A SUBLE DATE

A SUBTLE DATE

'This chicken tastes so amazing' said Emily. 'It's been a long time I haven't tasted as amazing chicken soup as this is.'

John didn't even lookup. He slurped his soup and just nodded. It was clearly a quiet disagreement.

Emily observed john's reaction. She frowned out of curiosity, still chewing the chicken, she said, 'What's happened? You don't like it?'

John, still looking at the soup bowl and eating. He exhaled heavily and stopped chewing. He lifted his eyes to look at Emily. He looked quite annoyed and then he finally said in a very frustrated manner, 'I'm not liking our relationship.'

Emily surely was shaken at john's declaration, but she did not want to show him it by reacting or overreacting to his statement.

'What did I do?' she said. Trying to sound as chill and calm as possible. 'Me liking this soup doesn't make you like me?'

'No, I'm done because, you know... something is annoying me.' Said, John.

After listening to this, Emily leaned forward and placed her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her palm and said, 'what is that something?'

'You'.

'Me'?

'Yes. You. Your presence sometimes annoys me. I know I should've told you this way before, I'm sorry I stretched this for so long.' said john boldly, but with a general concern in his heart that what would Emily think or would do.

'Oh dear lord! You serious?' Emily could not control her laugh and burst in disbelief.

'yea... yeah! I'm serious. I mean, your presence really annoys me.' said john. 'I'm sorry to say this.' John lowered his voice because that certainly wasn't the reaction he would expect from Emily or anyone in this world. He was confused about what to say next and was curious to know what Emily has to say over it.

'No it's totally fine, you know.' Emily still laughing. 'Now this is the date I have always wanted. A date where people pour their hearts out, not trying to give and seek pleasures with sweet-honeyed words. No fear, no shame just free speech.'

'Aren't you angry at all?' asked the concerned john.

'Of course! I'm angry.' Acting petulant intentionally. 'You took more than a fucking month to tell me, and regarding "annoyance" I'm glad you told me."

They were dating each other for two months and had been on an outing several times and on every outing they were like just any other couple: boring, seeking pleasure, etc. until today.

This time John was smiling under his own cheeks and Emily noticed it.

'What?' asked Emily.

'Nothing.' Said, John. 'I was wondering if I were you and you said this thing to me I would have punched you straight in the face'

'Oh! I wouldn't do so. I'm sure you are not carrying your tiny first aid kit with you, at least not on a date.' Said Emily amusingly.' Emily was enjoying the conversation because no one expresses their hate in such a straight forward manner. She wanted to see where this would lead them.

The statement of Emily made John laugh. John always carries his tiny first aid kit in case of any emergency, that might be for him or any other person on the streets. He likes being cautious.

'So what are you thinking?' asked John.

'What... am I... thinking?' Said Emily, her eyes transfixed on a distant restaurant door. 'Honestly, I m enjoying the talk.' By shifting her gaze back to John she said, 'you said I'm annoying, right?

'Yeah' said John quickly.

'Tell me how am I annoying'. Said Emily. 'Please express it by speaking it loud, even if it is insulting or embarrassing. I think I would not get this opportunity like this again, to see myself in a crystal clear manner. This might be a "once in a lifetime opportunity". Express it in words'

'Well', said John. This time, John was laughing as well. Not because they both were enjoying their honesty game but because they were being open and pure like it was 3 a.m. Even having the luxury of regret and ego, they still would keep it aside and talk like grown-ups and mature persons.

'What you think? Say it like a Rapid fire round.' Laughed Emily.

'Alright.' said John smiling. 'for instance, I hate all the bloody actions you do while talking.'

'What!' she exclaimed amusingly.

'Yes.' He continued. 'It's like, ''Take your moving hands off my eyes, girl, you are fucking blocking my surrounding view by gaining all the attention by your hands'''

'Really?' Emily laughed by furiously lifting hands off the table and cupping around her mouth.

'you see?' John taunted intentionally by pointing at her and they both busted out of laugh.

' Oh boy! Please continue.' she said.

'Okay.' He continued. 'The way you get excited aggressively on every other small thing, the way you snort while laughing hard and many other things I can't think of right now but yeah they do annoys me subconsciously.

On this, Emily snorted purposely and said, 'But hey that's all-natural right?'

'yes but I'm not quite a fan of that sort of nature.' John said.

'I respect your opinions.' Emily chimed. 'this is fun and awkward at the same time isn't it?'

'It wouldn't be fun if it weren't you.'

'Then why the hell you still are with me?' she asked the most obvious question. 'Do you want sex or something?'

'Hell no!' He exclaimed. 'If I had only wanted sex I would have done that long ago.'

On this Emily said silent and expected John to speak further and so he did,

'You are annoying, but somewhere you are sweet and pure too. You are not mean I know that you're quite a woman I had always wanted to be with, that's the reason I tried to bear you. I don't really want to lose you, its just... I don't know.'

Emily still remained silent, accepting his words to be true. They both were sincere in this relationship and they knew it. And today that fact has dug itself deeper.

'I trust you, at least for today.' They both chuckled.

'Do you not hate anything in me?' John asked.

'To be honest, I haven't given any real thoughts over it. If I were to sit and think as you do, I'd take weeks of documentation to analyze it, I am just that way.' She laughed.

'That's very brainy of you.' He said. 'maybe I'd like to see this side of you.'

'Maybe.' Emily repeated slurping her last spoon of chicken soup.

Out of nowhere, Emily said, 'let's have sex today?'

'And why would you want to do it with me? My words sure were not like that would turn you up.'

To that, Emily said, 'oh! YOU have no idea how much they have turned me on. I want this moment to stay for more time, I want to see where this leaves us, what happens next. And I feel, you too are ready for this adventure, aren't you?'

John was. He was feeling little guilty about what he had said but was also glad to see a mature girl, sitting right in front of him, who is still willing to share her time with him regardless of the words he had spoken. She sure was quite a lady every guy would dream about.

'check please', John asked the waiter. They paid off the bill and left the restaurant for a new start.