He looked up from his plate, she was staring at him with a smile.
"What?", he asked.
"Nothing", she replied still smiling.
"Say it, or I won't pay the bill."
"You weren't going to anyway!"
"I had thought of contributing, but if you don't tell me, fat chance I'll pay a penny"
"Huh! As if!"
"Spill it."
"No."
"Achchha, then ask for the mustard sauce."
"Hello? You want it, you ask for it."
"Since you're not telling me, you have gotta make up for it. So, sauce. Now."
"Dude! Fine, whatever!"
She put down her pizza slice and looked around for the waiter. Spotting one, she signaled him to come over.
"Could we have some mustard sauce please?"
"Of course, ma'am", replied the retreating waiter.
She turned back to him. He had a weird expression drawn on his face.
"What?", she asked.
"You're way too polite."
"So?"
"Nothing."
She kicked him under the table.
"Ow! What was that for?!"
The waiter brought the mustard sauce bottle. She held back till he had gone, and then burst out.
"Not telling me what's wrong with being polite!"
"Dumbo. It's nothing. I'm not used to such polite people."
"That's because you hang out with hooligans."
"Ooooooo, miss I-know-fancy-English-words."
She kicked him once more.
"Seriously, you gotta stop doing that! How will I drive if my leg hurts", he said making a puppy face.
"Then I drive."
"LOL. Oye! Don't kick again!"
"I won't. I'm polite, you see."
"Hah! You were probably polite to the waiter 'cause you found him cute."
"I did not!"
"Did too. Now are you gonna tell me why you were smiling?"
"Nope."
"Excuse me, get the check", he ordered the waiter. Turning to her with a grin, he said, "You pay, I'm going outside."
"Who leaves behind the girl in the restaurant and makes her pay?!", she retorted.
"I do". He got up to leave.
"Boyfriends are supposed to be more loving than that."
"Yeah, but I'm different."
"But you're a boyfriend, and you're supposed to be courteous."
He was about to leave. "I was courteous, I was polite, I was chivalrous. That's how I got you. But now that I have you, why shouldn't I just drop the act?", he winked and walked out.
She sat still for a second, reminiscing those early days of them knowing each other. The "just friends" phase, the proposing phase, the initial awkward yet cheesy phase and the totally crazy but tremendously wonderful time of togetherness - all came back to her within the few minutes, during which she paid the bill and watched him stand outside the restaurant and wait for her.
She knew in her heart, he loved her in the way he knew. And she couldn't ask for more. He wasn't anything like she had imagined her guy to be. Yet, he was what every girl would want her love to be.
She left the restaurant. He had already started walking towards the parking. Almost running, she leveled up with him. Walking by his side, she slid her hand into his, and instantly, he tightened his grip, like he never wanted to let go.
"I was smiling because I realized even a lifetime of having you in front of my eyes is too less."
He stopped, looked into her eyes, and whispered, "I love you, too."
