Lia surprisingly says , senior Lucas?!.
"You recognized me by my voice?" Lucas surprisingly asked .
Lia gets shy and replies, it's familiar.
Lucas: " " I am in vacation , don't you owe me a treat? Where are you right now? I'll pick you up at five."
Lia: " Give me the location I can go by myself, no worries."
Lucas: "I know you can. But it's my treat, so I get to decide."
Lia rolled her eyes, smiling to herself before saying the address. Lucas responded with a simple, "5:00 PM sharp. Don't be late."
---
At exactly five, Lia stood on the quiet side street near her home, dressed in a soft blue blouse and a simple skirt. She kept brushing her hands over her clothes, nervous about the evening. Just as she glanced at her phone for the third time, the low hum of a bike grew louder.
Lucas arrived on his matte black bike, pulling to a stop a few feet away. He didn't call out to her. Instead, he removed his helmet and observed her from afar.
Her hair was tied up messily, a few strands fluttering in the breeze. Her eyes darted around, scanning for him. She looked anxious and adorable at the same time.
"Cute," Lucas muttered under his breath with a smirk. Then, louder, "You ready, lil kid?"
Lia scoffed, crossing her arms. "I'm not a kid."
"You bite people. That qualifies."
She rolled her eyes but climbed onto the bike without protest. Lucas drove them to the restaurant, the wind carrying silence and thoughts between them.
When they pulled up in front of the restaurant, Lia hesitated.
It was elegant—the kind of place with valet parking and soft jazz music floating from inside. She looked at Lucas, eyes wide.
Lia slowly said , "here?"
"Yeah," he said, parking the bike, "let's go."
They were guided to a pretty table by the window. Lucas ordered for them without hesitation, asking for steaks, mashed potatoes, and sparkling water.
"So," he leaned forward, elbows on the table, "how have you been?"
"Good," Lia said, her fingers fidgeting with the napkin.
"What are you doing now days?"Lucas stares at her and asked.
"I'm studying psychology at a college nearby."
"Psychology? That suits you. You always seemed to read people well."
"What about you? Still at the training center?"
Lucas nodded. "Yeah. But now days just studying not training."
Lia smiled. "You don't seem like someone who enjoys desks."
"I don't," he grinned. "But I do like riding bikes to pick up dramatic girls who once ran away from home."
Lia chuckled. "Touché."
Soon, the food arrived. Lia reached for her steak knife, but Lucas was faster. He took her plate.
"Hey, I can do it myself," she protested.
"I know you can," Lucas said as he started cutting the steak into neat slices, "but watching you struggle is not how I planned tonight."
Lia glared, flustered. "You're such a pain."
"And you still showed up."
They laughed and talked through the meal, until finally Lia excused herself to the restroom.
Inside, she stared at her reflection. Her cheeks were flushed. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. But her thoughts spiraled.
This place is expensive. How I am gonna pay for all ? She panicked. What if it's over a thousand bucks?
When she returned to the table, Lucas is not there, only the waiter cleaning the table.
"Where is he?" Lia askes the waiter.
"Waiting out for you." The waiter replies.
"Wait," Lia looked around, "the bill?"
The waiter approached with a small smile. "It's already been paid, miss."
Lia rushed outside, finding Lucas casually waiting by his bike.
"Why did you pay? I was going to—"
"You still can," Lucas said, stepping closer.
Lia froze.
"I'm craving ice cream," he whispered. "Will you buy me some?"
Relieved, she nodded quickly. "Sure."
Lucas grinned. "Not here. Let me take you somewhere."
She climbed onto the bike again, and Lucas drove them to a quiet riverside area. The fading golden light reflected off the water. Nearby, a small ice cream stand glowed warmly.
"Vanilla," Lucas declared.
Lia ordered a vanilla for him and a chocolate for herself. They found a spot to sit by the riverbank, legs stretched out, shoes off.
Lia took a bite of her cone and frowned. "This isn't even a hundred bucks. How am I supposed to pay back the rest?"
Lucas looked at her with a calm smile. "It's been paid."
"But how?" she asked, confused.
He turned to her, his gaze soft but piercing. Slowly, he leaned closer.
"The time you spent with me," he murmured, "is worth more than five thousand bucks."
Lia's cheeks turned crimson. She quickly looked away, but the smile on her lips wouldn't fade.
They sat there, side by side, two people slowly learning how to be something more.