[21st December]
"This place is enormous," I gawked as my eyes roamed around the supermarket in wonder. I trailed behind Jay, who was all too accustomed to grocery shopping, having to do it himself at home too. He made a beeline towards particular products he thought we might need for dinner and dessert.
Jay insisted on hurrying to the nearest mall to get the ingredients since they were fresher than the ones in convenience stores. I don't even think they'd market chicken in convenience stores...if I wasn't mistaken. After all, I was still brand-new to this life.
I quietly observed as Jay scanned back and forth at the two comparable greens in his hands. "Hm, this one's fresher," he mumbled before depositing the goods in the basket with care.
"I think that's all for vegetables, let's have them weighed," I lingered behind him to the counter positioned at the core of the market.
Why were they not weighed beforehand? Weird.
"Are these all, young men?" the elderly clerk asked when we arranged down the vegetables on the countertop.
"Yes, these will be all," we waited as she scaled the produces. I casually surveyed the area.
I had to do a double-take when I noticed a group of girls -who could not be older than us- look in our direction and whisper to each other with approving smiles on their faces.
"Jay," he hummed, turning to me. "Why are people staring at us?" I asked, subtly nudging my head to the girls in the corner. Jay only smirked before he returned his gaze to the old lady.
"It's normal," he replied.
"What?"
"They just can't resist our captivating beauty," Jay grinned, planting the back of his hands under his chin before he wiggled his fingers, highlighting his face. I burst out laughing as I smacked his arm.
"Stop it!"
"Young man, did you choose all of these vegetables yourself?" the elderly clerk suddenly questioned, having finished the weighing. Jay beamed graciously with a nod, delicately arraying the produces in the basket.
"You'd make a great husband in the future," the lady praised Jay.
I immediately directed my head elsewhere to extinguish a laugh while Jay was so flustered at the sudden compliment that he almost tumbled over nothing. Even some of the aunties in the line behind us nodded and hummed in agreement.
"Oh, uh-" Jay collected himself to give the elderly lady a small bow of appreciation.
"Thank you," after that, he slapped my arms to rush me out of the line. He then jogged away, passing by the group of girls who swooned over him even more. I bent over in laughter, struggling to keep up with him.
"Wait for me, husband material!"
"Silence!"
-
"Hey Nick, what's up?" as Jay chatted with Nick over the phone, I decided to stroll around the aisle and examine random items that caught my eyes.
Ranch? What do you put this on? Why does it have little green spots in it...are they molds? I shook my head and placed it back on the shelves before returning to Jay. I watched from over his shoulder as his hand fluttered over several sauces on the rack and spoke calmly on the line. My eyes noted the way his hands would sway around with lightness when he asks a question to make sure of something.
A remarkably attractive packaging design got my attention and I naturally stretched my right arm over Jay's shoulders to grasp the plastic packet, totally oblivious to the incoming trolley speeding towards our direction at an extraordinary speed.
"Johnny-!"
I was spun around all of a sudden. I grimaced when my back knocked onto the rack, the cans behind me rattled at the impact. I was about to bark at whoever jostled me but a small gasp left my mouth when I was met with Jay's face, a few centimeters away from mine.
His eyebrows were furrowed as he fixed his glare on the two kids screeching in excitement as they stirred the trolley along the passage of the aisle, unaware that they almost ran into someone. His arms trapped me in between him and the shelf and I was afraid to move, given the scanty space.
Time seemed to have stopped, at least it felt like it despite the muted noise of Nick's voice calling for Jay in turmoil, his phone just right by my ear.
Then, he pushed himself away to scold the children who were recklessly playing around. I immediately held onto my chest and let out a breath I was holding, his blackberry vanilla cologne still lingered in the air.
What was this feeling?
After the kids had left with lowered heads, Jay retreated to his call with Nick and jogged over to me. "Are you okay?" he mouthed before agreeing to whatever Nick had stated on the line.
I delivered him a feeble thumbs-up, avoiding his eyes. It was a tad bit hard to make eye contact with Jay after that. He didn't pay too much thought to it and moved back to the shelf beside me. He wasn't fazed by what happened so I assumed I shouldn't too.
I lifted myself off the rack and stiffly dusted my clothes before leaning to organize the items in the basket. However, I appeared to have messed it up even more. "Johnny," Jay let out a deep chuckle before squatting down, gently tugging the basket towards him. I hadn't even realized he finished the call with Nick.
"You're messing it all up," he said softly, a smile decorating his face as he rearranged the goods.
"O-oh," I watched him tidy the items dumbly.
"There," he glanced up at me with a grin. "Doesn't it look neater?" making eye contact with him was a mistake because I loathed the fluttering sensation in my stomach when I did so.
Flustered, I abruptly rose and averted my gaze everywhere else except him, seeking to conceal the blush that crawled up my face.
"W-whatever! I could've done it better anyway!" he followed suit, the basket in his hand as he watched me with lightly furrowed brows.
"Johnny, are you okay-"
"I'm going to the ice cream aisle!" I turned around before running off.
"But we just bought some-??"
-
The cold air embraced me as I cracked open the freezer. It helped me unwind a little. Did I overreact back there? I sighed and straightened my beige cardigan. I bent down and pretended to study the sweet goods. The breeze was pleasant, I didn't want to shut the door so soon.
"Excuse me?" a delicate voice addressed from beside me and I arose from my spot, gazing at the girl in confusion.
"Hm?" I was literally towering over her.
Jay was taller than me, picture him beside her-wait. Why was I even thinking of him?!
The girl glimpsed at her friends a couple of meters away and they looked like they were anticipating something. I realized they were the group of girls from earlier. "How can I help you?" I asked again and the girl jumped as she shifted her feet.
"Uhm, I just wanted to say that you're really cute," my cheeks were dusted a light pink at her compliment.
"Oh, thank you!" I chuckled, scratching my neck.
"Are you single?!" one of her friends screamed from afar, gaining disapproving looks from passersby. My eyes grew at her brazen inquiry.
"I-"
"Johnny-!"
Jay trotted over with the basket in his hand. He halted beside me and fixed his coat. I let out a small cough, turning away. Jay glanced back and forth between me and the girl who looked like she was about to faint.
"You know her?" I shook my head at his query.
"She came over to tell me I was cute..." Jay chuckled before turning to the girl with a huge grin.
"You've got taste!" he offered her a thumbs up and I faced him in bewilderment.
"Wha-"
"Come on, we've got to go now. Ethan called me and said we were taking too long," Jay linked arms with me to drag me towards the cashier.
"Wait!" the girl called for us but Jay didn't stop.
"That was mean," I huffed as he hoisted the basket onto the conveyor belt.
"What was?" Jay asked with an impeccable grin on his face, making me roll my eyes.
"You definitely heard her calling,"
"I did but I assumed she'd either request for our number or social media so," Jay shrugged.
"No point in that!"
-
"You got zucchini?" Nick raised a brow at Jay as he held the yellow squash in his hand.
"Didn't you need that for the recipe?" Jay retorted.
"I don't think it had-" Nick rechecked the list of ingredients then deliberately lowered his phone.
"Never mind," Jay snickered before throwing himself onto the living room couch.
"Need help?" I clasped my hands together and watched as Nick turned on the faucet to soak the vegetable. Rikki was doing quite well in the kitchen; his eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he chopped the carrots into delicate slices with Silas to watch over him. Nick hummed in thought, glancing around the kitchen.
"It's okay, Johnny. We got it from here," he smiled as he gave me a thumbs up. I beamed before turning to accompany Jay in the living room. I halted in my steps when I remembered the events from the grocery store, a blush crept up my face. Speedily, I made a U-turn and sped upstairs, unaware of the small glance Jay gave me over his shoulder.
Silas had provided me a prompt tour around their apartment when they announced a sleepover, so I can roughly identify each room I came across. It wasn't easy to request a tour since Johnny had been in their penthouse before.
Making a beeline towards the twins' gaming room, I found the other two playing a dancing game when I unlocked the door.
Ethan was screeching and screaming his head off as he struggled to follow along to the 2D dancers on the screen. Dylan had already long given up, clutching his stomach as he hunched on the floor laughing at the eldest. It was my first time seeing Dylan genuinely laugh so hard that tears were forming in his eyes.
Wordlessly, I padded my feet against the carpeted floor to rest on the red beanbag nearby. Dylan noticed me and offered me a quick wave, still in his fits of laughter. The round concluded and Ethan instantly plummeted to the floor, breathing heavily with his limbs spread out.
"That was intense!" he laughed uproariously afterward.
"You looked like a chicken!"
"At least I didn't stop halfway!"
I chuckled at the duo's playful banter and basked in their presence.
"Johnny!" Dylan suddenly beckoned. I hummed in response.
"Join us! They have a three-players mode," he seized the remote to double-check the settings.
"I can?" the game seemed entertaining. It was also good to exercise a little. The pair nodded enthusiastically and motioned me over.
"Alright!"
-
"Ha!" I screamed victoriously with my hands on my hips as the two collapsed onto the floor with a thud.
97!
My grin only became wider as the scores were announced one by one. What surprised me was the 'Best Record' above my score. "Oh!" Ethan promptly sat up in astonishment.
"You beat Rikki's score!"
"What?!" Dylan followed after; his hair tousled as he gawked at the illuminated screen in shock.
"I did?" I glanced back at the TV screen and grinned. I should make a book to list down all of my achievements. Johnny would be so pleased with me when he comes back.
"Dinner's ready-" in came Rikki, opening the door and poking his head in. His eyes widened as he studied the screen.
"What-" he hurled the door open as he aimed a menacing finger at me. I swallowed.
"You and me! Now!" he tackled me onto the floor and I squealed in surprise. For the next hour, Rikki and I sweated buckets while we battle each other as Dylan and Ethan sat on the floor and laid harmless bets.
The others ended up having to wait downstairs without knowing what was taking us so long.
-
"Wow, this actually looks eatable," the twins scoffed at Dylan's remark as they arranged the platters on the glass table where everyone was crowded.
"For Rikki," said male observed with shimmering eyes as Nick left the casserole of chicken rolls opposite him. The twins finally took their seats.
"If it's not enough," Silas began, grabbing everyone's attention. "We can always order pizza after, and watch a movie," everyone's faces lit up.
That sounded like so much fun!
"Yes!! The new Conjuring movie was just out a few weeks ago!"
Yeah...not so much anymore.
"We've not completed Alice in Borderland yet!" Jay spoke. Alice in what? Sounds enchanting...or maybe not.
I found myself seated on the floor as we watched the protagonist of the series and his friend compete in the second game. This show was not magical at all but it was intense.
Dylan was beside me, stretching his hand over my shoulder to grab a slice of the double cheese pizza, his eyes still deeply locked on the huge projector screen. "Hey!" I recoiled in shock when I felt the fluid texture of sauce on my arm.
"Oops," Dylan returned the slice into the box to grab some tissues on the coffee table.
"Excuse me," Silas leaned over from behind me and lunged for the pizza box.
"Rah!" Dylan abruptly spun around with his hands clawed as if to intimidate me, but he frightened someone else instead. The next thing I knew, I was slapped in the face with melted cheese and tomato sauce. I halted in my spot as I heard gasps from all four directions.
"Silas!" Nick had shouted at his twin, followed by a resounding smack.
"Ow! It wasn't on purpose-!"
-
"Sucked you had to shower again," Jay snickered as he brought a towel to the bathroom for me.
"Oh, shut up," I grunted as I grasped the cloth, casually massaging my hair with it.
"Don't do that," Jay suddenly spoke before taking the towel from me.
I thought he had left.
"It creates friction and will make your hair frizzy. You don't want that, do you?" I wordlessly observed as he ran the towel through my hair and tenderly squeezed it.
I ran my eyes over his figure; he was so much taller than me-about a head taller, and his brows knitted together in attention. His messy raven bangs were over his eyes as he focused on drying my damp hair. Suddenly, he locked eyes with me and I hurriedly averted my gaze, mentally cursing myself.
"Why were you staring?"
"I was not!" I stuttered as I moved away from him.
"I could feel your gaze from miles away, Johnny," he simply chuckled before coming closer to me. I took a step back.
"What...what are you doing?" I gasped softly when my back connected with the wall. I was trapped once again.
"I'm not done yet," he held up the towel in his hand, raising a brow as he inched closer.
I realized he had also shut the bathroom door.
I didn't do anything and let him leisurely run his fingers through my half-dried hair. I closed my eyes and let out a shaky breath.
Why was it always with him? I despised this feeling.
"Johnny, he suddenly called and I opened my eyes. "Yeah-?" my eyes widened when I realized his face was less than an inch away from mine, just like in the supermarket. Except this time,
he was doing it on purpose.
"J-Jay?!" I was confounded as I struggled to look at him. An undecipherable expression painted on his face as his hooded eyes stared at my lips. He began inching closer and I panicked.
His hands suddenly grabbed hold of my waist and I melted in his arms in an instant. I watched as his lips gradually parted and squeezed my eyes shut, expecting the delicate touch.
"Johnny, are you in the toilet?" Nick knocked on the bathroom door and anticipated my response. I immediately shoved Jay off of me and seized the towel from him, a deep red painted my face at the thought of being caught. Jay stared at me worried as I fumbled for a response.
"Yes! I'm in here!" I shrieked, glancing at Jay before hurrying out of the toilet when I heard Nick's footsteps withering away. I wrapped my face with the damp cloth.
Oh my God, what the hell was that?!