The straightforward one

Steve had been inspired by what Noah had done for Laila when they had come to visit Maria and had asked the kitchen to prepare a high tea for the three of them. This way the savoury snacks and finger sandwiches could serve as a late lunch, while the sweets and cakes could serve as a treat for the whole.

As soon as Maria had entered the dining room, Giselle and Gretchen walked in with two pots of tea, cups and a four tiered stand filled with delicious treats. Both Laila and Maria's eyes grew wide when their eyes landed on all the different snacks that had been prepared. "Well ladies, I hope you are hungry because plenty of food has been made." With as much excitement as one can expect from seeing multiple layers of delicious looking food, Laila and Maria responded. "I am always hungry but especially for this! One of the mighty fine perks of being pregnant, as long as you aren't nauseous, you can eat a horse. As an added bonus, no one will blame any weight gain on anything but the baby. So, I am ready to dig in. How about you Maria?" Maria took her seat at the long table and said, "Even if I hadn't been hungry, I would never let go of an opportunity to eat great food. So, bring it on!" Both Steve and Laila laughed at Maria's reaction but they understood where she was coming from as in a way they felt the same.

The vibrant colours, the wonderful smells and the playful way the food had been plated, everything managed to lure you in and trapped one of your senses. When stand was placed down and the tea was poured, all three of them got a closer look at the food and they each took their pick. Upon taking their first bites they knew that they would enjoy all the bites that would follow. Regardless of what dish they would pick. Though they had each chosen to start with something else, they all unanimously agreed that the food tasted even better than it looked. The textures, the crunch and the interesting combinations made this first round even more successful than Steve had imagined and he looked forward to the second one along with Maria and Laila themselves.

As they ate, drank, poked and gushed, conversations started flowing and Steve wasted no time or effort to let Maria know that he was interested in her and not just as a friend. "I am really happy to see you again Maria. I know you are friends with Laila and you appear to have some kind of friendship with Noah, so I hope I won't be the only one left out. Unless of course you have a better role in mind for me because I certainly wouldn't mind being more than just a friend to you. I want to use these next couple of days to not only form a plan against Olivia but also to form a better bond with you."

Maria was flabbergasted. Though she was used to being the straightforward one in most of her relationships, when it came to romantic ones, her forwardness took a backseat for some unfamiliar shyness. So, being confessed to so openly, so unexpectedly and in front of Laila, had her a little lost for words. Laila was of course very amused by it all and just cheered him on as she enjoyed her food and this unplanned showing of her friend's unveiling romance, full of awkward moments. "Woohoo Steve! Yeah! I knew you wouldn't let me down. Keep it up, you certainly have my blessing."

While Steve thanked her for the support, Maria kicked her from underneath the table and glared at her as she tried to keep her composure. Though she had to admit that deep down she was kind of interested in Steve and she had hoped to see him again during her stay at Laila and Noah's house, she hadn't expected it to be so soon, much less with this kind of development. So, she didn't quite now how to react. Stammeringly and awkwardly Maria finally responded to Steve's request and "Uhm, well, you see, I am only here for two weeks and we have a lot to do in that time but, uhm, yeah, let's try and become friends."

With a bit of a dejected voice Steve said, "Oh, I see. I guess that means that becoming more than friends was a bit too much to ask for so right off the bat." After that he put another smile on his face and said, "Well, never mind. At least it wasn't a flat-out no. So, there is hope for me yet. I am a patient man, especially if it is for the right woman. You can take your time. It is only the first day, so there is plenty of days left for you to make up your mind or change it." He ended his words by sourcing the relationship between Noah and Laila by saying, "Besides, if those two are any example, starting off as friends has proven that it can be a very good foundation for building a romantic relationship as well. So, in my eyes there is still plenty to be excited for."