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It was a shade off seven o’clock in the evening when Kim pressed the buzzer to Gerald’s house. While waiting for an answer, she tidied her dress and she smoothened out her hair. For some reason, she wanted to be pretty tonight. She wore her most flattering pink blouse and her very tight jeans. She put on a little bit of make-up and a sprig of her expensive cologne. She could not explain even to herself the urge to make all this fuss... for Gerald – of all people! The guy that hates her guts the most. Or so she thinks...

Gerald opened the door. His reaction when he saw Kim was priceless. He just stood there by the door, frozen...absolutely stupefied, slack-jawed and amazed.

All he could say was, “Wow!”

Kim in the meantime blushed at his gratifying appraisal of her. However, she too was taken aback by his appearance. He was drop dead gorgeous in a body fit Lacoste shirt, instantly revealing his budding muscles that was often times hidden by his obtrusive lab coat. Kim never even knew he was that fit. He obviously just stepped out of the shower as his hair was still damp but it was combed back neatly. He looked really clean and fresh, just the way Kim like guys to be.

“Can I come in?” asked Kim. “I brought nourishments...” She showed him the snack basket she prepared.

“Yes, of course, come in.” Gerald ushered Kim in.

“Sorry, this is all I could contribute,” Kim said referring to the snacks.

“No, no it’s fine...” Gerald said absent-mindedly, grabbing the basket from her.

It has been awhile since Kim entered their house. But the moment she stepped in, it was as if a flood of emotions came rushing back to her. She remembers how everyday both of them would just come in and out of each other’s houses, together running away from the maids. She remembers how she would ring his buzzer twice and how he would run out right away knowing that it was her. She remembers the times when Gerald’s house became her place of comfort and solace whenever her own home brings her pain or sadness.

Gerald smiled at her and said, “You actually came a tad earlier than I expected you to be in. It’s not quite ready yet...”

“What’s not ready?” Kim asked.

“What the heck...close your eyes,” Gerald directed her. He placed his hands over her eyes and lightly guided her to the direction of the outdoor patio.

“What is it?” Kim persisted. “I don’t really like surprises...”

“You’ll like this one...”

Then, he removed his hands from her eyes.

The scene that unfolded before her eyes literally took her breath away. In the middle of the spacious patio is a table elegantly set-up for two. On it was a beautiful setting of long-stemmed red roses. Hundreds of white candles romantically lit the entire venue. White lights trace the outlines of the nearby shrubs. There was a champagne bottle sitting on an ice bucket too. Light classical music was playing on the background.

Kim was visibly stunned. It was something that she did not at all expect.

“I hope you’re hungry,” said a nervous Gerald. “I hope it’s not over the top...”

“What is this?” Kim asked as she lightly held Gerald’s arm.

“Dinner...”Gerald courtly answered.

“For me?” Kim said once more, as Gerald ushered her towards the table. “...all this for me?”

Gerald simply nodded. Kim meanwhile was as confused as ever. Gerald pulled out her chair for her. Kim actually wanted more verbal confirmation from him but he seemed more content at keeping the mystery of all these a whole lot longer. He was, for now, oddly satisfied seeing her wonder.

“But you hate me?” Kim was still struggling to puzzle up the recent, strange turn of events.

“No, I don’t hate you. Never have, never will...” he said softly as he sat across her.

“Wait I don’t understand this...” Kim admitted.

Gerald began to light the candles on the table.

“Well...It’s a date,” Gerald confirmed. “I thought you’ve been to many, is this not what it looks like?”

“Yeah, this pretty much looks like a date...” said Kim, now smiling as she finally got her answer from the very flustered Gerald.

“I thought it would be nice to invite you to a dinner like this...” he said, struggling on to open the champagne.

“But you said, were going to work on the project?”

“Project’s done a long time ago. We’re here in fact to celebrate our success too. On the project I mean” Gerald mumbled.

“So basically you conned me to come here for the project when in fact you were planning this date, and you neglected to tell me that it was in fact a date, knowing I might not have said yes if you asked me directly....” Kim rattled on.

“Are you angry...at me?” implored Gerald.

“It’s not that I’m complaining or anything...” she justified.

“It sounded like you were...” said Gerald, standing up, a bit disappointed.

“NO, wait sit down,” Kim ordered. She smiled adoringly at him as he instantly sat back into his chair. He was such an adorable geek and Kim loves it. “What else have you got in store there, Lewis?”

Gerald instantly smiled. Nobody had ever called him by his last name the way Kim had done from before. Gerald rang his little bell and then a number of uniformed maids brought out their three-course dinner. Kim laughed at the way the service seemed rehearsed.

All the while, Kim eyes glowed fondly as she sees Gerald fussing about to make their dinner extra special. He would often check up on her, making sure she was extremely comfortable. He would make sure her glasses are always full of either water or cider. Conversation was light and natural. They made their way into their sumptuous dinner talking fondly about their past and their youth.

“I used to remember you were nice, whatever happened to you?” asked Kim.

“Whatever happened to me? Whatever happened to you?” Gerald threw the question back at her. “All of a sudden you became this miss popular and then you didn’t want to hang out with me. You became too cool of a sudden...”

“Look who’s talking! You were the one who became snobbish and obnoxious. It was as if you became too smart for the rest of us. You thought you were better than everyone else, better than everybody!”

“If we’re talking about that friend of yours, Farina, of course I’m better than her!” guffawed Gerald.

“Oh my God, I almost forgot about her, she was so funny. The way she speaks, it was as if she inhaled a tank full of helium. She was so cute.” Kim was almost on the verge tears laughing at the recollection.

“I remembered her quite fully to this day,” Gerald admitted.

“Really, Farina?” Kim said with a pang a jealousy in her voice.

“Of course! If somebody stalked you for three years, even to the point of spying on you while you bathe, you pretty damn well remember her face!”

Kim exploded into laughter.

“She did that?!” Kim exclaimed.

“Yup, not only that, she had this weird....body odour.” Gerald squirmed from the thought of Farina.

“It’s too bad she has moved away then!” Kim sassed.

“Bad for you, good for me,” Gerald said.

Kim snickered on.

Gerald meanwhile raised his champagne glass, “Here’s to Farina, wherever she may be!”

“Cheers!” Kim said in delight.

A few, priceless moments later, they were done with their dinner. They were finishing through their desserts, when Kim remembered something.

“By the way, are Tito Jojo and Tita Glory here?” Kim asked referring to his dad and mom.

“No, they’re in the states right now. It’s just me and my little sis. She’s upstairs.”

“Why didn’t you get her down for dinner,” asked Kim.

“She’ll be okay, I had food brought up to her room. And besides, I bribed her not to come down.”

“Bribed her?” Kim wondered.

Gerald simply nodded. He was looking dotingly at her, smiling at his good fortune. All this time, he had been pining for the girl across the street and here she is, sitting just a few inches from him. He was expecting this dinner to be a big disaster, but it turned out quite well. She was obviously enjoying herself too.

“What were you thinking?” Kim asked.

“What about?”

“I said, what were you thinking, just now...” asked Kim.

“Uhhmm...I was thinking how lucky I am to be here...with you,” Gerald said in all honesty.

Kim felt her heart tugged at its heart strings. Kim smiled warmly at him. Nobody ever made her feel special like he did. She felt his sincerity with his every word.

“I really thought you hated me,” Kim admitted.

“Never have, never will,” Gerald repeated. “Maybe I was just especially hard on you at times, it was because I didn’t want to see you be less than what you really can be.”

Kim was taken aback. His honesty was brutal yet heartfelt. She really feels his concern more than ever, and looking back, she understands now how his temper would rise every time she makes a fool of herself.

“You can’t like me, I’m weird, I’m clumsy, I’m stupid...” Kim said, feeling modest with his undivided attention.

“No you’re not!” Gerald insisted. “You’re the most beautiful, perfect thing in the whole world...”

Kim gasped. Gerald immediately lowered his head, perhaps shocked and ashamed by his own frankness.

“Good answer.” It was all that Kim could say. All the intelligent words evaded her. As she looks on to this 18-year-old with a sheepish grin, her heart sang his name. Deep inside she was already falling, falling helplessly, terribly, sickeningly ...in love.
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