The next day Aiden and Athena met in front of the station. First they went to a store selling home and kitchen appliances. Athena involvement became an important aspect especially when it came to negotiation. Aiden looked with awe when Athena negotiated with the staff like a professional.
"What are you looking at?" she asked.
"I didn't know you were a pro at this."
"Are you impressed?"
"Not entirely." he said with a straight face.
"Good, if not I have no idea how you would respond after seeing all my skills." She said, her face full of determination.
They spent nearly 2 hours selecting all the items. They left the place after making payment.
Aiden was certain that if he had come alone, he would have paid atleast 4000 more. They left the purchased items in the shop itself as they had made necessary arrangements to get them delivered at his place. The time was close to noon so they went to a nearby Japanese restaurant to have lunch. It wasn't the peak time but still both of them had to wait for some time to get a seat.
When their turn arrived they opted for a table of two and ordered two bowl of ramen. Within 2 minutes two bowl with brown liquid were brought to their table. It was the first time Athena had ramen. She tried to take the noodles out using chop sticks but they fell back to the bowl. She tried it again and again but the noodles always ended in the bowl. Aiden noticed this while holding his laughter.
"Hung..hung.." he coughed to get her attention.
Sensing her looking his way he placed some noodles on the spoon using chop sticks and rolled them around the chop sticks before taking it to his mouth. Athena followed his movements and became successful.
"How is it?" He asked.
"Delicious." She said her mouth filled with noodles.
After finishing dinner they went to 'Yamir Clothing'.
"Do you always shop here?"
"Yes, why?"
"Aha, I knew it. When I first saw you I felt that I had met you before. Now I find where."
"Here" Aiden asked, pointing towards the shop.
"Yup, It was around the time of your accident, I have worked here for some time."
Aiden searched if he had come here close to his accident.
" I remember coming here around that time to buy a suit for the graduation party."
"That must be it. I remember seizing up your suit."
"So, you were the pimple girl."
Instantly a punch landed on Aiden's stomach.
" Remember, if you call me that again I will cut you into pieces." She said, her face absent of the sweet expression that was usually present.
"Yes, mam." Aiden responded instinctively.
"Good, now let's go inside." She said with one of the sweetest smiles and walked towards the shop.
Seeing her 180 degree change in character Aiden remembered someone else.
"Like father, Like daughter."
Getting inside Aiden made her sit in the lounge and went towards the billing area to check the validity of his discount card. There he found that it had expired as he hadn't made any purchase for 1 year. He tried to reactivate it by saying he was hospitalized but the staff didn't budge. Now his purchases in a year have to reach a significant amount to reactivate it. Dejected Aiden walked back to the reception area. There he found Athena with stars in her eyes, staring to her side.
Looking that way he saw a mannequin dressed in a red sleeveless one piece dress with a ribbon at the waist. It goes around the neck and reaches below the knee at the front and till the feet at the back. To put it simply the dress was beautiful.
Athena sensed Aiden and turned towards him.
"Did it go smoothly?" she asked
Aiden shook his head and said.
"Let's go upstairs."
Athena nodded and they both walked toward the lift.
Selecting clothes became a more tedious task than Aiden expected as Athena made him try out nearly 20 clothes. While she was searching for clothes to dress up Aiden, he went to one of the sales girls and gave her a task. They spent more time here than Aiden expected but they finally managed to wrap it up and when Aiden was getting ready to go down Athena asked.
"We also need some underwear" then she looked at Aiden's waist and continued "size 85"
Aiden became embarrassed but made sure not to show it on his face. But who knows how Athena saw through them.
"Did I impress you with this skill?" she asked with a teasing smile.
Aiden walked without replying. After getting the last item they walked back to the ground floor billing. Aiden had to get his suit fitted so they went to the tailoring section. There Athena met with some familiar people and started talking to them. During this time Aiden found an empty tailor and gave his suit to her.
"I have told a saleswoman to get a red women's dress fitted. Is it done."
"O, yes" she said and took a box from a chair and handed it over to him.
Aiden made sure it was the dress he purchased and at this moment Athena walked near him.
"Here, try this." He said.
"What is this?" She asked while taking the dress out. After seeing the dress she became surprised as it was the same dress that she had looked at from the reception area.
"I don't need this. So please return this." She said as she was aware how much this costs. It cost more than 3 shirts of Aiden.
"Sorry can't do it. I already made this fitted to your size so they will not take this back. If you don't want this I will give it to Celina of Fidha."
"No, I will take this." She said, hugging it close to her chest and walked towards the trial room with a big smile plastered on her face. Aiden also smiled and followed.
Aiden's heart stopped when she got out after putting the dress on. It was his first time seeing her wearing anything other than shirts and pants. "Dress does makes the person" he thought as there was such a change to her aura.
"How do I look?" Her question brought him back to the present.
"Perfect." He replied. "Looks like you are not the only one who can measure with their eyes." He added with a teasing smile.
She went back to the trial room without replying. After she got out they left the place, carrying only Athena's dress with them as his dress will be delivered to his house within 3 days.
"Are we going back now?" Athena asked after getting on the bike.
"Nah, I have booked a movie but there is still 1 hour left for it. So, I was thinking about spending some time at the beach. Are you ok with it?"
"Of Course I am ok with it,let's go."
Aiden started the bike and rode towards the beach. At the beach they spent more time eating street food than enjoying the sea. It was at this time he received a call from Ashiq to inform him that most of the actors for the movie had been decided and they are about to start looking for locations. When Aiden shared this news with Athena as she was aware about this from the hospital.
"Hey, have you asked the director about including Rachel in the Art team?"
Aiden inhaled as he remembered them having a conversation about this when he started writing the story and he had said that he would ask Ashiq about this at the right time but he had forgotten about it completely.
"Sorry I will ask him now." He said and called Ashiq. He said that he will reply after asking the art director.
Aiden got a reply by the time they reached the movie theater saying that the Art director had agreed to include Rachel in his team. When he told Athena about this she became so happy and started jumping while thanking him. Afterwards the finished their movie and had dinner bringing their unofficial date to an end