The ride along the coast of the Pacific Ocean was more than pleasant.


    Neither of them spoke while they enjoyed the breathtaking views.


    asionally, Ba would lift her hands up and relish the hot summer air slipping through her fingers while she sang the song that was ying on the radio.


    Gabriel would sneak nces at her when he thinks that she is not looking. He wondered if she is really enjoying this simple pleasure. If that is Victoria, she wouldin about how this is a waste of time and that the humid ocean-air is messing up her hair and makeup.


    "Can we go faster?", Ba asked Gabriel after some time.


    In response, the engine roared and she felt the pull as the vehicle elerated. The thrill of speed made her giggle, and then she was back to singing.


    When they stopped in the parking of the French restaurant, Ba could not believe that they spent two hours in that car. It felt like a few minutes.


    "Ready?" Gabriel gestured toward the restaurant.


    Ba paused, unsure why he is asking, and then she remembered to check herself in the mirror.


    She lowered the front visor that has a mirror and she gasped at the sight of her messy hair. Her previously shiny-smooth cascading hair now looked like the worst case of bedhead ever.


    Gabriel observed Ba with amusement in his eyes. He didn''t care about her messy hair, but her expression was adorable, and he wondered what she will do next.


    Ba swiftly ran her fingers through her hair, and she regretted not bringing a hairbrush. Unfortunately, this didn''t help much. Her hair is ruined.


    "Do you have ab, maybe?", Ba asked sheepishly.


    "No. Sorry."


    Ba pressed her lips into a line and then her eyes shone with determination. Her fingers moved nimbly while braiding her hair and Gabriel could tell that she did that many times before. With a small hairband, her side-braid was ready, and Ba smiled triumphantly.


    "We can go now."


    Gabriel hummed in approval. He was pleasantly surprised that Ba resolved the situation and maintained her cheerful attitude. If that was Victoria, she would throw a fit and request to go back home, or maybe to a styling salon.


    Ba was impressed with the corner table that provided privacy and breathtaking views of the ocean through massive windows. This was obviously the best spot in the restaurant from where to enjoy the magnificent show of nature: the sunset.


    Gabriel pulled a chair for her, as a true gentleman and Ba giggled.


    He craned his neck to see her face. "Is everything OK?"


    Ba nodded vigorously. "All this is like a movie." She gestured at the candles and touched the roses that were on the table. "Even the flowers are real."


    "I am d you approve.", Gabriel responded and handed her the menu.


    Ba epted the menu without opening it.


    "You said that French cuisine is your favorite.", Gabriel reminded her. "I hope you can order for both of us."


    Ba''s eyes widened when she saw that none of the menu items have prices attached. That usually means this is a very-very pricey ce because only the rich customers don''t care about the cost. She nced through the fancy restaurant and everything she saw screamed expensive.


    "Are you sure? Can I order anything?"


    Gabriel hummed in confirmation.


    Ba cleared her throat before she started asking: "How hungry are you? Do you have any allergies? …"


    Gabriel answered her questions rted to his food preferences and he was amazed that she is so considerate.


    <em>''If that is Victoria in her ce…''</em>, Gabriel stopped his thoughts forcibly. There is no point inparing the two because they are absolute opposites. Ba is caring and selfless and not vain and modest and… Gabriel realized how much he is enjoying with Ba when the waiter arrived.


    Gabriel knows that the man came to take their orders, but Gabriel saw him as someone who interrupted his Ba-time. The fact that Ba was talking to the waiter with a smile on her face, made Gabriel… jealous.


    <em>''What is wrong with me?''</em>, Gabriel wondered, even though he knew the answer but he was not ready to ept it.


    Gabriel was relieved when the waiter left.


    "Tell me something about yourself.", Gabriel demanded.


    Ba was not sure where to start. Her life is a mix of sadness and boring and she does not want to talk about any of that. "What do you want to know?"


    "Everything."


    Ba decided to keep it short. "I''m an average girl. My parents divorced when I was young, and I was held hostage by my mother while she extorted more money from my father. About two years ago I regained some of my freedom, and since then I''m focusing on my education so that I don''t need to depend on anyone. The end."


    "You are looking down on yourself."


    "I call that being realistic. My looks are nothing outstanding, and my smarts are average at best just like the rest of my life."


    "Didn''t you say that you will start UCLA this year? Average students can''t enroll there."


    Ba was pleasantly surprised that he remembered. "That is because of my hard work, not smarts."


    "But you are smart enough to know that you need to work hard."


    Ba paused and a secondter her lips stretched into a smile. "I will take that."


    "It''s more than that, Ba. You said that you are average, yet I picked you up from a good neighborhood in Los Angeles and your caring family sent you off."


    "I don''t live there; I only stay with them on some weekends… for Oliver mostly. My father and Penny are great, but I missed too much time with my father, and a deep bond never formed between us, while Penny is more like my friend than a mother-figure." Ba saw that Gabriel''s brows furrowed and she realized that (again) she is oversharing. Ah, every time she is nervous, she ends up bbering. And Gabriel is making her nervous. "I''m sorry, I don''t want to ruin the mood. Please, don''t feel pity for me. I am on a good path to be independent and to make my dreamse true."


    "That was not pity. I was surprised that our stories are simr, that''s all."


    Gabriel saw the curiosity in Ba''s gaze, and his opinion of her improved a notch because she didn''t ask any questions. She is not nosy, but he decided to rify. "My parents didn''t divorce, but since I am aware of myself, I was told what to do, how to act… they picked my school and told me who to date. I live in a huge mansion that I can''t call mine and the only person who invokes in me any feelings of a family is my Cousin Steve."


    "Oh…", a sound escaped Ba''s lips.


    Gabriel didn''t want to talk about himself. He wanted to know more about Ba.


    "What do you hope to aplish when you be independent?"


    "I''m not sure yet. But I know that I want the freedom to make my choices. At this point, I crave for stability and security and I dream about a family of my own."


    "Do you want a lot of kids?"


    Ba''s eyes widened and she was sure that the heat creeping up her neck is a violent blush.


    "I… don''t… I don''t think that is the appropriate topic for the first date.", Ba stuttered, and she was d that the food arrived.


    Gabriel realized that his question might insinuate a pre-marriage topic, but he didn''t care. The only thing he wanted was to peel off theyers surrounding Ba and to find out how is it possible that she has such a bright smile and a positive attitude, considering her past.


    The sun kissed the horizon and they spoke about the food and Gabriel demanded to know where Ba originally tasted those dishes and how the current onespare with the real thing.


    Ba was not sure if it was the orange hues of the sunset, or the candles and the roses, or the food, or the fact that Gabriel greedily absorbed her every word… but by the time the dessert arrived, Ba was aware that she can''t take her eyes off from Gabriel. She waspletely smitten.


    ---


    If you are not reading this at ''W e b n o v e l .. c o m'', then the content you''re reading is stolen! Please support the author by reading this novel from the original source.