Alice was knocked out of her wonderland. She brought back her rude facial expression. "Don’t think too high of yourself?" Alice scolded him. She was trying to hide her embarrassment. Jack smiled listening to her. The old Alice that he loved having around and being around with was back.Jack walked and sat on the couch near the files. "Come, have a seat," he signed her to seat. She nodded and sat as she kept her bag aside. "Want something; water, juice, wine, vodka, tequila?" Jack's lips curled more and more as he uttered the drink's name. He loved teasing her. This guy is unbelievable, she thought. Alice smiled, "Looks like you have all the drinks in the world?" she had a challenging voice. "I do," Jack said it confidently smirking even more. "Then how about..." she paused as she spoke. Jack was expecting her to name one of the drinks he just mentioned, "a cup of coffee?" she completed her sentence. It didn't even take a full second for Jack's smirk to fade. "What?" he asked in
Alice understood what Jack thought of when she said those words. "As I said before, don't flatter yourself too much and no need to think too much as well." Alice said harshly. "Then?" Jack slowly took back his seat. "I just felt like you might be working the whole night and I know that you live alone, so I thought maybe I could be here with you throughout the night to accompany you... If a person is around you then you are less likely to just fall asleep. And in case if you do fall asleep, I will kick you in your precious behind and wake you up. Simple." Alice explained. But in her heart she asked herself whether that was truly the reason behind her wanting to meet him and be around him or had she just declared herself as a fool for coming up with such a ridiculous reason. Jack's heart smiled hearing that. She was here because she cared for him and that was crystal clear. No matter whether she agrees with it or not or even if she herself genuinely did not know, she did care for him
He picked the book from the floor and looked at her. "Are you fine?" he asked. Alice did not say anything. "It was the book that fell Jack not Alice herself," Alison walked closer to them. "And what in the world are you doing here?" she asked being disgusted. "Oh wait... so that lousy cheap bag is yours?" she asked being more disgusted. Normally Alice would've replied confidently on her face making it impossible for Alison to insult her ever again. But, for some unknown reason, Alice's lips were sealed and her brain was blank. "Shut up Alison." Jack spoke for Alice. "She works herself alright. She doesn't go around hanging with strangers all the time. She doesn't have a filthy rich boyfriend to buy her every luxury in the world unlike you." Jack retorted. Alison had insulted Alice, but it looked like it was Jack whose ego was hurt. "Really?" Alison chuckled. "Who are you then?" Alison moved her eyeballs towards Jack. Alice stared at Alison not believing what she just meant. "I-"
He stopped writing and looked at Alice with an unanticipated look. Alice looked serious."Why do you ask?""I actually..." she was debating whether to say it or not.Jack was waiting for her to complete before raising any more questions."I am sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop but I kind of heard what Alison said."Jack recalled that moment when Alison asked him that. "What's the matter Jack? You don't love me anymore?"Jack did not speak as he was in his flashback moment."So?" Alice asked again bringing Jack back to present. "You loved her?... Or maybe love her?""That's difficult to answer," he said sounding addled."What?" Alice did not believe him."We were 16 when we started dating and we broke up...""What?" Alice could not believe that. She knew both Jack and Alison for a very long time. In their uni days both seemed fine around each other. They never behaved like each other's exes. And this new news blew her mind."Yeah..." Jack assured her. We were young back then and I was v
Alice went all red with embarrassment. Her cheeks blushed, going completely out of her control. She focused on the tattoo and immediately went pale seeing that. The tattoo was a bit above his left chest. Did he make it there so that it is always close to his heart? Alice thought and that thought pinched her. The tattoo was a big love sign and “A” was written on top corner and there was another small love sign and then “J” was written at the bottom. It was a beautiful piece of art. "It's beautiful," she subconsciously said it. "Thanks, I designed this myself. I wanted my loved one's name to be near the heart that beats faster when I am around them. Thank god I only wrote the initial letter back then. The whole name would have been a pain in my life. This letter I can get it removed whenever I want and the pain will also be less, at least compared to the one that she gave me," Jack laughed. Alice knew that he was trying to cool down the intense mood. She had a question in her mind
Just after few ring Stefen picked up the call. "You miss me already?" Stefen had a teasing tone but Jasmine was in no condition to understand any of that. "Stefen..." she spoke in a low tone and her voice quavered. "Jasmine?" Stefen changed his tone to serious and concerned. "Are you fine? What happened?" He asked as his heartbeat also paced up. He was anxious. "Stefen..." this time she cried. She was too scared. All the bad thoughts made their place in her mind. It might have even been a prank but no one would dare pull a prank that far. She wanted to tell him what had happened but it was as if her vocal cord was absent and the only thing she could do was weep in fear. "Jasmine?" Stefen was more terrified than Jasmine. He was scared that something serious might have happened to her. "Don't cry alright, I am on my way." Stefen walked out of his room and grabbed his car keys and rushed out of his apartment. He did not cut the phone. He entered his car and drove without wasting any
"Yes Stefen..." Alice said from the other side of the phone. "Where are you now?" "I am..." Alice was hesitating. She looked towards Jack and was unsure whether to say or not. Stefen could not wait any more seconds for her to answer, "If you are home then can Jasmine crash at your place tonight?" he asked with worry and seriousness evident in his voice. "What's the matter? Is everything okay?" Alice could figure out that things weren't normal. Jack left his work and looked at Alice with a concerned face after hearing her. "I will explain that later but can I bring Jasmine to your place... right now?" Alice could not hide it anymore. If Jasmine needed her then she had to be there for her. She did not care what Stefen and Jasmine might think afterwards but for now, she had to do what was right. "I am not home tonight, I am at Jack's," she said. "What?" Stefen could not believe what he had just heard. "Explaining you isn't important right now. If Jasmine needs me right now then I
After few seconds, the door opened and Jasmine moved her eyes from Stefen to the door only to be stupefied. "You?" Jasmine was astounded to see Alice there. Alice immediately hugged Jasmine. Jasmine left Stefen's hand and hugged her back. This whole time as Alice was waiting for Jasmine to arrive, she had worried a lot and a lot of negative thoughts had arose in her mind. Seeing Jasmine in front of her brought calm to her mind and heart. Alice broke the hug and checked Jasmine to see whether she was fine or not. "Are you alright? Has anything serious happened? I couldn't find peace after Stefen's call. What's the matter?" Alice bombarded Jasmine with questions. "Calm down Alice, let them in first," Jack said as he came and stood behind Alice and kept his hands on Alice's shoulder. At that moment they looked like a married couple welcoming their guests. Jasmine and Stefen gave a glance to each other and curled their lips. They did not know what was in between Alice and Jack, but th