Looking for light, Through your eyes..

Twenty two

Dex squeezed my hand. "Nothing makes me happier than seeing you happy."

Then he rubbed his palms. "Okay. Let's stop talking. We have something important to do right now. Do you know the address to that guy's luxurious restaurant?"

I blinked. "Yep. He gave me a card asking to visit him anytime there."

"Cool. Since it's his first day, why don't you go there to cheer him up? I'll drop you off. But on two conditions."

I glanced at Dex tearfully before nodding. I felt like I was taking advantage of him. "What are they?"

"Firstly, you have to come with me to eat strawberry ice cream before meeting him. Maybe I'm delusional, but it'll make me feel like I'm your first priority. I'll be superior to that guy."

As kids, we always ate strawberry ice cream whenever one of us was feeling sad or frustrated. Strawberry ice cream was my favorite all the time, even to this day.

I speechlessly shook my head. "What's next?"

"If that guy rejects you, you have to come to me for crying and stuff. I'll console you."

I felt mixed emotions at his words.

Dex added, "Who knows... You'll give me a chance this time... Right, right?" He showed me his best puppy eyes.

I hit his thigh, glaring. "You wish."

"So cruel." He wiped his fake tears.

Eating ice cream with Dex made me feel so much at ease. My nervousness and frustration gradually disappeared.

His silly jokes cracked me up to the point of not realizing how fast time passed. When Dex told me that it was time to leave, I was dumbfounded. Two hours flew by just like that?

It was time for the restaurant to open. We rushed to the destination. When I was about to get down from the car, Dex grabbed my wrist, preventing me from leaving. "Remember you have me. There's nothing to be afraid of. Have confidence in yourself and tell him honestly about how you exactly feel. Fighting!"

I smiled and nodded. "Got it, Dex. Thank you."

"Yeah." He slowly let go of my hand. When I entered the restaurant, Neith had already begun playing.

I was truly shocked. I stayed there in a daze. When I listened to his recordings yesterday, he was playing so beautifully. Almost perfect.

But today...

His music sounded dull to the ears. Like it was lacking life...

I could hear people chatting unhappily about his music. They were belittling him!

I clenched my hands. 'No. I don't want anyone to look down on him.'

I slowly but gracefully made my way towards him. Picking up a white rose from a vase, I put it on the top of his piano, requesting, "Please play 'Stay by my side' for me."

It was the song I chose for him to play last night. Neith looked at me blankly before nodding his head.

"Stay by my side
I want us to be more than friends
Stay by my side
Let's walk hand in hand till the sun goes down
Stay by my side
From youthfulness to wrinkles
Until death meets us
I want you to be with me for the rest of our lives."

I sang as he played. Slowly, the crowd started cheering us. His music got better and better until it became perfect.

Yep.

To me, it was perfect...

He was perfect...

As the song came to an end, I heard a deep masculine voice say, "From the very first moment I saw you, I fell in love with you. I couldn't believe that my neighbor is such a beauty, inside out. Under the disguise of friendship, I wanted to get close to you. But I can't wait anymore. Dear love of my life, will you be my girlfriend?"

The crowd became excited yet again. I heard them shouting, asking me to say yes.

I turned to see Neith standing close to me, looking at me hopefully and enthusiastically. His gaze was as deep as ever.

Giggling, I said, "Only after you play a few more songs."

                                             -The end