CHAPTER 5 - First Date
919 Words
Ameelah made sure she wore something both decent and elegant for her first date with Darmiel. She chose a sleeveless, midnight-blue fitted dress that grazed her knees, pairing it with delicate one-inch heeled sandals. After checking her reflection, she grabbed her signature designer bag and her car keys.
She was humming a soft melody as she walked toward her car. Just as she was about to start the ignition, her mobile phone beeped. She suppressed a giggle when she saw the sender. It was Darmiel, letting her know he was already on his way to Lulu’s Cafeteria and asking if she was en route as well.
“I am on my way too, Darmiel. See you,” she keyed into her phone and sent it immediately.
Darmiel’s smile grew wide upon reading her reply. “You could not resist me now, Ameelah,” he whispered, a dubious smile playing on his lips.
“I am excited to see you, Ameelah,” he texted back. His heart actually fluttered seeing how easily she gave in to his subtle seductions, but the feeling was quickly replaced by bitterness. Hah, Ameelah, you are so easily hooked by a gorgeous appearance rather than by sincere words. You are so superficial! he hissed to himself. He drove faster, his jaw tightening with displeasure.
When Darmiel parked his car in the lot beside Lulu’s, he took a deep breath to calm himself before finally stepping out.
Ameelah had not yet arrived when he walked inside. He chose a table at the far end of the cafeteria, settling into his chair with practiced poise. Within seconds, a waitress was at his side, smiling sweetly.
“Hello, Sir, welcome to Lulu’s. Here is our menu. I can come back in a bit once you’re ready to order,” she said in her most pleasant voice, eyeing the handsome young man with a suppressed giggle.
“Alright. I’ll wave at you when I’m ready to order, Miss Pretty,” Darmiel replied with a wink. The waitress giggled again, no longer bothering to hide her reaction to his presence.
Ameelah, who was just walking into the cafeteria, witnessed the waitress’s giggling display. A frown instantly crossed her face. Her lips, accented by pink lipstick, pouted as she approached the table.
She walked faster, and the waitress was taken by surprise when Darmiel stood up suddenly. He gently pulled out the seat beside him, smiling handsomely at Ameelah as she reached them. Seeing the waitress look at her with a hint of displeasure, Ameelah lifted a perfectly groomed eyebrow and shot her a quizzical look.
“I shall be back, Sir. I’ll be patiently waiting for your wave,” the waitress said to Darmiel, completely ignoring Ameelah. She gave him one last sweet smile before finally turning and walking away.
…
Darmiel quickly noticed the flash of jealousy in Ameelah’s reaction, and he felt like rejoicing. He was only on the first step of his plan, yet she seemed hooked already.
“Darmiel? Why was she frowning at me?” Ameelah asked.
“Who?” he asked, playing innocent.
“That waitress.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Hmm... maybe she felt envious that the man beside you was all eyes on you the moment you arrived?” he said in a teasing tone. He looked at her with an intensity that made Ameelah’s heart race.
Ameelah shrugged her shoulders but kept her eyebrow raised. “You’re getting too confident, Mr. Darmiel,” she said, darting him a disapproving look.
“Am I?” he retorted, unaffected.
“Why? Are you not?” she countered. She wanted to see how he would react to her "bitchy" or unfriendly side.
“I wasn’t, Ameelah. I was just stating what I observed and felt. Don’t you want that in a man?”
Ameelah fell silent. Darmiel had a quick mind and a smooth refutation for every word she said. Truthfully, she felt challenged and was beginning to like him even more.
“Darmiel, I won’t answer that. I’ll use my right to remain silent. Can I have a mocha coffee, please?” she said, giving him a small, thrifty smile.
Darmiel sighed, and to Ameelah’s astonishment, he took her right hand and gently kissed the back of it. “Gladly. You can have a mocha coffee and anything else your heart desires,” he said. He then waved his hand to the waitress.
He was still holding Ameelah’s hand when the waitress approached.
“Two mocha coffees, please. And what other food would you like, my Ameelah?” he asked smilingly, still not releasing her hand.
The waitress cleared her throat as she watched their clasped hands. she looked at Ameelah with a nonchalant expression, waiting for the rest of the order.
“Please add a carrot cake.”
“And a slice of sans rival, please,” Darmiel added after Ameelah finished.
When the waitress left, Ameelah gently pulled her hand away and gave him a sullen look.
“What did I do to deserve such a displeased look?” Darmiel asked with a mock-sad face.
“You’re acting overly sweet. We aren’t even a couple yet, Mr. Darmiel,” she pouted.
Darmiel suddenly burst into laughter. “This isn’t even my sweetest part, Ameelah. This is just my normal self. Wait until you see how sweet I can really be.”
Ameelah’s face reddened at his words.
“Would you like to experience the sweetest part of me, Ameelah?”
- Writer
