Monday morning, when Celine was about to go to work, she was surprised at the sight of the familiar car, parked right in front of her house.
"That can't be Darren, right?" said Celine.
But, in the next minute, her doubt got clarified when she noticed a man leaning against the car, facing his back to their house.
Deg!
Her heart raced faster and faster, because according to her guess, the man leaning against the car was none other than Darren.
The sound of Celine's approaching footsteps made Darren turn around.
"Hi," he said.
"Y-you?" cried Celine, even though she had guessed who it was, but she was still very surprised to know that her guess was correct. "What are you doing here?" She asked lowering her voice.
"I'm here to pick you up!" Darren answered lightly. "I was going to come in, but ... it looked like all of you are busy, so I just waited here!"
Celine massaged her forehead, Darren's car was too flashy for the size of the modest housing complex where Celine lived.
'After this, how am I going to answer my parents?' Celine thought.
"All right, let's go right now," Celine replied.
At least in this place, Celine wouldn't argue with this man for the time being. She didn't want her parents to know, that there was a man with a handsome car, appeared at the door of their house. That would be very bad!
"Of course," Darren replied immediately as he didn't want to delay leaving any more.
Neither of them seemed to be willing to open their mouths to speak even after even after travelling for more than ten minutes, who knew what would make the atmosphere even more awkward.
Celine also did not intend to ask, what, why and how. Too sick of his answers.
She tried to tolerate everything that happened, she would endure it for a while and wait for him to speak. Who knew what kind of bullshit she would blurt in her disappointed state of mind, so she thought it was for better, to let the man apologize for his behavior first.
"Ekhem!" Darren cleared his throat, he wanted to know how Celine would react. And Celine's reaction was as predicted by Darren, the woman was silent, not responsive at all. And, even casually flipping screens through her cell phone.
'Huufff !! Did I even lost to an inanimate object like a cellphone now?' Darren thought. He almost lost his interest to ask Celine to talk.
"Emp ... are you angry because of what happened that night?" Darren asked quietly. Well, he should talk to Celine, that's why he suddenly dared to come to Celine's house without notifying her first.
"Should I answer honestly or tell a white lie but mixed with some truth?" asked Celine.
"Huh?" Darren was a little confused by what Celine was saying.
"Of course you have to answer honestly."
"It seems you are not serious about apologizing to me!"
"Ha? Why do you say that? Where did that come from?"
Celine pouted. "Do you still need to ask? Without my answer, of course you know I'm angry or not!!" cried Celine.
"Yes, you're right. That's the reason why I came to your house this early morning. I really want to apologize," said a regretting Darren. "At that time I had something very urgent, which I could not leave."
"I understand you have an urgent matter to attend, but can't you notify me? It will only take one minute to type the words 'meeting cancelled'. Can't you spend that one minute to tell me?"
"This? I'm sure you won't believe what I'm saying, I'm not forgetful about our promise, it's just that what I want to tell you is my cellphone died. I have a charger, but I just forgot because I was too busy handling things that made me hold an urgent meeting," Darren explained, his expression looking very sad.
"Hemph ... Forget it, I also don't remember about it." Celine smiled a little.
"You're not angry anymore, are you?" Darren asked, he needed reassurance.
"Yeah, not angry anymore," Celine replied softly. "Actually, I'm not that angry, I'm just a little disappointed," she continued.
'That night would have been my first date, but it just failed even before it could happen. It hurts, and made me quite disappointed,' Celine thought.
"I can understand that you're disappointed, I will admit my mistake and will try to show my sincerity in apologizing to you," Darren declared.
Celine smiled. "There's no need to do anything, it really doesn't matter. I really don't mind that anymore."
"No, that's necessary! And I will," Darren said with determination.
"Whatever you say!" snapped Celine. Darren smiled happily.
Their journey reached the pinnacle of their destination, namely Celine's office.
"Drop me off on this side of the road, don't get to the front of the gateway," requested Celine.
"So what if we get to the front?" asked Darren, "later you have to walk quite a distance, you know," he continued.
"It's okay. I just like to walk," Celine lied.
'No way, I said that your car is too flashy, and that is a bad influence on me!' Celine thought.
"But I can't bear to let you walk so far." Darren appeared sad.
"If you don't have the heart, hurry up and bring my bike back! If I ride a motorbike, I don't have to walk like this!" snapped Celine.
"Sorry, but the mechanic has not informed me whether he had finished repairing it or not. But don't fret, later I will try to visit the workshop myself, to see the progress."
"Yes, you have to, my father has been wondering, where exactly my motorbike had flown away! It's a motorbike that I bought from my own earnings. There was no injection of any funds from my parents and it hasn't been fully paid off either," said Celine.
Puufff !!! Darren chuckled.
It made Celine annoyed. "What is wrong?"
"No, It just felt funny seeing your face when you get annoyed."
"Huh, seriously! It's also because of sir. Why don't you realize!"
"Ha ha ha ... I'm sorry. I know this is my fault, I'll fix it. And please, don't call me sir when we are not discussing work. The call puts too much distance between us, even though I feel we are friends. "
"He he he ... Okay, I'm sorry 'Dar-ren'." Celine replied, emphasizing the words as she pronounced Darren's name.
Being clearly called out by emphasising each syllable in her sweet voice, managed to make Darren blush. His face had now turned red.
Celine saw that, because Darren was too obvious trying to hide his face.
"Huh, is the AC not working?" - Celine put her hand close to the outlet in front of her - "works fine, then why are you feeling hot? Why is your face red? Do you have a fever?" asked Celine innocently.
"Ah no, maybe just a little dizzy."
" Your face reddens just with a headache?"
"Eh, aren't you too much? You are wrong again!" Darren replied with a contrived chuckle.
"So what's wrong with you?" asked Celine.
"It's okay, I'm fine."
"Okay then, I'll go first. Thank you for escorting me," said Celine, giving her best smile.
Celine's sweet smile was able to hypnotize everyone who sees it. A sweet smile that showed sincerity and a pure heart in it. And to be honest, it was that very smile that already captivated Darren's heart at first sight. The feeling he got was something very special, whenever he recalled the moment.
Just as Celine was about to open the door, Darren quickly stopped her. "Eh wait !!" he called after her.
This made Celine sit back in the car. "What else?" she asked softly.
"Later this afternoon, can we have lunch together?" asked Darren.
Celine raised an eyebrow. As if to ask Darren's specific meaning.
"I mean, we can eat together outside your office. I happen to have an appointment at this mall building, after lunch."
"Emph ... see you later, I can't promise anything now."
"Why?" asked Darren quickly.
"Who knows, later this will be canceled without any confirmation," said Celine.
"No, it won't happen again. I promise, this time I'll definitely keep it. There will never be a cancellation of the meeting without confirmation again," Darren replied firmly. There was seriousness in his eyes.
"Yes, I understand, but I really can't answer this now. I'm just a lowly employee, and just finished my internship. Of course I don't have the control to determine my schedule. And I need a permit to leave," said Celine.
"Do you need my help to ask Mrs. Susan's permission?"
"Heuh ??" Celine was surprised when Darren said that with great confidence.
"Do you want me to help get permission from Mrs. Susan?" Darren repeated.
"Why are you so sure that Mrs. Susan will listen to you?" Celine asked.