Chapter Four

Growing up, Jason had been told that he was a good-for-nothing. That he couldn’t do anything right even if he tried. He had believed it.

    He exhaled deeply, he was sitting on the park bench after having left the party fifteen minutes ago without anyone noticing, or so he’d thought until he heard footsteps behind him. He knew that what he did wouldn’t go un-chastised by the boys and he had been waiting for a confrontation.

So when Dominic appeared before him, he raised his head to meet the former’s disapproving gaze less contritely.

    Dominic tucked his hand inside his pants pocket as they continued to stare at each other, the tension between them cutting through the night.

Jason waited for him to speak and after a few more moments of silence, he finally remarked,

   ‘’That was a very immature thing to do to a friend.’’ His voice was calm but stern.

   ‘’I know.’’ Jason admitted slowly.

    ‘’Then why did you do it?’’

    ‘’I don’t know, maybe I just couldn’t stop what I was feeling.’’

   ‘’Jason…’’ Dominic called rather harshly before letting out a breath to calm himself. ‘’You should apologise to Dylan before things get out of hand.’’

   Jason got on his feet slowly.

   ‘’Things are already out of hand. And what do I have to apologise for? The fact that she liked me instead of him?’’

    ‘’You know you’re not making any sense.’’

    ‘’To you maybe, but expressing my feelings isn’t something I can apologise for.’’

    ‘’She was Dylan’s girlfriend.’’ Dominic reminded hoping to make him see his mistake.

    ‘’And she liked me more.’’

   ‘’If I didn’t consider you a brother, I would’ve punched you right in the face.’’

   ‘’Oh please do so, don’t hesitate on my account,’’ he shrugged. ‘’Maybe I might get my senses back.’’

The sarcasm earned him a glare before Dominic walked away.

Jason sighed, even though it bothered him that he was always competing with Dylan, he couldn’t help it.

   ‘’Are you here to lecture me too? Dominic has just done his part.’’ He said without looking back he was referring to Bryan. It’s about time he thought.

But when the silence grew, he looked back curiously.

Surprise registered on his face as their gazes locked. Her eyes still carried that glint of worry from five years ago. He didn’t want to be pitied, and he certainly didn’t want her to always be there whenever he was facing a crisis.

   Even though it’s been five years already, he couldn’t forget those eyes that had always looked at him with compassion. She was a woman now he realised, no longer the gangly girl with the ridiculous bunches.

   Her deep brown hair was suspended behind her head, as always her eyes were apprehensive—those eyes he couldn’t stop himself from gazing into,                                                                                 always having the most addicting effect on him no matter how hard he tried to deny it.

    ‘’Hi,’’ she smiled, the action caused warmth to course through him her voice was so melodious it sank into him making his heart flip over and that annoyed him to no end. He frowned.

    ‘’What are you doing here?’’ he asked sounding displeased when he could have been leaping with joy.

Ella’s brows furrowed, ‘’you didn’t even ask who I am.’’

    ‘’I know who you are.’’ How could he not when she was an ever present force in his life?

   ‘’Really? Who am I then?’’

   ‘’Ella Garcia.’’ Her name rolled out of his tongue in a sleek way that was so like him. Ella resisted the urge to wrap her arms around him and inhale his scent. It warmed her heart that he didn’t forget about her, her chest tightened with an unexplained emotion.

   Jason tucked his hands in his pants pocket aware that if he didn’t, he would be pulling her into his arms and kissing those sensuous cherry lips until they were both breathless. Where had that thought come from?

    Jason cleared his throat and sat back down on the bench. Ella rounded the bench to sit beside him.

   ‘’Don’t,’’

She hesitated, then sat down any way.

   ‘’You just don’t take no for an answer do you?’’ he muttered irritably.

   ‘’Nope.’’ She stated stubbornly, ‘’don’t expect me to change on your account, besides if I stop being the fish-bone in your throat, where’s the fun in that? you know there’s no one as stubborn as me.’’ She grinned cheekily, ‘’I know you like me,’’ she cooed. Jason scoffed,

  ‘’You wish.’’ Liar.

  ‘’And you miss me…a lot.’’

   He knew she was right but he wasn’t going to tell her. She was like a leech, so clingy it takes all your energy to get it off. But Ella was a stubborn leech he could never get rid of, or like she said ‘a fish bone in your throat.’

    They didn’t say anything more but stare at the night sky.  The stars twinkled radiantly as though they were smiling down at them it almost took her breath away.

   Ella knew he’d be here at the park because when they were younger, he’d come to let out his anger, his fears and frustrations.

He would cry his heart out almost every night. Ella saw his pain then, and she still saw it now.

    ‘’Jason, how are you?’’ He knew she would ask that question sooner or later. Ella turned her head to look at him.

He smirked. ‘’I’ll live.’’

    He wasn’t okay, Ella could see that. And without a moment’s thought, she reached out and placed her hand on his as it rested on his left knee. Jason tensed at first but when he allowed himself to relax, he forgot about everything in an instant; Dylan, Savannah and his father all that he felt was warmth from her hand. It was sensual, magical and unbelievably soothing. It was maddening the burst of emotion she evoked in him.

    ‘’I may not understand Jason but I can tell you that I feel your pain.’’

   ‘’What do you know?’’ he scoffed.

   ‘’You don’t have to pretend that everything is okay.’’ Ella hoped that he would hear the sincerity in her voice and see it in her eyes.

   ‘’Stop spouting out your sappy nonsense Ella okay, I’m not that kid anymore.’’ He countered heatedly. ‘’I’m fine I don’t need you playing the little psychiatrist.’’

    ‘’I’m sorry I didn’t mean to—‘’

     ‘’Just because you know a thing or two about my life doesn’t mean you know me at all.’’ He got on his feet. ‘’Stop butting into matters that does not concern you at all.’’

    Of all the things Dylan had expected to encounter as he took a little stroll, a romantic tryst wasn’t one of them.

His full brows shot up at the intimate gesture she made by taking his hand; Jason and the slum girl how interesting. Who would’ve thought?

   He tsked at how pathetic they both looked the sight almost sickening. He watched as Jason stalked off leaving her feeling miserable, Dylan knew that look, the look of defeat that appeared as if your heart were about to break into a tiny million pieces, as if your eyes couldn’t contain the tears anymore.

    She likes him. He concluded, the slum girl actually likes Jason. He suddenly had a gut feeling he and slum girl would be meeting again soon for he hated to admit that he was beginning to be in dire need of her help.

Almost immediately he could feel the uncanny thoughts running amok in his head.

   This should be interesting.