A Day Date
CHANGE OF POV - Mia's POV
As I lay in bed, my eyes slowly adjusting to the sunlight filtering through the window, I felt the warmth of the sun's rays on my skin, slowly rousing me from my slumber.
I reached for my phone on the bedside table, feeling a sense of laziness wash over me as I realized I didn't have any plans for the day.
Sunday - 7:53 AM
But as I glanced at my phone, I saw a notification from WhatsApp and sat up, grabbing the device. It was a message from Ray.
Ray: Hey beautiful, it's a brand new day and I want you to brighten up the day with your smile.
A smile spread across my face as I replied with a good morning and a thank you for the compliment.
Before I could put my phone down, it rang with a video call from Ray. Without thinking, I answered the call and immediately cringed at the sight of my messy hair on the screen.
"Oh shit, I look messy," I said, running a hand through my disheveled locks.
"But you still manage to look beautiful," Ray replied, his hair ruffled from sleep.
I couldn't help but take in the sight of his face on the screen - the perfect butterfly-like nose and lips I knew so well, and his dreamy brown eyes that flickered before he smiled at me, the same smile he always wore when we were together.
He was dressed in a grey armless shirt and mismatched pajamas, the pattern, and color clashing in a way that only added to his charm.
A warmth filled my heart at the sight of him and I could almost feel his presence through the screen. I couldn't help but blush at his compliment, the heat rising in my cheeks.
"You see? That smile alone has made my day," he remarked.
"Did you wake up with a mission to flatter me until my head bursts, or what?" I teased.
"Not flattery dear, just the plain truth," he said grinning.
"Is that so?" I raised a brow asking.
"Yup, certainly so," he answered with the grin still on his face.
"How's today gonna be?" I asked him, already looking forward to spending time with him.
"I'll leave that to you. Just make a list of all the places you wanna visit in town and all the things you want to do and I'll do the same. Today's just gonna be fun all through." he explained.
Fun, the three-lettered word lingered in my mind for a while before I replied to him, pushing the thought away.
"Hmm... and who's been giving you these wise tips recently?" I asked smiling.
Ray rolled his eyes, a sight I never thought I'd see from a guy. Ignoring my question, he asked, "Should I come pick you up?"
"Yeah, maybe around 11," I replied.
"Eleven it is then. I'll come on the bike, so remember not to wear a skirt," he said.
I chuckled at the thought. "Like I even have one in my wardrobe," I told him.
"You're joking, right?" he asked, surprise etched on his face.
"Honestly, I don't know. I'm not sure, but I know I don't wear them often," I replied truthfully.
"Funny," he laughed. "Don't forget to wear my nickname," he added before ending the call.
The smile remained plastered on my face as I fiddled with my phone for some seconds. I was lost in my thoughts. So lost in them that I didn't even hear Kira enter the room.
It wasn't until I felt a tap on my shoulder that I turned to see her leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over her chest.
"Kira, jeez! You scared the living hell out of me," I exclaimed, my hand flying to my chest in surprise.
"Wait, how long have you been standing there?" I asked, feeling a little embarrassed at being caught in such a contented reverie.
"Long enough to see that you and Ray are having a great time with each other," Kira replied with a sly smile.
A warm flush spread over my face at her words. "Oh..." was all I could manage to say in response.
We left my room and headed to the kitchen, where Kira had already prepared a simple breakfast of fried eggs and milk.
As we sat down to eat, Kira continued the discussion, asking me about my relationship with Ray.
"So how is it going with Ray?" she inquired, giving me a searching look.
"Good," I nodded, a feeling of happiness and satisfaction washing over me. "Very good," I added, a smile spreading across my face once again.
Kira looked at me for a moment before speaking in a serious tone. "I've been meaning to ask you something."
I stopped eating and looked at her, sensing that this was something important. "What's that?" I asked, feeling a twinge of nervousness.
"Your date with Ray, if I'm correct is a bit over a week now. In about 2 or 3 weeks now, it'll be a month and the dare will be over by then." Kira said, her eyes fixed on me.
I resumed eating and replied with a "hmmm"
She continued, "So after that, what's gonna happen?"
I sighed and put down my fork, leaning back in my chair and trying to relax my tense muscles. This was something that had been weighing on my mind as well, it is one thought I've been trying very hard not to think about.
'What would happen after the dare was over? How will I be able to accomplish my task with him? Would Ray and I continue seeing each other, or is this going to be a brief fling?'
I wasn't sure, and the uncertainty was starting to wear on me. I searched my brain for a reasonable answer, and when I thought I'd gotten one, I opened my mouth and replied,
"I don't know, Kira. Honestly, I don't."
Kira stopped eating her food and turned the chair slightly to face me.
"It's okay. Just tell me how you feel about him." She said, taking my hands in hers as we sat at the table. I couldn't bring myself to look at her, instead staring at our joined hands.
"The thing is, I only agreed to date Ray for a month, just for fun. I saw him as an interesting, intriguing person, someone who caught my attention for reasons I can't even put into words."
I paused and looked at Kira to find her listening attentively before I continued.
"Like, for instance, he's the captain of the football team and one of the best players on the basketball team. But instead of being arrogant about it, he's popular without being arrogant. He even hangs out with you guys during lunch instead of his friends and teammates."
I could see Kira still paying attention, her dark eyes trained on me as I poured out my thoughts.
"Plus, with everything that's going on with my parents and the divorce, I just thought to myself, 'a little fun wouldn't hurt.' But now, I don't think that's true anymore. This fun..." I looked at her before continuing. "... has become real and serious, and it might actually hurt more than I thought. Kira, I don't know what to do."
I took a deep breath in and held it for a few seconds before letting it out. That's when I realized tears were rolling down my face.
"And then there's the fact that I don't even know if Ray is just playing along with the dare. I don't know if he has feelings for me. I don't know my own feelings for him. So many unknowns. But I do know that I don't want to lose him or hurt him."
As I sat there, tears streaming down my face, Kira gently took my face in her hands and wiped away the tears with her soft, soothing thumbs.
"Mia, it's okay to feel uncertain, to be unsure. It's almost a part of our daily living," she said, her voice gentle and comforting. "But still, it's up to you to decide what to do next. The choice is ultimately yours."
I sniffled and asked, "So what do I do?"
"Well, you have about two weeks to figure out those feelings – your feelings for him, his feelings for you, and your next step. You have that time to figure out yourself. But don't forget to always live in the moment.
You need to make happy memories and value them, and if Ray is making you happy, then hold onto him," Kira advised, her words filled with wisdom and understanding.
"Thanks a lot, Kira," I said, hugging her tightly and feeling grateful for her support.
As we pulled away, I composed myself a little before asking Kira, "So what's your plan for today? As you know, Ray and I are spending the day together."
"Not much. Jack isn't around, he has some stuff to do with his dad so I'll just stay home and tidy up a bit," she replied, a hint of sadness in her voice.
"Are you sure you'll be okay all by yourself? I could stay with you or call Ray," I offered, feeling guilty for leaving her alone.
"Don't you dare," she raised a finger, pretending to be stern. "You go have fun and come back early, tomorrow is Monday." She said, her voice taking on a playful, motherly tone.
"Yes, mummy," I replied, trying to make her smile as we both laughed.
After breakfast, I decided to help Kira out in the kitchen. It's only fair since she made breakfast alone.
As I rinsed the dishes with Kira, I couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in my stomach. Kira have said I should try and be happy while I try to figure out my feelings, and I did just that, looking forward to my date with Ray.
I hummed a little tune to myself as I scrubbed at a particularly stubborn stain on a plate.
After we finished up in the kitchen, I had a little over an hour to get ready for my date. I sat down at my vanity and began to brainstorm ideas for fun places to go with Ray.
I made a mental note of a few places I'd love to go to before trying to come up with a nickname for him.
'Sweetie? No, that's too cliche. Cupcake? Nah, that's too cutesy. Honeypie? Ugh, that's just terrible.' I wrinkled my nose at my own suggestions, raking my fingers through my hair in frustration.
'Why is my brain only coming up with foody nicknames? Maybe I'm just overthinking this,' I muttered to myself.
With a sigh, I stood up and stripped off my clothes, stepping into the shower. The water was just the right temperature, not too hot and not too cold, and I allowed it to cascade over my skin, feeling the tension of the day melting away.
I closed my eyes and let out a contented sigh, losing track of time as I enjoyed the feeling of the water on my body.