The Acceptance

'It's been an hour, where the hell is he!', standing at the entrance of the restaurant, she thought to herself. It did not come naturally to her, waiting for someone. She was starting to get anxious. 

'Maybe it isn't as good a idea to meet someone from a dating app, I should just leave and drop him a message that I wouldn't come.', she again, reasoned with herself.

"Mam, you have been standing here for a while, would you like to have a seat?", asked a waiter.

 "No, I was just about to leave, turns out I had the wrong address. I will just leave. Thank you.", she replied and quickly started to go.

"Hey, there you are. Hi, I have been waiting for you inside for so long.", a guy appeared in front of her.

"Uh, hi. It's you.", she said, a little surprised.

"Yeah, it's me. I have been waiting for you inside for almost an hour.", he told her.

"Oh really? Then why didn't you give me a call? I have been standing here waiting for you for an hour and..."

"I did try calling you but your number was unavailable,", interrupting her in between, he said.

"Why would my cell be unavailable", taking her phone out of her purse she said.

"Because it's on airplane mode,", looking at her phone he said.

She took a quick look at her phone and it was on airplane mode. Her cheeks turned red from embarrassment. 

"Oh yeah, I put it on airplane mode for an office meeting and forgot to turn it off. I am sorry, I made you wait.", apologizing, she said.

"It's alright, let's go inside now. I have asked them for you favorite table here.", he told her.

"How do you know about my favorite table?", she asked.

"You told me over the first chat we had, about this restaurant and your favorite table by the window, where the music is not too loud, and from outside view of the street is amazing and waiters are nearby.", he said.

"Hey you remembered each and every word I told you and that too from our first chat. That's really impressive and the funny part is I don't even remember telling you." she said sounding surprised and a little happy.

"Yes Mam. I am here to impress you after all. I remember you told me you liked pink roses, so here they are.", taking out a bouquet of freshly cut, sweet smelling pink roses he continued, "and also, I hope you don't mind I ordered your favorite drink for you."

She was surprised about how much he had remembered from their chats. However, a little part of her wasn't too happy. She thought it's all a dream or a ploy. 

'Why would someone go to all this length, to please me? I don't think so. Maybe I should just leave. Tell him I have something to do and leave in about thirty minutes. It would be too rude to leave just now. He knows so much about me and I know nothing. Maybe he is not who he says to be.', she thought to herself and started to stand up from her chair.

"Hey, what are you thinking right now?", he asked.

"Who, me? No, nothing I was just thinking about this work thing I have to complete by tonight and its so much, I think I'll have to leave early.", sitting back in the chair she answered.

"No, that't not it. It's something else. You went really deep into your thoughts. You can tell me, I wont bite you.", comforting her, he said.

"I know you wouldn't bite me. Okay, maybe I'll stay a bit longer.', she chuckled.

She didn't know what to do. He didn't seem that bad to her. She started examining him. He was well dressed, warm , nice smile and well mannered. Suddenly, she caught him looking at her. She tried to turn her gaze somewhere else. He smiled.

"You know, you are too cute. You try not to hurt or seem bad to the other person and then you get confused and go deep into your thoughts. Do you know, when you are thinking you have this expression on your face...", smiling, he said.

"Hey what expression. So does everybody I think.", defending herself, she said.

"Yes everybody does. But their expressions are not like yours. You are very expressive", he said, charmingly.

"What? are you a face reader or a mind reader?", a little annoyed, she said.

"I am none. But I can read your face. So let's order food and maybe I can take you on a ride afterwards and then drop you home.", he said.

"Yeah, we can order dinner but you don't need to drop me home. I will take a cab.", she said

"Let me do it. Let me drop you home. We will get to spend some more time together. We will get your favorite ice-cream, chat some more and I will drop you home.", he insisted.

"That's not necessary. I don't want you to. I will go by myself.", she said. 

'Why does he want to know where I live? He is so annoying. Why is he doing this? Why did I have to stay for dinner. I could have just left after drinks, so this situation could've been avoided', she sighed.

"Again you are thinking. Are you thinking this meeting was a bad idea?", looking at her, he asked.

"You know, it's more than enough now.  Stop doing that.", she said, a little angry now.

"Stop doing what? What did I do?",Confused, he asked her.

"Stop acting so concerned about me or meeting me or where I live. What does it matter to you anyway? I knew this was not a good idea. I...I...,", 

"Hey, calm down. Please sit. Okay I won't ask anything now. But just have your dinner and we can leave whenever you want to,", he said.

"We can leave? We are not leaving. I will go to my home and you will go to yours",firmly, she said.

"I can't let you go alone, at this time of the night. I know you don't like taking cabs. Moreover, I will be concerned, if you'd reached safely or not and the way you are reacting I don't think you will give me a call afterwards.", he tried to convince her.

"Why are you so concerned? Okay you can drop me home but it's unnecessary. Plus my place is so far from your place. And maybe you wouldn't call me after this, because of the way I behaved. I am sorry but I get a little uncomfortable when...",

"When someone tries to get close to you.  It's alright, we all have our insecurities but that doesn't mean, we just stop taking chances. Who knows this might be my golden opportunity to spend time with you. You needn't be sorry for the way you behaved. I know I am too friendly but we have talked so much I thought you would be comfortable meeting with me.",he said.

The calm in his voice calmed her down. A smile lit up her face. 

"So, you are done with your dinner. Lets get the check and I will get a cab for you.", he said.

"You can drop me, if you would like to.", she said, sounding a little shy.

"I will sure do.", he said.

They both came out of the restaurant. It was a starry winter night. The sky was lit with so many stars, there was this cold breeze blowing. He went to get his car. Standing there she started thinking, 'he isn't bad. Maybe I think way too much'. She smiled to herself. Hearing a car horn she turned around. It was him. She got in the car and he started to drive

"Can I play some music?", she asked him.

"Sure. But can I play a song first.", he asked.

"Okay.", she replied.

One of her favorite songs started playing. Surprised she looked towards him.

"You told me you liked listening to this on long drives and your house is pretty far from here, so this is kind of a long drive", he said.

She smiled at him. It was a quite drive. Just the music playing, the wheels rolling, and the starry night. The silence didn't seem awkward to her. It was comfortable. Lost in her thoughts she didn't realize when she reached home.

"Is this your building?", he asked.

Coming back from a trance, she answered, "Yes this is."

"Thank you for giving me a ride home. It was nice meeting you. It was really nice. I am sorry for being annoyed, its just it takes time for me to open up. I would really like to meet you again if you would not block me.", she said sounding a little sad.

"Why would I block you? You take me for a stupid person or what? I will also like to meet with you again. I know you are not like me or anyone else. You are a person of your own and that's what I like most about you. Anyway, I must leave now. It's a two hour ride from here to my place. Bye. I will see you later.", he extended his hand towards her.

"Bye It was nice meeting you too. Give me a call once you reach, so I will know you reached safe, I mean if you don't mind calling.", taking his hand, she said.

He started the engine of his car and started to turn his car. She waved him bye and walked towards the elevator.

"Hey", he shouted from his car. She turned around,"What?"

"I will definitely call you."