Chapter 11

Drystan didn't know how he got the courage to ask Galene out but he was happy that he did and it had been a week since then. He sighed deeply as he glanced at his reflection in the mirror. Today was his first date with Galene and he was frantic and nervous. He stared at himself, he was wearing a collar short sleeve shirt and jeans. It was just your average casual attire and yet he felt as if it still wasn't enough. 

He suddenly remembered Galene's blushing face when he had asked her. He was so sure that Galene would say no but then she said in a small voice…

"Then, I'll try if it works out"

And he couldn't be happier, she was giving him a chance he didn't know he could have. He doesn't want to waste it. 

"Alright let's do this"

He had planned out the entire day perfectly, the two of them would start with a movie then a dinner where they could talk, and then at night they'd walk by the park where the night lights are beautiful. He would make this memorable for Galene.

That was his plan but he realized that it was far from perfect the moment it all started to fall apart. He stared at the movies lined up at the cinema where he'll meet up with Galene. He knew just what genre of movies Galene liked best, it was horror and sci-fi, and yet the only thing that they're showing right now are romance and child-friendly movies.

"Why do you look like you're bearing the entire weight of the world on your shoulders?"

Drystan turned around only to be mesmerized by what he saw. Galene was right beside him wearing a short-sleeved blouse, jeans, and a pair of high heels. It was the first time he saw her wearing light make-up, no scratch that, it was the first time he saw Galene dressed like this. 

Galene somehow felt burdened when she saw how hard Drystan was staring at her. She wore what she normally wears when she goes out on dates so she thought that no one would notice. But then she realized that Drystan had never seen her in this attire before. She scratched her nape and cleared her throat.

That made Drystan blink fast before turning around again, his ears now the shade of red. 

"Uhmm, sorry I didn't know that all the movies showing today would be this"

Galene shifted her gaze to the cinema list and saw that it was either romance or cartoons. She glanced at Drystan whose ears were still burning red. She smiled lightly.

"It's fine, how about that one?"

Drystan looked at the title that Galene pointed at. It was a romance-drama movie, and he then shifted his gaze to Galene.

"You sure? I thought you hated romance?"

Galene chuckled and Drystan swore he just fell deeper with how she smiled.

"It's alright, I don't completely hate it you know"

"But you won't enjoy it either"

Galene looked at Drystan and she noticed how down his expression was. It was the first time that she had seen him like this.

"Zael, you won't know that unless you watch it first"

Galene said before going to the ticket booth to buy their tickets. Drystan hurried up to catch her before she could even pay. It was their date and it had always been a custom that the guy should pay first. But his shoulders slacked the moment he realized that Galene had already paid for their tickets.

He looked at her and felt embarrassed and annoyed at the same time. Everything wasn't going the way he had planned right from the get-go.

"Astraea, you should've waited for me to pay for it"

Galene looked at Drystan, she squinted her eyes when she saw how annoyed he looked now.

"I can pay for both of us you know"

Drystan looked at Galene with widened eyes. 

"Uhhh no that's not what I meant… I…"

His eyes looked lost, he misspoke. He knew that the tone of his voice and the way he speaks can be misunderstood by anyone. Now that he thinks of it, maybe it was also the reason why they were always arguing.

"Oh, did you want to pay for everything since it's the first date?"

Drystan looked at Galene and saw that somehow there was worry in her eyes. He scratched the back of his ear before nodding. 

Galene let out a sigh before staring at the tickets. It was out of habit, she hated having someone always pay for her. If it was a date she always wanted to split the bill in half. She knew that it was somehow rude but she just couldn't stand the thought of having someone pay for her.

"Then, how 'bout this?"

Drystan looked at Galene who was now smiling at him.

"You can just pay for our food, I just… well I don't feel comfortable with not spending anything especially if it's a date"

Drystan never knew that, he smiled when he felt like he finally knew something about Galene. 

"Alright, sorry I misspoke, I didn't know you'll feel that way"

"You don't feel like my action just now was rude?"

Drystan stared hard at the now dumbfounded Galene. He pondered on the thought and no, he didn't feel it was rude. He was just annoyed because he felt like his plan was falling apart.

"No, I just… I was just annoyed because my plan was spoiled. Then I'll get us some popcorn and soda, you prefer cheese and coke right?"

He shyly admitted before running off the moment Galene nodded at the preference he had asked. 

Galene never took off her gaze at Drystan, she watched him, up until the little details she never knew she would take notice of. Drystan already knew what she liked, what she preferred, what she hated, he knew the unimportant details like that about her and somehow it made her heart flutter.

Galene laughed as she stared at Drystan whose eyes were now all red while Drystan wanted the earth to just eat him up out of embarrassment. The movie had already finished and they were now walking to the restaurant he had booked. But, the matter is that he had cried while watching the movie. He couldn't even take the opportunity of being in the cinema to get close to Galene as he was so engrossed in the movie. 

"This is stupid"

"Not at all, I think I enjoyed watching you more than the movie"

Drystan stared at Galene as she watched the tiny tears forming in her eyes because of laughing too hard.

"Hey Astraea, you're having fun huh"

Galene instantly stifled her laughter the moment she heard Drystan use his threatening voice.

"Kinda"

She admitted while a smile was still plastered on her face. She found a new side of Drystan that she was sure he wouldn't want anyone else to know. And Drystan admits that even though he had surely embarrassed himself, he was glad that Galene was enjoying their day.

But that thought froze when he saw the downpour the moment they stepped in the exit of the cinema.

He didn't plan this, he was sure that there wouldn't be any rain today and the place he had booked was far. He looked around and saw that it was hard to hail a cab because of the rain. He gritted his teeth, he felt like nothing was going his way anymore.

He had thought that maybe Galene would find this date disappointing and boring but he froze when he saw her. 

Hands extending towards the rain where the raindrops meet her palm and a soft smile that was the serene scene he had witnessed. 

"Hey Zael, does your itinerary matter?"

Drystan looked at Galene, was he that transparent for her? How could she have known that he had everything planned out? He faced her with a stern look on his face.

"I want to make this memorable and enjoyable for you. I'm trying to win you over you know. I want everything to be perfect"

It was the truth, he wanted this to last. He was not going to give up his chance just like that.

"You and I are neither perfect so how can you expect everything to be perfect"

Drystan grimaced at the mocking tone that Galene had used, the same tone she used when she wanted to just start an argument. But instead of her grinning face, what Drystan saw was her smile. She then extended her hand that she had extended earlier to the rain.

"I know you just had a cold but are you willing to do something stupid with me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Hmmm, you said you wanted it to be memorable and enjoyable, but if you want a memory to be enjoyable and memorable then you should just embrace the unexpected."

It then hit Drystan so hard, he could already guess what she wanted to do and she was asking for his answer because he just got sick. But why would he care about any of that, here was the girl he wanted asking him if he was ready to do a stupid thing with her.

Why the hell would he refuse? 

He grinned at her before fishing out his phone and wallet from his pants pocket.

"Would you please put this in your purse? I'm more concerned about this than I am about myself"

Galene froze for a moment before bursting out a loud laughter that sounded like music to Drystan's ears. She took his phone and wallet and put in her purse. She was about to extend her hand again when Drystan took it and without another word pulled her into the pouring rain.

Galene laughed when she realized that Drystan already knew what she had meant by doing something stupid.

They ran to the nearest park without any care about the looks that passersby were giving them. Drystan didn't care anymore either. He didn't care about whether their date was perfect or if they looked stupid. 

The only thing that he cares about is Galene. The Galene who was holding his hands right now, laughing like a kid as they ran under the rain. Galene looked at him and it made his heart skip a beat. 

He slowed down eventually stopping at a pavement at the park where he had planned to take her to earlier. Galene stopped when she felt him stop.

Her eyes widened when she saw Drystan smiling at him sweetly, his ears the shade of red again.

"Astraea"

Drystan knew that all his plans for their first date had been spoiled but as Galene had said, what makes the moment memorable is something unexpected. And he doesn't know if he made Galene fall for him even a little bit today but he knew that he did.

He was the one who fell for her again. She was different in every sense that he had imagined her to be and he loved that. 

He pulled her hand closer to him, kissing the back of it once again.

He would never get tired of doing this and he would certainly never get tired of telling her how he feels.

"I love you"

Because every moment he spends with Galene just makes him fall harder and deeper for her.