The Last Moon

Chapter 11: First Date

Rahul's POV

This is the first time I have asked someone to go out on a date with me. I've been out on some dates but I never really initiated it, it's more of a hangout rather than a date and normally just with Veronica. I was so nervous last night when I informed the doctor that I will go out with her daughter. That was after we discussed the medications he has given to my Mom.

Recalling...

"All your mom needs to do is to work with her therapist and continue some of the medications I have given her then we will do another lab to check the result," he said

"Yes, Doctor.,"

"Is there anything you wanted to say, Rahul?" 

"Um, I would like to inform you that I have asked your daughter to go out with me tomorrow. I just want your permission of course," I said nervously. And the doctor laughed

"Did she agree to go out with you?"

"Yes, Sir,"

"Then you're lucky," he said laughing again, "just make sure you bring her home by 9 pm,"

"I trust you both so I am not worried, don't worry," he said

"That's good to hear from you, I will be going now. Thank you for your time,"

"You are such an old geezer, Rahul but I like you," he said tapping my shoulder

"You even look old right now," Baconava said in my mind, "You're a teenager, not an old man from the old century. You may want to just wear something casual," he said 

"Like you care? you just normally sleep whenever I go out," 

"I was just telling you, look at yourself in that mirror and imagine what Halea will tell you?"

"What's wrong with my shirt?"

"Wear something similar when you go out with Veronica, just t-shirts or short sleeves,"

"Alright, I know you won't stop so I'll follow you,"

I took a green t-shirt and jeans, this should be fine. I didn't hear Baconava complain afterwards, I guess he's already asleep. I went out just 30 minutes before time, I called the beach house to prepare and clean-up. I picked a stem of yellow rose in my Moms garden, I hope she will enjoy this stroll with me.

She was already at their receiving area with her Mom when I arrived, I greeted her mother and told her that I am there to pick Halea up. 

"Hi, I'm ready," she said, "Mom, we're going. I'll see you later," and she bends to give her mom a kiss

"Mrs Calestes, we will be going. I'll bring her home early," I said as we walked to the car. I opened the door for her and went back to the driver seat and buckled up.

I handed her the rose, "this is for you," I said

"Thank you, this is so lovely," she said

"Good that you like it, my Mom is breeding them,"

"That would be something I wanted to see, a garden of roses," she said as she brought the flower to her nose. She looks so pretty, her hair is clipped on both sides while the rest of her hair falls on her shoulders. I envy the wind as it touches her face and blows her hair, her long neck shows and that somehow makes me sweat. Looking at her this close gives me shivers and that fluttering feeling inside me. While I drive I keep on looking at her in the corner of my eyes.

We went around town, I showed her the market, the plaza and the parks as well as the supermarket that Mr Roberts owned as well the shops my family-owned.

"How many shops do you have all over the town?" she asked

"Well, we have around 5 shops in this town alone, 3 small one inside Mr Robert's supermarkets, 1 in the town's wet market and 1 near the beach,"

"Other than the seafood shops, do you have other properties in town?"

"We own a few fishing boats and lines, our main business is from the ocean. That's why I love the ocean," after strolling around we stopped in front of a noodle shop and a burger joint, "Which one do you prefer, noodles or burger?"

 "hm, I'm not hungry but I can try it. So, what can you tell me about their noodles and burger,"

"They sell a traditional noodle snack here, it's vermicelli with banana blossom, pork strips and other veggies. You should try it, this is the speciality of the place while this burger joint sells a variety of mushroom burgers, these are some of the things that the town of Vale offers. So do you want to try?"

"I'm a burger person, so I can try the mushroom burger,"

"Let's take it out and eat at the beach, what do you think?"

"I'm cool with the idea,"

"Ice tea, juice or soda?"

"Soda,"

"Ok, wait for me here,"

I walk inside to buy food to take out when I hear a loud motorcycle parking outside. I just glanced but didn't pay much attention until my order was done. I grabbed my order and walked out of the store when I saw the young Thalon who is now talking to Halea, she is out leaning on the car. I continue walking towards them. Halea saw me and she stood straight to face of me and Caleb,

"Rahul, this is my classmate Caleb and Matthew whom you already meet. Guys this is Rahul,"

I just nod since I am holding something in my hand, "Yes, I met them already,"

"Rahul," Caleb said

I placed the food inside the car and stood there waiting for them to finish talking.

"Caleb, we're going I'll see you at school," Halea said and went inside the car

I waved with the guys, "Caleb and Matthew, we're going men," I said and drive out of the shop

We are already far from the snack house, "Are you ok?" I asked Halea  

"Yeah, I'm okay. They just asked me what I'm doing there. I guess they were surprised to see me with you,"

"Yeah, I am surprised myself other than my Mom and Veronica you're the first girl I've been out with," I said laughing

"Here we are, this is our beach house. We can eat here and watch the beach, then when the sun is no longer hot, we can walk from the beach to the baywalk." I stepped down the car and opened the door for her. I also took the food in the back seat and guided her inside the house.

"Come in," I said as I opened the door for her.

Halea's POV

All is going well so far, I like how Rahul has taken me to see the different places in town. It's educational and gives me more insight into the town I am living in. It's my first time out on a date so I don't have any experience in dating but I think for me it's all about the person who we're with. Most of the time I just listen to Rahul when he speaks and I am glad I can look at his face longer while he's driving compared when we are walking. 

And whenever I see his eyes I feel like there is someone else looking at me, his dark green eyes somehow change at some glance. It feels like there's a grey silhouette or smoke before I can see the green. ANd when I just look at him his eyes are just grey or I am just imagining things. After strolling, we passed by the burger and noodle shop, I wasn't expecting to see Caleb and Mattew but then there they were. When Rahul went inside to order our food, I stepped out of the car to stretch my legs and leaned on the car to wait for him when a motorcycle stopped in front of the shop. At first, I was not concerned about who it was but when I heard my name, I was surprised.

"Halea!" Caleb called, then I looked from where it was coming from, "I knew it was you," he said

"Hey, Caleb and Matt," I said as I waved to them and they came closer. "How did you know it was me?"

"I would always know you even from far," Caleb said.

He is creepy most of the time that's why I don't feel at ease with him, "if you say so, you must have a psychic power or something," I said

"So what are you doing here," he asked, "And who's with you?"

"I'm with a friend, we're just buying some mushroom burger, so I can try,"

"We didn't know you like a mushroom burger," Matthew said, "If we knew we could have brought you here before,"

"Not really, as I mentioned I am here to try it out. So where are you guys going?"

"We just bought something and run some errands for our parents," Caleb said

"So where's Jason, you're not complete without him," I said chuckling, "Did you hide him in the exhaust pipe?"

They both laugh, "He is busy at home plus we cannot all go," Matthew said

"That's a shame," I said, then I saw Rahul coming out and I stood there to face both of them. When they saw each other I somehow felt guilty since Caleb was the first one to ask out but anyway I mentioned I will be busy this weekend and they didn't know who asked first. I introduced them to each other. Then there was a pause for a while until Rahul got inside the car. I said my goodbye to Caleb and Matthew and went inside the car with Rahul. For a while there I got shy and out of words, I must have just felt guilty.

Rahul spoke,  "Are you ok?" 

"Yeah, I'm okay. They just asked me what I'm doing there. I guess they were surprised to see me with you,"

"Yeah, I am surprised myself other than my Mom and Veronica you're the first girl I've been out with," I said laughing

"Here we are, this is our beach house. We can eat here and watch the beach, then when the sun is no longer hot, we can walk from the beach to the baywalk." We stopped at a big contemporary beach house about 3 storey high made of stone and glass. He opened the car door for me and I stepped out and followed him. 

The place was amazing. You can feel the breeze from the ocean coming in and as we go inside I can see the big veranda overlooking the beach and there's a stair going to the sand down below. Huge coconut and pine trees were surrounding the beach house which gave shade. On the veranda, they have a hammock and some beach bed, chairs and table and beside the veranda below is a pool. The whole place was so nice, now I understand why he spends most of his time here.

"Let's go down there," Rahul said pointing the stairs on the side, "there's a swing there which is a good spot to spend the afternoon," he said

I followed him down the stairs to the sand, the scenery below was so calming paradise like I would say. The swing has a nipa roof making you feel like you're on an island somewhere.

"You can sit here, our food will come shortly," Rahul said as he sat down beside me on the wooden swing bed though it's big I felt a bit awkward. It suddenly feels hot, the sun on the sand, yeah they feel hot. After a few minutes, an old lady brought our food and I saw he also bought the noodles.

"I bought the noodles so you can try them as for the burger you can cut it and just eat what you can, I also got some cheese if you want them inside your burger," he said as they placed the tray between us.

"Thank you, this is very thoughtful of you," I said as I grabbed the burger and placed the cheese inside. I cut the burger as he suggested and took a small piece to taste. This is my first time eating a mushroom burger and it was good.

"Um, this is good, the patty taste like meat. I should bring my Mom there she would love it," I said, in all honesty, the texture was a bit different but the taste was good. I can see him smiling while he eats his food.

Then I tried the red vermicelli with sauteed veggies and pork, "What was that tangy taste?"I asked Rahul

"That was the banana blossom," he said, then I saw him put some onions in a sauce in his noodles before eating them. I watch him eat and it looks so delicious.

"Can I try that," I asked pointing at the onion in a white sauce 

"This is a little spicy, so try a little first and see if it fits your tastebuds," he said.

And I did what he suggested and I cannot stop how my face changes on the sourness of that noodles but it taste good. Rahul laughed at me as I inhaled air from my mouth.

"It was sour and spicy, but it was good. I realized that the pork gives that crunch while the veggies give the texture to the noodles," I said as I try to finish the food on my plate.

"Here is some water as the soda wouldn't be good with that spice," he then hands me a glass of water.

I finished my burger and the noodles that I put into my plate. "I'm stuffed," I said

"I didn't know you would be able to finish it," he said

"It's good so that's why I finished it," I said as I lay my back on the backrest of the swing. The old lady came and took the tray of food away.

"You said it's your birthday on the feast day, right?" I asked him

"Yes, you are right. I am turning 18 which makes me an adult," he said

"That's 4 weeks from now, what are your plans for your birthday?"

"Normally my Mom would throw a party for our friends, then there's the festival which for me is already a celebration of my birthday as we give back to the people who work for us and for the community we live with. Then I usually go to the middle of the ocean on my boat as my alone time, I sometimes dive to see the creatures beneath,"

"You really love the ocean,"

"You can say that," he said smiling, "If I lived a different life I must have been a merman,"

"Why not the prince of the ocean," Halea said, "It suits you"

"Do you think so?"

"Yes, why not," I said laughing, 

After spending some time on the beach we decide to walk towards the city baywalk which is just adjoining the beach. As we walk towards the crowded place I can lot of families spend s their leisure time at the beach and the bay walk. There are commercial establishments around and the place was lighted. We stopped and sat on a bench and watched the sunset, it was a lovely sight. And then there's the moon shining from a far distance. We had plates of seafood bbq in one of the restaurant then we alk back to their beach house before he brings me home.

I was already in bed when I received his message.

Rahul: I had a great time Halea, I hope you did the same.

Me: Thank you for today, and yes I enjoyed it.

I wanted to tell him I enjoyed spending time with him, but I felt shy about it. that should be good for now.

Rahul: Is it too much if I ask to see you every week? You can choose what to do

Me: No, not really but I'm busy next week, my friends and I plan to go to the carnival and bazaar

Rahul: I saw you and Aspin run in the morning, is it okay if I join you? I promise not to make Aspin angry.

Me: I’m okay with it, I’ll see you outside the same time every morning then.

Rahul: You’re an angel Halea, good night see you tomorrow

Me: I thought that was next week?

Rahul: But you will anyway run tomorrow, I’ll still be right behind you.

Me: Alright Mr Stalker, good night!