ETHAN CARTER
I was nervous as hell preparing everything and setting the cutlery on the table. I took a step back looking at the table whether it was perfect or it needed rearranging.
I hadn't cooked for a while but today I could say that I had tried so hard to impress. The salmon was cooked perfectly, the wasabi hot enough. It was ironical to prepare wasabi seeing as to how it brought some history between us but I wanted her to remember the good times we shared.
I had also not been here for a while. When I bought this house, I bought it thinking of a place I would retire to far away from the bustle and hustle of the city. I didn't quite imagine that I would be bringing the love of my life to stay for the night.
I took the lighter being careful not to burn the tablecloth as I lit the candles switching off the lights.
'Perfect! I hope"
I checked my watch seeing the hour hand strike seven. She was about to show up at any moment so I waited taking the bouquet of fresh roses in my hands. Had I taken this a little too far? Maybe I had but I was going to spend as much time as possible with her before I dropped the bomb on her.
The ding dong sound of the bell alerted me and I straightened the creases on my suit going to open the door.
With a huge gulp of breath, I turned the knob opening the door to see Aliya with a blue dress that hugged her curves nicely. She looked…. Stunning..I was at a lose of words, not that she didn't look stunning before but seeing her dressed like an angel made my heart skip,miss a beat or whatever cliché things men said.
'Aren't you going to invite me in?" She asked, her lashes battering against her pale skin.
'O-ofcourse", I stuttered surprised that I found my voice.
Slowly, I gave her the flowers I had been hiding behind my back watching her take the bouquet in awe as she took them to her nose to take in the scent.
'Thank you, they are lovely",she uttered.
'You are lovelier", I said cornily.
She walked into the house stopping in the middle of the room where the candle lit dinner was set. With a gasp, she covered her mouth with her left hand, her right hand clutching the bouquet and a silver purse.
'Ethan this is-wow..I love it. I can't believe all this is for me",she said walking towards her seat.
I walked hurriedly towards her making sure to pull out a chair for her to sit in and be the gentleman.
I took her hand in mine gently as she muttered a simple ‘thank you'.
'All this is for you and there's more", I said proudly.
I felt the need to be proud seeing that I was the reason for that beautiful smile on her face. How I wished that smile would forever dot her face even though I wouldn't be there to watch it.
I was contented at the moment and I tried forgetting about what would happen in the near future.
'There's more?" She gasped looking at all the food as she placed the flowers and her purse just next to her.
'Mmmh", I nodded.
Minutes later, I had already served her going back to my seat and watching her take her first bite. I was disappointed she hadn't thought about our history with the wasabi. She cut right into her salmon as she out a piece in her mouth.
In few seconds, she had already spit it out going for the water. Out of curiosity, I also took a bite out of my salmon and let's just say it was undercooked and the seasonings had been unbalanced. So much for learning how to cook.
'This is awful", I exclaimed taking a glass of champagne to down the feeling to my gut.
'I mean it's bad but not that bad. Your chef needs a little more training before he is allowed in the kitchen",she said and I chuckled.
'I cooked it", I said watching her face turn pale.
'Well-atleast the wasabi is on point",she tried to compliment but I could tell she was lying.
She was always a bad liar.
'Aliya, I know it's awful"
'Yes. It really is. Frankly am afraid of tasting anything on this table but I loved the flowers"
'You can't eat flowers", I said out loud.
'But I bet there's ice cream in here right?" She tried to look at the brighter side of things and I seemed to remember seeing a gallon of ice cream in the fridge while I was cooking.
Cooking that took one hour and a whole forty five minutes to be exact.
'You tried Ethan and honestly I'm charmed that your tried to cook. Can you imagine that? Ethan Carter cooking? I wish I would have seen that!" She laughed and I watched, her laugh like a soothing remedy to my churned soul.
'Haha.. I'll have you know that I once cooked for Gordon Ramsay and he seemed to like it"
'Gordon Ramsay? Why do I find that hard to believe? He is a hard man to please",she added chuckling the more.
She was right though, I had been lying and let's be honest I don't think there was anyone in the whole world who would be able to please Gordon Ramsay.
We proceeded to the lounge room where she spent a whole time in my arms licking ice cream off the spoon.
She gave some to me now and then telling me that ice cream was one of her greatest joy in life.
'Wait until you see Paris?" I told her. I had been to France a few times and everytime I fell for the country the more. Their simple way of life, the food and most especially the coffee.
'How's it like?" She asked scooping a spoonful of chocolate chip ice cream and putting it into her mouth.
'Paris? I don't know. Calm, a lot less complicated than here and the weather there is nice, surreal. You would love it there, especially at night and most especially the Eiffel tower"
'I've always dreamt of going there ever since I was little girl",she sighed and I wished I was the one who would take there but sadly we didn't have time.
'Are you done with that?" I asked watching the half empty contained of ice cream.
'Why? Do you want some?" She asked and I scrunched back in disgust.
'No, thanks"
I was never a fan of chocolate or ice cream anyway.
'I want to show you something"
'My other surprise?" She looked at me giddily and I helped her up seeing the moustache of ice cream formed on top of her lips.
I leaned down to lick it off her.
'Tasty", I teased watching her blush hard. I kissed her before taking her hand in mine and directing her outside.
With one swift move, I carried her into my arms going through the back door and ushering her to the outside as the sound of tides hitting the shores greeted us. And just by the beach was a tent with a king sized bed.
I thought of it as a way of us to spend the rest of the night outdoors gazing at the stars and at the same time listening to calm waves and tides against the sand.
'Oh my God!" She squealed in my arms and I put her down watching her remove her heels and run down from the patio to the white sands.
'This is glorious",she shouted raising her hands in mid air as the wind hauled her hair to her face. Her dress swayed with the wind as I watched in amusement shouting back,
'Be careful. I don't want you near the water", I warned remembering that she couldn't swim.
And yet for some reason, she decided to run to the water ruining her dress with the muddy sand.
'Ali! Aliya, don't you dare go deeper",, I warned removing my shoes and my socks as I watched go against me and dive further into the water.
She was really stubborn. When I threw my shoes to the side, my eyes going back to where she was, I didn't see her and I got scared all at once.
'Aliya! Aliya!" I shouted running to the water once I couldn't see it hear her laugh.
'Aliya?" I called out wasting no time and diving into the cold salty water.
'Ethan", she popped out of the water chuckling and I thought I would lose my mind.
'Are you kidding me? I thought you-God! Do not do that again",my anger flared as I cleared the water from my nose and wiped the droplets falling on my face.
'What? Can't handle a little prank, Ethan Carter?" She teased splashing some water to my face.
'I hate pranks", I thundered.
'Is there anything you don't hate, Ethan?"
'Yeah. You"
