章節 14: "Ensconce"

" Love needs no protection; it is its own protection"

-Emma Goldman

Jack POV

My spring blossom has finally started; its blooming wide and beautiful. It has reached its perfection that it feels surreal. This past days has been the most amazing days I could ever wish for and I wish it could last for an eternity. Although she isn't a sun to radiate utmost rays but I can still feel her warmth engulfing me, she isn't an anchor yet she could hold me in place and keep my mind calm and peaceful. She is that rare treasure that has been blessed to me and I don't even know what I did to deserve such a grace. Her smile lights up my entire universe and that sparkle in her eyes clearly reflects how pure she is. She is truly my other broken soul waiting to find its pair. She is everything to me and I wouldn't exchange her for anything.

The usual disinfectant scent welcomed me as I headed towards my class. Everything was same as usual except the warmth that has been ignited in my heart. I headed towards my desk and busied myself with some classroom assignment. I was excited to meet her during lunch and I wanted to share almost everything that's been happening around me to her.I headed off to the cafeteria with my eyes and ears scanning every hook and nook of the room. I really wanted to see those starry eyes; I went to our usual place but she wasn't there. Something in me had that uneasiness that doubted that something might have happened to her but all my worries were useless when I saw her entering the cafeteria.

She looked as angelic as she always been with those black hair dripping shiningly down her shoulder and those pinkish lips that was too irresistible. I went up to her and back hugged her but she was too lost in her thoughts to notice me. I wondered what thought was more important than me, I turned her around and stared at her and she finally noticed me. I could clearly see some tension brewing within her and her frown become deeper when she saw me.

I wanted to ask her but it seemed to be of less matter so I just overlooked it. She excused herself from my embrace and left the cafeteria. Something was really amiss and I felt restless, those frown circled my thought and I tried my best to analyze whether I had done something wrong. Migraine crept through my head yet I couldn't find any issue that could arise between us; I have always been true, understanding and respectful to her and in our relationship so there were no loop holes to bridge a misunderstanding.

I waited for her near the gate; I really wanted to ask her so that I could know what was eating her. After some minute she was heading towards me, I smiled but when I looked by her side my smile faded . That lean boy whose name I can't remember was there standing right by her side and holding her hand dearly. He was smiling at her and my sixth sense discerned that he had something for her which was truly not good. I trust her whole heartedly and I know that betraying will never exist between us. Still I couldn't press those unwelcoming burning jealousy as I kept on glaring at those two entwined hands. I just wanted to go there and beat the hell out of that boy but my legs were too stiff as if it has been plastered on the ground.

She looked at me and I could sense that message through her eyes telling me to not misunderstand the situation. I composed my nerve and looked at them with less intimidating gaze. I thought that she was coming towards me but she just sprinted away before reaching near me. I ran after her and that boy followed too. She went inside one of the bus and disappeared. I followed her and went inside that bus until I was stopped by the conductor. I didn't use much of my bus pass but I had the habit of carrying it so I proudly presented my pass, got a ticket and headed towards that empty seat near her.

That lean boy seemed as rich as Croesus with his money as he gave those thousand dollars to that driver without any expression but I couldn't care any less. I walked towards her and crouched, preparing to sit and before that someone placed their bag that seat. I looked up to see that annoying face again, how I wished I could scrap those symmetrical perky face and the sarcastic smile.

I was always believed that a sophomore should always listen and respect their senior and every opportunity was to be initially given to the seniors so I raised my chin up to show my seniority and sat besides her throwing off his bag. I was busy looking at her without realizing that someone was sitting on my lap. He seemed cool and arrogant simultaneously sitting comfortably on my lab. I was offended because it seemed that I was invisible to him. I couldn't digest that offense so I was about to kick him when the bus reached its destination.

I was agitated with him sitting and her sprinting away as if I was a kidnapper out there to catch her. She ran as fast as lightning and disappeared around the corner. We followed her but we couldn't catch her. I wondered why it was very difficult to talk to ones girlfriend. He continued to run after her and so did I. I couldn't keep my calm and shouted at him; he turned around and came near me. He glared me with those blazing eye and I could sense that he was very angry as his jaws tighten. I was enraged too and i really wanted to bless his check with my fist until his phone rang. He just ran away in other direction with his face covered up with frown. I was surprised by his change of emotion and his seriousness; mysterious really did surround him.

I walked down the lane, bushes symmetrically aligned to one another with trees growing periodically between two bushes. While walking down the lane I saw a park, entering the park, a slight breeze rustled the leaves making them fall to the ground one by one. The surrounding felt warm with children giggling and running around. The grasses were freshly cut and the pathway littered with rocks and miniature figures. I walked passed those pathways as I headed towards her house.

I rang her door bell twice and waited for some time yet there was no answer. I rang it for the third time until she opened the door.

She looked messed up, her hair blew wild and free with the wind, her eyes unlike other days was deep and mysterious today. She hugged me tightly as if she has seen me after a long time. I wanted to ask her what really was happening until I saw that pleading eyes begging me to go away without any conversation. I just had to make sure that she was safe and thankfully she was so I decided go with her request.

I didn't know why she desperately wanted to drive me away but looking at her desperate composure I just turned around and left her front yard. She was anxious about something and I had to do something because that thing has taken all her smiles and sweet gesture; I had to find the reason for her apprehensiveness even if I had to through illegal means.