The Truth Untold

5

We ran off and Leo said, "How's your friend?"

"Physically not so good, but she could pester me again with questions, so it doesn't seem so bad," I explained laughing.

"She must have wondered why a strange guy brought you home," he said and looked out at the street. He was wearing his Timberlands again today, along with tight black pants and a white T-shirt. I liked that style, a lot.

"Well, after I first told her that a stranger had brought us home because she can hardly remember anything. Yes, then she wondered," I said sarcastically and he laughed. Yes, we were strangers, people who actually hardly knew each other. But it didn't feel that way, it was somehow familiar.

We talked all the way until he stopped at a small café and held the door open for me. Inside it smelled of coffee and baked rolls.

We sat at a table opposite each other and it didn't take long for the waitress to arrive. He ordered a coffee and scrambled eggs with bacon and I ordered a cappuccino with a croissant.

"So, what do you like most about America," I asked to break the ice and sipped on my hot cappuccino.

He thought for a moment and then said, "Freedom. You can go wherever you want, live out your passions as you want without getting a funny look or being afraid that your family won't like it because it's not socially respected.

"Is that the case in Korea?" I asked and looked at him while he put milk and sugar in his coffee.

"Not everywhere. But the pressure is much higher. You know that at some point you have to take care of your family, that you need a good job for that and your parents expect good grades from you because of that. In America, parents want you to write good grades too, but somehow it's completely different. The school system is also different," he said and I listened to him with interest as he talked about his home country. Our food came and I enjoyed the still warm croissant. It was heavenly.

"I love the scrambled eggs here," he said and offered me a fork. With a grin I ate the scrambled eggs and it was really good.

"It's delicious, but not as good as my scrambled eggs," I explained.

"You can cook?".

"At least I'm imagining it," I said laughing and he grinned, too. I liked it when I made him laugh.

"I don't think there's a better scrambled egg than this," he replied.

"Someday I'll cook you my scrambled eggs and then you'll know," I said and took another bite of my croissant.

"I'll get back to it".

"Can you cook?".

"God no. With luck after recipe, but I wouldn't bet on it," he said and smiled embarrassed.

So we continued to talk, learned more and more things about each other and drank a cup of coffee. Until I looked at the clock and realized that we had been here for almost three hours.

"Damn", I hissed when I saw what time it was.

"What is it," Leo asked in surprise.

"I just saw the time. Well, I still have to do something for the university and work tonight," I explained, but I didn't really want to leave.

"No problem," he said and didn't look angry or disappointed. He waved the waiter up and I took out my wallet. But before I even had the chance, Leo grabbed the bill and paid. I protested, but he didn't listen to me. Sighing, I gave up and we went outside.

"So, how did you like your first date?" he asked and stood in front of me.

"It was perfect. I don't know what's missing," I said and smiled. It had been really perfect, a morning I will never forget again.

"A kiss to say goodbye would be missing," he said calmly, but looked past me.

"Well, since I've never had a date before, I've never been allowed to enjoy a farewell kiss," I sighed.

Now he looked at me again, looked at my face, put his hands on my cheek and kissed me. The kiss was gentle and yet my heart was bouncing in my chest as if it were about to stop. My whole body was tingling and I lost myself in his lips which were so soft on mine.  He detached himself from me and I immediately missed his warmth.

"Now you had one', he said and offered me his arm.

"Yes, I had it", I said, a little through the wind and hacked me under him.

We strolled back to my house and talked, but his kiss stuck in my head. In front of my front door we stopped and he looked at me again.

"Well, then. I wish you lots of fun at work," he said and kissed me goodbye on the cheek.

I unlocked the front door as he got into his car and drove away. When I closed it behind me, I leaned against it and breathed deeply. A thousand things were whirring through my head and I knew I had never met a boy who had impressed me so quickly.

When I entered the apartment, I saw that Jessie was still sitting on the sofa, stirring in a cup. But there was something in her facial expression that made me prune.

"You stalked", I noticed and put my hands on my hips. I knew that the window in the living room had a wonderful view of the street in front of the house.

"You said he was cute. But he's not cute, he's really hot," she said with shining eyes.

"I didn't tell you anything, that was your statement," I wanted to put it right, but Jessie didn't let herself be misled.

"He kissed you on the cheek, how cuddly is that?" she said excitedly and I shouted outraged: "Jessie".

"Now don't act like that, sit down with me and tell me everything," she challenged me and I gave up.

I told her everything, she asked for every last detail and when I came to the kiss on the lips, Jess squealed: "Uuuuuuu, how sweet".

I was happy when I was finally done talking and just wanted to go to my room.

"What, you just want to leave me sitting here," she asked and looked at me desperately.

"That's exactly what I'm going to do. That was too much girly talk for me today," I said and closed the door behind me. I learned all day long, but could hardly concentrate. A thousand thoughts circulated in my head and everyone had something to do with Leo. At four in the afternoon I set off for work. I worked as a waitress in a small restaurant, nothing spectacular, but I was well paid. The only exciting thing that happened at work today was the high tip I got and when I got home I fell into bed tired. It was still too early to sleep and I did not know what to do. I decided to look at my cell phone. And actually I had a message from Leo.

Hey, how are you?

he asked and I smiled.

Good, and you?

I answered and saw how the hooks immediately turned blue.

Great. How was work?

Boring. A child was vomiting on the floor.

You had to mop it up?

Who else

Disgusting

I put the headphones in my ears, turned on my music and we wrote all evening until I looked at the clock and realized it was almost midnight.

You, I have to go to sleep. I'm at university early tomorrow morning

I wrote.

All right, then sleep tight and dream something nice.

Good night.

With a smile I went to brush my teeth and changed quickly. It took me less than five minutes to fall asleep.