Purple Romance

'I…'

'The food will get cold. Do you intend to sleep in my embrace?' Ad-Din said, interrupting her disarrayed thoughts and Maria immediately stepped back looking flustered.

Ad-Din stepped closer towards her and pulled out the chair behind her out saying 'have a seat'.

Maria turned and looked at him before shifting her eyes to the pulled out chair. She culled her palms into fists and bit her lips.

From her actions, it was clear she was nervous. Ad-Din studied her every move. When she didn't sit, he walked over to his side of the table and sat down before adding 'unless you don't want to have dinner with me, you can leave. I just want to have dinner with you for the last time before we part'.

Maria finally looked into his eyes meeting his gaze, her heartbeat increased and she flushed. Even under such a tense and heavy situation, she still felt like it was just yesterday when they were together, then different memories flooded her mind. She stood there starring at him. They looked at each other saying no words.

'I'm giving you a chance Miss Lee. It seemed you had something to say to me at the park. I'm giving you the chance to say it now. After this meal, we will cease to have no relationship except that of a boss and a worker. Do you…want to waste this chance?'

Ad-Din opened the wine bottle and started pouring some into the two glasses on the table.

'Ad...' Maria's phone buzzed.

Ad-Din put the wine bottle down after pouring the wine and looked at her saying 'you can pick up. Tell that person I won't cross the line with you because I know you are a married woman'.

Married woman? Maria looked at him confused and the thought of Tiana calling her mom on the two consecutive times that they met came to her mind.

Did he think she was married? Was that why he had ignored her on those two times?

Maria picked the phone on the table and answered it in front of him. She had decided to clear any misunderstanding between them. She knew in her heart that their relationship ended 8 years ago and she didn't have any hopes of reviving it but she couldn't stand been mistreated because of a misunderstanding. Thinking about all the times she had to go to work and do nothing and the times she went to work and had to ran around crazily like today made her voice tremble as she spoke on the phone. Her voice was laced with a hoarseness.

'Hello, Kobby' Maria spoke. She saw that Ad-Din had cocked his face looking at her. It was a deep gaze that was so unnerving. She felt she could melt into those eyes. Had it not been for the voice that spoke on the other side, Maria would have forgotten she was even on the phone.

'Maria, we are at the entrance. Do you need to me to come up? Has your boss arrived? Is it your ex-boyfriend?' Kobby asked worriedly over the phone.

Maria's phone speaker was already loud to begin with so Ad-Din heard whatever the other person said.

Ad-Din culled his fist under the table. He didn't know exactly the emotion he was having watching her speak to another man so intimately on the phone. He had come here looking for closure but the moment he saw her looking so beautiful in the dress, he didn't know what to make of his feelings.

After holding her close to himself just a moment ago, he smelt her scent and it was still the same as before. When he held her close to himself, he almost lost all sense of reasoning and even had silly thoughts of eloping with the woman in front of him. He had almost forgotten that she was a married woman now. She belonged to someone else and that person was already down at the entrance waiting for her.

Ad-Din's mouth twisted and he let out a chuckle. He really found himself pitiful and pathetic. He stood up and looked at Maria whose gaze never left him. Was she mocking him now, he found her gaze penetrating deep into him.

Why did he still harboured hopes that it was all his wishful thinking? Why did he hoped that she would tell him she wasn't married and that he had misunderstood her?

'You don't have to come up or wait for me, I am going to have dinner with my boss. I will see you at hope'. Maria hung up and looked at the man who was standing up now.

She sat calmly on the chair and looked at him saying his name 'Ad-Din'

'Ad-Din' the name echoed inside his head for a while before he realised she had really called out his name. He looked at her.

'Didn't you say I should leave if I don't want to have dinner with you? I want to have dinner with you' Maria added 'why don't you try my cooking and see whether I deserve a promotion or not?'

Ad-Din sat back and picked a set of cutlery. He rolled the pasta unto the fork and placed into his mouth and a creased formed on his forehead. Ad-Din blinked his eyes and noticed how Maria was watching him.

'How does it taste? I've improved right?' Maria asked expectantly and subconsciously leaned towards him with curved lips. She looked like a child that wanted a praise.

Ad-Din flushed at the way she had leaned closer to his face. He blushed and leaned back. Maria seemed to have realised her actions and sat back 'I'm sorry, I shouldn't be behaving this way towards my boss'. Ad-Din managed to swallow the piece in his mouth and quickly gulped down his wine.

'Miss Lee, do you want my honest answer?' Ad-Din said.

It was like they were back to 8 years ago. They had suddenly become comfortable even though they both knew they still had a lot to talk about and clarifications to make. But, at that moment, they both didn't want to really think about all the awkward situation around them. It was like they wanted to indulge in those moments even if it was for a few seconds before they faced the reality of their situations.

'Is it bad? But, I followed all the instructions?' Maria scratched her head instinctively and frowned. Ad-Din found her actions adorable. He decided not to dampen her enthusiasm and started to eat the food like that. It was like, with her, he didn't know how to disappoint her back then and now.

Maria saw that Ad-Din had picked his cutlery and was eating again. She wondered if the food was that delicious. Deciding to taste it, she picked her cutlery and was about to touch her plate when Ad-Din snatched the plate from her and spoke 'don't eat it. let me eat it all'.

'Why? This is my food'. Maria said and attempted to snatch the plate.

'You originally prepared it for me. How could you fight with your boss over a plate of food?' Ad-Din said and Maria frowned.

Ad-Din hit her hand away from the plate and poured its contents into his own plate and started to eat it all.