Rod stared at the looming wooden door. He listened to the chickens cluck and cows moo, hoping to draw some kind of courage from them. He made two fists, one gripped around a wilting bouquet and one floated just a heartbeat away from the door. He had grown these flowers weeks ago. He'd been working up the nerve to give them to Rio ever since.
He was great at talking to Rio. He was great at laughing and joking. He was great at being a friend. He was the typical boy next door. The guy you could confide in. But now he was asking for more and it felt like his world could shatter at any moment.
Rod shook his head furiously. He couldn't stand here forever.
He knocked.
"Hello?" A soft voice floated from the other side of the door.
"It's me, Rod."
"Oh!" Rio opened the door and ushered him in. "What's up? I was just thinking about you."
Rod blushed. "Well, I-well...wanna come out to dinner with me?"
"Sure!"
Rod stuck out the flowers. "I mean a date."
Rio hesitated for a second and then wrapped her fingers around the bouquet with a smile. "I'd love to."
"Really?"
"Of course." Rio laced one hand into his and pulled Rod out the door with a playful laugh. "Where are we headed?"
It was Rod's turn to pull. "It's a surprise!"
Soon they were on the mountain top and Rio was marveling at their candlelight picnic. Rod breathed a sigh of relief. He had dreaded the thought of cleaning all this up if she rejected him.
"All this, for me?" Rio struggled to find words.
"Yeah."
The flickering flames reflected in her wide eyes. Eventually she snapped back to reality. "Let's eat!"