"Will you go on another date with me?"

"Well, let's start with the basics first. My name is Ray," I said, clearing my throat before continuing. "Actually, it's Reynard Scott, but people prefer calling me Ray."

Mia interrupted me with a curious look on her face. "And your middle name?"

I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I really wanted to reveal that piece of information. But Mia seemed determined to find out, so I reluctantly admitted, "It's Kahran."

I watched as Mia tried to stifle a laugh, but she wasn't very successful. She eventually covered her mouth with her palm, trying to hide her smile. "Don't get my laugh wrong, but I don't take you for someone of Indian origin and you don't even look like one," she pointed out as she sat back in her chair.

"My great-grandfather was Indian, so my grandfather named me after his father before he died," I explained, feeling a little self-conscious.

Mia's expression softened, and she gave me a sympathetic smile. "That's a lovely name, compared to mine." She feigned a stern look when she said this, clearly trying to change the subject.

"And don't even bother asking." She added like she just read my mind for what I was about to do.

I raised my hand in mock surrender like I agreed not to ask.

Then I leaned at the table and said in a low voice.

"So what's it?" I asked raising a brow in curiosity.

"What's what?" She asked, totally oblivious to what I was asking.

"Your middle name of course," I replied nodding toward her.

"But you said you weren't gonna ask." She protested, looking at me in disbelief.

"Well, technically, I didn't say that." I winked, feeling like a predator who has cornered his prey.

"I won't tell you." She said, pulling her hands to herself.

But I wasn't about to let her off the hook that easily. "Hey, come on. You can't leave me hanging like that. Just tell me, don't worry I won't tell anyone else, okay?" I asked, folding my hands on the table and leaning in a bit.

Mia rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. "You are unbelievable," she said, shaking her head. But I could tell that she was starting to give in to my persistent questioning.

"Fine," she said, giving up. "It's Jasmine." She avoided making eye contact as she spoke, clearly feeling self-conscious.

I didn't say anything for a moment, and Mia's anxiety seemed to grow as the silence dragged on. But finally, I reached out and held her cheeks, making her look at me directly.

"Jasmine is a beautiful name, as beautiful as the flower that bears the name. As beautiful as you are," I said, trying to convey sincerity in my words.

Mia looked up at me, and I could see that my words had affected her. The anger and disappointment that had been etched on her face just a moment ago were gone, replaced by a look of gratitude.

"You think so?" she asked, her voice filled with hope.

"Trust me, I don't lie," I replied with a smile.

"Really?" Mia asked, already starting to smile herself.

"Well, unless when necessary," I admitted with a chuckle.

Mia laughed at my honesty. "Hmmm… remind me not to trust everything you say," she said, still smiling.

"Come on, let's get ourselves something to eat," I said, and with that, we picked up the menu and placed our order, ready to enjoy a delicious meal together.

"So where was I?" I picked up the conversation, trying to remember where we had left off.

"You were telling me about yourself, though you've only mentioned your name," Mia reminded me with a smile.

"Oh, right. My dad was of dual citizenship, Indian and American. My mom is American. I was born in New York. I'm the first and last child," I said, feeling a twinge of sadness as I remembered my dad's passing. "My dad died about three years ago."

Mia looked at me with a look of genuine sympathy on her face. "I'm so sorry about that," she said softly.

"You don't have to be. It's all in the past now," I replied, trying to brush off the sadness that threatened to overtake me. I didn't want any negative emotions to ruin our evening.

"Yeah, I know, but the thought of it…" Mia started to say, but I cut her off, wanting to move on from the topic.

"We moved to Los Angeles after that. I play football and basketball, and I love gaming and watching movies. Jon Bellion's music is my addiction," I said, trying to keep the conversation light and positive.

Just then, the food arrived, and we both eagerly tore into our meals. I had ordered the rigatoni alla vodka, and Mia had gotten the spaghetti carbonara. The rich, creamy sauce of the carbonara coated the strands of pasta, and the spicy kick of the vodka sauce in my dish was the perfect balance of flavors.

"Hmmm…delicious." nodding Mia said, nodding her head as she savored each bite.

"I'm glad you like it," I replied, feeling a sense of satisfaction that Mia was enjoying the food.

The rest of the evening flew by, filled with fun and laughter. Before I knew it, we were standing in front of Mia's house, ready to say our goodbyes.

"Thanks for a wonderful evening," Mia said as we stood on her front lawn.

"No, thank you. It was great getting to know you," I replied, feeling grateful for the chance to spend the evening with such a wonderful person.

As I stood in front of Mia, my heart racing with nervousness, I summoned all the courage I could and finally asked the question that had been weighing on my mind. The warm glow of the streetlights cast a soft light on her face, highlighting her delicate features and the way her eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Will…will…," I stammered, feeling my palms start to sweat as I tried to get the words out. My mouth felt dry, and I licked my lips, trying to moisten them enough to form the words I wanted to say.

Mia looked at me, her eyes searching my face for any clue as to what I was about to say. She looked so beautiful standing there, with her long, curly hair cascading down her shoulders and the hint of a smile playing on her lips.

I felt my heart skip a beat as I looked at her, knowing that I wanted nothing more than to spend more time with her.

"Will you go on another date with me?" I finally managed to blurt out, my voice barely above a whisper.

Mia hesitated for a moment, a smile playing on her lips as she looked at me with those cute blue eyes. It was almost as if she was urging me to convince her.

"Hmmm…I don't know," she said, teasing me with a wink. "You'll have to convince me of that."

And with that, without thinking, I closed the gap between us and kissed her lips. She wasn't expecting it, infact I wasn't expecting myself to do that.

She quickly recovered and kissed me back, our lips locked in a passionate embrace. The kiss was electric, and I felt a surge of emotions run through me.

We pulled away from each other, both of us breathless and smiling. I couldn't believe what had just happened, but I knew that I wanted more.

I put my arm around her waist and pulled her close, and we continued to kiss as the world around us melted away. It was a perfect moment I'd always remember.

We pulled away slowly this time, then I asked her, "How about now?"

She smiled and took a step back without breaking eye contact.

"Definitely." she winked as she turned to go in.