Sitting on the edge of his bed, Ethan had no idea what could go wrong for him. In a sense, he regretted ever having to interact with Charissa. He certainly underestimated their power of authority. As he typed in the group link on his phone and tapped 'join', his brain filed over thousands of worst-possible cases for him. He wished he'd have listened to his lackeys rather than accepting his love for her.
Once he joined the group, a message confirming his enlist popped on the group. He sweated with anxiety that they could set him up with his mother of all people. He averted his eyes from the phone only to catch sight of the dreadful sign stuck on his bedroom door, --which was left by his sister-- 'Men are vulnerable toward women.' He wanted to puke reading that sign.
Simultaneously, a new message from Charissa popped up. He opened it read,
'Date: Saturday.
Time: 10 a.m.
Venue: Market's Square.
Person: Tall woman in an orange gown, white heels, and straw hat. Blue eyes and long blonde hair.'
To be honest, while typing the description of the person he was supposed to meet, Charissa pondered on how excited Maria must've been for the opportunity. To be able to decide her outfit days before the date means she's been waiting for a long time.
Ethan knew from the explanation that his blind date wasn't his mom or Charissa. 'Who the hell is this woman?' He had five days to gather info about this suspicious woman. Charissa wouldn't have planned such a ploy without a main purpose. Guessing from the hair, he wondered if it was Elissa as his date. It could also be to get dirt on him. Just too many possibilities.
Days became nights and then days again. In a flash, Saturday arrived at Ethan's doorstep, knocking. And during that time Ethan didn't get a single drop of information about his date. How could he when he didn't even try? All he did was eat, sleep, and go to campus to spy on Charissa and Charles spending leisure time together. He totally forgot about the date until Janet sent a warning message to the group on Saturday setting a reminder to the lazy guy enveloped in his bed.
Ethan sat up and stared at his phone squinting his eyes to clear the blurriness. Rubbing his eyes while releasing a deep yawn, he read the reminder by Janet. An arrow struck his head and the grandfather's clock shouted 'Ding dong ding! It's your day off! Don't keep the lady waiting!?' Ethan's eyes widened, mouth agape. "Sh** I forgot!!" He exclaimed, checking the time. He only had twenty minutes to get ready and reach the destination.
He quickly got dressed into blue baggy ripped jeans and partially tucked an orange T-shirt, then combed his hair sideways and rushed out of his room grabbing his keys and helmet from the table. As he hastily wore his helmet, he stopped for a moment to wonder why he was in a rush to meet some girl he didn't know or like.
"Whatever the case, I don't want that woman complaining to those trio." He muttered as he hopped on the bike and raced over to the meeting place.
He parked his bike near a flower shop and ran to Market Square searching for the woman in the description. He halted when he saw a gorgeous tall woman in a sleeveless orange gown with V-neck, white glittering heels, and a yellow straw hat with long blonde hair cascading over her glimmering blue eyes which were seeking her lost partner. She stood in solitude in at the center of the street where few people resided since the place is surrounded by flower shops. To her right a little girl was steadying a basket full of petals on her head, bringing it towards the woman. With the slip of her tiny hand and a gush of the wind blew the colorful petals, spreading them all over the street. The view was similar to a wedding ceremony, except more colorful. Between the falling petals, their eye met each other. Instantly the woman's expression filled with joy. She covered her pink lips with the palm of her hand and gestured to the red-faced Ethan to come her way.
Meanwhile, she took her phone and called Charissa to inform her of the arrival of Ethan.
"So, you're the woman I'm supposed to meet?" Ethan questioned gulping before he spoke to digest the tapestry in front of him.
"Indeed I am." She gave him a warm smile.
Unwittingly, Ethan's face got more redder, his heartbeat increasing each second. He was having second thoughts about Charissa. Love at first sight again. He isn't two-faced for nothing.
"I'm Ethan Murphy, and you are?" He awaited her introduction. One thing he knew was that she was rich.
"I'm Maria Fenwick. Next heir of the Fenwick company." She gracefully introduced herself, her left foot in front of her right slightly bending while holding her gown from both sides. A princess bows.
Ethan thought it was dramatic. Either way, he instinctively bowed himself. Etiquette between nobles. Nevertheless, it isn't something you do outside or something done in the twenty-first century. It's creepy for the people watching nearby.
"I thought the Fenwick heir had a fiancé," Ethan remarked.
"You are my secret date. He is not someone I'd appreciate marriage for." She extended her hand to hold Ethan's. "Shall we begin?"
Their date and the fun they had isn't a tale to be told. The only thing you should know is that it went smoothly without trouble. Imagine…
At the end of the date, it was quarter past five. It was not Ethan's custom to drop off a lady at her house once it got late, but Maria urged him to drive her home.
"Nearby my house is certainly enough. Pretty please…" She clasped her hands together. First date and they've gotten far closer than expected.
Ethan sighed, "I don't have an extra helmet." He attempted to dodge duties.
"I've seen you keep one under your seat." She frowned. "I'll show it to you if you don't know." She commanded placing her hand on the corner of the bike seat, ready to open.
"Alright, alright. I'll take you home." He admitted defeat and opened the bike seat revealing the hidden helmet inside. It was the one worn by his sister when she'd make him take her to malls and dates.
Ethan helped Maria get on the bike and then he took a seat.
"Get ready for a bumpy and speedy ride," He warned her and accelerated. Maria embraced Ethan by his waist tightly, leaning her cheek to his back. Warm and rough to the touch she thought; his build was strong. 'He goes to the gym,' she assumed. She could feel him.
"Look," Ethan pointed at the sky, "The sun is setting."
Maria raised her head; she had the full view of an orange and yellow sky, a red sun fading under the pillows of clouds, slowly reappearing again, but with half of it missing. "A semi-sun," she chuckled. A moment to remember. Her first date with her crush.
Sadly, Charissa didn't have this sort of moment with Charles. What they had was a date matching their personality.
Ethan dropped Maria near her enormous three-story mansion. Before leaving Maria kissed him on his forehead, "Thanks for the fun time. Hope to go again sometime soon." She proposed.
Ethan liked the idea. He was happy until he got home and met his sister impatiently waiting for him outside the mansion. "Did you go on a date? To think you'd ever come home late at this hour without me." Her tone was classy and high like a clink on a glass.
"None of your business." He tried pushing past her.
She blocked the entrance stopping him at the doorstep, "Is she the woman you've been spying on at campus? The one who's got dirt on you? Your crush?" She glared at him, raising her brows.
"Who said sh** to you?" He glared.
"I've got my fair share of spies on you." She smirked; she had authority over him.
He sneered, "Shorty." And marched in shoving her hand.
His elder sister is the one he hates the most.