Met

"I wanted to keep it as a memory." He said.

"You smiling because of me."

The way these words came out from his mouth, the way his tongue rolled at every word. The way his eyes starred into mine and a hundred reasons more , these made me-

"Mark"

they made me say something I never expected to say.

"Can you..." Never knew I even had the courage to say these two words.

"kiss me?"

He didn't answer . He just moved past the back of the counter to the front, stood right infront of me, a few breaths away.

"I will. Anytime you ask me to.Let it be once , twice , ten times , a hundred and even a thousand." His eyes darted from my eyes to my lips , back to my eyes. One of his hand holding my face , the other laying firmly on the counter. "I love you." He whispered before his lips met mine. It felt just like it was the first time our lips tangle in each others. "Is that okay?" He whispered as he asked to make sure I was not regretting what I asked.

The same courage that engulfed me a few miments ago , came back and I found myself once again doing something I never expected to do. "Yeah." I murmured back holding him by the shirt just under his neck. I pulled him close , closing the distance between us.

I could feel he was taken aback at first, but soon I could feel his lips move again over mine. "Want to go eat out?" He asked as we both stopped trying to catch our breaths.

"Yeah. Let's go out." I answered smiling as I tried to gain back my stable breathing.

-

"Mexican or Chinese?" I asked as I wore my light blue jacket over my pastel pink tank top. He just came back from his apartment after he left to change his clothes and prepare himself to go out.

"What do you feel like?" He asked back tapping his hands on the sofa as he stood behind it, leaning a bit.

" I have an idea." A smirk formed on my lips as I remembered an advertisement I saw last week on the road.

"This smile is making me feel uneasy." He laughed crossing his arms over his chest. While I was walking back home last week , I found this poster about a place called 'Luu'. It's around 40 minutes away by bus , that's what the maps have said. It was written that there was a pond in the middle of the restaurant with cute and unique fish. The prices are not very cheap but they aren't expensive too. The reviews were well too.

"I have a place. I never tried it but I'm sure it will be amazing." I assured as we got out of the building.

-

"Woah." We both said in unison upon reaching the location. The walls were white tinted with a shade of brownish yellow. It was a not so tall building with perfect proportions. The entrance was not so huge but the perfect size that complimented the builsing perfectly. Green trees all around with some flowers and green fields in between.

"Well , looking from outside, it sure is amazing." He beamed happily."Let's not lose time out here and get inside. Getting the-"

"Mark?" Both of our heads turn to the sudden calling of the familiar voice.

"Oh. Iris! Raoul you're here too." He didn't seem very happy to see Raoul but it didn't seem as if he hated him.

Iris stood before us wearing a light purple shirt with a black skirt that stood right abover knees with some black boots that looked perfect with the outfit. Next to her was a guy , around Mark's height. He wore a formal white shirt with some black trousers. Is this her boyfriend? They look good next to each other, just like a perfect pair.

"Never expected to see you here." Iris said as she looked at me the back at Mark. "How have you been Everly?"

"I've been good.Thank you for asking. What about you?" "I've been Great . I'm on vacation at the moment." She smiled. She's always so happy , it makes me wonder how she really feels deeply.

"Didn't know you too were close." Mark interrupted as he looked at the guy. "We met by chance here yesterday and I invited her to lunch. Didn't know you were into Chinese though."

Mark just smiled back at him. Iris laughed- not a very comfortable laugh. Neither was I. The atmosphere seemed tense.

"Everly. I apologise, I did not present myself to you yet. I'm Raoul. It's nice meeting you."He formally introduced as he stretched his arm opening his hand. "Nice to meet you too."

"I am Mark's friend from our hometown." He smiled very lightly.

"Oh." I looked at Mark who wasn't very glad. He never brought him up though.

"Since we're all here and we all know each other know. Why don't we si all together? the more the merrier right?" He looked at Iris , smiling at her widely, not like he did to me a moment back.

"Yes.Come join us." She happily exclaimed as she clapped her hands. Mark looked at me as if asking. I nodded , smiling assuringly. I wouldn't stop him from spending time with his friends, even if they don't seem very close, that Raoul guy and Mark.

-