It was about 6 in the evening and, I was finally free from my shift. I changed my clothes and gathered my stuff I was about to move out of the door, when I suddenly remembered Jason's words from our previous encounter, so I started to look around for him but I suddenly heard a voice,
"I think you are looking for me, aren't you?"
Terrified from sudden presence, I whipped my head towards the source of the voice ready to shout as hard I could. When suddenly a hand stopped me from doing that so.
"Ssh, Calm down Alice, That's just me." the same voice said again. A lil bit calmed I opened my eyes to see myself in Jason's arm who was holding me close to him to stop me from freaking out, well that's what I think it was.
A moment later I mustered up the courage to look into his eyes to find him already looking at me with same adoration, he held in the garden, I found myself captivated in those beautiful eyes of his. I didn't know I started inching closer to him, because in seconds our lips were at hair length distance again. I was about to close the distance when Jason awkwardly cleared his throat.
"Umm, I think we should get going it's getting late." He said rubbing his neck embarrassed.
I shook my head to gain some control over myself. "Umm, yeah, w-we should." I mumbled looking anywhere but Jason.
We started walking towards the dorms in a complete silence that was quite haunting for me to bother even when I was used to this silence all around me.
"Umm, do you live nearby the campus," I asked trying to burst that bubble of awkwardness.
"Huh?" Jason asked still fazed out. "You said something?" He said now looking at me. "I asked do you live nearby the campus? As you are walking that way with me " It brought him out of his daze and he started to look around.
"Umm, well," his cheeks started to redden, "I kind of live on the , a little bit opposite side." he said now looking around.
I stopped dead in my track and looked at him suspiciously, "then why were you waiting for me idiot?"
He shrugged his shoulder, "well, I wanted to spend some time with my friend. And well kinda wanted to make sure your safety, a lot of gangs are active in this area nowadays you know," He said shrugging, emphasizing on the word friend.
I turned and looked at him ,when a sudden pang of hurt, sadness, and admiration hit my heart. I didn't know my eyes started to welled up until Jason brought his thumb to wipe away the traitor tears those have fallen out.
"Hey, did I say something?" He asked nervously. But I was not in the condition to answer him. I could not find words to answer him. I opened my mouth to answer him but only muffled cries made their way out. "Listen, Alice I'm sorry, okay? I would not say anything please stop crying. I did not mean to offend you. I'll go my way please don't cry." He continued babbling on.
He started to back away from me when I caught his wrist and brought him close to myself and hugged him. He was stunned for awhile, but then I felt him enclosing his arms around me in a tight hug.
"Ssh , it's alright. I'm right here." he continued to sooth me in a soft voice while continuously massaging my scalp in an attempt to calm me down.
"Th-Thank you, "I whispered. He didn't say anything and waited for me to speak up again so I did, "I'm sorry , I just freaked out. It's just that it's been quite awhile since someone has said that they cared about me."
I told him breaking away from him. I then looked in his eyes those were flickering with unknown questions, The Questions I knew I didn't want to answer now.
So I did only one sane thing I wanted to do for the whole day since I had ran away from him. I tiptoed myself and planted my lips on his. He didn't respond to it for a second or two. But as I was about to move away from him he put his hand on my neck and kissed me so softly that I felt the care, the admiration, the affection in the same moment, as I had seen in his eyes then.
So did I try to put all my thoughts, hurt, my care, my unrequited admiration in it.
After a few seconds I broke away. And looked at him. So did he. We just cherished the moment we were in. He didn't ask anything about my sudden act, for that I was thankful to him because I didn't know how to respond to it. We made our way to the dorm rooms.
"Umm, well here it is I guess," Jason said on reaching dorm building. "Uhh, yeah its here." I said turning around. I was about at the door when I turned back to see him still standing there.
That small gesture brought a smile on my face, "Thank you, Jason." I said again.
"See you tomorrow," he whisper yelled after me. But I just shook my head smiling goofily and made my way towards my dorm room.
Deep down in my heart I knew I did what I felt was right, but my mind was screaming at me that I did something that will cause me many more tears. I was letting him in. I was letting him see my broken sides. I was out of my shield in front of him now.
"Is it going to cost me a lot?" I muttered to myself before going to bed.
-----------------------------------------------------