Taxi

6. I think they call this love

"I have a favor to ask," the man Samtou just picked hesitantly said.

He looked at his client through the rearview, and nodded for him to continue. The young man sighed and squeezed the bouquet he had in hand.

"I'm going to confess tonight," he started, a light smile on the face. "To be honest, I don't know yet how it will end. So... Could you stay around, and take me back home if she rejects me?"

An awkward laughter escaped his mouth. This was probably one of the hardest things the young man had to do so far. Not asking a stranger to wait for him in case he was rejected, but confessing. And Samtou respected him for mustering the courage.

"How long should I wait?"

"Oh... Not much. In fact, I probably won't go in if her answer is negative."

They arrived in front of the woman's house, and Samtou waited in the car a few feet away. The man hesitated for almost five minutes before ringing the bell. But everything else happened within a minute.

From his position, Samtou could see the woman's face and interpret all her reactions. That's why he wasn't surprised when the door closed, and the man walked back into the car with his flowers and a defeated look.

Without a word, Samtou started the car and silently drove back to where he picked the man. Before he left, Samtou asked him a question.

"If you were so unsure about the outcome, why did you confess?"

"To free myself up. At least now, I know. There are no more what-ifs or maybes. Being rejected surely hurts, but now I'm at peace with myself and I can move on."

Samtou slowly nodded, as the man's words made their way through his mind.

"Here," the man handed Samtou the flowers, "you may want to use them. Or throw them away, as you wish. Thank you for earlier, and I wish you a better outcome."

Without waiting more, the man walked away and disappeared into a building.

Samtou turned the music back on, and 'I think they call this love' by Elliot James Reay filled the air. When he stopped the car, he was in front of Cassie's apartment building.

He couldn't say how long he stayed out there, looking at the building entrance, indecisive. When he checked the time, it was 10 p.m., certainly not the best time to confess anyway.

He was about to leave, when someone knocked at his window. Cassie was standing in front of him, as beautiful as ever, with this smile only she had the secret for.

"Cassie!" He stepped out of the car, confused. "What are you doing here so late?"

"I could ask you the same, Sam!" She laughed, and Samtou couldn't help the smile that stretched his lips upon hearing the crystalline sound. "Why are you here? Is it for a trip?"

"No," he replied without hesitation. All of a sudden, he felt courageous. He wanted to tell her. "I came to see you."

By doing so, he could lose their arrangement. He knew it was stupid to gamble part of his revenue over an uncertain confession, but what if?

"I wanted to tell you something."

"Oh..." Her smile didn't fade away, but her mood was definitely different, more serious. "I'm all ears!"

"I love you."