A starry night, a violinist, and a petal scattered path - the perfect atmosphere for couples. Walking down the scattered path of red and pink rose petals, Celinda's heart thumped louder as the seconds went by.
Her heels tapped a low thud sound against the carpet floor as she stopped at the restaurant's front desk. The chandelier glimmered from above as if crystals were dancing by the skylight roof. She followed Bryan's lead as the waiter brought them to their assigned seats.
Looking around, she noticed the tables were empty with no tags placed for reservations. She started questioning why it was so quiet and peaceful during happy hours. The prices were considered moderately ranged and the food looked fresh. Everything was sanitized and the staff acted accordingly. Nothing seemed out of place.
Suddenly, the similar suspicious feeling struck her once again. She definitely sensed that something was wrong, but she couldn't explain what it was.
"There's something weird going on. Why is the restaurant empty? We seem to be the only ones here tonight. Also, people keep staring at us, and it feels awkward. " Celinda unfolded the menu and held it up to prevent others from hearing her words.
"You're overthinking. This whole restaurant was reserved by me tonight. Of course, there aren't other people here." He smiled, giving her a small wink.
"Oh! If that's the case, then alright. I take back my words. Let's see...What should I order?" Celinda chewed on her bottom lip as she scanned through the menus. Before she could think of what she wanted, Bryan interrupted her thoughts.
"How about letting me order for us? I know you love seafood, and the restaurant is known for its fresh seafood selections. Your favorite oysters are part of it too." He tapped the special course section on the bottom of the menu as he listed what seafoods were included in the platter.
"That's a tempting offer, but I don't want to dirty my hands. Eating crabs and lobsters would make my hands fishy." She wiggled her fingers, showing off her new manicure.
"Heh." He chuckled. "Don't worry. Tonight, I am prepared to be your hands. All you have to do is eat. I'll have all shells emptied, and every meat placed on your plate."
At the same time, the waiter brought utensils over to the table for seafood. A pair of gloves was neatly placed next to the metal tools provided. Holding the gloves in his hands, Bryan smiled meaningfully at her.
"Well, since you put it that way...How could I reject further?" Celinda's white teeth were shown as she smiled from his thoughtfulness.
As soon as they agreed on the food selection, Bryan placed their orders. Throughout the entire process, Celinda noticed his hand was stuffed in his pocket. After the waiter confirmed their orders twice, he walked away leaving the couple alone. Out of curiosity, Celinda stretched her neck forward, hoping to figure out what he was hiding.
When she couldn't figure out what was in his pocket, she decided to ask him straightforwardly. "Is everything alright with your hand? You've had it hidden the whole night ever since I came out of the bathroom in our suite."
"Actually, I.." Bryan held the square-shaped box in his pocket tightly. However, the moment he reached out to hold her hand to tell her what he's been planning, the waiter walked over with a kettle of iced lemon water.
"Excuse my interruptions, would you like a refill?" The waiter inquired as he held the kettle of lemon water in his hand.
"Oh, sure! I forgot to ask for a refill earlier when we were ordering. Thank you! You're so attentive." She complimented the waiter, seemingly satisfied by his service.
As Bryan watched the iced water pour into Celinda's empty glass, he imagined cold water splashing down his head instead. He finally had the courage to speak up but was interrupted at the most crucial point.
Once the waiter finished filling the glasses with fresh lemon water, he gave a slight bow and walked away. Once again, the couple was alone. This time, Bryan took the initiative to bring up the topic from earlier. "Right, back to your question. I wanted to wait for the right moment to tell you this, Celinda. I-"
Suddenly, a violin crescendo rang loud in the couple's ears. With a forceful smile on his twitching lips, he turned his head to see the violinist playing the instrument at a short distance. Reaching into his pocket, Bryan took out his wallet. For the first time after leaving the suite, Bryan took his hands out of his pocket.
He took out a few big bills and applauded the violinist's skills. "Very well played. Now, can you-"
Coincidentally, the singer hired for tonight arrived at the same moment and walked over when she saw Bryan handing tips to the violinist. With a bright smile on her face, she strolled over in large steps and introduced herself.
"Good evening, sir. May I ask what song you would like to listen to tonight? I have a wide range of strong vocals. I can sing anything you wish. Would you like a slow and romantic song? Or a romantic rap?" The singer blabbed many questions, leaving Bryan no room to stop her from talking.
A few minutes later, the singer realized something was amiss. She even thought that the couple had an argument, and she greeted them at the wrong time. When she saw the frustrated look on Bryan's face, she turned her attention to Celinda whose expression was the total opposite. Confused, the singer wanted to ask another question.
Facing the countless inquiries, Bryan's head began to spin. He had no idea what song he wanted to hear, but he definitely didn't expect so many nuisances. As irritated as he was from the spoiled mood, he had to respond something since he was on a dinner date. Plus, it was an important night for him.
While he was trying to think of a romantic song, his brain decided to test his patience even more. There were many song selections in his mind, but none of them were romantic. All he could think of was the song: "Linkin Park's - In The End." The lyrics flowed in his head and he almost hummed the tune out. 'I tried so hard and got so far. But in the end, it doesn't even matter...'
"How about the song called "Make You Feel My Love" by Adele? Can you sing this one?" Celinda answered after looking through her playlist. The singer gave her a grateful smile and nodded as if she has bet buddha. The awkward silence was killing her until Celinda suggested a song.
Placing her purse on the side of her chair, Celinda stood up and walked towards Bryan. She hooked her pinky around his and gave him a quick glance from the side. With a small tug, she pulled him to the dance floor by the stage where the musicians gathered together to perform the song she requested.
"Let's have a slow dance before our food arrives." She hooked her arms loosely around his nape. Releasing a small sigh, he complied with her request as she giggled from his touch.
In the middle of dancing, she whispered. "I love you, Bryan."
"I love you too, Celinda." He kissed her cheek as they finished the dance.