Alexandra Verlino

Ep 21: The Late Night Date

I hit the call button the first thing when I managed to get out from the concert venue. I hope she still awake. The promise stays still. No matter how late we are, the date is still on. I feel the urge in my nerves to see her or I might totally turn insane for real. I ignore my tired body and walk past the guard. Hopping in the car, I still wait for her to pick up the phone. I close the door, start the car, but still wait till she answers. My heart is filled with enormous joy when she finally picks up.

"Stella, are you ready?" I ask first as I don't want to waste time.

"Wait, are we still on? It's almost one in the morning!" she shouts in unbelievable tone when she realizes I still am claiming her promise made this morning.

"What? You think Imma let you go easy just because I had to push back our date schedule? Not a chance. I'm picking you up right now so get ready." It was more of an order than asking.

"You really are unbelievable," she starts to throw her annoyance on me.

I chuckle a bit as I am overzealous over wanting her with me tonight.

"Come on, it's still early. We got until morning to be together. I swear we won't get chance like this again in the near future," I remind her.

"I know. In fact, I was ready since 10pm. I thought you aren't coming after midnight, so I change my clothes. But they are still there, hanging. Won't take me more than 10 minutes to get ready again," she reports her status to me.

I throw out a laugh on her behavior. Obviously, trying to please me with her so "convincing story." I never ask her to get dress. All I know is she can come out wearing her pajama and I still will love the girl that I'm seeing in front of my eyes.

The journey to Leeteuk's house took a while, which makes me boil inside-with the tricky road and corners. I wonder how people never get lost in this area. When I finally find the main entrance at the underground parking lot, I straight away drive to the main door, only to see an angel walks out from the door, wearing sky blue long skirt, with a high collar, but I don't get the upper details as she is covering her body with her denim jacket. She brings along a wooden basket with her, almost as if this is some evening picnic event. As she comes nearer, I realize this girl is Stella. What on mother earth?!

How can I not recognize her?! I can only answer the question with one answer-I must have been dazzled by her attire that I forget to check the face owner. Her small face was hidden by her hair just now, and when she walks, that is the only time to focus entirely on the face. I gasp but quickly hide it, so she didn't notice my overwhelmed feelings. But then I let go of small laugh. This is twenty minutes past one in the morning! Who get dresses as if they are going for some picnic at this time? Plus, what's with the basket? Feeling ridiculed with her, I open the front passenger door to her while smiling. She jumps in without hesitation, before staring at me as if nothing weird is happening.

"How could you even think of a picnic theme now, out of all time?" I am being honest, but half controlling my laughter from coming out.

"You really don't want to know." As she replies, her cheeks start to turn pink.

"Go! We don't have much time, aren't we?" She looks at me with serious face this time. Wanting me to step on the pedal.

"As you wish, madam," I reply, half sarcasm. My lips are still unable to return to their original place. They curled up higher sometimes, although I try hard to make them unnoticeable.

We reached my favorite secret place after driving for a while. Away from the city. Away from danger, for the most part. I park the car under an old, huge tree. Probably an oak. I am not much into trees. Glance at the time and I start to feel uneasy again. It's five minutes past two. I waste too much time looking for the entrance to Leeteuk's place that we now only have few more hours remain.