Different RPs

James beamed at her laugh. It made him feel so good inside. "Rana, you make me happy," he said. "It's been a long time since I've felt this happy." He reached across and grabbed the dessert menu. "I hope I'm not monopolizing all your time away from your friends."

"I feel the same James. I haven't laughed since Daddy's death, but you really make me happy James." she smiled, blowing away a piece of stray hair. "And you aren't. I have friends, but none really close...cept Ayanna and well Kameko is studying

abroad right now...besides, you're my friend too."

James looked into her eyes, his expression torn for a moment. He looked down at the menu trying to give himself a moment.

From her friend's names, he was guessing there weren't any males around. "Darren makes me laugh sometimes but most of the time he gets on my nerves," he said flipping the menu pages but not really looking at them.

"He does?" she asked. "I guess, with Ayanna it can be the same thing...she means well...." She opened the menu."But I hope I'm not taking time you could be spending with your friends," she said quietly.

"Naw, he doesn't mind." James peeked and saw her looking away. "What does your boyfriend do while you are in mourning?" He knew it was brazen to ask this way.

Rana looked up startled. "I don't have a boyfriend," she said quietly, blushing.

"Me neither, um, I mean I don't have a girlfriend." James saw her expression of surprise and swallowed. "Is it against your religion?" he asked thinking maybe she had to wait until she was to be given to someone like an arranged marriage or something.

"You don't?" she asked in surprise.

Rana shook her head. "Daddy gave me a choice. I decided I didn't want an arranged marriage. I just...I guess I just haven't met someone...."

"You would think with a campus full of people our age it would be easy to find someone right but it isn't. Most girls I meet want one or two things and that's it. I like girls, don't get me wrong, but I don't believe in making love without commitment and the other thing is money." He looked exasperated at the memories of different girls.

Rana smiled weakly. "Mine is just one of the two. "It seems all guys want is sex and I'm not like that....I don't believe in it without a strong dedicated commitment, and the person actually considering marriage at the least."

"You and I are definitely a minority then," James said. He grinned at her. "But don't go telling or they'll come after us and try to make us like them." He looked at the buffet area. "Want to go get something?"

Rana laughed. "Yeah, I'm starved."

Secretly she wondered if James could ever be interested in her.

"Come on then," he said and slid from the booth. He had hope growing inside. There was a chance she might like him if he was careful. He wanted to make sure that if he did ask her it wouldn't be interpreted as trying while she was in mourning and that she didn't owe it to him because of the money she'd been given. He wondered how soon she would be out of mourning. "Drink station is over there."

Rana smiled. "James, really thank you so much...for everything... We haven't known each other long, but I feel like I do...You've been such a wonderful friend and it means a lot. I have a hard time opening up to people, but for some reason, it comes so easy with you."

"I know what you mean. There's things I won't even tell Darren that I feel you would understand perfectly." He put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a one armed friendly hug.

"Really?" Rana replied smiled as they got to the buffet bar.

"Sure like Darren is only concerned with t- um body parts," James said stopping himself just in time from saying something bad.

"Just like pretty much every other male here," she shook her head.

James grinned sheepishly. "I like them too, but there's more to a person than their body." He picked up a plate and began making himself a salad.

"Yes there is!" Rana agreed and smiled, fixing herself a salad as well.

"I love chick peas on salad," James said putting a couple of spoonfuls. "When I'm feeling fancy they become garbanzo beans." He watched her as she put salad on her plate seeing what she chose.

"Oh! I do too!" she exclaimed.

James put a spoonful of them on her salad. "There, now you have some." He raised an eyebrow wondering if she chose to give him something what she would choose.

Rana smiled and looked and then grabbed some pine-nuts, putting it on his plate.

James grinned thinking it could become a game and put sunflower seeds and a mix of raisins and peanuts. "Good protein."

"And delicious."

She grinned and moved down, grabbing a plate of pasta.

"I can take these to our table if you want," James said referring to their salad plates.

"Thank you James," she whispered.

James took her plate and his and turned. "Save me some pasta," he teased and headed back to the table with them.

Rana giggled and piled two plates with pasta,.

James set the plates down and looked to see she was busy with the pasta. He snuck to the fruit area and grabbed a mango then hurried it back to the table and set it by her place then moved back to her side. "Two plates? I know you said you were hungry, but jeez," he said with a laugh.

Rana laughed and blushed. "One's for you silly."

James put a hand on his chest. "For me?" He reached for the plate.

"For you," she smiled, handing him the plate,

James took it and moved to the marinara sauce putting a ladle full over his pasta and sprinkling on paremesean cheese and

grabbing garlic bread. "Reminds me of Italy."

Shaila smiled and found a vegetarian sauce and poured."

She smiled. "Italy sounds amazing. Daddy and I had planned on going this summer..."

"I usually go to Rome for a week or two," James said. "There's so much to see and do there."

"It's been my dream to go for the longest time..."

James set his plate down and turned toward her. "Honestly?" he asked.

Rana nodded. "Honestly," she replied.

James reached out and took her plate setting it down and taking her hand in his. "Could I ask you something without you taking it wrong?"

"What James?" she asked quietly, looking into his eyes.

"Would you come with me?" James asked.

Rana's jaw dropped. "You want to take me to Italy?" she asked shocked.

He let his mouth open a little as if he wanted to say something then closed it and nodded. He thought a moment. "Would it make sense to say that you would be a shield of sorts?"

"Not really," she laughed. "I'd love to go, but can we wait till I'm done with mourning."

James let go of her hand. "I figured you would say that. The thing is that when I go if I have a female with me then I won't be barraged with others. I thought since we have the same ideals...how long is mourning?"

"Till I'm ready not to be...." she said quietly. "Hopefully soon."

"I hope so too," James said. "I would love to draw you there. Imagine some of the most beautiful places in the world and you there."

Rana blushed. "I bet its just beautiful," she murmured.,

"You can look at photographs, if you want." James said. "I have a ton of them." He picked up her plate and held it out to her.

She took the plate. "I'd like that," she said shyly

"Good we can set up a time then. It may take you days," James said. He grinned. "Let's get you fed."

Rana giggled as they sat down at their table. She smiled. "You asked me the other day what my dad did..."

"Yes," James said pausing. "What did he do besides raise a wonderful daughter?"