Love In Full Bloom

Chapter Twenty

MIGUEL'S POV

As I drove, I couldn't help but steal glances at Mariam, who was taking in every detail of the car's interior.

Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and her smile lit up the entire car. I chuckled to myself, happy to see her so carefree.

She seemed to be enjoying the ride, and I was enjoying her company.

I was also relieved that she hadn't taken off the jacket, even though I had no right to dictate what she wore. Still, I was glad she'd kept it on.

I turned to her and asked, "Have you eaten lunch?" before refocusing on the road.

A simple "no" was her response, prompting me to glance over at her again. This time, she had her phone out, seemingly snapping a video. 'This girl is really something else,' I thought, shaking my head in amusement as I turned my attention back to the road.

I pulled into a nearby restaurant, the sign reading "Noble House."

" Let's grab some lunch before we head to my place," I said, turning off the engine.

Mariam looked around before turning to me with a bright smile. "Are you taking me out on a date?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with amusement. I was taken aback, my eyes widening in surprise as I stuttered, "Uh, wait, what? I mean, I haven't eaten lunch too, so I thought we'd grab something to eat." The light in her eyes dimmed, and she dropped her gaze, her voice barely above a whisper. "Oh, okay." I could see the embarrassment washing over her, and my heart went out to her. I might have inadvertently hurt her feelings. I took a deep breath and decided to salvage the moment.

"Hey, you can consider it a date if you want to," I said, trying to sound casual.

She nodded, a hint of a smile playing on her lips, and we stepped out of the car. I led her into the restaurant and to a cozy table by the window. Since it was my first time here, I studied the menu before turning to her.

"What do you feel like eating?" I asked.

She scanned the options, her brow furrowed in thought, before pointing to the menu. "Fries and chicken sound good," she said, her eyes meeting mine.

"Don't you want something healthy?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her choice of oily fries and chicken.

She shrugged. "I'm not that hungry, so I'll just go with it." I nodded, about to call for a waiter when she caught my attention again.

I turned to her, one eyebrow raised in inquiry. "Can I remove the jacket now? It's a bit hot in here," she asked, her eyes locking onto mine. I felt a surge of surprise; she actually wanted my opinion on whether she should take off the jacket? Did she really value my thoughts that much? I gazed at her tenderly, my eyes scanning the restaurant discreetly, ensuring there weren't many people around. I didn't want anyone else's eyes on her.

But luck wasn't on my side, as the restaurant was packed with guys who couldn't help but steal glances at Mariam.

A surge of possessiveness flared up inside me, and I didn't want any of them looking at her.

"Wait," I told her as a waitress approached our table.

"Good afternoon, sir, madam," she greeted us, and I just nodded curtly while Mariam responded with a smile.

"I want a private room," I requested, my voice firm and cold. Mariam's eyes snapped to mine, surprise written all over her face.

The waitress raised an eyebrow, seemingly taken aback by my request. "Let me check, sir," she said, her voice neutral. She tapped on her tablet, then nodded.

"We have a private room available upstairs. Would you like me to show you the way?" I nodded curtly, my eyes still on Mariam's surprised face.

"Yes, please," I said, my voice still firm. The waitress gestured for us to follow her, and I stood up, my eyes never leaving Mariam's as I waited for her to follow suit.

We followed the waitress to a private room upstairs, the door closing behind us with a soft click.

Mariam turned to me, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"A private room? Really?" she asked, her voice low and amused.

I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant despite the possessive feelings still simmering beneath the surface. "Just wanted some peace and quiet," I said, my eyes locking onto hers.

Mariam's gaze lingered on mine, as if searching for a deeper meaning behind my words.

I turned to the waitress and ordered our food – Mariam's fries and chicken, and mine, the special waakye from their menu, a traditional Ghanaian dish I was craving. The waitress nodded and left, and I called out after her,

"And can you bring us some apple juice to start", Mariam raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued by my choice of drink. We moved to sit at the intimate table for two in the private room.

"You can remove the jacket now," I told her, my voice light. She frowned as if she understood something now. "You requested a private room so people wouldn't stare at me?" she asked, looking at me. "I don't understand you, Miguel, why are you doing this?" she asked again, her voice filled with curiosity. "Doing what exactly?" I asked, not getting her.

"Why do you care so much about me?" she asked, her eyes searching mine. I felt a bit taken aback, unsure how to respond. To be honest, I wasn't even sure why myself - I just knew I didn't like the idea of other men looking at her a certain way because of her exposing top. It was weird, since I just considered her a friend.

"I don't know, Mariam," I said, shrugging.

"I just don't want anyone staring at you, I guess. You're my friend, and I want you to feel comfortable." She looked at me expectantly, but I just gave her a straightforward look. "It feels right to me, that's all."

She was about to talk when the door opened and the waitress came in with our juice in a bottle carrier. She served us and left after telling us our food would be ready in a few minutes. I looked at Mariam, and our eyes met. "Why were you late for lectures today?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Ugh, my alarm didn't go off, and traffic was a nightmare," she said, rolling her eyes.

I chuckled at her expression. "Why do you live so far from campus?" I asked, curious to know more about her.

"Well, the hostel was full when I applied freshman year, so I ended up staying in a place near my part-time job," she explained, looking at me. "It's not just me from the university, actually – there are a lot of students who live there, and it's not that far," she added with a soft smile.

I nodded, returning her smile and deciding not to pry further about her living arrangements – specifically, whether she was staying with someone or alone in the house.

She removed the jacket, revealing her flawless skin, inviting my gaze to linger. The crop top had short sleeves, exposing her shoulders and arms, while the fabric hugged her midriff, leaving her stomach bare.

My eyes were drawn to her innie navel, and I couldn't help but wonder how she could wear something so revealing in public without feeling self-conscious. Just as I was lost in thought, I glanced back at her face, only to find her snapping a picture. A frown crossed my face as I pondered who she might share this moment with.