บท 22: The pretty ones are evil
Jay was lying on her bed, eyes up without blinking.
It's her favorite pastime, passing doing nothing. Usually she could do it for hours without getting patience less or bored and keeping her mind white. But this time, she was thinking!
Thinking of how much things have changed in the past few days. She didn't even trigger after the last time. Only the effects for one person.
Ace!
Just after 2-3 reluctant meetings, Ace had pestered Jay continuously. Strangely, Jay had gotten annoyed, frustrated, scolded coldly at him though none of her twisted short talks had any effect like it did on others and glared all the time on, only to make him do it more. But the first time experiencing so many emotions at once, was a tiring job. She had started falling asleep at nights often these days too.
"I'm not doing this to listen to you ....," Ace had said to her once," ...…... I'm doing this voluntarily for myself".
And something stung Jay telling that he is trying to extract her human instincts out, making her live more like a person. Being of such a different alter, the time when Jay likes him the most, she has never found anyone as humane as him.
But why is he even putting so much effort in it? For listening request of someone whom he just met a while ago? The things he says these days, Jay spends a lot of time convincing herself that they are not earnest. But she still finds herself in doubt. She has never entertained his laugh, humor, jokes or words. But never gave him the cold shoulder either ......
After all, she is the one who needed him!
It felt as if she needs to do whatever he wants so that she can receive what she wants. A give and take process. If Ace is displeased and refuse Jay, she'll return to square 1. That's what Jay strongly believed.
But Ace has never put any demand in front of her, yet. He just sees her and spends time. His intentions are not clear. That confuses Jay even more. He's just messing with her brains.
"Even if you refuse to see me anymore, I'll still save you when you need me", Ace had coldly cleared it out once looking at her face. His mind predictions were stronger than Jays," Discard that concept, I'll not allow any misconception!".
Jay still wanted to preserve her theory coz she believed in them. But those words and the look which he had on his face when he spoke, stood as a barrier.
She disliked it!
He was confusing her!
He could read her clearer than ice, but her theories were all wrong, denied by him. Even her mind predictions fell weak before his invisible barrier.
Ace ......was moving her!!!
There is no convincing reason. There is nothing she can keep from him. He does what pleases him. He even showed up once in front of the academy creating the ruckus of the century by doing nothing. His looks giving it all away, gaining unnecessary attention. It was even more of a chaos when Jay was approached, based on her good empty social connection adding to Ace's being way older than her.
After all the things he's done, Jay slowly started giving in. Before she had always hesitated to meet him. But for the time, she had never refused his request even once. Also, something inside her had this weak urge too. To see him. She had always obliged whenever Ace wanted to meet.
She ...…...had started to express herself!
Within such a small time ...he was all over her.
The panics had been quiet too.
But at what cost in the end?
"Jay?", Arthur voice followed after 2 knocks on the door.
Jay didn't reply nor get up. She just turned her head at the direction of the door judging as Arthur entered. Chris was seldom home at this time, since he was interning. So, Jay had been at home all by herself. Arthur was granting her some space after the last awkward situation, and to be honest, Jay doesn't even remember. But again, he never raises a talk unless a situation is created. He was trying to be extra careful whereas Jay wondered her crime is this time. She has been returning home with no bruise at least. So, what could be it?
He pushed the door back, leaned on the table and folded his arms. The past incidents had taught him that he can't be any softer on her. At least a stern tone from the first will catch her off guard. It is necessary. He stood calmly burning his gaze at Jay.
Jay looked back at him for a second or two and turned back to face the ceiling. Still no movement, lying still she spoke," The allergy is getting worse", her usual sarcasms. This time Arthur didn't flinch or stumble on it.
He began," What you've been up to now Jay?", his voice not polite nor stern. Only Jay's pupils moved at him, silently questioning.
"Your teacher had called me", he informed," What relation could you possibly have with a guy outside the academy and so much older than you?".
Oh, so Ace is exposed!
The Academy handles situation around the campus only. But Jay being of a different mentality and strange league, the teachers always report her cases to her guardians rather than the principal. Her actions are unpredictable in every circumstance. Being an unsociable person, it's rare for her to interact with such a person who probably has no connection with her. Thus, Arthur was informed without delay in case she was getting herself in to indecent company.
"He's 25", Jay only corrected his young age instead of explaining herself.
- He is not from the Academy.
- I know him.
- Who is he? Name?
- …
- Reply Jay, I'm talking to you!
- …
Jay closed her eyes slowly sighing and got up. Letting her bangs fall upon her eyes, she held her temple with her index and thumb rubbing it lightly. Then she looked back at Arthur with changed eyes, they were cold serious. He managed her full attention.
"Acquaintance!", she said with a stoic voice, "That's all you need to know".
"If it had been from the Academy or someone of your age, then I wouldn't have intervened", Arthur said restlessly," But everything you do, makes me nothing but worry! Who is he? Where did you meet him?". He showered questions.
"I'm not obliged to entertain you each time you want to Arthur!", Jay raised her voice suddenly. Arthur dropped his hands, shocked at the way Jay has talked back for the first time. He was taken aback with open eyes and mouth. His stubbornness finally got the better of him as he walked over with puckered eyebrows. This was getting interesting but competitive.
Jay was showing signs of rebellion. Late for her age, but still.
A message light popped on Jay's phone in the meantime.
She usually keeps it on silence and facing her back, she didn't notice. But Arthur did. With a skilled movement of pupils, he could even read the visible short line. And it was enough for him to learn the upcoming plans.
"...… give you max 5 mins to show up ...…."
The very few words seems so commanding itself. Arthur cringed at the not so soft text directed at Jay. What is she getting herself in to?
"Seems like you have plans for the night", he said with stretched lips. Jay turned to face him again, this time with mixed bewilderment in the face. In a blink, she reached over and protected her phone from his direction, shooting looks at him.
"It's him, isn't it?", Arthur was blunt.
"Why ask the obvious?', Jay was preparing on her motions," I don't wanna talk right now".
"I do!!!", Arthur shot back.
"In that case ...…", Jay had her anger raising, "You can have all the time free to yourself".
Arthur's jaws fell in amazement.
Her level of replies was getting verbally violent. Where did she learn to retort this easily? Just a while back he still remembered the timid but sharp replies, never raising voices. She was doing fine, being in her original mode because she's far from fine. This new soul in her life was doing anything but god to her, the influence wasn't decent. Her being this open, was not taken easily by him.
Jay was already on her way out when Arthur was busy collecting himself up.
She wanted to escape from all the heated-up inquiries. Being with Ace tires her out, but he never gets on her nerves, in spite of having a lot of energy and never giving up if on Jay unless she lets him have his replies from her. She can't afford to lose so much of her energy on these fucked up nonsense at home too. A nagging guardian never learns. If he had never tried to enter her life till this time, he should give up this time too. Just leave her to survive by her own means. He has always just interfered. Whenever she is abnormal, he has interfered. Now she is acting to the contrary, in the company she prefers, he is still interfering!
"Don't you walk away on me with that temper Jaylynne!!!", Jay heard a calm less shout behind her back. Arthur followed her.
Jay tried to catch up on pace to get rid of him. But Arthur wasn't used to such treatment coming from Jay. He had to preserve himself too.
"You're not stepping out unless you explain things!", he demanded. But Jay's limit of ignorance was exceeding further. She needs to exit this house as soon as possible, because ...…
....it has started!!!
After such a long break, she has almost forgotten the feel and effects of the chronic. This time it went for a long time too. Arthur being ignorant to it. Now that it has shook up again, she almost felt like being tasered from within. Worse, Arthur was still pursuing on with his demands!
"Don't ignore it Jay!", Arthur called as Jay was almost at the front door. She quickly opened the knob and stepped out.
But suddenly Arthur sprang on reflexes, reached over and grabbed her wrist.
Jay was immediately startled and tried to shake it off with an electrifying jolt!
Arthur flinched on the reaction but anger possessed him. She has never dared to be so protesting before. His expression firmed as he clenched his teeth, tightening his grip on her and facing the shocked eyes before him who was surprised by her brother's sudden change in attitude.
Besides situations and words which does the perfect job of getting Jay the chronic, physical contacts stimulates it to extremes. It's unknown since the situation has never occurred before. No matter coming from whom.
So, when Arthur had grabbed her, her heart sped up like nitrous dosage. Within a second, her invisible pangs reached up to her limit. She wanted to shake him off and not disrespect him. But Arthur took it otherwise, anything but a polite declination.
Jay was trying harder to hold back her irregular breaths and keep from revealing it. But Arthur still had a frowning face.
"You're defying me!", he tried taking her back in the house wildly.
Jay trying to keep a safe distance was useless. She was already growing weaker, Arthur being more unreasonable. He has never been so rough on his sister before, because she has never reacted. This time he was blinded by rage. Her rebellious state made him lose his patience. He felt that he's spared with no method but violence to keep her in control. For him, she was crossing limits.
He grabbed her arm this time and pulled harshly," Come back in there now!".
Jay was panicking heavily and her arm didn't budge free from him. Arthur's strength didn't break even a little.
Unable to hold it in any longer, Jay clasped her chest in intense pain. It was incrementing beyond. It was flaming and the heat flowing through her blood was unbearable. She couldn't even feel her skin from outside and get a hold on her breathing habit. She has never been in such a violent situation before.
Her eyes were layered with tear and blurred, as she still fought for freedom.
If he lets go now, she might still have the chance to survive.
This can't go on, Help me somebody!
I can't take this anymore!
I'm dying, I'll die!!!
Not yet, I don't want to die, after making this far!
It's killing me ...…...
Help me .......
Ace ...….
As the oracle from her mind was the quickest this time.
A pair of hand way stronger than anyone's, grabbed Arthur's wrist and another wrapped around Jay's waist protectively.
A voice followed, "Don't touch her so casually", it ordered in a calm provocative tone," You, outta treat her better".
Jay didn't see due to her state, but at that moment, that familiar voice felt like the voice she loved the most. Only the rhythm of his voice could be so intimidating to cease majority of Jay's seizures and make Arthur let go.
Her pants and speedy heartbeat still persisted, but it degraded to first stage. Her hand dropped from her chest as she turned around to look at him.
Ace's face was inscrutable.
This is something she has never seen before.
He still had a firm grip on Arthur's hand as his sharp dark glare was slashing through him. His lips sealed and eyes half opened. This face didn't belong to the one when he is at work, not the cheerfully irritating one. He seems taken over by some kind of obsession. What is he implying?
Jay couldn't recognize the look, but felt his arm tightening around her waist as he pulled her back with a jerk from Arthur's reach.
"You're him, aren't you?", Arthur fumbled to meet his eyes. It wasn't his cup of tea to talk straight facing Ace in his current state.
"More importantly ...", Ace began with his voice 10 times deeper," ......who are you to treat her such?". His eyes asking for an acceptable reply, else Jay was sure what was upcoming.
She had already felt the growl throughout his body as he talked and held her close to him. Is this another of his alter moods? She didn't approve the look on his face. It didn't seem good news. Only she at the spot knew what Ace could transform to if messed with his likes.
"Brother?", Ace turned at Jay suddenly with swapped gentle eyes. Is he for real, or just trying to be funny as usual? Clearly it was not a cover earlier, so what's with the alternate change at her?
"You're indeed him", Arthur repeated beamed out.
Ace looked back at him with slight change in his face to his former expression," If there are no other person in her life you can think of other than you, then yes! …...I'm him!".
"What's your relation with her?", Arthur went on fuming, seeing him still holding Jay so casually with no sense of rejection from her.
Ace turned and stole a look from Jay. He smirked devilishly as his lips lifted up in an unknown smile. He dropped his hand from her waist. Without hesitating, he grabbed her wrist exposing dominance over her.
Jay didn't react, but Arthur's eyes almost exploded. He dares!
"I ...", Ace began with a tint of announcement in his tone," ......am her boyfriend".
With that, he walked away dragging Jay along.
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