A perfect date

Long after dark underneath the dark skies adorned by a charming, smiling moon and a host of winking stars, Myles and Laura sat, hands and hearts intertwined in mutual fondness. The vast lake that lay near them glistened in the perfect moonlight, giving a dreamy image of the moment. The soft movement of the water and the distant sound of traffic was as much as they could hear, from where they sat, apart from the giggles, laughs and other sounds of each other as they were engaged in interesting conversations. The enticing reds, oranges and pinks of the setting sun that had graced the darkening sky at dusk had long been replaced by the gentle lights on the ebony sky. A mix of jasmine, magnolia and lavender scents emanating from the candles that had burned down to masses of wax still lingered in the stagnant, cool nightly air. The rose petals that had drawn a path towards the cushions where the pair sat had strayed now into the water and all around them, including on the little wooden bridge halfway across the lake. The fire that had softly glowed and gently crackled when the pair arrived had come down to a pile of ashes and a few persevering embers. Myles, whose hands had long gotten exhausted of poking the dying coals to life, only wanted to talk and stare into the gentle and mellow eyes of his amiable date. Her sight, like Ben Jonson’s yearning, made simplicity a grace. Her playful, flowery dress and pair of white sandals, and her dark, silky hair that loosely flowed to her shoulders gave her an innocent and gentle mien. It was hard to believe, for Myles, that the girl he’d only seen in and around the college dojo, in her gi, her hair tightly tied into a bun that happened to make her face seem quite grim wasn’t as she first seemed. Her atmosphere when they first met was stiff and next to frigid and she barely acknowledged him then, except sometimes with a nod, a slight wave or an involuntary bow but she now sat next to him, smiling and laughing more than she did anything else. She had awoken in him an, interest that propelled him to do things he wouldn’t normally do but he was glad that all his efforts in form of patience, silly little love notes and letters hadn’t been in vain. He knew now after a few hours with her that all she’d shown him before was a mask, a disguise that she wore in the eyes of the world. It all crumbled into nothingness like a sand castle after a large tide. All her rigidness faded away, all to his surprise and he was glad that she was more than he’d expected.

Sprawling on the cushions, Jonathan asked out of the blue, “Truth or dare?”

“Truth.” She responded, turning her face towards him in interest.

“Are you happy that you’re with me right here and now?”

“More than anything.” She said truthfully, looking him straight into the eyes. 

“Glad to know. Let’s play a little game.” He said with wiggling eyebrows and an enthusiastic smile.

“What game?” Laura asked while sprawling also next to him.

“A truth game. One of us asks the other a question on something they really want to know and the other has to give a very, very honest answer.”

“Oh that’s easy so I’ll start. What are you thinking about right now?” she asked

Jonathan playfully stroked his chin and pretended to stare into the distance as though in deep thought before saying, “I’m thinking about you.”

“What about me?” 

“The way you speak.”

“What about it?”

“It gives me Goosebumps. If you’d ever come near me before now, then you’d have noticed.” He said with laughter in his tone.

“I’ve been near you a few times but certainly not noticing any of that.”

“A few times because I knew if I’d get close you’d totally figure me out.”

“I’m not sure I would.”

“I know you would.”

After a while of comfortable silence, Myles said, “I like you Laura, I really do. Everything about you so far gives me the impression that you’re an amazing person, someone I really wouldn’t want to miss out on.” 

Laura slightly faced away in an endeavour to conceal the large smile that played on her face from Myles. It was a little shocking and pleasing at the same time to hear him say how much he liked her. Her thoughts, however, were all but one question in different ways; if it was alright to tell him she liked him too. She decided that she wouldn’t let the moment pass by without her saying how she felt about him.

“I like you too Myles. I wouldn’t want to miss out on you either.”

“Would you do me the honour of being mine then?” Myles said while sitting up. A little surprised by his proposal, Laura sat up too. She hadn’t expected him to actually ask her out but since he had, she smiled at him. He had proven to be an amiable person with a perfect disposition and that was all she’d wanted to know. 

“I don’t see why I should refuse Myles so yes.” She answered. 

Myles smiled to himself and taking her hand into his, brought it to his lips to place a feather-light kiss on it. Their conversation faded into silence again as they both lay staring into the night with hopes that it wouldn’t end so soon. He knew she liked him at least enough to stay out for the entire night with him, without missing the comfort of her bed and that was enough for a start. The day had been a perfect one for both Myles and Laura. From the moment Myles went to pick Laura up at sunset to the time they lay next to the lake late at night. “Could she be any more perfect?” Myles asked himself. Little did he know it was the exact question Laura held in her mind with regards to him.