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Chapter Five

Anyone would be terrified or Atleast scared to do something you're unsure of.

If you have a company in doing crime it would be perfect .

Okay am not going to do any crime but am sure to not get embarrassed all by myself 'cause my partner for tonight will sure be my partner in getting embarrassed.

So am not at all scared on embarrassing myself .

Perfect .

So now we're inside the skating ring holding each other's hands and trying to stay steady and getting weird looks from others . But who cares if you're enjoying this ?

Once we were steady , Ed gestured me to move forward and as I did he moved backward.

Slowly we moved some distance without falling . But soon he increased his speed and ended up falling . He fell pulling me along with him . On hitting his head on the ground he groaned followed by me on hitting my face on his chest . Groaning I looked at his face and found him staring at me . After a moment of staring we burst out laughing .

" God ! That ..That was h-hilarious ! " he said in between his laughter and I nodded trying to control my laughter .

Soon we sobered up and tried to stand up but ended up laughing and fell again . After numerous tries we gave up.

But a hand came in front of my face and turned to see a guy around my age I think so stood there with his hand extended.

" Need help ? " he asked with a wide smile but before I could reply Ed cut me off .

" No thanks . " he said and I turned my head and mouthed him a shut up and he rolled his eyes . I turned back to face that guy and took his hand smiling and he pulled me up . Standing up I turned to extend my hand towards Ed who was sitting there staring at that guy who was stood beside me .

I snapped my fingers in front of his face and he took my hand . Slowly Standing up he balanced himself . I turned to face that guy who was looking at me smiling .

" Thank you ...umm" I said unsure of his name .

" Nathan " he said completing my sentence and smiling .

Suddenly Ed wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me to his side. I turned my head to look at Edward but he was busy having a staring contest with that Nathan guy . I nudged him with my elbow and he glanced at me . Giving him a look to thank that guy I turned to face Nathan who was looking at me smiling .

He smiles too much .

No offence okay ?

" Thanks Man . " Ed said and tightened his grip on my waist and giving a peck on my temple he looked at me smiling .

" Can we go princess ?" he asked and I nodded not sure of my voice to speak because I was stunned.

Was he jealous ?

Nah .

Shaking my head to dismiss all unwanted thoughts I turned to Nathan , smiling at him and thanking him again we moved towards the exit .

After giving our skates back we went to his bike . On reaching his bike I gripped his wrist and he turned back to face me smiling .

" So ..where now . " I asked unsure of what he was planning now .

" You'll see " he said giving me another heart stopping smile .

He pulled out a cloth and placing his hands on my shoulders and he turned me around . He placed that cloth on my eyes and tied it back .

For a minute I was scared on what he was planning to do.

He took my hand and pulled me slowly towards the bike I think so and put the helmet on my head. Placing his hands on my hips , he lifted me up and placed me on the bike and sat infront of me . All this time my heart was beating like crazy and for a second I felt it would burst out now .

God . Am pathetic .

" Hold onto me tight . Okay ? We'll reach there in 15 minutes ." he said and I wrapped my arms around his waist, placing my head on his back I sat there embracing myself in his warmth . He started the bike and rode to god knows where .

By what he told, after 15 minutes we came to a halt .

I removed my arms from his waist and waited for him to pull me down .

From what I could hear , everything was silent except for some shuffling sounds .

Suddenly two hands were on my hips and lifted me up and placed me on ground . As my legs touched the ground I tried to remove the cloth but he gripped my hand stopping me.

Frowning I started walking to god knows where but soon an arm was wrapped around my waist . Smiling I turned to where he was taking me .

After a walk of 5 minutes sounds of waves hitting were clear and strong wind swept my hair away from my face .

Soon the cloth was removed from my eyes and my smile grew wider .

Large waves hitting the shore and moon light shining on the surface of water making it glow .

Squealing I took off my shoes and ran towards the sea .

But I didn't jump into the water 'cause I know I'll get wet .

So I stood there at the shore feeling the wind and smiling like an i***t.

Soon I felt a presence beside me and turned to see Ed standing beside me looking somewhere distant.

" Happy ? " he said smiling turning his face to look at me and I nodded mirroring his expression .

He took my hand and intertwined our fingers . Holding my hand tight he turned around and walked a few distance away from the water pulling me along with him . Sitting down he patted his side beside him . Hesitantly I sat beside him .

We fell into a comfortable silence . He was in his own thought and me in my own.

" Okay lets play 20 questions . ! " he said turning to face me .

I raised my eyebrow and he just shrugged .

Exhaling a breathe I turned to face him .

" Okay . You ask first . " I said turning to face him .

Tapping his index finger on his chin pretending to think he looked at me .

" Favorite color. ? " he said and I raised my eyebrow .

" You were so concentrated on thinking about this ? " I asked and he shrugged .

" Just answer . " he said I sighed .

" Black . Yours ? " I asked and he went into another moment of thinking .

He is hopeless .

" Green . Now your chance . " he said smiling.

" Favorite Food ? " I asked he started thinking .

God .

He thinks too much .

" Mexican fried chicken . Yours ? " he asked and I shrugged .

" I eat what I get . " I said and his eyebrows shot up in amusement.

" You really don't have any favorite food ? " he asked and I nodded .

" Will you eat if I give you fried worms ? " he asked I groaned .

Idiot .

" Lame joke Ed . " I said looking at him with a blank stare and he burst out laughing .

" Oh god . Look at your face ! " he said and it felt hard to control my smile .

" Can we continue now ? " I asked and he sobered up nodding .

" Okay . You have a boyfriend ? " he asked , I raised my eyebrow and he shrugged .

" No. I don't have a boyfriend . " I said and he nodded but I could see the amusement in his eyes .

" So that Nick guy is not you're boyfriend ? " he asked and I burst out laughing .

" Oh my god ! Nick ...my ...my boyfriend ? .No ! He is my best ..friend Ed . " I said and he smiled . That did accelerate my heart beat .

Control your emotions Jen .

" So its my chance ...umm.. You're family ? " I asked because of the curiousness . I know am invading his personal affairs but I felt like asking it .

On hearing my question his body became tensed and became stiff and I regretted for asking that question . He may not feel comfortable on sharing it with me .

" I'm ..s-sorry Ed. I shouldn't have asked you this question . Am really sorr- " he cut me off when he placed his hand on my hand .

I looked up and he was looking at me with a sad smile . I really regret asking that question .

" Its okay .. I need someone to share my tragic life story . " he chuckled and turned his head towards the sea and I tightened my grip on his hand . Whatever he is going to tell am not sure I can handle that . I have experienced separation but its quite hard to to hear such stories.

" My Family , it was a small one .. Me , my dad and Mom. Everything was fine but I ....don't know what changed but ..one day ...I heard Mom yelling at dad ..because he used to gamble and he lost whatever we had ... I don't know what he did because no one told me ..but cops came and took him .. He had life imprisonment ..." he stopped for a while taking a huge breathe he continued and I held his hand tight .

" Everything was okay for some months ..mom used to do extra work for my school fee .. I was just 13 so she didn't allow me to work .... But I don't know what compelled her to suicide...." he stopped and closed his eyes . I don't know when I moved from my place and sat beside him , My head on his shoulder and our fingers interwined .

" My aunt took care of me and now I work as Assistant coordinator at Synergy Cooperation . Its because of my aunt that am successful now ..and about singing at that bar ..singing is my passion so I got that job there and ..I ...met you there .."

And I nodded . But thinking about his Mom and Dad , I really felt sorry for him .

" You ...miss them ? " I asked hesitantly whether what I was asking was right or not .

After a moment of silence he nodded and I hugged him tight and he tightened his grip on me , his breathe hitting my neck making me shiver . After sometime he pulled back and sighed running his hand through his hair messing it up.

I resisted an urge to run my hands through his hair ..it looked soo smooth ..

Control Jen .

Sighing he turned his head to look at me . And I know its my turn to spill .

Exhaling a deep breathe I placed my head on his shoulder and he placed his head on top of mine . Taking my hand he intertwined our fingers and waited patiently .

" My ...family was small I think so .. It was Me , My elder brother Jamie ..I mean James , My dad and Mom. I ..I was twenty and one day ..they went to next town to see Jamie's new apartment which he brought from his salary savings. He wanted to gift that apartment to his would be wife Riley , he was going to propose her . I couldnt go that day because I had mid semester exams of my college . And Jamie...he promised me that a-after my exams he would introduce his girlfriend to me ..it was a big matter 'cause he was serious about her and that's rare 'cause he used to be a player during his freshman years . He met her there . That girl did change my brother ..." I said and chuckled . Taking a deep breathe I continued . It was becoming hard to tell everything . All sweet memories came back . And I tightened my grip on his hand .

" But ...he never got a chance to introduce Riley to me . I ..I met her at my family's funeral ... She was a big mess . She didn't cry but ...sat on a corner in his room wearing his shirt and stared somewhere distant ... I .." I stopped because I couldnt say anything more ..'cause tears were now rolling down my cheek and I had to take a deep breathe to continue .

He tightened his grip on my hand .

" You don't need to continue if you don't want to ...." he said but I shook my head . It was like I was feeling huge weight lifting off my heart .

" I want to ....I want to share this and I want to cry ... I ..I can't do this infront of Lin or Nick ..they are already burdened with me and I don't want them to feel sorry for me . So ..as I was saying ... They never came back ....I saw the car ...it was ...a mess .. They didn't make it up to hospital . Nick and Adalin we're my best friends since kindergarten ..and knew me well . I was a total mess after funeral and they made the idea of moving out together . So we moved together to a house ..." I said and sighed ..

" Why ..why didn't you go to any relatives ? " he asked hesitantly .

" I ..don't have any .. My Mom and Dad were orphans . So ...I don't have anyone to go to . "

" And ..umm..why is Lucas and Nick always careful about you're drinking ?And Nick was all hysterical when you passed out when we met . Why is he soo tensed in your case ? " he asked and my breathe hitched . Am not at all ready to tell him ...

" We'll save that for next time .." I said and gladly he didn't pressure me to spill up .

He nodded and we fell to a comfortable silence. I don't know what he was thinking but I was really engrossed in looking at our interwined hands .

" It looks perfect right ? " he suddenly spoke and I looked at him not sure of what he was thinking . As if sensing my questioning face he continued.

" Our hands ... ". He said softly that I had strain my ears on what he was saying . On understanding what he meant I stared at him not sure on what to say . He looked up from our hands and stared at me with so much intensity that I felt myself giving in . And exhaling a breathe he spoke.

" I.. I like you Jen . I like you so much ..more than a friend . I have seen you way before we met at that store , I know you from college , I didn't approach you because you were not in that state to socialize  . I have seen you many times in that bar before I got hired there . I have always thought why is this girl like this ? She shows everyone she is happy but her eyes show sorrow in them , deep sorrow . Maybe I was attracted to you everytime I saw you . You have a attracting aura in you . I never got the right chance to talk to you . But that day we met at store it was pure coincidence and that Nick guy was all tensed up so I thought what's with this girl ? . I may sound creepy and I know its way too early, we don't know each other that much . But we could Atleast give us a shot right ? " he asked and I stared at him not sure what to say .

I have always wanted not to face such a situation in my life because I didn't know what I'll do . But now at this situation I feel helpless . I want to say yes but I don't want to ruin his life . He is right , he doesn't know anything about me or my life . Atleast not what he should know . Will he leave me if he finds out am of no use and will be a pain for him and he is better off without me ?

I was snapped out of my internal debate when he spoke .

" Say something . " he said softly and I could feel the fear or helplessness in his voice . I know Ill regret this decision but its for the best .

I stood up leaving his hands . I didn't dare look at his heartbroken face . Am glad its dark so he won't see my teary face clearly .

Trying to control my tears I put on my shoes and turned to face him .

" Can we go home ? ..Its ...Its late . Nick and Lin would be worried . " I said slowly so that he won't know my condition now .

" You're crying again Jen . I got my answer . " he said standing up and walking towards me .

" Even you like me . Am saying the truth right Jen ? " he said lifting my chin to look at him . I tried look anywhere else than his eyes .

" No Edward . Can we go now ? " I said removing his hands from my shoulder.

" Look at me and say that again . " he said placing his hands on my arms pulling me closer.

You can do this Jen . Its for him . If he hates you and forget you that's for his better right ?

I stared at his face and looked straight in his eyes filled with hope .

" No I DON'T like you like that Edward . Leave me alone in my ..life ." I said and he dropped his hands .

It was becoming hard to control my tears . So I turned my back on him and walked towards his bike but I heard him yell something like ' I know you do like me ' . I ignored him and went to his bike and wore his helmet and stood there waiting for him .

Tears pooled in my eyes and one blink would make them flow down . I can never be happy and free . This night proved that . Am not allowed to be happy from heart . First my family and now ...Edward .

I bit my lip hard so that I won't cry in front of him .

He was just a stranger a week ago . And its quite hard to believe everything was happening so ..fast .

Soon he came and started the bike and I got on behind him . I didn't wrap my hands around him but he pulled my hands and made me wrap them around his waist.

I gripped him tight and placed my head on his back and embraced his warmth for the last time . I felt my tears roll down my cheek onto his jacket .

After a 15 minute ride he dropped me in front of my driveway . He did try to talk but I ignored him . He stood there for some more minutes before leaving and I watched him from my window . I know this would be the last time I would be seeing him .

I hope so .