What do you want to know about me?

MIA'S POV

My cousin, Kira, entered the room and stopped at the door with her mouth slightly open.

"Wow…. You look gorgeous girl," she said, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Thanks," I replied, smiling at her. I could feel my cheeks flushing with pride at the compliment.

Kira walked closer and collected the hair dryer, helping me blow dry my hair. The sound of the hair dryer filled the room as I closed my eyes and let the warm air flow through my long hair.

"Tell me about Ray," I said, breaking the silence.

"There's a lot to say about Ray being one of his close friends. He's brilliant, smart, and kind," Kira said, her voice full of admiration.

"Handsome?" I asked, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks.

"Ooooo…. Was that why you accepted the dare?" Kira asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, not really. You know I never back down from a challenge," I replied, shaking my head.

'And for some other reason, I can't tell you.' I said this last part to myself.

"I don't think that's it," Kira said, pretending to be deep in thought.

"We'll talk about that later, but now, continue with what you were saying." I requested, hoping she'll drop the topic.

Luckily, she dropped the topic and continued speaking about Ray.

"Ray is an only child, lost his dad some years back, and came to Los Angeles two years ago, that's when we met. He used to be a lonely, sad, and bitter guy. Then gradually, he began to loosen up and made friends. He's a fun person to be with and all that," Kira said, a soft smile on her face as she remembered her friend.

"Hmm….. What made him sad when he just came?" I asked, curious to know more about the enigmatic Ray.

"That Mia is up to him to tell you," Kira replied, patting my hair into place. "All done. He should be here any moment." Kira unplugged the hair dryer and ushered me to the sitting room.

RAY'S POV

I got to Mia's place and parked the car outside. I rang the bell and stood there, transfixed, not knowing what to do with the thousands of thoughts swirling through my mind.

I took a deep breath and pushed them all to the back of my mind, determined to make the best of the night.

Kira ushered me into the house and from Mia's look, I can tell she was amazed by my appearance.

My hair was neatly styled, a perfect contrast to my rugged features. Her blue eyes were captivating, seeming to sparkle in the dim light of the room.

"Hi," I said, my deep voice resonating a bit louder than I intended it to.

"Hi," Mia replied, confused about which words to use. She felt tongue-tied and nervous I could tell.

Kira winked at Mia as we left the house and got into my car. I opened the car door for Mia like a gentleman and got into the driver's seat.

The leather seats were cool to the touch and I could smell the faint scent of cologne emanating from her.

"Are you ready for this?" I asked before starting the engine.

Mia nodded, still unsure of what words to use. She was nervous just like me but also excited to see where the night would take us.

"Alright then," I said and zoomed out of the compound. Mia held on tight as we sped down the road, her heart racing with anticipation.

"So what do you have in store for tonight?" Mia asked, not patient enough to wait and find out herself.

"Dinner. Hope you love Italian dishes?" I asked, keeping my eyes on the road and still stealing side glances at her.

"My favorite," Mia said with a smile dancing on her face as she put her hair behind her ears.

"Wait, how did you know?" Mia asked, quickly making a flashback to see if she had told me before.

"I did my digging. Come on, let's start this evening," I replied as I accelerated the car.

We arrived at the restaurant, which was quite elegant from the looks of it. The exterior was made of smooth marble, with golden letters spelling out the name of the establishment.

The door was made of heavy wood, with a brass handle that shone in the dim light.

I pulled over in a parking space not too far from the restaurant. I turned off the engine and turned to Mia.

"Wait here," I said as I left her in the car and came to the other side, opening the door. I offered my hands and helped her out.

"Why, thank you," Mia managed to say, trying to hide the blush finding its way to her face.

I haven't mentioned what she was wearing. She was wearing a red dress that brought out the natural rosiness of her cheeks.

Her hair was made into curls that made her look even more beautiful as it framed her face. Her eyes sparkled with a youthful brightness, and a small smile lingered on her lips. She was absolutely radiant.

"There's no need for that," I said, still holding her hands as we made our way to the entrance.

I felt a sudden surge of nerves as I walked with Mia, unsure if I was worthy of her attention.

"You are just being modest," Mia said, a teasing glint in her eyes.

I rolled my eyes as I replied, "Maybe." I was trying to play it cool, but I couldn't deny how excited I was to be with Mia.

As we walked into the restaurant, the smell of garlic and spices wafted toward us. The interior was tastefully decorated, with white tablecloths and flickering candles on the tables. I could hear the soft sound of a piano playing in the background.

'Lucky I could afford a first class restaurant like this.'

I couldn't deny how comfortable my hands felt in hers. I opened the door and placed my hands on her lower back, guiding her into the restaurant.

It felt like my hands were made to be there. I quickly rebuked myself and made up my mind to enjoy the evening.

We arrived at our seats, which I had reserved beforehand. I pulled the seats back for Mia before making my way to my seat.

As we just settled in, a young waiter, around 16 or so, came up to us with a wine bottle and two glasses.

"Thanks," Mia said as he dropped it off.

"So tell me how was today? How did it go?" I asked as I opened the wine and poured it into the two glasses.

"Well,… " Mia started. "… my day was boring, there was nothing much to do. I did gymnastics for about an hour, took a bath, ate breakfast, and I've been in bed since then catching up on episodes of the Arrow that I've missed."

"You don't look like someone who watches action movies. You look softer than that," I said.

"Oh really?" Mia asked, showing a bit of surprise.

"Then you still have a lot to learn about me," she said with a smile.

"Hmm…" I replied as Mia took a sip of the wine. From the edge of her glass, I watched as the wine traveled from her mouth, down to her throat.

Then she spoke as she set the almost empty glass cup down.

"So tell me about yourself."

"What do you want to know about me?" I asked.

"Everything," Mia said, placing her hands on the table and tilting her neck slightly to the side.