Please Feel At Ease Mr Luca

Chapter Four: The Date

Luca leaned back on the couch, deep in thought. "Maybe I should take her out… that might brighten her mood," he murmured.

But then a problem arose—he didn't have his phone, and he had no idea where she worked. His gaze roamed around the room until it landed on the landline telephone sitting on the TV shelf. His eyes lit up.

"Perfect."

He rushed over, grabbed the receiver, and dialed her number from memory.

---

Rhea was at the warehouse, checking the inventory for the next day's deliveries, when her phone rang. She pulled it from her pocket and frowned—it was her home landline. Her stomach tightened.

"Hello? What happened?" she answered quickly.

"Hey, is that you?" came the familiar voice.

Her heart skipped. "Yes, it's me. Is something wrong? Did you try fixing something again?" she asked, already dreading what disaster he might have caused this time.

He scoffed. "Oh, come on. That was a mistake! No, this is something else."

Rhea let out a relieved sigh. "Thank goodness."

"When do you finish work?"

She hesitated. "Uh… 7:30 PM. Why?"

"Meet me at the cinema near South Market at 8 PM," he said casually.

Her brows furrowed. "Wait. You're… asking me out? Like on a date?"

He smirked. "Call it whatever you want. Just be there." And with that, he hung up.

Rhea pulled the phone away from her ear, staring at it in disbelief. "Did he really just hang up on me?" She rolled her eyes. "That arrogant man. Even when asking me out, he's still so full of himself."

She shook her head with a small smile and went back to work.

---

A Missed Connection

By 7:30 PM, he arrived at the cinema, purchasing two tickets for a highly anticipated movie. He checked his watch. Almost 8 PM. He scanned the entrance, waiting for her.

But she wasn't there.

Inside the warehouse, Rhea glanced at her phone. 8:00 PM. Her heart sank.

"Oh no! He must be waiting."

More shipments had arrived unexpectedly, forcing her to stay late. She bit her lip, torn between finishing her work and leaving.

He paced near the entrance, glancing at his watch every few minutes. The movie was starting, and people were filing in.

8:30 PM.

Still no sign of her.

He sat down in the empty reception area, his fingers tightening around the two tickets. He had wanted to share this moment with her—watching alone wouldn't feel the same.

By 9:00 PM, the movie had ended. The crowd poured out, chatting excitedly about their favorite scenes. But he remained seated, staring at the unused tickets in his hand.

Just as he sighed and prepared to leave, a voice called out.

"Hey… you're still here?"

He looked up. She stood at the entrance, breathless. She hesitated before walking toward him, guilt written all over her face.

"I'm so sorry. Work got crazy, and I lost track of time. You should've just watched without me."

He kept his gaze on the tickets. "I didn't come here just to watch a movie. I wanted to watch it with you."

Her heart squeezed. She hated seeing him disappointed.

After a brief pause, she grabbed his hand. "Come with me. There's something I want to show you."

---

Breaking the Rules

She led him behind the cinema, weaving through narrow paths until they reached a hidden section—a stunning aquarium with glass tunnels and illuminated tanks filled with colorful fish.

His eyes widened. "This is… unexpected."

She grinned. "And the best part is inside."

But when they reached the main exhibit, two security guards blocked the entrance.

"Closed for the night. Come back tomorrow," one of them said sternly.

Her face fell. She had brought him here to make up for missing the movie—she couldn't let it end like this.

A mischievous glint flickered in her eyes.

"Alright, we'll leave," she said sweetly, pulling him away.

Once out of sight, she spotted a discarded glass bottle on the ground.

"Stay here," she whispered.

"What are you up to?" he asked warily.

Without answering, she smashed the bottle against the pavement and let out a loud scream.

"HELP! SOMEONE HELP!"

The security guards immediately sprinted toward the sound.

"Now!" She grabbed his hand and dashed into the exhibit.

He stared at her in disbelief. "You tricked them?"

She smirked. "I always get what I want."

---

A Night to Remember

The aquarium was breathtaking. The glow of the blue water reflected on their faces as fish swam lazily past the glass walls. The whole place was silent, save for the gentle hum of the water filters.

She twirled in delight. "Isn't this better than a movie?"

He watched her with an amused expression. "You really are something else."

Just then, voices echoed from the hallway.

"I swear I heard someone in here!"

Her eyes widened. "Crap. They're back!"

"How do we escape? They're blocking the exit." he whispered.

The security guards stepped inside, scanning the area. "Come out now, or we'll call the police!"

She yanked him into a shadowy corner. They pressed against the wall, holding their breath as the guards passed by.

As soon as the coast was clear, they bolted.

"Run!" he urged, gripping her hand as they raced toward the emergency exit.

"HEY! STOP!" the guards yelled, giving chase.

They ran out into the streets, breathless but laughing.

---

The Unexpected Ending

By the time they reached home, they were still chuckling. They collapsed onto the couch, their laughter dying into quiet smiles.

He glanced at her. "Thank you."

She tilted her head. "For what? You're the one who planned the date."

"Yeah… but this was more fun than just watching a movie."

She grinned. "Told you."

Stretching her arms, she stood up. "It's late. I need to sleep."

"Goodnight, then," he said, watching her walk toward her room.

She hesitated at the doorway. "Goodnight."

As she closed the door, he lay back on the couch, staring at the ceiling. A soft smile lingered on his lips as he closed his eyes.

Tonight had turned out better than he expected.