Walls

Chapter 4 part2

Jace has been incredibly clingy if I may put it that way.

He is constantly pulling me then hugging me.

He would endlessly tease me that he will kiss me.

He kept on holding my hands.

When it was time for me to go to work, He offered to drop me to the store.

As we reached the store, he didn't went inside instead he made me promise we will go to the park after my shift.

I agree as I kissed him in his cheeks and said goodbye.

After my shift I saw Jace standing outside the store waiting for me.

He held my hand as we walked towards the park.

"You hungry? I brought food." He said reaching out the sandwich to me.

I took it and ate it.

We talked randomly about anything. I laughed about him sharing stories about his childhood.

How his mom would chase him around the house for destroying her blender. He placed stones in it thinking that is how peppers are made. In the end, he was spanked in the butt and got grounded for a week.

I find the little Jace Andrei as amusing. He seemed so smart and curious about everything. Well, I still find the present Jace Andrei as amusing. Or attractive? I don't know.

"Okay, so tell me about your last relationships." He asked me.

I paused and think. I told him I've got 3 previous relationships and told stories about them. My 3 relationships were shallow. I was too young then. Shallow yet I still learned from them.

"But you know the most memorable isn't when I was inside a relationship."

He looked at me curiously.

"I once felt I was almost on my way to my 4th relationship though. It was... it felt surreal." I said looking at the clouds. Its late afternoon already.

I paused and glanced at Jace.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Well, I met someone really awesome. He was not physically very attractive, he looks okay but not the pretty boy type. But what is striking is his personality, he was just so amusing. He is funny, loving, talented and genuine. He is humble, hard working, family oriented, goal oriented and approachable. He has every right to be big headed but he isn't." I smiled at the memory of the guy I was pertaining to.

Memories started to flood me.

"I was so drawn to him that my friends were asking why do I like him that much. I defended him and told my friends that physical appearance is nothing compared to his wonderful personality. I then saw myself grabbing almost every chance I could get so I can see him and be with him."

Jace shifted beside me but I didn't bother to look. I was just so absorbed with reminiscing.

"As time goes by, I noticed him noticing me. Later, I often caught him staring at me. It happened not only once but almost every time. I was so happy and thrilled back then. I mean, he was staring at me. What could possibly be the reason behind it, right? Then I started to assume. Maybe he likes me."

I paused and took a deep breath. Everything is coming back. I thought I was over this. Why do I still feel pain?

"But then, days passed by, I heard a news. He just got himself a girlfriend. That almost literally shook me. I asked myself thousand of questions. And the biggest among those questions is Why? Why was he staring at me back then? I thought something is forming between us. In the end, everything was just my imagination. I just assumed everything."

I felt a tear fell down in my cheek followed by a few more that seemed to be nonstop. The next thing I knew I was sobbing hard.

I felt Jace's arms around me. He held me tighter with every tear that escaped my eyes. Gradually, I felt better.

I am so over this. I already moved on to that moment of my life but reminiscing it made me remember the pain I felt before. I sure felt and looked so ignorant and naive back then.

"But you know what? That made me learn lessons I treasured." I said as I calmed myself. I let go of Jace's embrace and held his hand as I looked up in the sky.

"And the biggest lesson from that story, I learned to never assume about love. I've learned it the hard way."

I looked at Jace at smiled at him.

"From then on, no matter how obvious things are around me, I tried my best not to assume. I trained myself not to assume. People started calling me cold, dense and more but I just have to hear it directly so I can believe that it is really happening." I said never leaving Jace's gaze.

I don't know what made me said those while staring at him but I felt I needed to do that.

***