This Love | ✓

Part 21

"Give Emily one, too," I told Jason, handing him another disc-shaped candy. 

I shifted on my feet, holding the pouch of sweets in one hand and a coffee cup in the other. I tucked the pouch into my backpack, noting with disappointment that only three sweets remained. 

Jason turned to the coffee station where the ever-distracted Emily stood with her phone in hand. 

"What is that?" Emily asked, squinting at the picture of the muffin on the candy. "A turd?"

Jason and I snorted with laughter concurrently.

"It's a muffin," he clarified, his eyebrows arched in amusement. "You know, like the ones we have here?"

Emily scrunched up her rounded nose. "Why a muffin?"

I chewed my lower lip, wondering how Jason would explain the significance of the muffin to her. 

To my surprise, he just winked at me secretively before saying, "It's our thing."

I beamed at him, my heart swelling with affection and pride.

Our thing. Jason and I have a thing. 

Emily shrugged, slipping the candy into her mouth just as the bell on the café's door chimed. A dark-skinned, middle-aged man walked in, dressed in a smart black shirt over neatly pressed trousers.

"Oh," Jason said, stiffening. "That's the manager."

The man smiled and greeted the customers seated near the door before walking towards the billing counter.

"Hello, ma'am," he greeted me with a brisk smile. "How are you today?"

"Hi," I returned his greeting, relieved that the stern manager hadn't seen me sharing candy with Jason and Emily. "I'm good, thanks."

The manager greeted the two baristas with a friendly nod. Although the man was polite, his voice and manner commanded respect. Even Emily stood up straighter, appearing more alert than she had ever been.

"Well," I smiled nervously, holding up the plastic cup in my hand. "I better go."

"Please visit us again," Jason said, his tone careful and formal under the manager's scrutiny.  

Jason and I looked at each other for a moment, realising that we were both thinking the same thing: I want to kiss you.

But we can't.

"I will," I replied to Jason, flustered. "Thanks."

I spun around on my heels and walked out of the café, my body grumbling with frustration and longing.

***

"Thank you," Claire and I said in unison as the waiter set steaming bowls of soup in front of us.

"Enjoy," he smiled before walking away from our table.

"You have a date with Jason later today, don't you?" Claire asked, her green eyes and blonde hair illuminated by the sunlight that streamed into the restaurant.

"Yeah," I murmured, gently blowing on a spoonful of squash soup.

I looked up from the bowl when I heard Claire's tinkling laughter.

"What, Claire?"

"You didn't correct me saying it's not a date this time," she remarked, trying to contain her mirth.

"Uh, well," I stumbled, blushing furiously. "We're going to a place called the Watts Towers. It's not a romantic restaurant or anything. So, it's not really a date."

"If you say so," Claire shrugged, still smiling. "What did you do today?"

"Well, I spent the morning at Athena's Used Books," I explained. "I'm helping Zach."

"Oh? With what?"

"We're reorganising all the books there."

Claire sipped her soup thoughtfully. It suddenly occurred to me that she was probably thinking about the novels that she had given to the store.

"Claire," I said firmly, forcing her eyes to meet mine. "I saw them." 

Her hand, holding the fancy soup spoon, twitched ever so slightly.

"I saw the books that Dad had gifted to you," I repeated. "The books that I slipped into your stuff before you moved here."

Claire remained silent, unwilling to look me in the eyes. 

"I'm so tired of not knowing," I muttered, my appetite evaporating along with the steam that rose from the soup. "I'm tired of not knowing why you two separated."

"Leena," she hissed with such severity that I flinched. "We will not discuss this. Not here, not now."

"Then when will we ever discuss it?" I demanded, anger bubbling in my stomach.

Claire responded with one just one word, but there was a finality attached to it that hurt like a hard slap to my face.

"Never."

***

Gasping, I craned my neck to gape at the soaring interconnected towers.

"Wha—How tall are these things?" I wondered aloud, feeling like an insignificant speck of dust next to the gigantic structures.

"The tallest one is over ninety-nine feet high," Jason marvelled.

"Whoa," I breathed, feeling unsteady. "My head is spinning just looking at them."

"Better?" Jason asked, draping his arm around my waist and pulling me close. 

"Better," I smiled, mirroring his action so our sides were pressed against each other. 

"It took over 33 years for these towers to be built," Jason mused, his eyes bright with fascination. 

"That's incredible," I commented. 

The complex structures were constructed from steel, glass, porcelain, and tile. Glass bottles, seashells, mirrors, and many other objects decorated the colossal towers.

I sighed contentedly when Jason smiled down at me. His grey and hazel irises were cast in shadows under the setting sun. Losing myself in his intense gaze, I forgot all about the unpleasant lunch with Claire earlier that day. In that moment, wrapped in Jason's embrace, I forgot all my troubles and fears. 

"Thank you for doing this," I whispered. "For showing me all these amazing places."

Jason just smiled in response, tipping his head to kiss me until I saw stars and spots behind my eyelids.

"Will you go out on a date with me?" I breathed several moments later.

"What?" Jason asked, his eyes alight with laughter.

"Let me buy you dinner this Sunday night," I smiled. Pressing the tips of my fingers against his cheek, I summoned all my courage and asked, "Will you go out with me, Jason Hunter?" 

He turned his head to the side, his lips brushing against my fingers as he replied, "I would love to, Leena Faye."