The Waiting Game

THE WAITING GAME - 26

FEBRUARY 2021

CALIFORNIA, USA

Ariana, still in daze, pulled away. "H-Huh?"

Traver held Ariana's hand with his left hand while he placed his right hand on the countertop beside Ariana's thigh to support his weight. His face remained leveled with Ariana's as he searched for her gaze. "Let me court you." He reiterated.

"W-Wha... What? We're still not together?" Ariana asked incredulously. Her eyebrows meeting in between her forehead with her head tilted away.

"I want to court you first, Ariana."

"You mean dating?" Ariana clarified.

Traver squeezed her hand and shook his head. "Dating is merely seeing each other casually. I don't want that. Let me show you what I can offer-"

Ariana rolled her eyes. "You sound like a businessman."

"I am a businessman." Traver said in a matter-of-factly tone. "But what I'm trying to say is I don't just want to see where this goes. I want this to work. I am serious about you. I want to earn your love and affection. I want to work for it." He squeezed Ariana's hand again. "I want you to say 'yes' because you can see yourself spending years with me. I want to build a strong foundation-

"Now, you sound like an engineer."

Traver sighed but a smile appeared on his lips. "Ariana..."

Ariana smiled too, but then she quickly brought back a serious face. "I don't think you understand, Match. You're basically leaving the ball in my court. You're not thinking of yourself. What if I say 'no' after everything?" She spoke, trying to give him a new perspective.

Of course, deep down, she knows she's not going to say 'no'. But she wants to make her point clear. What Traver wants is basically to try to earn her love before they make things official.

And he's not wrong with that. That's how things should be to avoid unnecessary heartbreaks. Most of the time, relationships end because what the couple feels for the other is not enough to make them stay. There are also times where relationship ends because the couple eventually failed to see eye to eye.

Being able to truly get to know the person and accept all the pleasing qualities as well as the flaws is one way to define what love is. And that is vital in building a sturdy relationship.

"Then say 'no'. If, after I showed you who I am and what I can give you, you still decided to say 'no', then that means that I'm not the one you want."

Ariana took her hand from him and crossed her arms over her chest. "And you're okay with that?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"If that's what you decided, then yes-"

Ariana immediately scoffed. "Bullshit."

"Let me finish, Ariana." He said, giving her a stern look. "Yes, I'll accept whatever your decision will be, but you should know that I'm going to do my damn best to make you fall in love with me. I will strive to win your love and affection that you wouldn't even dream of saying 'no'."

Ariana sat there slack-jawed after hearing the words that came out of Traver's mouth. She can feel something in her stomach do multiple somersaults.

Indeed, she's already head over heels in love with him. She's itching to tell him that so wouldn't insist anymore. However, the idea of seeing him vying for her love seemed extra enticing to see.