Dream Date (2 page)

“Nathan, I missed you so much,” she said to him. “It’s been two really long months.”

“Tell me about it,” Nathan replied. “Even though we pushed spring break a bit.”

“
You
did. Of course, I didn’t stop you,” she laughed, breaking apart from the hug.

“A couple of days of absence don’t hurt me. Some of my courses were online.”

Kayla smiled, and then she looked behind her.

“Oops, I haven’t introduced my friend,” she said. Nathan looked towards a redhead standing behind Kayla. The girl walked forward, pushing her own suitcase. “She’s Grecia Nichols.”

“Nice to meet you,” Nathan said.

“It sure is a relief to finally meet the object of Kayla’s affections,” Grecia remarked, shaking his hand. “She just wouldn’t stop ranting about you.”

Kayla went red.

“Until I saw you right now, I had no idea you missed each other so much. It was love at first sight.”

“You’re right. I was drawn to Kayla from the first time I saw her,” Nathan agreed, holding Kayla’s hand and squeezing it softly. Grecia didn’t waste the chance to pull out her phone and snap a candid of them both.

“Hey!” Kayla said, laughing. “Where did you learn to move that fast?”

“I didn’t move
that
fast. Time just slows when you two look at each other like that. It’s so cute.”

“She has a point,” Nathan said.

“Okay, we’ve done enough talking, don’t you think? I’ve been waiting for this,” Kayla said, kissing him on the lips right then and there. The sudden kiss took Grecia and Nathan by surprise. He’d looked forward to it for long. The only other time they’d kissed was on the last day they’d seen each other. It was a short kiss, but meaningful. From then on, Nathan often thought about Kayla’s lips. They were so kissable.

Now, Nathan and Kayla held nothing back. They kissed with fervor, not caring that a hundred people could see them. They’d waited long for that moment.

***

Kayla pulled Nathan back from his reverie.

“What are you ordering?” she asked him. It took him a couple of seconds to realize that they were standing near the entrance to the restaurant, inside.

“You choose. Tell me what you want, and I’ll go order it while you find us a table. All right?”

Kayla nodded, and told him what she wanted. He then went to stand in line.

After their food arrived, Nathan and Kayla started to eat. They were in a little hurry to get to class, so they didn’t order anything too large.

“What were you thinking about when we were on our way here?” Kayla asked.

“I was remembering the day that we met,” Nathan replied. “And how irresistible you looked in that yellow bikini. I’ll never forget that.”

Kayla giggled, going red.

“You’re bold.”

“Why, thank you,” Nathan told her, joining in her laughter. “No, I’m serious. I wish I could hook up my brain to a computer and print
that
particular photo of you.”

“To do what with it, if I may know?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps it’d look great on my wall.”

Kayla shook her head in amusement.

“Do you still have it?”

“The bikini? Yes, but I’m not lending it, if that’s what you were hoping.”

Nathan snorted, narrowing his eyes in mock disdain. Kayla laughed heartily.

As they sat, Nathan thought about how much he liked Kayla. A year ago, he didn’t think he could find a woman to whom he could be so attracted to. Nathan hoped Kayla would be able to earn a definitive place in his heart.

“How’s your new novel coming along?” Nathan asked. She was currently revising her latest work, which she started writing after they met.

“Speaking humbly, it’s turning out awesome. Thank you. I’m almost finished with the last revisions. I’ve even kind of settled on a release date already.”

“You have?”

“Yes. I’m aiming for quarter one of next year.”

“That long?”

“It’s not that long. I have to get it ready to publish in e-book form, produce a book trailer, and have a front cover done.”

“A trailer? You mean, like the ones for movies?”

“Uh-huh. It’s exactly the same concept, although book trailers usually aren’t that…impressive.”

“Is it expensive?”

“Frankly, I’m not sure. I’ve never done a trailer. I’m doing it this time because it will promote the first novel in a series that I’m publishing.”

“And you’re hiring actors?”

“I’m going to have someone help me. The trailer will be short, just around a minute.”

Kayla looked up at Nathan’s expression.

“Not Hollywood actors. I’m having a casting call to find suitable candidates among everyday people.”

“Where?”

“In New York. That’s where the guy who’s offered to direct the book trailer lives at.”

“Do I know him?”

“Marissa does. She recommended him.”

Nathan pretended to relax a little. He leaned back in his chair.

“In that case, I have no worries.”

Kayla smiled at him. They proceeded to finish their breakfast.

The following Saturday, Nathan and Ashton took the former’s car to Manhattan. They’d woken up and had breakfast early to have plenty of time. The fashion show would be in the afternoon, but it took at least two hours to get to the city. They would also need some rest.

Ashton took command of the radio during their trip to pass the time. When he couldn’t find a station he liked—or when there was no reception—he played music from his iPod Nano.

Nathan stopped for some fuel once they got to the city. Ashton bought some snacks at the corner store, and then they took off towards Marissa’s apartment.

Marissa lived at East Village Apartments on 212 East 12
^th
Street. Her apartment was near the top of the building, affording Marissa a good view of the city.

Nathan pulled into a parking lot near the building. He then killed the engine.

“We’re here,” Ashton said as he and Nathan got out of the car.

“Let’s go,” the latter told him, leading the way. They’d visited a few times before. Marissa always waited for them at the Apiary, a New American restaurant a block away from where she lived.

Marissa waved towards Nathan and Ashton when they approached her table. She stood up.

“Hi, Nathan!” Marissa said, and the two embraced each other. Then Marissa turned towards Ashton, shaking his hand. “Hi.”

“Good to see you,” Ashton replied with politeness. Nathan didn’t even raise an eyebrow at their formality. That was the normal way the two interacted.

“I suppose both of you are hungry, so I felt free to order for you,” Marissa told them. She motioned towards the three plates of food and three drinks on the table.

“Thank you,” her friends said. They sat down with Marissa, and they began to eat.

“So, when is this show going to be?” Ashton asked.

“It starts at half past five,” Marissa answered, looking down at her half-eaten piece of chicken. She looked up at the two of them and smiled. “I’m getting so nervous. I’ve never attended a show like this before.”

“Are you showcasing any of your dresses?” Nathan asked her.

“No, but I wish. I’m just glad that I’m going. It’s such a great learning opportunity, even though it’ll likely be a long time before I organize my own show.”

“Remind us who’s organizing this one,” asked Ashton. He’d missed most of the details when Marissa had been on the phone with Nathan.

“Clark Rhodes. And he’s not organizing it, he’s just showcasing his apparel,” Marissa told him, her voice taking on an air of reverence. “He’s the most acclaimed fashion designer in New York.”

Marissa had already told Nathan that Clark Rhodes had been to Parsons for a talk with the students there. When Clark saw Marissa’s talent, it impressed him enough to give her free tickets to New York Fashion Week.

“You’ll see. In a little over a year, it won’t be long before we start seeing Marissa Velásquez apparel in stores,” Nathan commented. The three of them were in their third year of college.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. You’re not the one coming up with the clothes,” Marissa said, laughing.

“You made Claire a dress,” Ashton said.

“Well, she’s fascinated with fashion. I knew she would love it.”

After the three finished eating, Marissa led them back to her apartment. Once inside, she set her purse on a table near the entrance.

“You can nap in the sofa if you want. Or the bed. I won’t need it during the day.”

“We’re not sleeping in the same bed,” Ashton told them as he looked at Nathan, who laughed.

“Dumbass,” Marissa muttered under her breath. She walked towards her kitchen.

“I’m fine sleeping on the bed. You can take the sofa,” Nathan said, starting to walk to Marissa’s bedroom. There was a history between her and Ashton. If he slept in Marissa’s bed, it would obviously be awkward.

At a quarter past four, Marissa emerged from her bedroom (where she’d changed into the clothes she would wear to the show). When she walked around the corner of the hallway, Ashton didn’t try to hide his gasp.

“Women like this one are why some men suffer,” he whispered so low that only Nathan could hear. The latter thought Marissa had average looks. Yet, when she dressed up, she could make guys’ jaws drop. Marissa wasn’t Ashton’s usual type, so Nathan didn’t know what he had seen in her. Regardless, Marissa had made it clear that Ashton was no more than a friend. Contrary to his comment, he didn’t take it hard.

“What do you think? Is this appropriate?” Marissa asked, looking down at her clothes. She was wearing a black skirt that reached to above her knees, a fuchsia sleeveless blouse with a V-cut, and black high-heels. Marissa had combed her chocolate brown hair into a chignon at the back of her head. Some strands fell down, framing her face. Marissa was also wearing red lipstick and a hint of rosy cheeks. Under her arm, she carried a small silver purse.

“You nailed it,” Nathan told Marissa, giving her the thumbs-up.

“I didn’t want to look too…distracting, you know.”

“Don’t worry. You look just right.”

Marissa beamed at him. Ashton was impassive, trying not to look too dazzled.

A few minutes later, the three of them took the elevator down. Marissa then led them towards her silver 2011 Mercedes.

“Glad you have this car. You shouldn’t even think of showing up in your old one to a place like where we’re going,” Ashton said. Marissa gave him a stern look.

“I still have the one you mean,” Marissa said, referring to the BMW she’d had since her junior year of high school. That one was around two decades older than that. The Mercedes was a graduation gift from her parents. “Please show it some respect. It still runs like a charm.”