" So you studied Marketing during your masters program?" She asked for clarification.
" Yes, that's what I said" He joked sarcastically.
" Yeah, that's what you said" Chelsea said and laughed at his sarcastic tone, knowing quite well that he was joking, " Which I can say is a good course. No wonder you were able to market the ideal of us being friends so easily and I just bought the ideal" She told him.
" The idea of us being friends, was yours, not mine. My idea and yours are different. If it was possible I would have suggested even marriage to you the first day I met you, because to tell you the truth, it was love at first sight for me, and for a minute that day , I thought if I remove my eyes from you, even for just a second, someone else would have snatched you away from me and made you theirs" He told her, trying to confess more of his inner feelings.
" It is not only marriage, I bet you would have suggested we have babies together too" She said joking.
" Of course I would have, but would you have agreed?" He asked.
" Of course I wouldn't have agreed to such a thing!" She exclaimed, " Especially to someone I don't even know, that's so absurd" She added.
" Well it is not absurd to me, because whether you know me or you don't know me, what matters is that I know you" He told her.
" How do you know?" She asked surprised at his statement.
" I Know you from my dreams, because I have seen you so many times in them" He told her.
" Really?" She asked.
" Got you, I was just joking around" He told her while laughing, although he ment it.
" You are such a joker" She said to him.
" That's me Mr. Funny" He replied, " But just say the truth for ones, you were blinded and attracted to my charming looks, personality and character, so you had no choice but to give in "He told her.
" I see, is that so?" She asked.
" Yes, it is so" He answered.
" You ...... are so full of yourself. I can see your self love present in what you just said. Hope you wouldn't be selfish in this our friendship?" She asked him.
" No, of course not. I'm not like that. You will see that I'm not like that very soon" He told her.
" Yes it is true, I have started seeing it. Like when you agreed to share the bill, expecially footing the bill for our meal, which is the largest sum or which is costlier than buying Ice-cream, even though you knew it would hurt your pride, especially as a man, but you gave me that chance to take part as a participant and not like a bye- stander or onlooker in this our outing. And because you knew it would also help my self-esteem as a lady and make me feel important too" She said.
" Well two compliments in one day, way to go. And thank you" He said to her," But I did not help your self-esteem in any way, because there is nothing wrong with your self confidence, self worth and self esteem, because you are already wonderfully and perfectly made. You might talk like that because you look at yourself that you are big and fat, but you are my big, fat, fabulous love and I love you to infinity and I did it because it is what you wanted and it was your first request as my friend, not as if you haven't made a request before. And just because we are friends does not mean I have to control your entire life, and ones again you don't need me to increase your self worth or self-esteem, because it is already great as it is and you don't need a man to make you feel Worthy and esteemed" He told her, " And sorry if me calling you my love is too soon, but that is what you are to me " He said and picked up her hand and looked into her eyes thereby hypnotizing her and suddenly raising it to his lips and gave it a kiss.
" What was that for ?" Chelsea asked in shock, from the unexpected impact of the kiss on her hands, when she came out of the trance she fell into, when his eyes met hers.
" That's just a demonstration of my love for you" He told her.
" Friends don't kiss, " DENNIS!"" She exclaimed in surprise, while blushing.
" But I don't want to be just your friend, isn't that where all this is heading to?" He asked her.
" Yes, I know we are aiming and hoping to be more, but we didn't agree that kissing is involved in our friendship and you don't just kiss your friend, especially when you two are of opposite gender" She told him.
" Didn't your mum kiss you, as in give you a peck?" He asked surprised at her outburst, because of a little kiss ,the way he saw it.
" Yes, she did" She answered.
" So why can't I kiss you as your friend, after all I didn't kiss you on your lip, so I don't see it as a big deal, the way you do" He told her.
" Well for starters, since you don't know, they are my parents and you are not even related to me by blood and for your information, in case you forgot, you are of the opposite gender. You are a male and I am a female" She said, " And if someone sees us , they will get the wrong ideal" She told him.
" What wrong ideal? " He asked.
" That we are something that is other than friends and as far as I know ,a male and a female, don't just kiss, be it kissing of any kind" She told him.
" From what you are saying, that means this our friendship has rules and regulations?" He asked.
" Yes, it has" She replied.
" But that's no fun!" He exclaimed.
" Well, every relationship on Earth has rules and regulations, so you are either in or out. Meaning you have to follow the rules" She told him,." Or do you see me touching and kissing you anyhow and without your permission?" She asked.
" What if I wanted you to?" He asked.
" It is not going to happen" She told him.
" So what are these rules?" He asked.
" Like I told you before, because it looks like you have forgotten, no kissing, no caressing, no hugging, no touching, we have to be five feet apart from each other ....." She told him.
" Wait, is our friendship COVID19 or something?" He asked, cutting her short.
" Don't joke with COVID19, it is a sensitive topic and it was and is still a very serious sickness" She warned.
" Sorry, I know. But that's how you are treating this our friendship. What do you mean by five feet apart, just like love, you have to treat friendship delicately; because it can easily break, but some of this boundaries you are putting can break it or push it away " He said, " Especially in this our relationship or should I said friendship, which is at it's infant stage and we are planning and hoping it would become more" He told her.
" Dennis, boundaries are put in place, so that any relationship would not break and so that each person that is involved, would not be pushed too far from their comfort zone. You kissing me, even though it was on my hand, is pushing me from my comfort zone, even though it is not on my lip, tomorrow what if you also decide to kiss me on my lip without my permission, because you don't think it is wrong. You kissing me nn any part of my body is too close for comfort" She told him.
" But to me, friendship is there to push you away or bring you out of your comfort zone" He said to her.
" When they say bring or push you out of your comfort zone, they mean gradually and not too fast, or it would scare you and you will run back to your comfort zone and never wish to come out of it, ever again" She told him, " I can see both of us will not agree on the same view on friendship and relationship. And I wouldn't and don't want to argue with you, because I can also see that we are both argumental. So let's agree to disagree. Are you in or not?" She asked.
" On one condition" He said to her, " Because it can't be only you making the rules" He told her.
" What condition?" She asked.
" That you will bend these rules later on and also I get to add to this rules, ones in a while" He answered.
" That is two conditions" She told him.
" Well, your rules and regulations are more than two" He told you.
" And I can't really agree with you, that the rules should be bent later" She said.
" But what if our relationship, I mean friendship grown beyond what it is right now. And you marry me, so I wouldn't be able to kiss and touch you?" He asked, " And you are not the only one in this friendship" He added.
" Yes, you would be able to, since you are my husband. But that is if and if we get married She told him.
" Definitely we would, it is by fire or force" He said with a smile, " or you don't like me or what, I'm not handsome enough?" He asked sadly.
" Of course I do, if not why I'm here?" She asked. " And for whether you are handsome or not , it is obvious you are and you Know it , so stop asking me, something that is so obvious" She told him.
" But you don't love me yet or you are not sure you can call it love?" He asked for clarification.
" Yes, I can't call it love yet" She replied, " But I like you quite enough" She reassured him.
" Well that is a start and it is okay, I can work with that, in fact I will run with it, even up to mountain Everest" He said, " But you will get to the stage that you will be the one asking me to hug you, and you will say baby please can you give me a kiss" He said joking and serious at the same time.
" In your dreams" She told him and laughs.
" You want to bet ?" He asked.
" I don't gamble and I'm not a gambler" She told him.
" Ha, ha......" He laughed, " You are just afraid you are going to loose to me and you are as competitive as me and you just don't want to loose" He told her, as he smiled at her.
" Anything you say" She said, as she smiled back.