Perfect Proposal

12. Returning the favour?!

"Jace," a shriek escaped my mouth as I turned back, frown was dappled on my face. Clenching my fists, I scowled at him.

He stood few metres away from me, throwing fury filled glances at me. I noticed that he had changed into a new jeans, although the way he limped out from the cafe had made me laugh at his plight. I grinned at him who was still fuming in rage.

"You..." He grunted, challenging my grin, and started strolling towards me, his gaze glued on my face, beckoning the memories of the pain I inflicted him, the memoirs of which now thrusted out from his face, yeah, his face were painted crimson red, fresh like a rose, and his jaw seemed like it would fall off even in gentle touch, he was that much vulnerable.

"Wait, Jace.." I stepped back, cupping my face to prevent me from laughing.

"I only..I only agreed to act, not to..not to be your live punch..punching bag, Hel," the words slowly glided from his mouth, laced with sheer pain, squirming under the wrath showered over him.

Jace was our senior who had an irresistible love for Ezlyn, which he couldn't convey much. After graduation he worked in a media company as an intern.

Lacking the confidence, he could never confront Ezlyn. She didn't care much, neither reciprocated his love as she was conceded in her own chaotic problems, but being the gentleman he was, never tried to taint his love for her by stalking or following her, which as a best friend of her I appreciate much.

It was before a week when Ezlyn shared me with the problem of the decrease in her cafe's sales due to the emerge of small stalls nearby which served coffee in much lesser price, as they made it with the cheap products.

Inorder to prevent her cafe's owner, Linda Cooper, who was her aunt, to close the cafe, I tried to dive right into it searching for a solution. So when I approached him to pull out a drama to attract customers, he agreed wholeheartedly.

He was a nice guy otherwise I would've been in ICU at this time.

"I had practised very much to not stammer infront of her, but didn't think much to evade your hits. It hurts Ez-Helen," he told in tremoulus voice, with his insides shaking in the pain, writhing him under the agony duly provided by yours truly.

"Really sorry, Jace. I..I tried much to make it look real. But I think it was the most stupid idea," I blabbered, my glance fell on him, painfully as I could feel his words clenching my conscience, feeling sorry for him from the core of my mind. Stupid idea and poor Jace had to be the victim of it, "but I must say, except the initial shock, you did excellent to match up with my performance. I can see a drama artist in you, you should leave that office job of yours," smiling at him, I said.

"I don't care, I did all that, because I desperately wanted Ezlyn's attention, but now she'd hate me. She doesn't know about this drama, does she?" Raising his bushy eyebrows, he asked, as the doubts started to rise in him.

"No," I said, with my gaze on the floor as I couldn't face my conscience throwing accusations as hideous as the creature I had become.

Damn it.

Where did your compassion go, Hel? My inner voice mocked me, drilling a pitch black hole which I was being sucked in.

Oh, hello, inner voice, if I'd cared about all that, then Ezlyn would've been in streets by this time. So shut the hell up.

"Fuck. Like I..Like I..had-had thought, you..you were using me. She'd just..she'd just blatantly go on a hating spree on me. Now I don't even stand a chance to confess my love for her." The sobs adorned his plump rose lips, and etched an agonizing emotion on his face, with eyes trembling with the surge of tears.

"I..I was too frustrated with other things, and if I had told her, she'd just overact, and we wouldn't have pulled such a trustworthy act infront of those. Now they'd anticipate your retaliation and would keep visiting. That was such an amazing show," I said, with a smile, filled with gratitude for him.

"At the..Co..At the cost of my pain, Hellll," he yelled, stuttering in the pain his venture had contributed to him, "this fucking..fucking pain is my reward, huh?" Tears broke out the barrier of his eyes, kissing his red cheeks.

"No, it'd be much bigger. I mean, like I said when I'd approached you, Ezlyn would know you very well."

"As an asshole, damn it," Jace said, though it sounded more like a growl arose from the univited pain he got because of his one side love.

"What if I tell her about this? That it was a drama for attracting the customers which I'd ve doing definitely," scrunching my nose, I asked, "it would make things pretty much easy for you."

"Um, then.." wiping his tears, he stuttered in words, there was smile as naughty as the dimple he carried, threatening to break out from his lips.

"Then she'd just fall head over heels in love with you, huh, stupid, that's not how these things work. Be patient," I whispered, leaning over him.

"Um, right, I guess." The redness slowly crept over his face, engulfing the fury possessed by him, waahing away the tears sulking in the corners of his eyes, and gleaming in a hope as red as the rose flower, due to the flustered state he was in.

"Look who's blushing now?" Giggling, I asked, which he ignored, "by the way from where did you get all those sentences which you said at the cafe, man that was mind blowing.."

"I know, right? I wrote them and by hearted it, although I shivered when I saw Ezlyn."

"..cringe! If I knew you suck at the dialogues, I'd have written it for you., Jace." Grinning, I retired, warning his glare.

"Ugh, shut it, Hel. The pain you had rewarded me is still in my body, so don't you dare start with my sentence," Jace's face stiffened, while he warned me.

"Alright. That won't happen again. You want money for hospital?" Furrowing my eyebrows, I asked, with a tingling in my heart, seeing his plight, because of me.

"No."

"Alright." I heaved in, "but I am sorry, I truly am." I couldn't stop apologising for the things I had done, or I had to, for my Ezlyn.

"Its okay, leave it. So what now? What's-what's your further plan?"

"We can't be seen together. So we'll part now but if I plan anything, I will call you, okay?" Crossing my arms, and shifting my weight to one leg, I uttered in a firm voice.

"Ugh, don't, just don't call me." Annoyed, he replied, though there was smirk curling the corner of his full lips, as the cheeks strikingly displayed the rush of his one sided love. It was a beautiful sight to devour if only I hadn't to rush back to my home.

"Can we discuss all that later. I'm in a hurry to get back home before my mom notice."

"Well, ok then."

He turned and waddled away, putting his hands inside his jeans pocket on either side, humming a tone, as I glanced at him.