Night That Change Relation

"May I know what is your father's business, James?" Laura asked cautiously.

James felt that Laura was getting cautious with him, he didn't want that to happen. Did he misrepresent his personal matters?

"Dad, a property entrepreneur in Jakarta, his head office is, there are several branches in other cities in Central Java and East Java. Indrajaya Realty is the name of the company. My two brothers continue the property business, but I have different interests with them. So I was stranded at veterinary faculty," said James again.

Their order appetizer menu came. The salads on their plates looked delicious. The waiter put the plate in front of each of them and left them again.

"Let's eat," asked James to which Laura nodded.

"How many siblings does Laura has? What work does your father does?" James asked curiously.

While choosing lettuce on her plate Laura also answered, "I have a younger sister, her name is Deasy. She is still studying S2 in Ausie, graphic design. Papa is a textile and batik entrepreneur. Actually, my house is in Godean, but I think it's more comfortable to live in an apartment because Papa will be fussy when he sees me going to work in the morning and coming home late at night. "

James listened attentively to Laura's story as he chewed on his salad. "Yes, you're right Laura. Sometimes parents are too worried if their children are too busy. Ahh yes, I remember ... PA Lab open recruitment of new assistants?"

"Yes, the announcement has been posted in the PA Lab lobby. Are you interested?" Laura replied.

"Yes, I'm interested. But it looks like I have to wait for the General Pathology final exam scores for consideration. I've become a Microbiology Lab assistant actually, is it allowed to double the job as a PA Lab assistant?" said James.

"Gosh James, are you sure you have enough stamina to be an assistant in 2 labs? Your schedule will be much busier than mine as a lecturer. Especially since you're doing thesis research. I just don't want you to overwork yourself," said Laura attentively.

The steak menu they ordered came. The waiter lifted the salad plate and replaced it with a steak plate. Another waitress opened a bottle of red wine and filled both of their glasses. Then left the table after inviting his guests to enjoy the dish.

James also cut his steak while continuing their conversation earlier. "I haven't thought that adding a PA Lab assistant job will take up a lot of my time. But it's the practicum schedule in the 7th and 8th semesters that I can't imagine. By the way, what are the PA Lab assistant jobs?"

Laura answered, "Actually, it's just preparing slides of histopathic preparations to be seen under a microscope. It's like the work of a Microanatomy Lab assistant. It's light. It's much lighter when you compare it to the work in the Microbiology Lab."

"I actually wanted to be a PA Lab assistant for 2 reasons," said James.

"May I know James the reason?" Laura asked, looking at James curiously.

James smiled and blushed a little. "Don't laugh at me, okay, I'm angry when you laugh at me."

"What is it?" Laura laughed even though James forbade it.

James pouted adorable. "Don't say ahh, you're laughing."

"Oohhh come on, how come you're cranky, it's not fun ahh!" Laura protested.

James relented and said, "I really want to learn to make histopaths first and second ... I want to be with you often on campus."

Laura was quite shocked to hear James's second reason why he wanted to be a PA Lab assistant. Her face blushed once again in the dim light of the candle on the table. She fell silent and lowered her head.

James took Laura's right hand and kissed it gently. "I think I like you Laura, can you...?"

Laura stared at James dumbly. She blinked her eyes digesting James' words just now. "Ahhh James .... I'm speechless." Laura could only say so.

James said this too quickly. This is in Indonesia, not abroad where everything is so frontal. After all, they are 11 years apart in age. This is crazy!

Indeed, Laura has dated several times during her 32 years of life. In junior high school once and then in high school twice and countless times when she went to S1 to take the title of professor. She's probably dated a dozen times. But it's a record that she met a man and was shot in less than a month.

Meanwhile, James had told her that he had never been in a relationship. This is arguably James's first love!

James cleared his throat, still not wanting to let go of his grip on Laura's fingers. Then they both looked at each other with a million emotions.

Is it that hard to accept my love? Or did I shoot her too fast? James thought in his troubled heart with his hand still holding Laura's finger.

"How's the steak good?" James asked diverting the tension between them as he reluctantly let go of his grip on Laura's fingers.

"It's delicious, the meat is very tender and the fat melts in the mouth," Laura replied smoothly covering her nervousness.

"Want some more wine?" James offered Laura as he filled his own glass.

Laura nodded slowly and James filled Laura's glass up to half a glass. James shook the red wine in his glass and inhaled the aroma before drinking it completely.

The two of them were silent for a few minutes, both of them were busy with their respective cellphones.

Not long after James gave the code to the waiter to send the bill. James handed over his debit card without looking at the total for his dinner bill. The waiter also came to return James's debit card along with a print out bill.

"Thank you Mr. James and Mrs. Please come back. Have a nice day," said the waiter ushering James and Laura away.

Laura was amused to hear that she was called Mrs. Hmmm ... Maybe she really looks old, she thought again.

James took Laura's hand and put it in his arm as he walked out of the restaurant to the car park in the basement.

"Why has Laura been so quiet earlier? Are you mad at me?" James asked after they got into his white Fortuner.

"Ehh of course not ... why should I be angry? I was just thinking deeply about our relationship," answered Laura calmly.

James turned on the radio in his car. "Never mind, take it easy. I'm not in a hurry, I just want you to know about my feelings. Don't women usually want clarity on their relationship status with men who approach them? I told you this is the first time for me to have more feelings for a woman."

"I'm sorry James ... But I'm afraid that your feelings are only temporary attraction. I'm a 32-year-old woman and you're a 21-year-old young man, isn't it weird in other people's eyes when they know we're dating?" Laura said at length explaining her confusion to James.

Then a song from his radio playing on...

"I have friends. Playmates."

"If there is him, there is also me"

"He is very sweet and also kind"

"He's always there to help me"

"But I was confused when he said love and he also said 'to want to be my lover'

"Just be friends with me, don't ask for more"

"I can't possibly love you, we're just friends but intimate..."

-Friends But Intimate- Ratu Girlband

James burst into laughter at the song playing on his car radio. "Wow, this radio announcer looks like a shaman, how come the song is just right, it makes you even more confused."

Laura laughed at James's words. Exactly what she wanted to say in her heart. "So how about James, you want us to 'Friends But Intimate' too?" she joked.

"No, I don't want to. The status must be clear. We have to be lovers one day. I don't want my girl to be stolen if it's just a friend but intimate," James replied, still insisting.

Then a song continue played on radio...

"Please look at me and answer my question"

"Where are we going to take our relationship?"

"If you keep procrastinating and never declare love"

"Where are we going to take our relationship?"

"I will not continue to live without a definite bond between you and me"

-Want To Be Taken Anywhere- Armada Boyband

"Well, this is really a shaman's radio announcer. The song really fits my confusion with you Laura." said James, laughing again.

"Ahh, anyway, let's go through it first, so what's the hurry, you'll get bored later. Then you will be afraid when it's your turn to ask for a break up because I'm your lecturer. I'll give you an E then." Laura replied while sticking out her tongue.

"This is asking for your name to fight. How did I ever get an E. Because I asked for a break up, I deserved to get an E." exclaimed James, still laughing.

"Yeah, it broke my heart," said Laura not wanting to lose.

"You are annoying, Laura. Maybe you deserved a kiss from me? Just watch out later!" threatened James.