He gently taps on her door.
“The canoe ride is ready…” He softly whispers.
She springs up from the chair, clears her throat covering her mouth with a cushion, “Coming…” She says.
Final mirror check, she has changed her outfit 5 times in an attempt to get the colours right, “A dab of blush on my cheeks, maybe the blue shorts would have been better, oh gosh where’s my waterproof mascara…..”

It might be a canoe ride but after endless eye glances at the dinner last night this might be more than a canoe.

Final check
Hair tied nicely, check!
Colgate smile, check!

I might need a relaxant at this rate, she thinks to herself. How complicated it has become to dress up for a ride in the water…
Heart racing she runs to the door. “slow down…, it’s just a canoe ride, nothing hectic” she assures herself

Unbeknown to her, he has had his fair share of panic attacks.

His knuckles are swollen because he spent the whole night practising how to knock on her door
Not too loud not too soft…
The 2-metre walk to her room has felt like a walk from Cape to Cairo.
Heart thumping. He hears her footsteps. He stands boldly like a soldier. “not too firm not too relaxed, calm down…” he scolds himself.

She opens the door, their eyes meet.

There is a deafening silence.
“I hope my mascara is on point…” she thinks
“I hope I shaved properly…” he thinks
“Who should say hi first?” she thinks
“will she hug me today?” He ponders
“Should I hug him, I wonder?” She questions herself
“I hope she can’t hear my beating…” he thinks
“those dimples… Oh my gosh” she thinks

In one split second their thoughts have raced to mars and back

It feels like a pinch of eternity, gazing at each other for one second…

The day has only but begun…