20 : Double Date 2

The weekdays past too quick, Steve hope there'll be no Sunday at all. Tomorrow's the first day of them going out as a couple but it's ruin. He didn't expect their first date will be like this. A double date. A double date with different partner. It's like stabbing his heart with a knife himself. But what can he do? It's the only solution they come up with. It's better than nothing at all. Guess he'll just need to accept it. After this, he promise to have a real date with Dave in a different city so they can be lovey-dovey in their heart's content.

He was pull out from his thought when he heard his phone ring. It's a text from Dave.

"Can I back out?" he read.

He let out an empty chuckle and replied, "No you can't. It's just one thing time please bare with it a little. Next it'll be just the two of us, I promise."

He hope his text will somehow cheer up Dave. He let out a sigh and stare in the ceiling for a moment before he hear his ringtone again.

"Yeah right. Let's do that. Is there any place you want to go?" it said.

Steve smile and excitedly tap the screen of his phone to reply, "I don't really have a particular place but it would be nice to go in a flower farm."

Dave who's been feeling down since he suggest his stupid idea sit up from his bed s he saw Steve's reply.

"Flower farm..." he mumbled thinking of any place but his mind didn't come up with any idea so he went to google and search for a flower farm around the city.

He saw one place about 3 hours ride from the city. It's his dad's hometown. He click his tongue thinking about it. It's been so long since he last went there when he visited his dad. He can't even remember the way from there now. It should be alright, yeah?

Finally, he made up his mind and decided to make a go. "How about in Xxxx? It's my dad's hometown and there's a flower farm there, how about that? We can also stay there for at least a week?"

He tap his phone, agitated. It took a minute for Steve to reply to him making him more nervous. What if Steve rejected his offer?

His negative thought vanish as the phone display Steve's reply, "That's great. Let's go there after graduation!"

Steve and Dave spent the whole night with a gentle smile facing their phone's screen. They plan the things they'll do after graduation. Thanks to that, their worries were gone like a bubble.

---

"Where are you?" Dave asked on the phone. They talk about meeting in the station and go to the coffee shop altogether.

"We're already here," the other person on the call answer. "Oh I already saw you."

The lad drop the call and walk toward a guy with a white plain t-shirt, maroon short just above his knee, and a snicker, and a girl wearing a skirt and a revealing top.

"Dave," he called as he was right behind him.

Dave look around, stopping himself from grinning. Steve wear a black plain shirt, a tight black pants, and a gray snicker. His white skin glow up more. He somehow feel proud. He wanted to say with these two girls ,"My man is so handsome, right?"

"Hi Pres., hi Lea," Karina pop out from Steve's behind waving her hand and showing a friendly smile.

"Hi Karina, Hi Steve," Lea greeted back.

After the girls' greeting is an awkward silent. This is so weird, Steve suppress a sighed. "Let's go."

They all agree and went inside the train. The ride is dead silent and of course, awkward. Steve wanted to back out and run away from this situation. Lea keep on clinging on Dave and talk. She also keep moving closer to Dave though there's a huge space in them. They are sitting across each other. Lea's on the right side and across him is Karina. Steve and Dave is facing each other. He don't know what to feel, Dave's looking at him with a pleading face. It's like he's begging to be save.

Thanks to God, Karina notice it. "Lea there's a huge space. Don't move closer to Pres. people are looking," she said embarrassed.

Lea pouted but still do what she told to. After that the whole ride to the coffee shop became quiet and awkward except Lea who keep on taking picture.

"Can I tag you with this post Dave? We look cute together," Lea said looking at their picture and added,

"It's like we're a teenage couple." This make Steve flinched and stop from walking causing Dave bump into his back. Him and Karina are walking before Dave and Lea.

"What's wrong Steve?" Karina asked full of concern in her voice as she caress Steve's arm.

"Nothing, I thought I saw a poop and stop," he lied not looking at Karina's eyes and went back to walking.

Soon enough they arrive at the coffee shop. There's a lot people in the front but when they went move forward at the back there's only a few people occupying the table.

Steve decided to sit in the four people table at the corner. Dave agreed knowing well Steve don't want crowd.

"I'll order for us," Steve suggested wanting to get away from the situation to breathe out.

He feel suffocated for unknown reason. What Lea said rings in his head, he feel insecure. But before he could have even more negative thought Karina shook her from behind.

"What are you doing here?" Steve frowned.

"I think of helping you also Lea signal me to leave them alone," Karina said. "They look together, what do you think? They'll make a perfect couple."

Reality slap Steve straight in the face. He wanted to disagree but ended up just agreeing. "You're right. They...look...better..."

The last word barely left his mouth. He shouldn't agree to Dave's idea. This kind of hurt, it didn't cross in his mind when he agree.

Karina notice Steve's mood dropped. He look at him worriedly. She wonder if she said something bad. And Steve notice it so he raise his hand ruffled her hair.

"I'm worried, mom," Steve joked removing the bad thought in his mind.

Karina pouted, "I'm too cute to be your mom."

"Yeah, yeah. Go back to our sit. Lea's too wild he might scare our innocent pres away." Steve said half-joke and half-truth.

"But—

Karina didn't even finish her sentence when Steve said, "I can handle this. You should start our project so we can finish early."

Karina nodded obediently. When Karina is nowhere in sight. Steve had a deep breathe before facing the cashier. It will take 5 people before his turn when suddenly spoke beside him.

"Is she your girlfriend? You too look good together," it's an old lady.

Steve gave her a force smile before shaking his head.

"Oh my. But you look good together," she commented with her hand on her mouth due to shock.

Steve didn't reply. Luckily, the old lady take the hint. "I'm sorry. Is it perhaps a one-sided? Don't you worry kid she'll notice your feelings soon."

Steve knew the old lady didn't mean any harm but he hopes she just let what she saw slide and mind her own business. He didn't bother to tell her that he won't ever have a feeling for her and bow lightly.

After a minute of waiting, finally, it's his turn. The old lady was gone before the third person before him had his order. They just started the day but he already felt tired. He wanted to go home, lay on his bed, buried his face on the pillow and cry.

It's so unfair. He just want to be with his person, he never desire for anything. Just him. Is it too much?

"Here's your order, sir," the cashier lady said for the third time waving her hand in Steve's face.

He flinched, pay for his order and get them before he bow to apologize. As he get closer to their table, he's heart's beat louder. He feel anticipated and nervous on what he'll see when he arrive. He's afraid he'll see Lea and Dave intimate to each other.

He almost sigh in relief when he saw the three of them busy with the project. "Here's your order," he said quietly.

"Thanks," the three of them said in unison.

Lea and Karina share a stare before they giggle. Girls are so easy but Dave is not. He frowned as he watch Steve from resting the food on the table to him resting on his own chair. Dave feel something is wrong or is it just him being too paranoid.

Steve notice the stare so he look at Dave's place and gave him a reassuring smile. Dave didn't bought it but he let it slide. Rather than letting it slide, it is better to say he was force to let it slide as Lea cling onto him again.

His patient is getting thin. He feel irritated. He wanted to shove Lea's hand and force her to just focus on the project. Next time, he'll never pair up with Lea again. This is the last time, for Steve's sake, for their relationship's sake.