Chapter Three - You Want Sprinkles with it?

"Samantha! Your friend is out the door! Hurry, I want to see how you look!" Doctor Ilunga-Diaz shouted with so much excitement it made her husband cringe from behind her.

"Should I go? It's too late Samantha. Besides, he might tell the entire class I stood him up that I'm crazy with that smug." She thought to herself as she stared at herself in the mirror and blushed. She pinched her cheeks to stop thinking too much about it. Samantha's figure showed more than she stared at herself in her red and white poker dot dress, and the black vans on her feet made the outfit more adorable in her eyes.

However, thoughts entered her mind—thoughts of rejection, uncertainty, anxiety, and disgust. Despite having encouraging parents and a thoughtful best friend, she battled the insecurities when she was alone and never shared the struggle with any of them. Samantha lost her appetite and felt like throwing up. Having felt like calling off the date, she pinched her cheeks again to tame her thoughts. She didn't want to allow the ideas to continue controlling her. This was more than a date for her now, but a first to move forward to make more friends.

"There you are. You look so beautiful, my daughter. Uh! Je suis tellement heureux!" Her mother smiled as Samantha walked down the stairs.

Her father just laughed. "You know you psyched your mother when she can't stick to one language."

Her parents stood in the passage leading to the examination room, leaving room for the front door in clear view of the stairs. At the door stood Klaus, with his hands in his pockets, in a white shirt, black trousers, and white vans. He showed no signs of nervousness, his demeanor was calm, and his gaze was ever so sharp. Samantha couldn't help but avoid eye contact with him as she walked towards the exit.

"Hi, Samantha. Ready to go?"

"Yes, I- I am." She said nervously.

They walked to the theater as her parents looked on like they were heading for prom. How would they act when she has to go to her prom? The thought lingered in Samantha's mind.

"So, what do you want to watch?" He asked with his gaze fixed forward.

"Um, whatever is interesting. Remember, I just want names for the animals back at the vet." She said sheepishly.

He chuckled. "Okay, since that's your goal, then we will watch Dodgeball: The True Underdog Story."

"You want us to watch a movie about a sport I'm not even athletic to play?" She asked.

"Well, any suggestions?" He turned and looked at her.

"Fine. We'll watch kids throw balls at each other." She said, sulking.

Samantha's demeanor changed as she talked to Klaus. She found it strange how free and expressive she was around him. She felt comfortable enough to show more of herself, even though this was the second time they had interacted. His character as they walked was like the one in the classroom, but the ease and expression were like that of yesterday as they walked with the dog wiggling its tail on his face.

They reached the theater after 20 minutes of walking and got two tickets for Dodgeball. As they watched the movie, Samantha couldn't help but enjoy dodgeball being played by grown men. She laughed heavily and was carefree at the amazing comedy of Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn. She was laughing so hard that Klaus kept staring at her laughing. However, she never noticed until they finished the movie and Klaus asked her a question.

"So what names did you get for the animals at the vet? I assuming you got at least three because you really enjoy it."

Samantha was dumbfounded. She forgot to take notes of names as she watched the movie. "Yeah, I did. Uh, like five." She lied.

"Oh, can you tell me as we get milkshakes from Josee's?" He pointed at Josee's diner across the street as the sun-kissed Klaus's face, which made her weak to say no to that view. Another break in character for the young lady. She was not resisting his conversation and suggestions. Could she be liking Klaus?

Josee's diner was a simple diner with white marble floors and granite counter tops on all tables and the front of the kitchen area. The walls were painted sky blue and light grey below big panoramic windows facing the theater. Its design allowed more natural light to fill the diner.

They walked into the partially filled diner and this made Samantha very nervous and self-conscious, but Klaus gently grabbed her shoulder and led her to the corners of the diner that had the least people. She felt safe and comfortable again and she sat across from him. The table had a clear view of the sunset collapsing behind the mountain range. The view had a certain nostalgia to it that both of them stared at it till they were interrupted.

"What will y'all kids be having?" The server said with her pen and notebook in hand.

"We'll have one chocolate milkshake, and?" Klaus looked at Samantha, waiting for her response.

"Uh, I'll have a strawberry milkshake. Thanks." She replied.

"You want sprinkles with it?" The server asked Samantha.

"No, thanks, I'm good."

"You know, I heard their sprinkles are tastier than the usual ones you can buy at a convenience store," Klaus spoke as the server walked away.

"I never knew that. How did you know that? You've only been here for a few months and you barely talk to anyone." She asked. Samantha was so curious to find out more about this mysterious transfer student.

"Are you sure about that, Samantha? I actually socialize more than you think, especially after school."

Samantha flushed because she knew that she always left school immediately after the bell rang. "Well, that still doesn't explain how you're so plain and expressionless in class." She said.

"Oh, so that's what you believe? Really?" Klaus leaned forward with his arms folded on the table. "When I'm in class, I'm serious and I don't take jokes lightly and I shared that with the guys in class. Why do you think I have no weird nicknames like 'The Ice Queen'?" He chuckled.

She sulked. "When you put it like that, it makes sense. But I'm on to you Klaus Muller."

He smiled. "Anyway, what are the names you took from the movie?"

Samantha's cheeks become bright red. "You know you blush a lot, right?" Klaus noted.

"Well, it's hot, so yeah, I get flushed easily." She replied.

"Oh, yeah?"

She folded her arms and leaned back. "Yes, Klaus. No questions from you. You're too much of a mystery, and what's your deal?"

"Okay, well, I like tea with biscuit and the occasional milkshake. I like Japanese comics and cartoons called manga and anime, respectively. And I'm a son of a British Lord." He said with a flat facial expression.

"Ani- what?" Samantha's face lit up in shock. "Wait, you're a noble?!"