"Hi Ash!" Greeted the baritone voice. When she looked beyond Elix, she saw Cale with his wide grin.
His eyes gazed upon Elix, brows knit in displeasure. But it was too brief that Ashnah doubted it really happened. "You're with someone?"
"Yeah, have a seat." She turned to Elix and introduced the two. "Elix, this is Cale, my te--" she trailed off barely catching that she was about to say teammate. "my workmate. Cale, this is Elix, my classmate in highschool."
Both of them shook hands, or more like they're gripping each other's hands too tightly. 'Is it taking longer?' Ashnah looked towards Cale then to Elix. 'What are you two doing?' "Are you done? Or are bothe of you..." Her hands gestured from one guy to the other,"...I mean if you want some privacy, I can give you both time to get to know each other."
Cale burst out laughing. Elix did the same.
"The nerve of you both. What's so funny?"
"You just say the most surprising things, Ash," said Elix, still breathless from laughing hard.
"`Got that right, bro." Cale fistbump with Elix in agreement. "I don't know if you're playing dumb or if you really have no clue."
"Nah, she just does not want to believe us."
Cale just shook his head. "What a happy-go-lucky lass."
"Right on the point," Elix agreed.
They continued to bicker with each other. Two versus one. Elix and Cale being on the same team. Time passed by until Elix need to leave them for his appointment.
"A pity but we'll meet again," Elix said to Cale.
"May the best man win," Cale said to Elix.
Ashnah punched Cale on the arm. "Can you please stop joking like that? I can't hunt preys due to you guys."
There are some handsome guys around who's eyeing they're table.
"Nah, you're too much for them," Elix said with a satisfied nod.
"They won't do you good, princess," Cale seconded.
"What do you mean by that? You've been speaking riddles both of you for the whole time."
"Just keep her like that. She's way cute that way," Elix teased looking straight at her with that glint of fondness in his eyes.
"Well, may the best man wins," Cale nodded one more time.
"I've already won, but it was nice meeting you," Elix said in his voice too low for Ashnah to hear. He then walked away with his glorius smile.
"The punk!" Cale was left with his irritated smile.
Ashnah just shook her head in disbelief for these two jerks' conversation. They seemed like a pair of long lost twins who's just been reconnected. One moment they're so close then the next time they're enemies. 'Gosh, why are they so irritating?'
Cale sat just opposite to her. Ashnah checked her list and tried to do each task. But Cale's stare is awkwardly unbearable. She stopped what she's doing and faced him. "Say what you want to say."
"Don't choose him," his eyes basked in seriousness.
"What do you mean choose him? He's my friend, Cale," she said.
"I'm being serious. Choose me," his dark edgy eyes seemed to pierce her very core, making her breathless.
She inhaled sharply, trying to ignore the speeding thumps in her chest. "Can you stop playing this game, Cale?"
"Why is it so hard for you to believe that I could be in love with you? Or that guy and I are in love with you?"
She closed her tablet and faced him fully. She admits it. Cale is an attractive guy, but it's too early to say that what she feels for him is love. Just some fast thumping in chest could not bear proof of it. 'A lesson learned the hard way.' Arms spread on the table, and looking straight to his eyes. "How long have you known me?"
"Several weeks ago," he answered directly, then the situation dawned on him. "It doesn't matter, Ash. Time does not matter when we talk about love."
"I'm no teenager in this field, Cale. You're probably just attracted to me but it's not love. Infatuation--could be--but not love." Yesterday's love flashed on Ashnah's mind. She made a mental shake of her head. 'Why am I remembering these things?'
"Ash, please give me a chance to prove it," his eyes were pleading, gone was the playful spark in his eyes. There was just determination in them. He took her hands in his.
She swallowed the lump on her throat. "Think about it not just once or twice, Cale. Do not act on impulsive emotions. You'll realize that you're just being competitive with the other guys. Elix is not attractive to me. He just redeemed his freedom that was taken from him years ago. He just felt grateful for that, and he thought he owes that to me." She mentally sighed her relief when her phone sounded the alarm. "Think it thoroughly. Now, if you'll excuse me." she gathered her things and hurriedly walked out of the cafe. She can still hear him behind her but she speed up her strides and took the cab that stopped right in front of her.
***
"Cale what?!"
Ashnah hastily covered Monette's mouth with both hands. It was almost midnight and her voice could echo all throughout the building. And since she cannot sleep from what happened before, she went to Monique's room and shared what happened days ago. It was a breather that Cale was not around for the past days. But she doesn't know yet if he'll be back tomorrow.
"It's not like I don't feel his sincerity. But I'm not yet ready. I'm not here to find a lifetime partner." She sighed. "Honestly, I'm also--just a little bit though--doubting myself if I judged his sincerity correctly. I just--I don't know. Probably it's my past or what--I don't know." She sighed again, feeling helpless and at a loss of words.
"But do you like him?" she asked with all curiosity.
Ashnah thought deeply. Yes, she likes him. But to say it's love? No, she doesn't want to think about it.
"Well?" Monette's was eagerly waiting for her answer.
"I like him but..."
"But?"
"I-I think that's all," Ashnah slightly stammered.
"You think that's all?" Monette was dubious.
"Monette, as much as possible I don't want to think about romance--about falling in love," she sighed in surrender.
"But it's bothering you," she pointed out.
"Yes, it does," Ashnah's brows knotted. "Wait--I mean--what's bothering me is how I can face Cale." She sighed. "I don't want us to be awkward. But knowing myself, there's a tendency that I might be treating him just like that--cumbersome."
Monette have that I-don't-believe-you face yet she still listened and answered Ashnah. "How about pretending that it never happened?"
'Could I really do that? Pretend that nothing really happened?'
***
Ashnah wished morning never come. But it did and hours passed by quickly to her terror. And now she's facing Cale in their sit up exercise in their training ground. The traitor, Monette, just left her with a mischievous grin and drag Norze to be her partner. Norze was forced to accept when she challenged her manly ego.
"How are you these past days?" he started.
"Just fine," she tried to give him a smile, praying it's not turning into an awkward one. "Got a lot of things on my list."
"That's great." he smiled back.
Ashnah felt herself sighed in relief just seeing his usual smile.
"I've been thinking of what you said before," his gaze tried to held hers.
Ashnah felt herself stiffened. She wasn't able to grasp any words when her mind went jumbled. She avoided her eyes, afraid he might see something that she's not able to see for herself.
"I understand your concern. However, I'm also well aware of my own feelings. I'm willing to wait on you, whether you'll reciprocate how I feel or reject it someday."
She sucked in air involuntarily.
"Breathe," he said gently. "You'll faint in that condition. We're still doing warm ups, and you still have some count that you need to take." A grin appeared on his lips. "I won't pressure you. But I'll also let you know in every possible way how you made me feel." He winked at her.
She's not the blushy type but she felt hot at that very moment that it made her wonder if she's really blushing.
"Stop flirting, Mr. Williams!" Mr. Thompson, their current physical trainor, reprimanded. "We're still in the training grounds. We're not training to seduce but to strengthen our gifts and physical abilities."
"Yes, coach!" Cale answered back without looking at him. His gaze was pinned on Ashnah.
Mr. Thompson just clucked his tongue and shook his head. The other trainees' eyes were on them and Ashnah felt more embarrass as whispers buzzed in the air.
A man in black suit came running in the training ground with a bunch of envelops. He talked with Mr. Thompson for a while before handing the envelops. Mr. Thompson.
Mr. Thompson called for all of their attention. "Attention everyone!" Everyone halted what they were doing and stood to hear Mr. Thompson's announcement.
"I have in my hands your assignments for the next day. Come as I call your name." Mr. Thompson called our names one by one and each of everyone got their missions.
"So everyone got their assignments. What we're doing right now are individual missions. So you won't be with your own peers. Seek help with your mentors if you don't know how to execute your assignments. You're permitted to get started with your missions once we're done with our physical training."
Some whispered their disappointments.
"Now, now. Stop with your complains. Go, get your asses started."
As usual, the physical training left them all sweaty and breathless. Some were even closed to fainting. But many have already passed that level.
She was rolling on the ground and stopped with her back on the hearth when a silhouette covered her sight.
"Hmm, tired already?"
She felt a nerve kicked in when she heard his irritating notion. "I'm a newbie so it's acceptable." She tried to calm down and not let her irritation show on her face. "What are you doing here?"
He offered his hand out.
Ashnah doesn't want to take his hand, however, it would be rude not to do so. So she took it. He was surprised but he pulled her up.
"Jin, why are you here?" It was Cale.
"Do I have to be asked the same question in each place that I go to?"
Is that irritation I'm hearing? Ashnah's brows rose in amusement. It was hard to irritate the man. Most of the time, he's the one doing the job and not the oher way around.
"You'll be when you're in places you're not expected you'll be in," she sinckered, enjoying his composure slowly deteriorating.
She noticed how he tried to calm himself by inhaling slowly and releasing it slowly.
"So why are you here?" Cale asked.
"Why are you so concerned?" Jin challenged.
"Why won't you answer?" Cale asked back.
"Cause I don't like your guts," Jin answered with a straight face that made her chuckled. He briefly glanced at her before looking back to Cale. "You've not earned the rights to get me to answer your questions."
Ashnah laughed. "What's with both of you? You act like kids."
Some of the trainees around who heard them were amused and some were trying not to laugh at the comedy duo's act.
"Yeah it's like watching a romantic movie turned into a comedy duo show." It was Monette, voicing out the comments of many. Behind her is the silent Norze whose brows were also knitted in irritation.
'Monette probably took the victory in whatever challenge she provoked him with.' Ashnah shook her head.
"So, what's up Jin? Were you punished again to the training grounds?"
Ashnah's question made Cale's brows rose in surprise. But what even surprise them is that Jin answered Ashnah with a different atmosphere.
He looked towards Ashnah. "Arnold told me to watch over you. And to teach you anything if there's anything that you'll need to know."
"He's accomplishing a mission?" Ashnah asked.
"Something like that." He leaned towards Ashnah until his mouth levelled her ears. "Some people from the main branch is coming to the training grounds. They might be staging it as if they're investigating the case that you're recently involved. However, just to be safe, do not leave my side. Arnold and I have the same thoughts--that they might be trying to find something about you to hold you directly in the main office."
She felt her anxiety kicked in her gut. She already mentally prepared herself for situations such as this, but it is totally different when it happens in real time.
"Don't worry, I won't let them do any harm to you," he added.
She gazed up, surprised by that. Jin is loyal to their organization--at least that's how Fina's word strike her when they first talk about Jin. Yet, the Jin that she saw somehow looks...reliable. Is he really?
"Hold up," it was Cale, his jaw tensed. "Is there anything that we need to know?"
"Nothing that you need to be concerned of," Jin answered nonchalantly. His annoyance, if there was any, was hidden well this time.
Cale's annoyance was becoming apparent. Instead of getting more irritated, he looked at Ashnah instead, trying to find the answer from her.
"Just some message that Uncle Arnold would like to relay," Ashnah said, trying to look straight in his eyes.
Cale was suspicious yet he gave in and nodded. "Just tell me if you need anything."
"Yeah, thanks," Ashnah smiled a little, nodding in agreement.
***