The rest of their date turned out better than either of them expected. Ratel, being the fearless and outspoken person she was, said whatever came to her mind. That made things incredibly easy between them. They clicked right away, no awkward pauses, no uncertain moments. She latched onto him whenever the chance came up, clinging to his arm and constantly teasing him. Her jokes and playful remarks were so frequent that, over time, King grew used to them. He found them strangely comforting. But there was one part of her he could never get used to. Her body, that of a temptress, constantly sent his thoughts spinning. Everything about her seemed like it came from a fantasy, and it took King almost two days to fully accept that this was his real life.
They went on as many dates as time allowed. And Ratel never held back on the affection. With the number of kisses she rained down on him, King had become quite skilled. What was once a lifeless world filled with the cold memories of girls who had hurt him, now felt like a bright, peaceful field with Ratel smiling in the center. He had to admit he once questioned her intentions, but not anymore. He believed she loved him. Whether or not that belief was based on any real experience didn't matter. He wasn't someone who had much of a past with women. All he had was one bitter heartbreak from when he was in a lower grade. So really, who was he to judge what true love was? Still, he had never been this happy, and if that was all it took for him to fully commit, then he would give her everything.
What made the relationship feel even more special was that she had never once asked for anything. In fact, she constantly gave him gifts. Nothing big or flashy, but thoughtful little items that made his heart swell. To someone like King, who had gone through life receiving next to nothing, her gestures felt like gold. Then, about two months into their relationship, Ratel invited him over to her house on a Saturday. He had never been to her place before, and honestly, he was more nervous than he had ever been in his life. He dressed in what he considered his best outfit, which was an old tracksuit that had clearly seen better days. Still, he boarded the bus, clutching the directions she gave, and made his way to her home with his head low and his stomach full of butterflies.
When he arrived, he barely had time to press the doorbell twice before the door burst open and Ratel leapt into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist and gave him a deep, affectionate kiss. Then she grabbed his hand and pulled him inside, already launching into one of her long stories full of girl gossip. King barely listened to what she was saying. He just sat there, nodding and humming in response, completely mesmerized by her beauty. As he stared at her glowing face, he found himself wondering how he got so lucky. Why had life decided to give him this incredible gift? She never pressured him, never complained. Unlike the other girls he had seen or heard about, she didn't ask for expensive presents, didn't act entitled, and never made him feel like he wasn't enough. She made him feel seen, appreciated, and loved.
He told himself maybe this was fate. Maybe all the good things he had done in life without ever getting anything in return were now being rewarded. Perhaps someone in the heavens had collected every good deed he had done and packed them into the form of this girl. Even though he had never been the type to think of girls in a dirty way, Ratel had a way of invading his thoughts. She teased him constantly, gave him just enough to spark his imagination, then pulled back and acted like it was all just a harmless joke. Her clothes today were extremely revealing, and as she twisted around on the couch, lifting her legs and arching her back in ways that made his jaw drop, King found himself completely lost in fantasy.
He was deep in thought when Ratel suddenly cleared her throat. His eyes widened and his face went red in an instant. She gave him a soft, almost guilty look and said, "King, there's something I need. I'm short on money, and I have to buy something important." This was it. Not a test of her love, but a chance to prove his. She had never asked for anything before, and now that she was, King didn't hesitate for a second. He didn't even care how much it would cost. He jumped up and said, "Ratel, you don't need to ask. I'll do everything I can to get it for you." For a brief moment, he thought he saw a flicker of a smirk on her face, but it vanished so quickly he couldn't be sure. She hugged him tightly and whispered, "Thanks babe, I knew you'd understand. Let's go inside and get a little cozy."
A child at christmas would have had more composure. He fumbled with his movements, tripping over his own feet, barely able to speak. Ratel giggled and clung to his back, playfully asking him to carry her to her bed. He agreed without hesitation. Once they reached her room, they collapsed onto the bed, laughing and play-fighting. At first, Ratel became a little quiet, glancing at him now and then, almost as if she was unsure of something. In truth, she had no intention of doing anything serious. She was simply enjoying the thrill of teasing him, of making him sweat. King, despite all his desire, was paralyzed. His body trembled, and his heart pounded in his chest. Even though her behavior seemed to invite more, he just couldn't act.
She noticed his hesitation and doubled down on the teasing. Her voice became softer, her touches lingered longer, and she kept inching closer. She crossed lines that left him breathless. When he finally left her apartment that evening, he felt like he had gone through a mental hurricane. He couldn't stop blaming himself. He was angry for not taking action, for not doing anything when the opportunity had been right in front of him. He looked down at himself, realizing he needed to do better, if he couldn't up his money. At least he shouldn't look like a loser, he started thinking about going to the gym, wanting to bulk up his thin frame. His academics had improved, and his grades were climbing. His confidence soared so high that he decided to start a business. It was a small, unimpressive venture, but to King, it meant something huge. It meant he could now afford to buy nice things for Ratel, and to him, that was the most important reason of all.