered endlessly and I couldn’t even managed a reply. Should I reply to that? How do I actually reply to that? So in the spur of the moment, I chose silence. He shot me a sideway grin and drove on, silence.

As he pulled up in front of my store, my steps suddenly became heavy, I couldn’t willed myself to step out of the car, in a moment we would be apart for another lengthy period, I gave his face one last look, taking all of his features in, trying to make an imprint of him in my mind and heart, he did the same, always with the smiling eyes, we just sat there in silence, the charged silence between us speak volumes.

“You should go,” he finally broke the silence spell.

I shrugged, “Yeah” I said heavily. I gave him a quick hug, “You take care of yourself ‘kay?”

He pulled me closer to his embrace and planted a kiss on my forehead, “You too honey.”

Then I heard his soft murmurs, lips still on my forehead. “I love you.”

My eyes started becoming misty and I actually stifled back a tear when I heard what he said, it sounded truly sincere, making the whole date experience much, much more surreal. I nodded and then swiftly opened the door, got out, and waved him goodbye as he drove off.

Aunt Isle was already waiting at the store front, bag in hand ready to leave. And just as she took sight of me she trotted off towards the old block with the many rows of shops. But I’m too happy at the moment to even complain about that. And to be honest, everything around me practically danced in vibrant colors despite the rain, everything just seems to shine. I was all smiles until the next day. Talk about love drunk, ha-ha. Do I like him? Uh-huh no doubt, but do I love him? No the real question should’ve be will I come to love him? Only time will tell.

So there, that was my first and probably the last date I ever will have with him. Because just after that date, everything between us became distant, calls and text were getting rare, yeah I know at first I thought that it was his job and everything and I tried to be understanding. But bit by bit, his absence turned from hours to days, from days to weeks. And now he actually stopped wholly (had been two months since we last had an actual talk), no more calls and texts, no more news, it was as if he had disappeared from my life completely. I didn't want to move, didn’t want to do anything, but he was not there anymore. Tomorrow morning, even when I wake up, he would still be gone. He left me. I swear everything would hurt ten times worse if I’d actually loved him deep enough. And this boyfriend-left-me thing is becoming a pattern. *sighs*

What saddens me is that I actually hadn't had the chance to compliment him that he was a great kisser (I wasn't ready then but he just knew his way). 

Ha-ha, joke. I won’t ever give him the pleasure. Sayonara is sayonara.