Always Him (Always #1)

Chapter Eight

Over the next few days, we took nightly walks to the river. Jasper and I fell into a routine just as we did years ago, minus sharing the bed. We'd slept in our respective rooms after that night. While sleep hadn't come easily every night after, I found myself hugging my pillow tighter. There was no reason to wake Jasper, no reason to share a bed with him again. The thought alone of sharing a bed with him again had my blood pumping with a new passion that tingled throughout my entire body. It was strangely welcoming.

During our walks, more than once, I caught Jasper looking to his left instead of towards me; he'd been looking for the regular third person. Being just the two of us now, it was weird without being weird. We'd hung out only the two of us before, but it was different now, knowing that we weren't going to be joined by the third person again. It brought waves of sadness through us, though we weren't going to let that get us down. We were doing our best to keep living life the way Blaine would have wanted us to.

Work had been going exceptionally well; Carly and I had a third meeting with our board of directors. They were thoroughly impressed with the work that we'd gotten accomplished in the timeframe that we did, and they were more curious about our ideas for the future of the field. To add to our accomplishments for the day, they were intrigued to find that I hadn't yet gotten my doctorate, all though they told me that when the day came, they'd be waiting with a bottle of champaign and a promise to help with whatever I needed, whenever I needed it. There was only a slight look of disappointment when I told them I wasn't sure about getting a doctorate, that I was pleased with getting my masters.

Jasper joined me at work a day later. Carly had been so thrilled to see him; she'd crushed him in a vice-like hug and refused to let go for five minutes. I nearly had to grab a crowbar to separate them.

"It's so good to see you." She breathed, taking him in. "I haven't seen you in years. You look like you're doing well."

He nodded. "The best I can."

Her head angled towards me as she bent close to whisper something in Jasper's ear. "Have patience with her; she'll come around." She wasn't being quiet in the slightest.

"Carly!" I remarked as Jasper's cheeks reddened, looking away from either of us, choosing to focus on a poster on the wall instead. "Personal!"

She gave a dismissive wave. "I've always said it!"

I blushed as Jasper chuckled. We spoke at the same time. "We know." We then locked eyes. Embarrassment clung to every surface in the room. I felt his eyes on me now, but I couldn't look at him, not now, not when I could possibly betray myself with how heated my cheeks were. I was probably making it worse for myself by continuing to look away, but Jasper didn't say anything either.

He finally sat at my desk once Carly gave him her official blessing that he was in good health and only had the best intentions for his future. She may have put more effort into helping me due to me having the same interests as her, but she'd looked out for Blaine and Jasper as well, always asking them how their schooling was going and what they wanted to do with their lives. Carly was always supportive. She was another mother to all of us.

"Is she always this animated?" he asked low, holding a petri-dish of living bacteria.

I glanced up from my own petri-dish of algae. Carly was at her desk, phone at her ear, laughing about something with her mother. "You've enhanced her animation. Normally she's at a six out of ten."