"Pretty Little Promise's"

Chapter 5 -Dinner date

RISA POV.

Our staycation, a whirlwind of laughter and shared moments, had come to an end. We all returned to our individual lives, the echoes of our shared joy fading with each passing day.

Now, I sit in my office, surrounded by the sterile silence of paperwork and deadlines. But my mind is a million miles away, lost in the warmth of Alice's smile, the melody of her laughter.

"Doesn't she remember me at all?" I whisper to myself, the question echoing in the empty office. The thought of her forgetting me, of our connection fading into oblivion, sends a chill down my spine.

"Or maybe she's just faking it, trying to forget me," I mutter, my voice laced with a mixture of hope and despair. The uncertainty gnaws at me, a persistent itch I can't scratch.

"Arghh," I groan, my frustration bubbling to the surface. I can't seem to focus on anything else, my thoughts constantly circling back to her.

Suddenly, I grab my phone, a surge of impulsiveness driving me. I dial Alice's number, my heart pounding in my chest. Thankfully, she answers.

"Alice?" I ask, my voice a mix of hope and nervousness.

"Yes, Po, Ms. Risa?" she replies, her voice a familiar melody that sends a wave of warmth through me.

"Ahm, are you free tonight?" I ask, my voice hesitant, my fingers tightening around the phone.

"Yes, Po. Why?" she asks, her voice curious.

"Can... I just invite you to dinner? Out?" I ask, my voice barely a whisper, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Pwede naman Po, but pick me up here at home," she says, her voice a gentle breeze, a promise of a possible reunion.

"Sure, sure," I say, my voice filled with relief.

She ends the call, and I can't stop thinking about her. Her beauty, her kindness, her laughter, all flood back into my mind, a kaleidoscope of memories that make me smile.

I pick up Alice at her house, my heart pounding with anticipation. We head to Diverse, a restaurant known for its exquisite cuisine and intimate atmosphere. She chooses first from the menu, her eyes scanning the options with a discerning gaze. I follow suit, my mind more focused on her than on the food.

After our food arrives, we eat, the silence between us a comfortable tension.

"Alice bakit Ang Ganda mo?" I ask, my voice a mix of admiration and longing.

"Gutom lang Yan Sen ." she replies, her voice laced with a playful teasing.

Really? Just hunger? What if it's not hunger? What if it's because I like you?" I ask, my voice a playful challenge, my heart pounding in my chest.

She stops eating, her eyes meeting mine, her expression a mixture of surprise and amusement. She stares at me for a moment, her silence a heavy weight.

"Kain na, I'm just joking," I say, my voice a little strained, my heart sinking at her silence.

"Next time, be more careful about what you say, Sen," she replies, her voice a gentle reprimand, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint.

Suddenly I saw Yung buhok niya humaharang sa muka niyang Maganda I tucked it using my finger alangan naman pwet ko de joke lang