The Story Of An Anonymous Girl ✔

Chapter 45

MIA

"Mia, I don't expect you to say it back, ever. Okay, maybe sometime in the future, but not right now." He says, trying to reassure me, but it sounded like he was trying to reassure himself as well.

My brain can't register anything at the moment. I remember Noah's words: "When you take a risk in any form of life, you can either succeed or fail. Without taking a risk, you never know if either will happen. If you live in fear, you will only regret it and keep thinking as to what would've happened if you would have taken the risk." I am nearly about to tell him that I love him as well, but a waiter arrives with water, and once he sets it on the table, he asks, "Would you like something else to drink?" I mentally curse the waiter several times for ruining the moment.

"No, thank you." We say concomitantly.

"Your dinner should be here in five minutes." He says. Oliver thanks the server, and he leaves.

"Oliver, what if I do want to say it?" I ask.

He doesn't say anything while staring at me, moon-eyed and tongue-tied. After a moment, he replies, "Then you can say it, Mia."

"I love you, Oliver." I say, getting up from her chair, moving over to him.

I bend down and peck his lips. I can feel him about to deepen the kiss, but I stop him and say, "No frenching on the first date, Mr Anderson." It was because mainly I didn't want to ruin my lipstick, and if Gino saw it, he would definitely tease me every time we saw each other.

"What!?" He near about roars out while I sit back on my chair.

"Mmhmm." I say.

"Who made that stupid rule?" He asks angrily.

"I don't know." I reply truthfully, and he gets up from his chair.

"Then why do we have to follow it?" He questions.

Oliver walks towards me like a lion stalking a deer. I am unable to form a coherent sentence and just stare at him.

"Technically, you are not supposed to say I love you to your girlfriend or boyfriend on the first date as well, Mia." He whispers in my ear, giving me goosebumps. I can see him smirking from the corner of my eye. I still can't believe that I told him that I love him. And Oliver had said it first.

"But we have known each other since before." I whisper back once I regain composure.

"So then I can kiss you as well, considering we knew each other since before." He says, and I am out of arguments.

Just then, the waiter clears his throat and says, "Two Tortellini in Brodo and two Pollo al Martini Chicken."

"Saved by the waiter, Mia!" Oliver whispers and sits back on his chair.

I am too bewildered and perplexed to say anything and am barely able to thank the server for the food. Oliver says something, and the waiter goes away. I manage to start eating, comfortable silence surrounding us. I moan at the taste of chicken, making Oliver freeze and causing his spoon to drop onto the plate, with a clang, on which the bowl of tortellini was sitting.

I ask, "Why did you stop eating?"

"Nothing! Nothing. Everything's fine." He replies and continues eating the tortellini.

I ignore it and recommence eating the chicken.

Abruptly, Oliver says, "You have never asked about my parents."

"I know that they died when you were thirteen and Noah was sixteen." I reply.

"True, but you have never asked me about them." He counters.