FASCINATED

"What's wrong with you?"  Lidya asked while blinking her eyes.

"I … uh … it's okay‚." Ethan was still embarrassed to admit what was churning inside his heart when he saw Lidya's beauty. 

"Come on‚ you have to tell me the truth when I'm asking you. I'll go on strike if you don't want to say." Lidya intentionally made a sullen face in front of Ethan. 

"‚ earlier‚ I was … I was fascinated to see your face‚" Ethan finally said bluntly about what was churning in his chest.

"Is that really what you thought?" Lidya asked and stared at Ethan probingly.

"It is‚ Lidya‚ that's what I was thinking." Ethan nodded.

"Then why is something that can make me happy‚ you don't want to tell me directly?" Lidya pretended to be annoyed and glared at Ethan.

"I thought I shouldn't say it."

"What were you thought you shouldn't? Am I not worthy to charm you?" Lidya urged.

"No. It's not like that‚ Lidya. I mean‚ I'm afraid I'll be considered a brat‚ that's why I didn't say what I was thinking right away."

Lidya glared back at Ethan and then asked‚ "Were you being chubby when you say that you're fascinated by me?"

Ethan immediately shook his head. "Of course not. Because that's how I feel. I'm fascinated by you‚" Ethan said.

"Then why be embarrassed? I'm even proud if I had a chance to charm you. I'm a frank person and I like people frankly to me."

Ethan smiled and said‚ "I'm fascinated‚ Lidya and even I continue to be fascinated to this day."

Hearing Ethan's words‚ Lidya was happy. She was very happy to hear Ethan's words. 

"These are the words I've been waiting for. Let's go." Lidya immediately approached Ethan's motorbike.

Ethan took a helmet hanging under the handlebar to give to Lidya.

"Put it on. It's not polite to a girl if you just give it. Are you an online motorcycle taxi?" Lidya spoiled.

Ethan smiled. He lowered the standard of his motorbike again‚ after that he took the helmet and put it on Lidya's head. He also clicked on the helmet strap to make sure that Lidya was wearing the helmet properly.

"That's more like it." Lidya smiled at Ethan‚ for a moment two pairs of eyes met.

Ethan was the first to avert his eyes to get back on the motorbike.

Lidya got on the back of a motorbike and immediately hugged Ethan tightly. "I'm afraid of falling off the motorbike‚ that's why I have to hug you tightly‚ okay?"

"Of course, you can." Ethan cheered inwardly with Lydia's attitude. After that‚ Ethan started his motorbike.

"Just take it slow. I'm afraid of falling‚ I don't usually ride motorbikes."

"I'm sorry‚ Lydia."

"Why are you even apologizing?"

"Because I only have this motorbike. I don't have a car."

"It's okay‚. I don't mind. Tomorrow ar later‚ if you pick me up by motorbike‚ I will still ride. I just ask you not to be too fast‚ there's no need to speed. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Oh yeah where do you want to take me?"

"To a restaurant."

"Is it. Well then."

After that‚ both of them were silent because they both had left Lidya's house complex and started to enter the traffic jams and congested streets typical of the city with such noise that the two of them didn't speak anymore.

Finally, Ethan rode his motorbike into the parking lot of a restaurant that did not too luxurious.

As soon as the motorbike stopped‚ then Lidya released her arms from Ethan's body and got down from Ethan's motorbike.

Ethan took off his helmet and put it on the motorcycle handlebar. "My helmet hasn't been opened yet‚" Lidya said as she smile.

"Oh wait." Ethan started to take off the helmet worn by Lydia.

"Sorry if I bothered you. Sorry if I'm a passenger who bothers you‚ so you just have to put on and take off your helmet."

"I like how I put on and take off your helmet‚" Ethan said.

"Like for what?"

"Because your face is beautiful."

Lidya immediately smiled at the Ethan's words

After that‚ Ethan put his helmet on his motorbike‚ then the two of them started walking into a simple restaurant that had quite a lot of visitors on this weekend night.

Lidya chose the seat on the far left in the place which was a bit quiet compared to the part other restaurant.

The two of them sat some distance away from the other diners. A waiter came to bring menus for both of them.

After ordering the food and after the waiter went to bring their food ordered‚ suddenly Lidya looked at Ethan and asked‚ "Why now?"

"You mean?"

"Why are you only asking me out or on a date now. Oh yeah. I can say it's a date‚ right?"

"Yeah. It's a date. It's been a long time since I want to take you out‚ take you on a date like this."

"Then why now?" Lidya asked curiously.

"Because before I didn't have the courage."

Ethan looked at Lidya‚ his words were true. Because Ethan got traumatized after two times being let down by two different women.

Since then‚ Ethan tended to be afraid of having relationships with women‚ that's why even though he had realized for almost a year that he admired Lidya‚ he still didn't dare to approach Lidya.

Besides‚ Ethan didn't dare because he was not very confident because he was now‚ only working as a cleaning service‚ a job that was much lower than Lidya's job.

It was only when Tony appeared before Ethan bringing the latest developments about Ethan's company and family‚ where Ethan had to go home at the end of the year‚ did Ethan finally ventured to approach Lidya‚ the girl Ethan had liked for several months.

"Then why now do you have the courage to approach me?" Lidya asked again.

"After months‚ I finally managed to muster up my courage‚ therefore‚ I tried to ask you out and I am very happy that you accepted my invitation."

"I think there are a lot of girls who would love it when you ask them out and I was one of those girls."

"I doubt your words. No way. There aren't a lot of girls who would be happy when I asked them out because my job is just like this‚ it doesn't reflect the figure of an established man that many women aspire to."

"Women's tastes are different. Even though there may be women who won't accept you because of your job‚ there are other women who will accept you because you're good‚ because you're suitable for them and also handsome."

Hearing Lidya's words‚ Ethan‚ who was a bit insecure before‚ started to dare then he said …