Liza was once again sitting beside Jonathan, she could see that Alex was talking up a storm while Alice was just nodding at whatever he was saying. Liza's eyebrows furrowed with concern. Was something wrong with Alice? She was not her usual self. The Alice she knew was chatty and had an opinion about everything but seeing from afar it looked like Alice was holding herself back. Liza turned to Jonathan who was busy with his phone. After Steve had left, things had been awkward between them, not that they had been friendly before but at least they had sat in comfortable silence but now the silence had become painfully suffocating. Liza had half expected Jonathan to at least rave about how she couldn't go on the date with Steve but instead, he had kept his mouth shut and had altogether ignored her. Frustrated by his ignorance, Liza punched Jonathan on his arm "Ow!! What was that for?" Jonathan shrieked, rubbing the now sore spot on his arm. "What do you think is going on between Alex an
Jonathan spun around on the heels, trying to catch if someone was watching him. He knew that if someone saw him, it would be the end of the cold ruthless businessman image he had created but at this point, it was all worth it. He turned back when Liza tugged his sleeve, willing him to move ahead. Liza was wearing a brown cap with her hair covering her face, her forehead was scrunched with concentration as she spied on Alice and Alex. Jonathan laughed at her antics. The way Liza was acting was probably all crazy and stupid but Jonathan loved it. He hadn't seen this side of her in a long time. He loved the way her eyebrows were scrunched together as she tried to hear what Alice and Alex were talking about and the way her eyes lit up with excitement when Alex made Alice blush but most of all he loved that they were now spending time together out of the office and Liza was somehow going back to the woman he once knew.Liza was having the time of her life spying on Alice and Alex.
"Okay, you go," Liza said. Her voice strong, never wavering as she silently accepted the challenge posed by Jonathan's eyes. "Are you sure about it?" Jonathan asked, "I won't be asking you about your favorite color." He warned. Liza's determination wavered a bit. She knew that his questions would be related to their past and their future. It would be like opening the Pandora box' Did she want to go down that lane, again?' Liza asked herself. She was tired of her and Jonathan's weird relationship, they were civil for a moment, friends even and at that moment she felt like she was back with the Jonathan she had once loved but then she remembered all those months of pain and her walls locked her in again, far away from the potential threat to her heart. She didn't want to risk the barrier that she had built but she was tired of all the skirting around and her hot and cold behavior with Jonathan. Maintaining her cold composure took a lot of energy out of her and she wasn't sure about wh
"Do you still hate me?" the question hit Liza like a ton of bricks. Had she been standing, she would have stumbled back into the wall. She didn't know what to say. She definitely didn't like Jonathan but did she hate him? She had forgiven Jonathan for what he had done, for the sake of her mental peace but had she really forgotten about it? Or more importantly, could she ever forget about it?Jonathan watched as confusion swam in Liza's eyes, he waited for the answer with bated breath. He knew that it would take time, that it will bring back unpleasant memories but he needed to know. he watched as Liza scrambled through her mind trying to find an answer. all the memories that she had tried to bury inside with the happy moments she had spent with her loved ones, rose to the surface and filled every nook and cranny of her body. All the pain and heartbreak that she had experienced was choking her, rendering her unable to move. And it was at that time when anger rushed to her as h
Liza and Jonathan sat in silence as Jonathan gathered back his strength to speak bit by bit. Liza hadn't seen Jonathan like this in the time she had been with him. Even he was apologizing he had an air of collectedness around him but at that moment Jonathan looked nothing less than a mess. Liza wondered how long it will take to get out of the small room they were locked in, it was becoming increasingly suffocating for her especially with the heavy air surrounding them. "It's my turn, right?" Jonathan asked, his voice was rough as if he had screamed at the top of his lungs and had got a sore throat from that. And even though it was silent in that stuffy and dim room, it seemed to be deafening to Liza. Liza nodded as a gesture for Jonathan to go ahead and ask her, his question.The moment he had decided to challenge Liza to twenty questions, he had known that it wouldn't be a simple game, but he hadn't realized either that it will feel like walking on edge of a knife. Jonathan
Jonathan looked at Liza, her words had painted a scenario in which he never wanted to live in, the moments which he wanted to erase from his memories. He thought about her words and before he could stop himself, his question was out from his mouth. "Will you be able to love me again?" and suddenly the noises of breathing that had filled the room fell silent. He looked at Liza, her eyes were wide after her rant she hadn't expected this question, no sane person would have asked this question, but Jonathan needed to know, he needed some hope, so he fumbled hoping to grasp it as he asked the question.Liza who had stopped breathing all of sudden, regained her breath. This was one question she was dreading. Because she knew the answer and she knew that this answer would end whatever was going on between them. She had enjoyed Jonathan's company over the last few days as she had tried to play cupid for Alex and Alice, it was as if they were back to being friends they were before the
They sat still for a moment, as the guard removed himself from the room. The air was still heavy with the words which had been just said. They were sitting across each other, but it seemed like they were at the opposite poles of the earth. Liza's mind was still reeling, scrambling about for more words to throw at Jonathan, to make him see her reasons, to make him feel her pain. The barrier which had been enclosing every memory, every emotion, and every feeling related to Jonathan, had finally broken and now she was lacking words and breaths to express them. Liza had always denied every scrap of feeling that she had felt since meeting Jonathan again, but now even though she had admitted it, she knew that it was something that could never develop further. Not because of her insecurities but because of his choices in the past.Jonathan stared at Liza, suffering from blinding ache which felt far worse than any physical pain he had ever experience. He touched his face, only to fin
Alice rubbed her cheeks wondering if they were still red. There was an undertone of excitement in the air surrounding her. The plastic cherry blossom tree, with its pretty pink flowers, was looming above them, and for a brief moment, Alice wondered exactly how much paper would have been wasted for making this tree. It wasn't the most appropriate thought for the situation she was in, after all, she had just been kissed.It had happened all too quickly. One moment Alice had been telling Alex how she was uncomfortable with being pressed up against him and how their position seemed to be wrong and the next thing she knew was her face being held by Alex, and his lips descending on hers. The kiss had started with Alex bent over her, coaxing her to respond, and had escalated to Alice standing on her tippy toes refusing to let Alex go. Unlike the usual cliche, Alice had been very much aware of the people around them, she could hear a giggling group of girls passing by, she could feel
Liza knocked on the cherry wood door, as she waited outside. Her face was now clean and bare, free from the disguise and the tears which had stampeded down her cheeks as soon as she had reached the safety of her car. Her dress was a little dusty from sitting down on the floor but she was sure that Melanie wouldn't mind. The door opened to a grinning Melanie with deep blue-dyed hair and a sleepy Keith attached to her hip. Liza smiled at the sight before her as Keith fussed to go to Liza. Taking Max from Melanie, she entered the house. "What's up, Liz?" Melanie asked as she sat down on a chair in front of the kitchen aisle. "I was missing you guys, and especially Keith," Liza replied, tickling Keith lightly as he let out a delighted giggle. Melanie looked over at Liza worriedly. She knew something was up. Liza never came by unannounced, she preferred to spend as much time as she could working and therefore always confirmed her visits. If there was one word to define Liza, it would be