nevertheless~

part 41

TESSA'S POV

"Where are we going?", I ask the man in front of me, who is pulling my arm ahead and taking me on this date.

"It's a surprise. What good will it be, If I tell it to you just like this", he answers.

"I just wanna know if I am dressed appropriately for it. You can't just drag me somewhere without at least, giving me any little prompts about it."

"It's lunch, come on. What more ready do you wanna be for it?"

"I should know if I look good?", the moment I say this, his steps fall short and we stop in front of a random shop in the middle of walking.

"What?", he asks.

"I said, I should know, if I look good enough for the fancy lunch", I repeat my words.

"And what gives you the way that you're not looking good?", he asks me.

"Nothing", I answer.

"Then why does it matter?", another question bombs in my face.

"Well, I must know if I am presentable. I don't wanna look like a potato bag", I laugh it off, hoping the air around us clears.

"Tessa, since when did you become so insecure about that? Who cares what anyone thinks? You're looking absolutely beautiful, you don't need anyone else's validation for that.", he tells me, holding my eyes with his.

"I know, but it's not that, it's just, I just...I don't wanna look off", I answer.

"Alright, well, if it makes you feel nicer, I love the way you look, you look like red hot chilli pepper, in this bright red dress. And well, I guess you should put this blazer on if you want to look all bossy.", he says, giving me the brightest smile of all.

"When did you watch, Fashion Runway", I joke, taking his hands and continuing walking to where he wants to take me.

"Never did."

"How did you know then that I would look bossy with the black blazer on?".

"I just..pictured. I just pictured what you'd look like if you wore that and I suggested it.", he shrugs.

"How many times do you picture me like that, huh? Creepy much?", I joke.

"Hey, that's rude.", we stop in front of a very humble eatery.

"We're here?", I ask.

"Yes. This is where we'll be eating", he says and the welcoming atmosphere of this place makes me smile happily.

"It's very cute.".

"I know. I choose it for our first date. It's quiet and the food is great."

"I thought you'd never been outside of America, how do you know so much?", I ask, when we get in.

"I...I researched. I wanted to impress you, so I went ahead, and booked this place online, and the food and everything. We have a special table for us.", he surprises me.

"Special Table?", I raise my eyebrows, feeling my shock creep up my spine.

"Yes. Come on here", I stand quietly as Hardin speaks to the receptionist, who tells us something in French, which I half understand.

"Il y avait une réservation pour 2, une table spéciale lune de miel.", Hardin, says, catching me a bit off with his fluent prononuciation.

"Oui, viens ici", he asks us to follow him, and takes us outback, to a park or so looking place, from the backdoor of the cottage and I am marvelled by the interior of the place. It's suiting on the inside, with the beautiful homely looking decorations. The walls are all wooden panels so are the floors, the place is just all on the ground floor, nothing above other than a ceiling, from which lights hanging all over the room. The tables are all ironworks with a marble-like top on them, so are the seats, they seem to be covered in some sort of fabric which seems a shade of beige. It's a very aesthetically pleasant seating place.