Watched

Chapter 37

We reached the parking lot in a number of minutes and once we found Randy's car he paused to look at his watch before he spoke to us.

"You guys go ahead with Jordan, I have something I need to take care of, I'll catch up later." He said before quickly getting into his car and staring the engine.

I watched in confusion as he reversed out the lot and waved goodbye before driving off in one swift motion. I looked to the others to gauge their expressions but apparently they seemed unbothered and had already started to pile into Jordan's car. Only Samantha stopped for a brief moment to acknowledge what had just happened with a shrug before saying.

"It beats me", she then turned and climbed into Jordan's car as well. I watched as Peter made his way to the town car before making my way to Jordan's car as well but, by the time I was ready to get in myself the back seat was already taken by Izzy, Maddy, Naz and Samantha. Leaving only the passenger seat open for me, I climbed in awkwardly having to smooth out my grey pencil skirt before taking my seat, a faint memory I had as a child were my grandmother scolded me for getting wrinkles in my skirt briefly nudged the periphery of my conscious.

Jordan started the engine soon after and I glanced over at him while I buckeled my seatbelt. In the background I could hear the indistinct chatter of my friends as we drove, but Jordan remained silent. He's eyes trained on the road the entire trip, he seemed to be consumed in thought, I watched as his jaw clenched and to the untrained eye he just seemed deep in thought. However, I could tell by the way his knuckles paled as he gripped the steering wheel that something was bothering him.

The scar on my shoulder from the bullet wound started to itch once again and I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from scratching it. It had been nearly three months now since I had been shot and luckily I had made a full recovery, only a slight raised scare remained on my left shoulder taking the shape of the stitches I once had, along with a few other minor scars throughout my body such as the small scar that formed on the outer edge of my right eyebrow.

I don't know if it is a placebo effect but for some reason every time I was with Jordan my scar began to itch and I went to great pains to not scratch it, but sometimes I would slip and reach my hand over to rub it. Jordan noticed one time and I feel like it crushed him, he already blamed himself for what happened to me, in the time of my recovery he would visit often and he kept on insistently apologising regardless of the fact that I reassured him it's not his fault and I'd do what I did over and over again if it meant I could protect him. At one point he broke down and said that was the whole point, he was meant to protect me ...not the other way around and according to him he had failed the one task that mattered most. This tension created a rift between us and I think he resisted too much contact with me as a way of punishing himself, maybe it hurt him too much to look at me and constantly be reminded that he had failed his mission, one that took up three years of his life.

We came to a rolling stop at the red light and I looked up into the review mirror to see Peter (one of my bodyguards assigned to me by my grandmother) follow behind us in a sleek black town car. I noticed Jordan looking at him too, his jaw clenched slightly, perhaps the fact that I "needed" another bodyguard like Peter was yet another reminder of his perceived inadequacy.

I longed to place a hand over his and reassure him, but I knew it wasn't the right time or place to tell him what I wanted to say. For a brief moment as if noticing my gaze was fixed on him, he turned to look in my direction for the first time this entire right.

" Is there something on my face?" he asked a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he gave me a sheepish look before rubbing the back of his neck.

I allowed myself to marvel at the way the sunlight hit his face, making the blue in his eyes dance like the glistening waters of the blue lagoon at sunset. Before responding to him with a smile of my own.

"I guess it's my turn to watch you now, huh?" I asked playfully making sure my comment was not heard by the girls in the back seat, who still seemed to be caught up in what must have been a riveting conversation because they haven't stoped speaking  since we left the convention centre.

Jordan looked at me again giving me a full smile now, one that reached his eyes and light up his face, one of those rare genuine smiles that could thaw the coldest of hearts. My own heart gave a little lurch and I fought the urge I had to run my fingers through his soft dark hair.

" I see" he said under his breath while taking the exit of the high way, If I hadn't been so enamoured with him at that moment I might have noticed that he took the wrong exit and this was not the way to Livingstone, yet as it stood I didn't notice a thing.

"How does it feel to finally be the watcher?" he asked in a light-hearted tone. It was the most levity I had noticed in his demeanour for what felt like ages and I was enjoying the moment.

"Mmmm... well not much report, I don't know how you did it for so long" I teased a smile playing on my lips as I turned to face the road.

"Good employee health benefits" he retorted with a cunning grin and we both broke into a light chuckle.

I turned to face him once again; my head resting on the car seat as I looked at him wistfully, the sunlight streaming through the window tinted everything with the signature orange glow of sunset. He looked at me too and for a brief moment it felt like it was just the two of us in the car together. In that one longing look we shared we managed to exchange a month's worth of untold emotions. I knew somehow that even without talking he understood how I felt and I understood him.

After that moment passed he refocused on the road ahead and I let out a slight sigh closing my eyes for a moment and rolling down the window to enjoy the fresh ocean breeze that wisped my cheeks as we sped by.

I opened my eyes again when I felt the car slowing down.

"We're here" Jordan announced matter-of-factly and I frowned in confusion.

"What are we doing at the Shack?" I asked dumbfounded, while unbuckling my seatbelt. In my periphery I could see Peter getting out of the town car and standing in front of Jordan's car waiting for me. His mere presence left a constant nagging in my subconscious and I wished once again that he wasn't here. Every time I began to feel a tad bit normal again he would appear and bring with him all the memories of why I am not.

" I thought we'd just grab a bite to eat and say hi to Joe" I frowned once again but I did not protest, it was odd but at the same time I missed this little coffee shop and I had no objections to being back there again and possibly resuming my old banter with Joe.

My friends and I got out of the car and we made our way to the entrance, Maddy was the first to walk in and the familiar sound of the bell rang as he opened the door. A fond feeling of nostalgia overcame me as I was hit by the smell of freshly made coffee. I walked in to be greeted by the neon-green counter that I had spent many a good night working behind. However I did notice that no-one was behind the counter which was a big no-no and Joe was nowhere to be found. In fact apart from my friends, Peter and I the entire shop was completely void of any customers. A moment of panic gripped my heart and I looked back to Jordan who stood right behind me. He placed his hands on my shoulders and leaned down to plant a kiss on my cheek from behind and at the same time Joe and Randy came out the back room with music blaring and a large banner that read WELCOME HOME ARIA.

"Welcome home bambi "Jordan whispered.

I covered my mouth with my hands in complete shock, the rest of the group started to cheer and Maddy scooped me up into a big hug nearly squeezing the life out of me.

"Ahhhh welcome back Ari... Ohhh we've missed you so much!" she squealed the music blaring from the speakers mingled with the cheers of the crowed and I felt tears well in my eyes.

"You guys" I said chocking back the tears.

"All this ...for me?" I asked taking in all the decorations I had missed earlier. The walls were lined with balloons and fairy lights, probably Maddy's touch I reckoned.

"Of course Ari it's not every day we have an International celebrity visit our shop."
Joe yelled over the loud music before Joining Maddy and scooping us into a big bear hug.

" You deserve it, we love you Noble" I heard Randy's voice call out before he too joined the growing pile of people hugging me and pretty soon everyone joined in until it was just one large hug pile of love and happiness and I allowed the tears to fall freely down my face. This right here is my family, it's where I belong.