Chapitre 9: Date

From inside the car, a boy came out of it.

"Are you guys going somewhere?" Matthew asked.

Seeing his son acting all cool, Mr. Jonathan rolled his eyes with displeasure. "None of your business."

"..." Matthew instantly felt embarrassed. Giving a forceful smile to his dad, he turned to face Nora and greeted her with a surprised face.

"Oh Hi, Nora."

"Hello, Mathew." With a small smile, she greeted back.

"Are you going back home?" Matthew asked Nora.

"Yes." Nora gave another one word reply.

"Let me drop you."

"No. I am good."

"..."

Matthew's awkward face was making his father laugh too loudly. But he stopped himself with pursed lips. Inhaling deep he signed his son to try again.

Matthew gave a low awkward chuckle before nodding his head in affirmation. "Yeah I know you are good but this city isn't. It's already late, you shouldn't go alone."

Before Nora could say anything, Jonathan's car came too.

"Yes I agree too. As I can't drop her today, you must do that for me." His father spoke to support his argument.

Nora was about to speak up but Mathew hurriedly overrun her and said. "Yes, dad. I'll do as you say."

"Drive carefully."

"Of course dad."

"No, it's okay sir. I took my car today." Nora was finally able to speak.

Mr. Jonathan again had an amusing smile. Proudly looking at her, he asked. "You knew I had a plan tonight. That's why you brought your car and were ready to deny my plans right away. Isn't it?"

Just like his secretary, Nora also keeps tabs on his schedule everyday. That way she also knows her in and out.

"Yes." Nora didn't deny the fact and straightforwardly affirmed.

"You smart girl."

"... I think I should go back now. Bye." She bid her goodbye.

"Drive safely."

"Amm Nora!"

"Huh?" She turned.

"Can you drop me? We are neighbours anyway." Matthew asked, while trying hard to hide his embarrassment.

"Huh? But you have your car to go back to." His dad asked with little confusion.

Nora also looked confused.

"... Amm break fails."

"But you just drove here." His dad asked again.

"Now it has failed."

"How do you know?"

"Because it's my car."

"I never said it's mine."

"Then don't say anything."

"Then how did you plan to drop her off?"

"Taxi!" Matthew shamelessly lied again and again. In the end, all matters to him were the result. And he is happy with it.

"You-"

"Let's go, Nora. It's already late for dinner." Before his dad could ask anything anymore, Matthew spoke up and showed her a hand gesture to move towards the parking lot.

Mr. Jonathan suspiciously looked at his son but said nothing and went inside the car.

***

"You really have a nice car." Matthew was mesmerised by the look of grey Rolls Royce ghost series I. It is one of his favourite cars, however too costly for him to buy himself one. And his father is against letting him have that one.

Taking his seat in the car he asked. "When did you get your licence?"

"A few months ago." She replied.

As the car drove outside the arena, both of them got silent. Matthew wanted to talk but they rarely had anything in common to talk about.

While looking outside the window, he brought the same old topic, to which Nora always replies. "How is work going on with father?"

"Good."

"Need any help?"

"No. Sir, help me a lot already." Nora politely spoke.

With small talk, Matthew wanted to be close to her but Nora's crisp, and the short answer never helped him. With a lot of courage, he called her name. "Amm Nora."

"Yes." She answered the call without looking at him.

"Are you free this weekend?"

"Saturday?" She plainly asked.

"Any day will work." Matthew said hurriedly while hiding his excitement as best as he could.

"I don't know yet. Work comes randomly." She answered honestly.

On weekends she does not have much work as it's also a weekend at the company. However, sometimes Mr. Jonathan would ask her to accompany him to a few meetings and for her to learn something.

"If not work then? Do you have plans with your brother or friends?" He asked again with a little fear in his heart.

It's not the first time he is asking her out. However, not for once, he was successful. Either her work or either her brother would come in between his plans. This time he wants to be sure of everything before inviting her again.

"No." She replied.

"Then can I have lunch with you? I have a problem. And I need your help."

"My help?" Nora's brows scrunched a little.

Jonathan is three years older than her. He is already in college. Unlike her, he isn't taking any training in the company yet. They rarely had anything in common because they don't share anything anyway.

Matthew understands her doubt too. With an uncomfortable smile, he spoke. "Yes. If it's possible only then. You can reject it, for sure." Nora said nothing for a while.

After taking a few turns to their neighbourhood, she finally answered in affirmation. "...It's okay. If there will be no work, then I'll come. But…"

"I get it."

Matthew's fist tightened with inexplicable feelings. After that, he said nothing more. He wanted Nora to be comfortable and he knew that his silence is somewhat more comfortable to her than his words.

After a few minutes, they finally reached home.

"Already reached." He disappointedly commented and got out of the car. Before closing the door he spoke. "See you on Saturday then."

"Sure."