"So. Whaddaya wanna do?" I asked Laila as she skipped along beside me, her ponytail swinging from side to side. She looked like an adorable little girl. She paused and gave me a shy look from under her eyelashes that was anything but childlike. I froze, but certain parts of my body didn't. I swallowed, trying to keep my cool. My mouth had suddenly gone dry. "Well, I thought a guy like you would have a date all planned out before surprising a girl at her workplace." she said, fluttering her lashes. I forgot to reply. I wanted to grab her right there and kiss her. Calm down, Dal, I told myself, SHE'S the college student. Not you. You're thirty fuckin' three. Have some class. She dropped the flirty act and looked at me, concerned. "Dallas? Are you alright? It can get pretty hot out in Miami, and maybe you're not used to it yet-" she said, but I interrupted her, quickly pulling myself together. "Oh, it IS hot," I said, staring down at her to make my meaning clear, "But I think I can handle it." She blushed, turning red all the way from the base of her neck to the roots of her hair. "I'm not hot," she muttered. I looked at her, surprised. I wasn't sure how to react, since I don't normally date college girls, but it was pretty clear that she wasn't fishin' for compliments. Laila Kumar genuinely didn't find herself hot. "Of course you are, lil' lady." I said lightly, lacing my fingers through hers. She looked up at me as we walked, and I saw something change in her eyes. Then she shook her head. "Come on!" she said, lettin' go of my hand an' runnin' ahead, "Let's go to the beach!"
The beach was dotted with couples, stretched out on blankets, walking hand-in-hand, and stealing kisses behind their big beach umbrellas. There was a light breeze and not a single screaming baby in sight. The place was way too romantic. I couldn't remember the las' time I'd been to such a romantic place. We started walking down the beach, a few metres behind the couple walking hand-in-hand. Laila and I rolled up our jeans so as to not get them wet. We walked slowly, feeling the water and sand shift beneath our feet. I was (figuratively) out of my depth. I had no idea what to say to the girl beside me. I couldn't remember the last time I was so tongue-tied. Me, Mr. Smooth, Sex-God Dallas. But Laila seemed perfectly at home, walking down the beach and letting the wind play with her long, shiny hair. I belong in a strip club, I thought, suddenly hopeless. I shook my head. Dallas, what's gotten into you?! It's just a damn date! This is not some I-love-you-let's-be-together-forever shit. Just go with the flow. So I asked Laila the first thing that popped into my head. "How old are you?" She grinned. "Twenty-one." she said. Good, she was legal. "So you graduate this year?" I asked. "Yeah!" she said, her eyes bright. "What're your future plans?" I asked, cringing at how lame I sounded. She pursed her lips. "I don't know. Quit working at Kelly's, definitely. God, that place sucks. I can't stand the smell. Whatever we do, it always smells that bad. We just can't get it to go." she said, sounding exasperated. I grinned. "I want to get a REAL job," she continued, "Or maybe do my post grad? That'll help me get a good job." "What is it with you and academics?!" I exclaimed, "Post grad? Seriously?" "There ARE some of us who don't mind a little hard work, you know," she said sarcastically, "Plus, it'll make my parents proud if I do my post grad and then land a really good job." "You wanna make your parents proud?" I asked, my eyebrows raised. "What's wrong with that?" she shot back. I thought for a while, rubbing my chin. "Nothin', really. Jus' that mos' twenty-one year olds care more about havin' a good time than makin' their parents proud, or pursuin' their higher education fresh outta under grad." I said. She nodded, then shrugged. "Each person has different priorities," she said, "These are mine." We walked in silence for a few minutes. She was observing the couple in front of us. They were kissing, giggling and basically doing couple shit. Too lovey-dovey for my likin'. I looked down at Laila. She was expressionless. I didn' like that. I wanted to say somethin' to snap her outta her serious mode. I looked towards the sea, an' noticed the sunset. I nudged her gently. "Look." I said softly. Her expression softened when she looked at the pink-orange sky, threaded with indigo, and the sun half hidden behind the water. "Such a beautiful paradox," she whispered. I didn' understand how the sunset was a paradox, but I agreed that it was beautiful. And so was she. Her eyes were shining as they absorbed the beautiful sight before her. "Laila?" I asked. "Yeah?" she asked, lookin' up at me. I took her face between my hands and gazed into her eyes, before kissing her softly on the lips.