Chapter 6 : The Chase

I looked at the alarm clock. It was only 5am in the morning. The sky was still unlit. I wondered if I had drifted into dreamland or I had been awake the whole night. I figured it’s no point keeping myself in bed when I was not the least sleepy. I got up, brushed up and got ready for work. BUT work at this hour? Ironically there were no work calls tonight when I would very much prefer to bury myself in work now and stopped my mind from thinking about her.

I thought about how I got to know her through my volunteer work with the deaf school and how I got to work in a few projects with her. I thought about her ever cheerful smile and hearty laughter that so filled me up. I thought of her dancing fingers when she signs and obstinate temper when touching issues that matters to her heart. I admire her for a hundred and one reasons and yet deep down, I know so little of my Princess. I know her and yet I don’t know her. I wondered if I have been too abrupt and impatient to embrace her. She must be taken aback but yet facing her, I felt I really needed to let her know. I needed to let her know she means tonnes to me.

I pulled up my car in front of her house. The car timer showed 6:00am. School starts 7:30am. She should be out any minute. Each ticking of the car timer seems to represent the beat of my heart. Go … chu..chu…chu… I asked myself “Why are you here?” My heart brought me here. I wanted and I needed to see her again. I did not want our relationship to be in such an awkward position.

From afar, I spotted her walking out from the lobby. I quickly stepped out of my car and waved “Jo!” . She stopped for a second and turned towards me. She stood there for a while before waving back to me. I walked up towards her and hailed a hearty good morning to her.

“Morning..” She sounded hesitant.

“Come. Let me give you a lift to school.” I proceeded to notion her to walk towards my car.

“Sam….”

“Hurry. You won’t want to be late for school, right? Had your breakfast?” I added.


“Sam…” She stopped.

I stopped and turned towards her. “Jo, I don’t mean anything. I just want to give you a lift to school. That’s all.” I smiled to give her a double assurance and proceeded to open the car door. “Come on. Hop in.”

She walked slowly and uncertainty towards my car and sat in.

“What time were you here? How did you know what time I go to school?” She asked.

To be honest, I didn’t. It was pure luck. I just wanted to see her.

“Jo, I just wanted to let you know my honest feelings. You don’t have to reciprocate or be troubled by what I said to you yesterday. It is my own feelings and only my own. You don’t have to do anything. Just let me be of convenience to you.”

“Sam…”

“Please…”

The whole journey was a little quiet and I tried to divert the attention from that subject by asking her about her students and her school. This was her passion and it got her fully chatty and less inhibited. She was all smiles when she reached school and I was glad.

She thanked me and bade me good day. It felt warm to be able to do something for the one whom you loved, whom mattered much to you. Is this a beginning of a chase… a chase for Jo? I don’t know. I really don’t. I just know she is very important and I don’t want to just give up so easily. What’s my next step? I had not the slightest idea.

But my heart was singing, all pumped up with my love for her.

To be cont.

Chapter 5 : Not Giving Up

Once inside the car, she heaved a deep breathe like wanting to make some big announcement.

“Sam…”

I turned and looked at her. Her eyes were downcast and her fingers twirling over the handle of her bag,

“Sam… you are a nice guy. You are ever so helpful and cheerful. You are so nice to everyone.”

“But… we can’t be US. You are just a friend, a working companion for me.” Her voice became so soft and faint that I could hardly hear her but the words still pierced my heart like needles. It was a down right straight rejection. I did not even stand a chance.

I tried to sound cheerful and break the awkwardness by talking loudly. “No worries. You must be tired. Let me send you home. You take a good rest. I just hope you had a good dinner tonight.” I chuckled.

“Yes..I did. It is a wonderful time. Thanks, Sam. Thank you so much.”

The journey back to her home seems so quiet. Both of us were deep in our own thoughts. My hand still warmed from the earlier hands held but my heart was aching.

I pulled the car to a stop.

“Thanks for dinner.” She thanked me again.

“Hey. This is the seventh time you are thanking me. It is nothing. I enjoy your company. It is my privilege. No problem.” I tried to put up a strong smile. “Let me send you up.”

“No. It is ok. It’s just a few steps away. Don’t worry about it.” She replied while shaking her head.

“No. No. I insist to send the lady safely home.” I replied and without waiting for an answer, I proceeded to step out of my car. I walked quietly beside her from the car park, up the stairs and to her doorstep.

She turned and said “Sam, thank…”

“No more thank you. It will be your eighth time” I chuckled.

She laughed and smiled broadly “Good night. Drive safely.”

I like it this way. I like it that she cares for me even as a friend. I like to hear her wishing me goodnight and to ask me to drive safely. The warm of her voice gushed into my veins and energized me so much. I smiled back and wished her good night and sweet dreams.

As I walked back into my car and on my way back, my mind was full of her, our dinner and my confession. My confession definitely sucks. I believe the stars above must be laughing away with my silly confession but it is my most honest confession and I have no regrets.

The whole night I turned and tossed in bed. I hardly slept a wink. I could not stop and I could not help thinking about her, about us. I don’t want to give up…. I am not going to give up….

To be cont.

Chapter 4 : The Confession

I got all wimpish and I procrastinated. It seemed so long yet so short. Jo started thanking me for the wonderful dinner and she seemed all set to go. I suggested dessert but she declined citing she has had enough.

“No. No. You should try their dessert. Galaktoboureko.”, I insisted.

“Ah? Ga-la-bo-ko? What’s that?” she asked.

“It’s a traditional Greek dessert made with a custard in a crispy phyllo pastry shell. It is the signature dish here. We could share it. Let’s try it.” I thought I sounded so desperate to keep Jo longer.

She paused, looked at me and nodded quite hesitantly.

My heart started pumping wildly. It’s now or never.

“So, my busy lady. How do you spent time with your boyfriend with such a busy schedule?” I tried to gear our conversation towards my motive. I heard she is not attached yet but just to re-confirm. If Jo is happily attached, I didn't want to pop the question and spoilt our friendship. Though I definitely would be devastated to learn it.

“Not again.” she heaved. “Why does everybody likes to ask me about boyfriend? Ask me about relationship?”

“It is so nice to be alone. Carefree. No strings attached. Happy.” She replied while looking down and swirling her coffee. Without looking up, she lifted the cup to her lips and took a long sip.

“Nice coffee.” She looked up at me. She caught me off-guard, I felt my heart missed a beat. She picked up the dessert fork and started cutting the Galaktoboureko into two.

It felt close to share a custard pie with her and every bite tasted just so warm in my heart. I could not lift my eyes off her as her glances stayed focus on the little custard pie in front of her. The warm candlelight flickering made her face glowed. It felt so bliss to share this moment with her. When I snapped out from my trance, Jo had already asked for the bill. I hurried to make payment and scurried to get ready to leave. “Sam, Sam, no time left.” My inner thought was shouting at me.

I quickened steps towards her on the bridge and in my haste to slow her; I reached out for her hand. She stopped and seemed a little startled. She turned towards me and our eyes met. Her hand fidgeted a little but I held it firm and called “Jo.” She looked down. The light night breeze seems to encourage me to open my heart to her.

“Jo, thank you for joining me for dinner tonight. I had such a lovely time.” I spoke in a low hush voice. My glaze never left her.

Her hand squeezed out of my grip. “No. I should be the one thanking you for such a nice dinner.” She replied with her eyes still glazing down and her hands quickly tucked into her jeans pockets.

I did not want to miss this opportunity and so I interrupted, “Jo, I really think you are a very wonderful lady and I hope…,I know it might sounds impending but I hope you will give me a chance to let us know each other better. A chance for us to be more than friends.”

“Sam…”

“Jo, you don’t have to say anything yet. Take your time to think about it.” I added quickly and hastily led her across the bridge to my car. I did not want to overwhelm her. I just want to be honest with my feelings. I like her, I love her and I want her to know.

To be cont.

Chapter 3 : The Dinner

I was getting the jitters. In the car, we sat so close that I could smell the faint fragrance emitting from her body. I wonder if it is her perfume, female pheromones, or just me?

"Sam, where are we going?", She spoke, interrupted my trails of thoughts.

"Soon. We will reach soon.", came my reply. I really wanted to give her a surprise but it is not an easy feat, judging by our relationship level.

According to Argyle's theory, all social relationships are governed by rules like trust and confide in each other, emotional support, help rendered in time of need, etc; and based on these rules, our relationship with another fall into different hierarchy position.

I am only just a friend of Jo, or strictly speaking just an acquaintance. Other than sharing the same activity conducting free public screening, we had never met out for casual dinner, movies, or even chitchatting over the phone. What's more the basic sharing of information like her family, her interests, her dreams, etc. The more I thought of it, the more I went into a trance of thinking of how to bring this "acquaintance" level to a higher level tonight.

I pulled up my car quite a far bit away from the restaurant which was pretty close by the sea.

"Here?", her voice seems hesitant in asking.

"yup. Just a bit further ahead. We need to walk. A little exercise before dinner aids digestion.", I tried to crack a joke to calm my jittering nerves.

"Sure!", she giggled.

Amidst her giggles, I sensed a tinge of discomfort from her. She might had guess what I am up to or she might just be concerned whether there are any eateries around this place.

I had very much intended to bring her to a Mediterranean restaurant by the sea. ed her to a long narrow bridge that brought us to a restaurant that seems to be floating on planks.

"Wow! I didn't think such a place exists. It is exotic", She exclaimed as she stepped into the restaurant.

I had came the day before specially and I had reserved for a special table tugged into a quiet corner with a nice view of the open sea. The sun was just about to set and the ray was rather piercing as it cast upon on us. I asked if she was alright. She nodded her head while looking out to the scenic view of the sun setting into the sea, turning the sky to nice shades of pink and purple and the water dazzling like thousands of falling stars.

She signaled me to edge towards her and whispered into my ear, "Sam, here looks expensive. Did you get the right place? It is just a simple dinner. It is not too late to change venue."

I smiled back, "No worries. You deserve it for all the hard work you put in for the screening." She deserves far more than this, she is my Princess.

The dinner went on smoothly. We had mozella cheese as our starter and pasta as our main courses with good exchange of conversation. She comes from a large closely knitted family with a total eight siblings. She likes drama and was with her university’s theatre troupe before. We shared about life goals, values, dreams and aspiration. Amidst all these chattering, my mind was half drifted and planning for the ideal moment to pop IT out. My feelings.... On one hand I felt so eager to tell her how I felt and on the other hand, I don’t really want to… it’s a rather confusing and conflicting emotions turmoil. I had practice it over and over again in my head the night before but this calls for spontaneous and all the “preparation” seems redundant.

To be cont.

Chapter 2 : About Jo

Whole day at the office, I was feeling cloud nine. I usually dread having to go back during non-office hours. The server room was freezing and you really need to fight the zzzz monster and do magic within a very limited amount of time. It was something that I believe most will detest and prefer not to do unless necessary.

"Hey, you know of a good place with good ambience and serving decent Mediterranean or Italian food?", I threw out this question while busy typing away on my keyboard, back facing Mark and Addy.

"What's the occasion?", Mark asked.

"Budget? How many pax?", Addy added.

"Just treating a friend. Two.", I answered.

"Male or female?", Addy teased me and swirled his chair over to hit mine.

Mark came over too and knocked into my chair too, "A date?"

"hey, easy. It's just a friend.", I replied.

"What's kind of friend?", Both of them laughed.

They were my best of pals in the office and we were known as the Chipmunks by fellow colleagues.

"We're the chipmunks
Addy, Sam, Mark.
Do-do, do-do-do-do!"

The difference between men talk and women talk is men don’t go into the details, we don’t discuss about our inner feelings or thoughts. We exchange information, talk about practical matters like the latest car model, computer technology, even business and we go straight to the point.

Mark, who is the eldest among us, spoke first, "Sam, if it’s a dinner with a girl. Not just any girl but a girl whom you really fancy. The first date is very, very important.”

"Like a first kiss.", Addy added. "If you don't get the timing right, chances are you going to blow the whole thing up. Being too spontaneous and she might be overwhelmed. Too hesitant and she finds you timid or unsure."

"Check her body language: if her body is facing, leaning toward, or touching yours, and she is smiling, biting her lip, or playing with her hair, chances are that she's interested in you. So, pick your moment and go for it, boy. Good luck.", Mark patted my shoulder.

Addy whispered into my ears from behind,"And always keep a pack of gum or mints in your car or pocket. You won’t want to mess up the first kiss too."

Just as much as I wanted to meet her real soon, I wanted to plan our first date carefully. I scouted a few recommendations and found a little Mediterranean restaurant by the sea. It will be a good spot to spend our first date, I supposed.

I texted her to fix the date for our dinner.

Saturday is ok. So what time and where?

I can come pick you up. What time you'll be free?

I will be at my school fair with the children in the morning till late afternoon. If you don't mind going out with a skunk, we can meet up afterwards. ;-)

No worries. I will pick you from there. See you. 8D

Jo is a teacher at a special needs school, the School for the Deaf and uses sign language to talk to the children. Whenever she signs, her fingers seems to be dancing and her face got all animated and lit up. She has a very wide heart with overwhelming love and compassion for others and that's what draws me to her.

We had arranged to meet at 3pm at the school but I came an hour earlier and was walking around. From a distance, I saw her. She was doing a red Indian stand. With her 2 hands clasped and stretched upwards. Legs parted and stamping on one foot. It looked rather comical for a while. I could not help laughing. But that is her way for attracting the children's attention. They could not hear but they can feel the movement of her thumping feet and also the sudden change in her posture. Under the dazzling sun, she looks lovely.

She noticed me and brought the children along. As she spoke, her hands talked too. So that the children could understand what she was talking to me and when I spoke, her hands still moves to translate my voice to the kids even when I was not talking to them. It took me a while to get use to her arrangements. Jo firmly believes in opportunities for the children to hear as much as possible. If the kids could hear, what we had exchanged would be audible to them so they should not be derive of or taken advantage of. The kids were getting curious with my presence.

"No, no. Mr. Sam is not Teacher's boyfriend. Stop guessing and pay attention.", she signed to the giggling children. She turned to me, smiled and signed "sorry". The sign for "sorry" is made by forming either an "a" or an "s" with your right hand and rotate that hand over your heart in a few clockwise motions. I managed to do a "no" which is index finger with middle finger and thumb open and shut several times, like a duck quacking. The kids laughed.

After sending the kids off, we walked to my car.....

"Thanks for waiting so long. I didn't expect you to come so early."

"Oh... I just happened to be a little early. Don't worry."

As I approached the car, I saw a white piece of paper stuck onto my window screen. Shark!! I had traffic summon.

"Shark! You got traffic summon. What time did you reach? It's quite strict around the school area. Sorry...", she started to apologise profusely.

"No, no. It's my own fault. Don't say sorry.", I quickly squashed the fine paper in my palm before she peered and noticed the time of the summon.

She hopped into my car and sat right beside me. She was wearing a plain v-neck grey tee, blue jeans with running shoes. Her long hair pulled back in a ponytail away from her face. It made her makeup-less face fresher and more radiant. I supposed beauty really lies in the eyes of the beholder. To me, she is perfect.

The sun was about to set... it would be a perfect setting for our first date.

To be cont.

Chapter 1 - The First Step

I do not know exactly when I started to notice her. She is always so cheerful and bright. The whole room seems brighten up whenever she is around. She is either giggling away or making those around her laughing away.

As I approached her place, my heart started to beat a little faster. I had texted her the night before that I would be picking her up for the event this morning. I saw 2 figures standing at the carpark corner, hers and him. She waved and hopped behind. He sat beside me. "Good morning! Thanks for coming.", she chirped. "Morning. No problem.", I replied back, a little louder than usual. My voice volume tends to escalate a little whenever I got nervous. Sharks! I hope she did not notice that.

It was a short 5 minutes drive and we reached our destination. We started unloading the equipments and setting them up for our event at the venue. Today we are providing free screening services for the general public.

"I need 2 persons to set up the exhibition panels and the rest to follow me to the screening room.", I said. Tom raised his hand and said, "Me and Jo will do the set-up." She smiled and moved towards him.

I packed the stuffs and moved into the room with the rest. My mind was a little distracted, thinking about she and Tom setting up the panels together. They stayed close-by and were come and go back together, most of the time. No big deal but I could tell Tom cares a lot about her and both of them seem to get along very well. He is always making her laugh while me, the block-head, could never even look straight into her eyes.

The event started on time and very soon the crowd started strolling in and our hands were full, checking one individual to another. I did not have much time to be bother about other things but whenever I had time to steal a glance or two, I would spot them, she and Tom, from the corner of my eyes, teaming up. She was giggling away as usual. I excused myself to do the registration outside.

By late afternoon, the crowd lessen and we could catch a little breathe. A kid was sitting outside waiting for his mother for the screening. I chatted up with the little boy and started to play Guess my finger game with him. I was a little engrossed and then I heard a giggle from behind. It was her. I did not know when she stood there. "You, sure has a way with kid.", she giggled. She came and sat beside me and added, "Not bored? All alone here doing registration." My heart nearly skipped with her sitting so close. Her eyes were neither too big or too small, just nice like the shape of an almond nut, but they were sparkling. We chatted a while and I asked if it's ok that she left Tom alone inside. She laughed, "Sure. He'll be fine."

After the event, the whole team went for dinner. She sat beside me. I was thrilled. She ordered the same drink as me. She also loves coke. On the way home, I was counting the number of words we exchanged today. We did speak more than usual. I got to know a little bit more about her. Behind that tom-boyish character of her, she got a softer sentimental side and loves to watch Korean soap drama. As I was lost in my thoughts, reminiscing our talk; the phone rang... Some thing in office cropped up and I needed to make a detour back to office. Being in a 24/7 IT job was really draining. I got call up in the wee hours of the night and even during weekends. Comeon, it's a sunday night!!

I needed to call up Mark with regards to this hiccup. The voice on the other side was a lady...

"Mark? Mark, please.", I asked.

"Sam? Jo here. I am not Mark."

It was her!! It was unintentionally. I guessed I pressed her number by mistake. It was God's sent. I was beaming.

I apologised. She laughed as usual. I love to hear her laughters. It filled up the whole car.

"Hey, thanks so much for helping me with the free screening today.", I added.

"No worries. I am just doing my part."

"Let me treat you for dinner."

"It's ok. You don't have to."

"No, no. I mean it. Miss Jo, you are entitled to a free dinner for rendering great help. Press 1 for chinese; 2 for indian; 3 for Japanese....", I said in a robotic-like voice.

More laughters from her...

"Ok. Ok. You let me know again once you fix up.", she giggled.

My heart sung.... My heart flew....

We will be going dinner together. YES!! YES!!

Is this our first date???

To be cont....