Chapter 53: Date (1): Awfully Cute
As the cab was approaching the Tower Plaza, Mantisha's palms started to get cold. If asked, she would admit that she was scared, but she was not sure how to explain the nagging feeling building inside her stomach.
She did not understand why was this happening, but a vague idea was forming inside her head. She bit her lips to suppress this. Forget it, she had already come, hadn't she?
Where her cab was waiting on a Red Signal, Tower Plaza was just one street away from there. She looked at her wrist watch, it said it was 10:45 am. She was going to arrive on time.
Mantisha's mood lightened as she thought of Judy and Megan. Both of them spent their most of the spare times on last three days discussing about today. Her outfit, her temperament, the way she would walk, the way she would talk, everything were planned by them. Judy was especially enthusiastic about this, she warned her not to arrive on time and be late for atleast half an hour, then giving him an embarrassed smile, she was told to act coquettish in front of him.
Just by the idea of acting like a coquette, her stomach churned. Mantisha smiled as she shook her head, only if they could understand the inner turmoil of her heart.
The cab started to move as she sat straight. Her eyes seemed to be filled with strictness, she patted her chest as she told herself, 'Just consider this as a date, like the few ones you went on earlier. Then come back, you are not his girlfriend. He did not ask you to be either No need to be so serious. Take it easy, take it easy.'
The moment the cab halted in front of the Tower Plaza, she could she Albert standing there. With a black leather jacket and a pair of black trousers on, hands in his pockets, slightly tilting his head towards a side and lazily looking at the changing textures of the fountain in front of him.
People who were passing him could not help but looking back at the handsome profile of him and the young girls around him were standing a few meters away, clicking pictures and giggling among themselves.
Mantisha clenched her hands, the known feeling of nervousness was coming back. Standing beside him would only make her the center of public attention too. But what could she do, it was already known by her.
Leaving a sigh, she thanked Judy inwardly for choosing her dress. But on the last moment, she put on one more shrug over it. It's almost the end of October and the slight chill of the wind hit her.
She pulled the scarf tying around her neck and cover that around her face.
Realising that it would only cover her face partly, she hesitated for a while. As her eyes brushed past the optical store on the opposite direction of the street, she made up her mind and ran towards there.
Stepping out from the optical store, Mantisha adjusted the oversized rimless retro sunglasses she wore. She deliberately chose a little oversized ones, it covered a large part of her face.
A wave of being watched engulfed her all of a sudden. Mantisha looked around, but she did not see anything special. The nagging feeling inside her heart started to grow stronger. She could not understand what but something really seemed amiss.
'May be because of this, people are looking at me.' Mantisha scratched the back of her neck. 'This colour combination looked a little bit of... Hmpph! Who cares!' She thought to herself.
Albert was still standing there, with the same pose and same unwavering attitude. Mantisha could not help but became jealous of him a little. They were clearly of same age, but why did this brat seem so unbothered with the people around him? He was standing there unfazed, like these worldly creatures meant nothing to him.
As if sensing her presence, Albert turned her head towards her. Watching her careful and cautious steps, a slight smile appeared on his expressionless face.
"You are looking... cute."
Mantisha bit her lips. He did not need to coax her, okay. She knew how was she looking like.
"You can replace that 'cute' part with 'awful', you know."
Albert looked at her, not understanding if she deliberately dressed like this or it was just because she was not on guard against him. Either way, it was not a lie that she seemed cute.
"Then I should say, 'awfully cute'."
Mantisha rolled her eyes. Why this guy was saying everything in a roundabout way!
"Yes, awfully cute you said. Like a drunk monkey."
Albert had an amused expression on his face. Did this girl simply can't understand what is he implying, or she was used to look down on herself. Albert eyed her outfit again, only to find the mismatches with the scarf and the rimless oversized retro sunglasses, matched her perfectly. He did not say anything more about it as he noticed her uneasiness facing the public eyes.
"Let's go."
Mantisha looked at him, clearly stunned.
"Didn't you tell me to come here? Where would we go again?"
"I told you that we will go to the museum. So asked you to meet me here."
"Ahh!" Mantisha almost slapped herself. He told her that he would buy the museum tickets beforehand. Then why did she forget that? She could go there straight. The museum located on a side of the city would not be so crowded like a shopping mall on Saturday in the middle of the city.
"Then why did you asked me to come here? I could go there straight?"
Albert had an amused smile lingered on his face.
"To go there together, of course."
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Was Albert really an introvert or he just acted like one hmm? I'm not sure.
I think he understands het quite well. What do you think?
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