A Couples Bucket List

The mild breeze of chilly wind came as it brushed towards Georgina's body, making her long half twisted braid-styled hair dance along with it whilst leaning on a tree trunk. She's wearing a simple black chiffon puff long sleeve blouse tucked in a white highway pants, she also put a light make-up on face and a bit of perfume on body as well as some accessories.

In one glance, you could say that she really prepared herself to be presentable than any other day. Despite her looks, she knew well that her heart wasn't prepared enough to continue the day.

"Sorry, did I made you wait for too long?"

Georgina jolted out when she heard a familiar voice from behind.

Her eyes widened for a second, but still didn't uttered a word and tightened the grip on her sling bag before turning around with a huge smile on face. However, as soon as their gaze met, a long silence came in between as if memories began flooding like it just happened yesterday.

It's Giovanni Javier, standing with those dark brown center parted permed hairstyle, plain black long sleeve polo shirt tucked in a black pants. The two upper button of his shirt was left opened and the sleeve rolled up until below the elbow.

A simple attire, but an ineffable good-looking face and skin tone.

He's just like a man sent from heaven.

"Ah, I didn't prepare for this day." Giovanni said, scratching the back of his head and looked away which made Georgina giggled. "What are you giggling about?"

"N-nothing, it just remind me of the past. You say the exact same thing on our first date. You're as stiff as that day too."

"H-huh?"

"Did you forget? You're more like a girl blushing up until the tip of your ear as our gaze met? Habits really hard to die, huh?"

"Y-you. Did you fooled me coming here? I'm going home."

Giovanni hissed before turning his back to her and was about to walked away when Georgina say something that made him stopped.

"No more jokes. It's been a while, Van. How... I mean, are you doing fine?"

"Do I look like someone who's doing fine? You vanished out of nowhere, without calls or texts, then out of nowhere you called saying you want to have a date. I'm confused on what's happening now. Aren't you afraid to be seen by your mother with me?"

"Can't we rebel for once and go against everyone?"

"You know..."

"I want to date you, Giovanni Javier. Let's spend the rest of the day just the two of us. Without thinking about what someone would say to us, like in the past when we're still together." She said. "You're not going to leave me here hanging like this, right?"

"What's with the sudden change of mind? Did you do something that I didn't know?"

A faint smile escaped on Georgina's lips as she heaves a deep sigh and walked towards him. She stopped right behind Giovanni and rested her forehead on his sturdy back—feeling his warmth and smelling his usual scent.

A manly scent with strong yet tolerable to sniffed and calming.

"What are you doing?" Giovanni asked.

"I realized, I leaned on this sturdy back more than I could imagine. It's comfy and reliable."

"Gia,"

"I'm sorry. You stood up for me many times, but I never realized it until someone knocked some sense on me. I'm the worst."

Giovanni curled his brows in confusion and turned to her direction, but before he could speak a word, Georgina used the chance to hug him tight which startled him.

"I'm sorry for letting that evil witch made you her slave, for forcing yourself to have an arrange marriage with Kiela, to be betrayed by Henrick and to be hurt for trying to save me. I don't know what to do to pay you back."

"Is that why you're trying to date me against your will?"

"W-what? I'm not."

"Gia..."

"J-just today, let's not think about anything and let ourselves loosened up from regret and revenge."

Giovanni remained silent for almost a minute. He's just looking straight to her eyes before he chuckle and patted Georgina's back. "Fine. I'll play with you for a while."

"Huh? Play? I told you, I'm seriou—argh?!"

She winced and glared to him when he, out of the blue pinched both her cheeks as she gave a playful smirk.

"Let's continue what we left hanging that day and do it properly this time."

"W-what are you talking about?"

Instead of an answer, Giovanni chuckled and just smiled at her. "Let's have a proper date and spend the day as you wished. No regret, hate or revenge. Just the two of us living as it should be like any teenagers on our age. Satisfied?"

"H-hmmm..."

"You better not think about any other man while you're with me."

"H-huh?"

"Where should we go? Shall we go to the place we planned to go years ago? It's our chance to fulfill our couple bucket list."

"B-bucket lists?"

"I'll be disappointed if you forget about it. Anyway, let's go. Don't back out now."

"Who's saying, I'm backing out?"

***

'Couple Bucket Lists', it's the thought that kept playing on Georgina's mind for a few hours. She almost forgot about it, not until she noticed the pattern of the places they went in the span of few hours.

At first, they went to the famous waffle and coffee house near their middle high school and left their sign and picture on the visitors wall, after it, they rode the cable car and do the zipline and even compete who will first reached the end line but Giovanni win. In the end, Georgina received a punishment to took a picture with the giraffe in the zoo where they will go next. He knew that she was afraid of it, but still made her do it. They feed, interact and took a pictures closely with other animals while they're in the zoo.

The two unexpectedly enjoyed the company of each other with all smiles and bickering as if they went back to the past.

After the zoo, they went to the buffet restaurant and pick foods for each other like they used to do to teased each other, then head straight to the ice rink and played around like a child—pushing and making each one fell. They also went to the time zone to play, but the two ended up competing and counting their wins and loses for the punishment afterwards.

It was a long day.

The time seemed moving slowly which favored the two as they could spend a little more of time.

It was when they sat inside the movie theater with only a few people scattered around that she realized about the couple bucket lists. You could even count it with your one hand.

"What movie did you choose?" Georgina asked whilst looking around. "Why there's almost no one here beside us?"

"It's on our bucket lists."

"H-huh?"

"Yeah, to watch the worst movie in the cinema together."

"Why do we need to watch the unworthy movi..."

"Just because."

A playful sneer came out from Giovanni's lips before taking a sip on his medium-size cola drink as he looked in front which made Georgina confused.

"Hey, are we competing again? What's with the playful sneer?"

"The movie's going to start, please be quiet."

"Tsk. Why are we even competing wherever we go. You can't even let me win. Not once. You're terrible." Georgina said, leaning on the chair. She took out some popcorn and ate it while looking at the huge screen.

The movie wasn't that interesting. It's a tragic romance story between the female lead and the male lead whereas the two couldn't be together even if they wanted to as their family was against it. Even though they tried to work things out and be firmed with their feelings and decision, they just keep getting worst.

Although the story wasn't Georgina's forte, she unconsciously found herself got immersed on the heavy drama, especially to the scene where the both lead actors confront each other and broke up. Both of them left the place in opposite directions with tears on eyes.

For some reason, it made Georgina shed a tears in silence. She turned to Giovanni's direction and saw him watching the movie with full attention.

A faint smile showed up on her lips and thought that nothing change. Whether it's a high rating or flop movie, Giovanni always had interest on it.

"Isn't it too bad for the man?" Giovanni asked.

It made her looked away and wiped those tears away.

"W-what are you saying? It's not like the woman has any choice. If she didn't do it then..."

"What makes her think that other people thoughts matter than their own? It's scary to be left alone when you knew that you're just totally fine the other day." Giovanni said. "She's not protecting anyone, but rather running away from her responsibilities. It's awful."

An awkward silence came in between them. No one dares to talked or broke it.

"N-not everyone who's running away wants to escaped their responsibilities. Sometimes, running away could also mean as being responsible." Georgina said.

"How could you say it? Any proof? All I knew was there's someone out there—trying to run away from their responsibility. Example... You."

Georgina's eyes widened in surprised upon hearing his last words. "W-what?!"

"Anyway, this is worst as they said in the review. I don't like romance or heavy drama, let's just go somewhere else."

No words came out from Georgina's mouth anymore and followed him outside.

She's not saying anything, but she found it ridiculous in any angle.

The sudden change of their situation. Giovanni acting nice and as the same in the past and her going with the flow. Even though the atmosphere loosened between them, there's still a distinct ominous aura lingering on it.

"Where should we go next? If I remember..."

"A-ah, Van."

"Hmm..."

"Why don't we go to the place that you want? I think it's not a bad idea."

"Are you sure? The place I wanted to go so bad, it's not on our couple bucket list."

"It's fine. I want to know what you like too."

"Fine. Let's go." Giovanni said, suddenly offering his hand to hold hers which confused Georgina. "What? Aren't you going to hold my hand? It's our date, don't tell me you're thinking about other man? Shall we go home?"

"N-no. I want to hold yours... So bad."

After saying those cringe words, Giovanni saw her avoiding his gaze as the tip of her ears turned beet red. It made him chuckled in disbelief before pulling her closer to him.

He leaned down near her ears and whispered, "Why are you acting cute, wifey? Now, I wanted to do something else. Will you accompany me for a second? Hmm?"

"W-what?" Georgina asked.

Her face almost turned to a chilly pepper in color as her eyes widened, but Giovanni found it interesting and rubbed the tip of her ears to tease.

"V-van..."

"Shall we kiss?"