Chapter 17

I lay down thoughtfully and letting a silly smile escape when I remembered a few moments; I kept looking that way until I fell asleep.

Luana: Good morning dear son, said my mother sitting at the table.

Nicolas: Good morning mom, I replied while I sat down, Today I will have classes all day, only 2 hours to come home for lunch and then return to college.

Luana: ok, I’ll prepare a snack for you; take it when you get back

Nicolas: alright, just fruits then, ok?

Luana: yes, your favorites, she answered, then kissing me on the forehea.

[...]

(Hours later in college)

Guilherme: What about the girl over there? Questioned me as we walked through the college hallways towards the parking lot

Nicolas: Isa?

Guilherme: Is there another one? He asked, looking at me and smiling.

Nicolas: No, I said, smiling. She decided that she wants to be part of the church, to know more about God

Guilherme: thank God, this is very good

Nicolas: Yes, that Is fantastic.

Guilherme: so

Nicolas: I want to ask her out; I’m getting to like her. a lot; I’m sure she is the right girl.

Guilherme: Good luck my friend, but in case she doesn’t accept it, you know, I’m by your side, he says, and we smiled But I’m sure she will, you are a fantastic guy, and not to mention that you are handsome too, but you just aren’t as handsome as I am.

Nicolas: Too bad I wasn’t born with this exotic beauty as yours, but I think this was enough; she seems to like me like that

Guilherme: go ahead, partner, the God, will provide, he said, tapping my shoulder lightly.

Nicolas: Thanks man

Guilherme: invite me to the wedding

Nicolas: of course, you can be carefree; every wedding has to have a godfather, I answered while I got in the car

I took advantage of the time after lunch to think about the best way to ask Isa for a date; I thought that making a surprise would be very cliché, you know. After all, women love surprises, and she certainly would like it. But thinking like a man I didn’t know where to start, how to do it, I needed help; I decided to look for Paula’s Instagram, Isabella’s friend, to help me out on this mission.

Message on

Nicolas: Hi Paula, how are you?

Paula: Hi Nicolas, I’m good, you?

Nicolas: I’m fine, thank you. i need your help with something

Paula: Of course, if it is within my reach, I can help; tell me what it is.

Nicolas: Isabella and I have been very close since we met; I like her, and I want to ask her out; what do you say?

Paula: Wow, Nicolas, do you want to date her? my goodness, she’ll freak out of joy! I’ll only tell you two words: go ahead!

Nicolas: Really? by the way you said it made you want me to do it right now! LOL

Paula: I have a better idea; Saturday is her 18th birthday; how about asking her out on that day?

Nicolas: perfect! I’m thinking of making a surprise, whether she likes it or not.it will be my birthday gift to her, lol; I hope she does

Paula: no, dear, she will not like it, she will love it!

Nicolas: I’m already looking forward to it, I already have some ideas in mind, but you as a woman and her friend will surely know better than I do, what does she really like, that’s why I want your help

Paula: we are going to make an incredible surprise for you to ask her for a date, believe me

Nicolas: thank you very much, Paula; I don’t even know how to thank you

Paula: making my friend happy is enough for me

Nicolas: I’m on it

Paula: can I tell Rafaela? she is also our best friend, and she is trustworthy

Nicolas: yes, but only for her, no one else

Paula: ok then

Nicolas: we’ll talk later then; thanks again for helping. Goodbye

Paula: you’re welcome, bye

...

Two days left for the big day, it will be on Saturday, we will have enough time to organize everything, but I was so eager to make the request at that moment and see Isabella as my girlfriend, but I could wait a little longer, the waiting would be for a good reason. Before returning to college, I sent Isa a message

“Good afternoon princess, I’m going to spend the day at college today, but I promise you I’ll see you tonight. May God be with you, xoxo. “

Isabella

As usual, Rafaela, Paula, Lucas, and I got together in the courtyard on the break; I told her about last night. Rafaela was indignant that we didn’t take her with us; I explained that it came up at the last minute and next time she would definitely go with us; Lucas said he was dating Beatriz, which made all of us very happy, as it had been a while since he got involved with anyone and seemed to be very happy now.

It was the end of class two hours later, time to go home; 10 minutes after leaving school, I was already at home. I took a shower, had lunch with Aunt Luh, and went up to my place of refuge. I took advantage of the fact that I still had some energy left and studied for some subjects, then I noticed the cell phone vibrating with a notification from Nicolas.

“Good afternoon princess, I’m going to spend the day at college today, but I promise you I’ll see you tonight. May God be with you, xoxo. “

I grinned, and I stretched out on the bed; I think I was falling in love with that pair of green eyes; I was already longing for his company and counting the hours to see him. I put the cell phone on the nightstand and snuggled up to take a nap until training time.

[...]

I put on a long-sleeved knitted dress with drooping shoulders, put my hair aside, put on a discreet lipstick, perfumed myself, and waited for Nicolas in my room.

Lorenzo: are you waiting for someone? _ Says behind the sofa with a cup of coffee in his hands

Isabella: yes, a friend

Lorenzo: a friend? I think I’ll wait for him too, he said, comforting himself in the armchair next to me, so What are you up to guys?

Isabella: just chitchatting, basically about God, he is the boy who is taking me to church.

Lorenzo: I’m even more curious to meet him.

Minutes later, Nicolas arrived

Nicolas: good evening Isa

Isabella: good evening Nicolas, come in, I said, stepping aside giving space

Lorenzo: good evening, young man, said after getting up from his comfortable chair

Nicolas: good evening, sir, he said awkwardly and a little surprised

Isabella: This is my father, father this is Nicolas

Nicolas: happy to meet you, sir

Lorenzo: pleasure

We sat in the room a little shy because of my father’s looks

Lorenzo: tell me about you, boy, questioned my father, and we look at each other. What do you do in your life? How old are you?

Nicolas: I’m a medicine student; I’m in the third year already. I’m 20 years old

Lorenzo: So young and already in your third year, you must have started school early then

Nicolas: yes, I finished my third year of high school at the age of 18, and soon after I came to Brazil, I got in the entrance exam and passed.

Lorenzo: did you live in another country?

Nicolas: yes, in Germany with my father

Lorenzo: and how did you meet my daughter?

Nicolas: right here, I came to get some documents for my mom

Isabella: he is Luana’s son, who works for you at the company dad

Lorenzo: oh, are you Luana Ferraz's son?

Nicolas: yes, the eldest son

Lorenzo: Oh cool, I didn’t know she had children. I will leave you alone now, I am tired, and I will lie down for a while. But I’ll keep an eye on you, huh

Isabella: Dad!

Nicolas: ok, I would do the same if I had a beautiful daughter like that

Isabella: stop being silly. Do you want to stay here, or do you want to go up to the room?

Nicolas: it’s up to you

Isabella: let’s go to the bedroom so, more comfortable; I think

Nicolas: are you sure?

Isabella: yes

Nicolas: what about your father?

Isabella: are you afraid of my father?

Nicolas: Oh, I don’t know, he’ll kick me out of here for going to his daughter’s room

Isabella: we will not do anything unusual, come soon, I said, going up the stairs and leaving him behing.

We entered the room, I took my Bible, and suddenly my father appeared at the door.

Lorenzo: leave the door open

Isabella: Dad!

Nicolas: yes, sir, we are going to do nothing much, you can be sure about it

Lorenzo: I think it’s a good idea, he said and left

Isabella: sorry, I don’t know what happened to him

Nicolas: relax, it’s ok; we stared at each other and smiled at the situation

Isabella: make yourself at home.

I lay in bed with the Bible, and Nicolas decided to sit in a chair near the desk where I used to study

Isabella: wait just a little bit; I have something for us

Nicolas: ok

I went to the kitchen to get some cookies that I made with Aunt Luh’s help for both of us and some other stuff I bought.

Nicolas: wow, I love cookies; you made them

Isabella: yes, with the help of Aunt Luh, there is milk too, do you like it with milk?

Nicolas: yes, wow, they are delicious

Isabella: thank you

Nicolas: so, did you think of any specific subject for us to talk about?

Isabella: not exactly; I started reading Psalms; I love this book; there are such beautiful things, we can continue reading and talk about it, let it flow

Nicolas: sounds great.