ARJUN SMITH
As a bribe to accept her apology I asked her out and she said "Yes" without overthinking.
She was sitting beside me and she has no idea where I was taking her. After that incident with her
annoying cousin, Krishna, I can't believe she defended me. I don't know if I'd do the same. This date is
going to surprise her. I don't know if she knows that it's a date?
I turned to look at her who was looking away and staring at the window. She was wearing tight blue
jeans and full sleeve sexy tight black tops-cropped V in the collar. Her hair was open and naturally
wavy, that's what I liked her about, she doesn't put thousands of make-up layers to impress his man or
society, and she likes to be who she is.
I locked her hands in mine and led her into the hotel. Her hand was shaky and the sweats were
dripping in her foreheads, even the hotel was filled with cool air. She must be nervous I assumed. "Are
you alright?" I asked her once we entered the elevator.
She nodded looking at the elevator door as if I let her hand free she'd fly from here.
The door opened with a ting sound. Once we get out of the door I turned to meet her eyes.
I saw her eyes widened in surprise, maybe shock. I freed her hand from my hold. She took a step
forward and smiled. The glow of the serial lights dazzled in her brown skin. Her eyes shined like stars.
She smelled like a strawberry cake. Really? A strawberry cake? My mind protested. She took in the
arrangements that I'd done for her.
ANUSHIYA SMITH
I was standing with my big eyes wide opened. There was a dining table for two and it was surrounded
by candles even the terrace was loaded with candles everywhere. Heart red balloons were hanging on
the top of the dining table. The edge outline, border of the terrace was lined up with rose pots, with
different colors; the air was filled with rose over there. The lights were no bright and no dim it was
perfect.
Not to mention it was like a romantic date from the Hollywood movies I'd ever seen. I thought those
things will only happen in movies but when it was happening to me I couldn't believe my own eyes. I
remembered a proverb in Tamil my amma always uses for no reason, "Kannal paarpadhum poi,
kaadhaal ketpadhum poi." which means, "Seeing with the eyes is a lie, hearing with the ears is a lie"
But how can I not believe what I was seeing right in front of me.
"Shall we," he asked as letting out his hand for me.
"Yes," I said softly and smoothly, well... I tried.
I placed my palm in his and he led me to the table. The way to the table was spread with rose petals
and the side of the way was built with candle lights. He helped me with my coat and my seat. I started
biting my inner tongue to hide my nervousness and blush. Well, it didn't help. It'd have helped if it was
small of a deal but it was a big deal, huge. This was my first time like this.
He sat across from me and removed his coat button. "Do you like it?" He asked looking around as if he
was asking about arrangements.
"It was too... much," I said with a smile on my face.
He laughed.
"I'm glad you liked it." He said.
I smiled looking away from him, blushed.
As soon as we sat, a waiter in his early thirties wearing his uniform black pant and a white shirt with a
black tie tied around his collar came to take order from us. "What can I get you, Sir?" he asked leaning
down with note and pen on his hand.
Arjun took the menu and started scrutinizing it. He ordered himself a well-done steak. I wonder how the
menus were changing from the same table. I couldn't find any easy words. I took the menu as well and
started tried reading it. The foods and names were totally unfamiliar to me. I can't even pronounce
those words correctly; here are some of the foods from the menu that I struggled pronouncing even in
my head, Coq au vin, Boeuf bourguignon, Confit de canard, Ratatouille. Finally, I got the word I knew
from the movie, "Ratatouille," I ordered by my side. He just stared at me surprised.
"Why Ratatouille?" he asked.
"The only name I can say correctly and know?" I said as chuckled.
He laughed.
I stared at the sky. There were stars, a lot. "I like this place."
"Thank you,"
I turned my head to look at him. "Can I ask you something?"
"Yeah, go ahead." He said.
"Why you hid that you're a CEO? I don't know you were a CEO until Thursday Alice told me about
that." I asked politely, he'd answer.
"Because I don't like being a CEO for my father's company?" he said.
"And why is that?"
"Since when did you start questioning me?" I waited as he sighed. "I was planning about starting my
own company like my father, step zero to number one. But he wanted me to take over his company
which I quite didn't like the idea of that. So we kept a deal, if he stops pushing me for four years I'd take
over. I thought he can't do that so we made a deal but he was good with his words. He never asked or
talked about his company as we said for four years. So he kept his side of the deal and now I'm
keeping my side of my deal."
"So I assume you never talked to your appa openly."
We turned our gazes as the waiter placed our orders in front of us. "Thank you." We said as in one
voice.
Once the waiter was gone he dug into his steak with knife and fork. On the other hand, I was looking at
the plate and the fork and knife beside it. I don't know how to use this. Well... I tried when I was a kid,
but when amma and appa start using their hands I put the spoons aside and start using my hands too.
Now I'm regretting that I should've tried and learned about that.
When he was half completed his plate and saw me rotating the fork and knife in my hands nervously,
he placed his fork and knife on the table and started using his hands. I didn't expect that one was
coming. I smiled at the plate as if I was smiling him a thank you. I guessed he must be seen me smiling
at him because I saw him smiling at the plate too.
While eating I felt the candle lights heat around me as the night cold air protected me from the heat.
Once we finished our plate with hands in silence he walked me to the edge of the terrace. "What's your
favorite movie?" he asked.
"It's a Tamil movie."
"What is it?" he asked.
"Engeyum Kadhal. It's a romantic comedy." I blushed.
"Seems like you love this movie." He said looking at my side. "We are going to watch this movie."
"Now?" I asked surprised. Where? In phone?
"Yes, here and now!" he clapped. Four waiters carrying a huge sofa came into a view and placed it
behind us. Then he whistled, a big white screen rolled open in front of us. While I was looking at what
was happening around me in surprise, "Shall we?" he gestured his hands toward the sofa. I've had no
words to express what I was feeling now. It was all feeling like a romantic comedy movie.
"What was the movie that you said?" He asked.
"Engeyum Kadhal. Are you sure you can watch this? I don't know there will be a subtitle or something
like that."
"It's a date. I'm sure I want to do this."
Did he just say that it was a date? If I heard him correctly this was going to be my first date ever in my
whole life.
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