CHAPTER 77: STILL ON THE DATE

"Wall climbing?" I stare at the long, tall, decorated wall in front of me, feeling excited and dumbfounded at the same time.

"Have you tried it out before?" Keaton asks from beside me and I shake my head.

"Never even crossed my mind." I turn to him, shaking my head. "Have you?"

"It's one of my favourite sports." Keaton nods and leads me to one of the walls, where a guy, probably about 30 years old, is waiting for us and waving at us. "Levi, this is Michael, our instructor, Michael, this is Levi," Keaton introduces us.

"Call me Lee." I shake Maichale's hand, smiling. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Michael smiles, "you ready?" he asks and I nod eagerly.

Michael proceeds to explain to me while gearing me up with safety equipment. I'm basically vibrating with excitement as I bob my head while listening to him and Keaton is smiling at me so much his dimples keep showing.

I never did wall climbing before. No idea why. This is fun as well as challenging. Also, I'm rather competitive, so after finishing the first course for beginners, I go back to do it three more times before I move on to the next more difficult course. Wall climbing is actually a lot harder than it looks. Even with safety equipment, you can't help but worry a little that you'll slip and fall. But once I get the hang of where to put my hands and feet, I climb easier. I am never afraid of heights so getting to the higher places is actually an exciting challenge for me.

Keaton has been doing it many times, and is far better than me, of course, His body is very nimble and agile and even though he's big and has very broad shoulders, he looks very light. He puts his steps easily and climbs effortlessly and he barely breaks a sweat. Talking about jealousy, this is definitely one of those moments where I'm hating him.

"We can come back another time and you can keep practicing. Even without me." Keaton laughs at me as he slides down to me waiting for him below after I complain and tell him how jealous I am of him. I help him with his gear once he's down because I have taken mine off. I'm beat, actually. Tired but very, very much satisfied.

"I'll do just that and beat you the next time." I promise him. Keaton laughs and nods at that as we walk to the locker room to shower and change our clothes. It's already past seven, just in time for dinner, although the wall climbing takes longer than Keaton anticipated. Because I was too excited and won't stop climbing. Heheheheh.

We get into separate stalls and take a quick shower all the while chatting about other activities we can do together. There are many, as it turns out. That makes me somehow excited. We both like sports and he's even a black belt holder in Taekwondo as well as Judo. I haven't done Judo before so I ask him to teach me some.

"Are you okay with anything?" Keaton asks as we get into his car to head out for dinner.

"I can eat anything." I grin at him proudly as I put on my seatbelt and get ready, excitedly anticipating the dinner. I am starving. Wall climbing, although looks supposedly easy, but it takes a lot of your stamina and makes your whole body workout a sweat. Keaton smiles at me and smiles before driving away towards wherever it is he is going to take me for dinner.

"How's your sister?" I ask, suddenly curious.

"I thought you don't like her?" Keaton turns to me, eyes widening in surprise.

"Never said that," I chuckle. "She's pretty cute. I know worse people." Me, for example. I add mentally.

"She is. Sorry for everything she said to you, really." Keaton apologizes again and I laugh again, of course.

"Nothing she said offended me," I tell him, reassuringly and that's not a lie. I truly didn't feel offended.

"She wasn't always like this," Keaton tells me, "she's having a hard time at work, mostly."

"I get it," I tell him, patting his hand gently, "she's also worried about you, and I know that perfectly. I do look slightly… wild, that day," I chuckle and that makes him chuckle too.

"You looked great," Keaton says with a small smile. "You look great today too," he adds, taking my hand in his and caressing it gently.

"Thanks," I grin at him, "you're not bad either," I add.

"I believe you called me ridiculously gorgeous a few times," he throws his head back and his eyes and nose crinkles and I can feel my face heating up.

"It's your dimples," I groan and pout and, well, it's a fact anyway.

"Why are you blaming my dimples when you're the one getting swayed?" Keaton asks, laughing and seemingly satisfied.

"Who says I'm swayed?!" I defend myself.

I'm not. I don't get swayed. Well, maybe a little. But it's only because he's so gorgeous it's ridiculous!

"Then why are you blushing?" Keatons asks softly as he brings his hand up to touch my cheek. I roll my eyes at that, of course, though I don't mind him touching me.

"It's night and it's dark, I doubt you can actually see me," I tell him confidently.

"It's not that dark here," Keaton drops his hand, "and you're not that hard to read," he says with a laugh.

"Only because of your dimples," I grumble and pout and perhaps that makes him even happier, judging from how he laughs.

"I'll take that," Keaton tells me, "for now," he adds, turning slightly to me with a small smile before he turns off the car engine. I roll my eyes before I follow him out the car and stare at the tall building in front of me.

I recognize this building as one of the tallest buildings in the city, housing the biggest companies in the country, local and foreign. Keaton takes my hand and leads me inside, towards the elevator and we go up to the highest floor, where, apparently, a restaurant called 'The Garden' is located.

The restaurant is an embodiment of its name. The whole interior is made to look like an actual garden. Or, did they really build a garden in this building? Oh, look. The plants are all real! They are as real as they are beautiful. Most of them are green plants and there aren't that many flower plants, though. Maybe because they're harder to grow? Or they're just not in season? I have no idea about plants.

A waiter takes us to one of the private (not really private because it is made of glass) gazebo and sits us down and leaves after giving us the menu. I read the menu and sigh after the first item. I close it and put it on the table and look up to Keaton's questioning face.

"You choose." I grin, "I trust they will be delicious but seeing the price gives me a headache," I grin at him and he chuckles before nodding.

Keaton chuckles lightly. He closes the menu and calls for the waiter. It seems that he is a regular in this restaurant as he orders food for the both of us leisurely and fluently. The waitress takes his order and repeats it with a stutter and she stumbles even more when Keaton smiles his beautiful smile at her and kindly and patiently waits for her to finish before thanking her. The waitress stutters some more as she bows before she turns around and briskly walks away with a red face.

After she leaves, I look at Keaton, thinking. This guy is truly handsome. His bearing is very in line with his upbringing. His temperament is that of a young master. I bet every girl looking at him will just be as lovestruck as the waitress earlier.

Keaton stares back at me, expression questioning. I still have a frown on my face when I open my mouth and unable to stop myself, ask him, "do you always flirt with everyone like that?" I ask and I get stunned by my own questions and I stare at him slightly embarrassed. Keaton looks as surprised as me. I feel my face heating up slightly. I don't bother with his answer because the question is actually not something I'm actually concerned about.

"Are you jealous?" My hand stops midair and I look up to him in surprise. I ponder his question for a while before shaking my head and taking the wine glass and tasting the content.

"I'm not," I tell him, smiling as I put the glass back down.

"It's only a basic manner," Keaton explains himself, "treating people kindly is never a bad thing," he adds, probably having found out why I asked the question earlier.

"I know," I smile apologetically at him, "I'm sorry if I seemed to have indicated otherwise," I tell him. Keaton stares at me , still with his dimpled smile and I can feel my face heating even more.

"I will be careful next time," Keaton says finally. I blink at him.

"I'm really not…" I try to explain when he asks me again.

"Have you ever been in a relationship before?" he asks, but from his tone and his expression, he isn't really asing as much as he is confirming, so of course I just admit it. "Not even dating casually?" he asks again, this time more curious.

"I have never even gone on one date before this," I tell him truthfully.

"Not for lack of suitors, I believe?" Keaton sks slowly.

I nod, "Chuck blocks them usually," I tell him, chuckling and explain further when Keaton's smile wavers, "but I also wasn't interested in being in a relationship or even dating before so he actually did me a huge favor," I explain to Keaton who listens to me intently still with his gorgeous smile.

"But then you fell in love," Keaton says slowly, carefully. I give him a smile though I'm pretty sad when he mentions Allen.

"I fell in love and then, here I am, with you. On a date," I tell him, raising my eyes to meet his eyes and in more surprise, realize, "my actual proper, first date," I tell him, grinning. Keaton looks surprised as well before he picks up his wine.

"I'm honored to be the first," he tells me and I blush, of course. Who wouldn't? Look at that ridiculously gorgeous smile.

The topic of my love life ends then and there as the blushing waitress comes back with our food. She steals glances over at Keaton who ignores her and instead helps me with my food and utensils like the gentleman he is. I feel slightly bad because I think he still thinks I'm jealous of him smiling and being kind to the girl earlier. I glance over at the still blushing but confused girl and silently apologizing to her in my heart.

We proceed with the dinner and our conversation naturally shifts to more light ones. We eat and chat and drink some wine. I like this kind of date. It's easy and relaxing and I also like Keaton and he is very interesting and he is also a great listener as well as a great talker. He's a few years older than me and so he has more experience in the world and we talk a lot until the night grows deeper and ther restaurant slowly becomes more and more empty and it's time for us to leave.

Keaton, having drunk a few glasses of wine, calls for a substitute driver and we drive to my dorm in a comfortable silence. In the back of the car, Keaton and I sit side by side. I look out the window, feeling slightly sleepy, when I feel a warm palm covers my own. I smile and turn to Keaton who also have turned to me with a smile on his lips. I squeeze back his hand and turn back to look out the window. We sit there holding hands until we arrive at my dorm.

"Thank you for today," I turn to Keaton as the car stops in front of my dorm building's lobby.

"My pleasure," Keaton says, helping me with my bag and seat belt before undoing his own and getting out of the car.

"Thank you," I smiled at him after he opened my door and let me out.

"Want me to pick you up Friday?" Keaton asks, his hands still on mine, holding them gently.

"Yes, pelase." I grin at him.

Keaton chuckles and nods. He reaches out his hand and I lean into his broad palm as he caresses my face. He seems to like doing that. He often caresses my face like this and I keep letting him because I don't dislike it.

"May I kiss you?" Truly. This gentleman. His sense of propriety is none like I've seen before. Especially in kids my age. I smile at him, giving him my consent with a small nod as my eyes flutter close.

His kiss is as gentle as always. His one hand is still on my cheek while the other one silently holds my own. A while more I instinctively reaches out to him as I feel lost in the kiss. I get so into the kiss until I can't breathe and he finally lets go. I unconsciously make a sound of protest before I realize. I pant and lower my head, trying to regulate my breathing and also make my embarrassment disappear.

Keaton chuckles and pecks my lips. His soft lips lingers for only a second before he lets go again. "Good night, Levi," he whispers into my ear and that gives me butterflies. I nod dumbly and let Keaton get back into the car with a big smile on his face.

"Drive safe," I don't forget to remind the driver who nods politely before he starts driving at Keaton's instruction. I smile and wave at the car as it drives further and further away.

"Levi." My whole body tenses and chill runs down my back at the sound of Allen's voice calling my name. I manage not to jump or even run away as I slowly turn around to face Allen.