~Chapter 21~

The light of the mobile phone remained illuminated as the woman in front of it remained motionless at the shinning text message that is glaring at her, waiting for her message. Just as she was contemplating whether to send her niece to a sleepover to Seon Hul's house, the said person bounded down the stairs and knocked at her study room.

"Come in."

"Hey aunt, I have a date tomorrow....so I was wondering if I could....."

"When is the date?"

"Oh we agreed to meet up at 10 o' clock."

A smile immediately formed on her aunt's face. She turned around to her niece; "Who is this lucky man?"

"Uhmm Rio Sanders." Emilia replied shyly.

"Rio Sanders? THAT Rio Sanders??!"

"Yeah." Miss Johannes couldn't believe her ears. Till date, he was always a stuck up in book type of nerdy person, she, being a teacher, never saw him in any of the event of school much less go on a date with a girl but her niece managed to bag a date with him!

Well, that solves all her worries about tomorrow.

"Alright. Have fun but not too much fun."

Emilia had a mischievous smile by the time she entered the cafeteria. She seemed harmless even with that mischievous smile etched on her face but half a way through the lunch break, she all of a sudden, got down on one knee in front of Rio making the poor boy choke on his apple and stare at her incredulously. This sudden action from the ex-queen bee made everyone in the cafeteria halt whatever they were doing. They themselves couldn't believe their eyes that THE Emilia Johannes is going on one knee, that too for a nerd!

"Rio Sanders, will you fulfill my wish of going to a date with me?"

Rio was flabbergasted, embarrassed, and angry. He was flabbergasted at the sudden turn of events, embarrassed because she proposed to him in front of so many people—now whether he'd reject her or accept her would affect her reputation, angry at himself for agreeing to grant his student's wish without thinking twice about it. For a popular girl like Emilia, it is an easy feat to get whomever she wants as she is liked by everybody, but for him, the one who'd accept him for who he is shall be his destiny.

"I am sorry, anything else but that." He packed his bags and ran out of the cafeteria. If Rio had thought that Emilia would give up after his rejection, then he was wrong for she chased behind him. The curious students in the cafeteria too followed the two in order to enjoy the rest of the show. Only Luke and Seon Hul remained behind, calmly eating their food without a care in the world. In fact they knew about the rising tension between Emilia Johannes and Rio Sanders. They weren't any fools as to not notice the obvious rising tension between the popular girl and the nerd.

It was about time one of them asked out the other.

Due to the fact that Rio is timid, Emilia took the first step towards him. Now it is up to Rio whether he'd accept her and allow her in his world or reject her and shut her away from his world.

"Why? Tell me the reason at least." Emilia followed Rio.

Today Emilia is doing all those things that Rio never expected anyone to do that to him. She keeps on challenging his borders.

"I said no. Go back and have your lunch."

"I won't until and unless you give me the reason." She paused. "Am I ugly? Not your type?"

"No no god no that's not it Emilia."

"Then?"

"I-I just….we can't date okay!"

"Why not?" Emilia was persistent.

An irritated Rio decided to blurt it out; "Because I'm a nerd and you're a popular girl!" Well that's half the reason of his refusal to her proposal.

"So?"

"So we can't date!" exasperation was evident in his tone.

"Says who?"

"Me! Myself! The world!"

"Well then Rio Sanders," He hiccupped when he noticed that how close she is to him, and the sudden tug at his waist that made him plaster on her without a millimeter distance between them with her breath fanning on his cheek; "Are you ready to prove yourself, the world wrong then?"

"Eh?" With her so close to him, he couldn't think of anything else as he was constantly reminded of their time in the closet at RonCorr's party and the further time in an empty classroom. So he himself doesn't know when he nodded at her unconsciously. He returned back to the rational thinking when loud shouts of cheers, whistle encapsulated the new couple as hoard of congratulations started to land on the couple.

This was the entire event that made Rio wait for Emilia in front of a book store that both of them knew. When he returns home, he'll have a pile of scattered clothes waiting for him to be neatly folded and put inside the closet thanks to Luke who caused such a mess because he wanted to find a perfect attire for his friend who is going on a date 'for the first time.'

"Rio!" When he looked at the direction from where his name was called, he wasn't prepared for his breath to be taken away by the one who stood in his line of vision. Matching his black full sleeved t shirt, slacks and shoes she's wearing a white off shoulder knee length dress paired with a white heel and her usual pony tailed hair is cascading down her back in gentle waves.

As she approached him, Rio fumbled with his words. What should he do now? Offer her his hand? No that's so cringey! Compliment her? Yeah that must be it; "Wow you look so….so...um matched up with me!"

Arghhhhhhhh idiot! Really! Of all things you could've told her, she looks 'matched up to you'?!!

"I—I mean you look great!"

She laughed at his poor way of covering up things; "Why thank you Rio, you too look good giving off cool goth vibes and also.." she once again took him by surprise when she locked her fingers with his just like lovers: "…we look like yin and yang."

The entire day could be considered to be the best day of Rio's life. They watched a comedy movie and Rio could swear he had never ever laughed so much in his entire seventeen years of life. Their next destination was an arcade where Emilia couldn't stop laughing and teasing him about his awkwardness towards the games. Their next stoppage was the museum but since they had spent too much time in the arcade, by the time they came out of the game center, it was already dark in the evening. It wasn't time for their dinner reservation yet so they decided to wander along the nearby park whilst munching some snacks.

They talked about anything and everything walking together leisurely in the park, munching some potato fries they bought from a street food stand. Rio discovered that Emilia is actually a pretty much of a simpleton in the inside, she simply pretends to be a complicated play girl, queen bee on the outside. They have many similar tastes and the ones that clashed made them promise to each other to try those out next time.

'So, there'll be a next time, huh?' an unknown emotion started to bud in his chest.

After they finished their dinner, they walked hand in hand towards Emilia's house, their conversation still continuing. However they stopped when Emilia paused in her tracks. Her color filled face paling away at the sight of the blue car that was parked in front of her house. She didn't want to take any more steps further. Rio was about to ask her about it when the front door of the house opened and a woman with similar blonde hair descended the stairs of the front door.

Emilia wished earnestly for the blonde woman not to notice her but alas, fate had other plans. The woman took a notice of her and the guy beside her twisted her face in to that of a distasteful one.

"Still the little whore as always I see."