The Magic of A Rendezvous

Chapter 5

This was the beginning of her life in America, gathering with the Jiang's family for the first time ever. Amber came along with her father, she was sitting quietly facing the happy little family in front of her.

She only listened to what they were speaking of. It was just around their business and Jiang's family's branches in other countries like China and Shanghai. She tasted her food in front of her as she felt there was a pair of eyes taking glances at her several times. She peeked at him as she swallowed her food and she caught him trying to look away from her.

"Lucas, take Amber a walk at the park behind this restaurant. She seems bored with our talking. Just introduce yourself with each other." Mrs. Jiang studied Amber's attitude and she could read it very easily, it must be a boring gathering for a seventeen year old girl like her.

"Oh, okay." Lucas nodded, agreeing to his mother's suggestion. He put down his spoon and fork on the table, wiping his mouth with napkin. "C'mon."

Amber did the same like him and started to stand up. She followed Lucas as she walked right next to him. They were still awkward towards each other, it was their first time to meet together with their family.

Lucas cleared his throat, trying to melt the situation between them. "So, Amber, right? I'm Lucas." He prolonged his hand to shake hers.

"Yes, I'm Amber. Nice to meet you." She shook his hand and tried to smile in front of him.

Lucas looked at her from head to toe, toe to head again and again, it made her a little bit uncomfortable. "What's wrong?" Amber asked him. "Do I look ugly for you?"

"No, it's just.." Lucas shrugged, putting his hands into his pocket. "You're too perfect."

She was almost blushing but trying not to. "Is that a compliment or not?" She asked that to him because his expression seemed to be not sincere with his words.

"No, it's not." He said it bluntly, making Amber a bit mad and a little confused. "Pretty make up, nice dress, smooth hair, fancy heels. Are you sure you're like this in the real life?"

She shrugged, "How did you know?"

Lucas held her hands, his eyes were on hers. "Stop being fake in front of me, can you?" He plead. "You can't fool me. Your eyes were sulky and red. You must've cried a lot before coming here. Even though you're wearing make up to cover it all, you can't hide it and you seem very uncomfortable with this dress and those stupid heels."

"You're right, this is not me. What can I do? My father told me to look perfect in front of you all. My father accepted your parents' offer to rebuild our financial, he even asked me to marry you. I may be look pathetic in front of you now." She almost cried. She had been crying for like million times, her mother slapped her when she was knowing the truth, she was depressed when her father was telling her that her child was dead after she was giving birth and her mother got into hospital right after they arrived here, her condition was worse than before.

"Tell me." Lucas was looking right into her eyes. "Tell me everything that I should know about you."

She looked at his sincerity through his eyes, he was such a quick witt. They promised each other to tell any secret about them, started from little things. They always did that once in a month and it became their habit everytime they met each other.

"Three tacos plus four bobas in one day??" Lucas's eyes got widened and Amber smiled as she nodded. "Tell me anything else. You're very interesting everytime you open your mouth."

"No, it's your turn now." She pouted like an innocent girl.

"I love hitting the gym every day." He said to her then, he raised his left eyebrow, "And from now on, you should stop eating tacos and drinking bobas and come with me to the gym."

"You're so cruel! No!" She hit him playfully as they both laughed together.

Lucas was always beside her anytime she needed someone to talk to. He taught her during her college period, starting from a fresh student until she graduated. He was always the first person who wished her happy birthday every single year and he always sang for her off key but she didn't know why she craved it everytime.

They both got through the bad times and good times together, the worst part was when her mother was dead after suffering blood cancer for five years. She struggled with depression, she was tired with her life because at the same time, she had to learn about maintaining their family business too.

Her depression affected her father too, he even almost killed himself after learning that his wife was gone. He thought that he couldn't run his business anymore with the Jiang's family.

Amber had to step up to substitute her father and it made her more depressed and frustrated than ever. Luckily, she had Lucas by her side, he helped her to get through this together. He gave her an idea to do business alone and she agreed, she always wanted to build a school because she almost cut her education off and she wanted to see children with better education for a better future, although she couldn't do it for her own child, at least, she could do it for other children. Lucas became the biggest investor for reaching her dream, she was always thankful to him for always helping her out.

Four years had passed and it became the worst part of her life. Her father was having heart attack, he said that he couldn't stand living alone without his wife beside him. For many times, he always told Amber that he wanted to meet her mother but she always encouraged him to be strong.

"Dad." Lucas was holding Amber's father hand.

Mr. Liu smiled looking at Lucas, how he really wanted to see her daugther to marry this guy in front of him. "You've been kind to me, to Amber."

"I just simply love her, that's all. That's why you have to be strong and see us together." Lucas told him.

"Son, please, take care of her."

That was the last message that he heard from Amber's father. Her father asked him to call Amber, he wanted to tell Amber something important that she should know. He said that he wanted to talk to her alone, so, Lucas got out of the room and waited for Amber to come to him again.

She looked confused and sad and shocked after talking to him. He couldn't really read her expression now, for the first time in his life he couldn't understand her.