Simple Happiness

Chapter Thirteen

"That's serious," Liz said. "Maybe what you said hurt him. Why don't you call him and apologize? You can't be so rigid in love. One of you has to give in to save the relationship. Or else, you might play this silent treatment game for a long time. You might even end up breaking up in silence."

Tamara suddenly pulled away from Liz and sat upright. "Do you think he wants to break up?"

"Hey, don't overthink. Talk to him first; then you will know what is going on."

"Fine. I will be the bigger person and call him tomorrow."

"Good," Liz said.

"Wow, where did you get this nice t-shirt?" Tamara asked. "I heart Nairobi... Where did you get it? You weren't wearing it in the morning when you left."

Liz waved her hand in the air and raised an eyebrow. "We bought it in town," she said. "I could have bought one for you, but I didn't want to ruin the moment. Ethan insisted on buying two, so we could wear them as a couple."

"How sweet of him," Tamara said. "So, are you officially dating?"

"No. But I think it will happen soon."

"Huh, I'm happy for you. I wish you all the happiness in the world."

Liz smiled and looked at her with eyes full of concern. "You have to be happy too."

"I will try my level best," Tamara said.

---

Liz suddenly stood up and glared at the waitress. "Is this how you treat your customers?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't do it intentionally," the waitress who had just bumped into another customer and spilled red wine on Liz said. She wiped her with a table napkin.

"What are you doing?" She pushed her hand away. "Don't touch me!"

Ethan quietly signaled a waiter who was talking to a band that was meant to serenade Liz before he asked her to be his girlfriend. The waiter got it wrong and walked towards him with the flowers he had arranged for Liz. He signaled him to stop.

"What are you doing?" Liz asked Ethan.

He smiled awkwardly and scratched his head. "Nothing," he said then looked at the waitress. "You go. I will handle this."

"What? You are letting her go just like that?"

"It was an accident," he said. "Let it go."

"How can you be so insensitive?" she asked. "Just look at my dress. It looks like I am bleeding."

"Don't worry, babe." He stood up and put his jacket around her shoulders.

"Look. Nobody will know that your dress is stained."

She glared at him then took her handbag and left.

"Wait...babe!" He left the bill on the table and rushed after her.

"I'm sorry for being insensitive, babe," he said when he caught up with her.

"Just take me home," she said.

He opened the car door for her and closed it when she got into the car then went to the driver's side.

"Don't worry about your dress," he said then started the car. "We can take it to dry cleaners. I'm sure the stain won't stick."

"Mm..."

"Or better still, I can buy you a new one."

Is he showing off his money to me? She thought.

He squirmed. Oh, such a temper, he thought. But I like her still.

Seeing that she wasn't barging, Ethan decided to zip it. She did not say a word during the whole ride home. Ethan wondered what was going on in her mind.

He stopped the car in front of her apartment building. "Look, I am sorry that our night was ruined."

"It is okay," she said and smiled. "Look, I'm not angry anymore."

"Really?"

"Yeah. The dress is not that important," she said. "I wasn't angry about the dress in the first place. What irked me was our moment being ruined just like that."

"Okay, so I was overthinking..."

She nodded. "Huh." She opened the door.

He grabbed her hand before she got out of the car. "Say something," he said.

She looked him in the eye. "What do you..." she started but stopped and stared into his glistening eyes. Suddenly, she was lost in the abyss of their charm. She then shifted her gaze to his lips. They were inviting like they were asking her to test them. She leaned towards him and felt his lips with her finger.

"So soft," she said.

"You can taste them if you want," Ethan said, making her suddenly aware of what she was doing.

She blushed. "Sorry," she said. She wanted to go away, but he put a hand on her shoulder. When she turned back, he went all in for a kiss. She had a shocked expression on her face in the first few seconds of the kiss before she relaxed and savored the kiss. It was the best kiss ever.

"Liz, please be my girlfriend," Ethan said after the kiss. "Let's be a real couple. I won't break your heart, I promise."

"You don't have to promise me anything," Liz said.

"What?" he asked in confusion.

Liz smiled and leaned towards him. She then gave him a small kiss at the corner of his mouth.

"Is that a yes?"

She smiled. "What else could it be?" she said, then got out of the car. "Good night."

"Hey, wait," Ethan said, then got out of the car and rushed towards her. He held her in a tight embrace.

"Hey, we are in the open. People are looking."

"Let them look. There is nothing wrong with hugging my girlfriend."

"You are practically crushing me," Liz said. It was just an excuse to have him let go of her. She did not want people to start gossiping about her. In as much as she enjoyed being in his arms, she was the kind of person who would be greatly affected by gossip. She hated being the center of attention, especially for wrong reasons.

Wait, how could love be a wrong reason? She pondered. If they gossiped about my boyfriend and me, then it would be out of jealousy. Huh, I shouldn't let them dictate my life.

"What did you say?" Ethan asked.

"Nothing," she said.

He released her a few minutes later and placed his strong hands on her shoulders. "Go inside and be on WhatsApp in the next thirty minutes."

"Why?" she asked.

"I want to chat with my girlfriend before sleeping."

"Okay," she smiled then turned and walked away.

"Babe!" Ethan called out, making her stop in her tracks. She turned and smiled coyly the waved her hand in the air. "Go away," she said.

He smiled at her and threw her an air kiss. She caught it and smiled then walked away in big steps.

Ethan was all smiles when he got into his car and drove away.

The night was a success, after all, he thought.

***