Duskwood: You are all that matters. COMPLETED

Chapter 9.

We are walking just like few minutes already but it feels like forever since not any of us dare to open their mouth and try to speak, especially me. The thought of Jake might be stumbling on my social media profile somehow makes me feeling nervous. Do I look good on the photos that I have been uploading this far? Are there any ugly pictures of me that my friends tagged me to? What did he see when he was stalking my profile since he has said that I'm quite fascinating before?

Oh God, thinking about it makes me uneasy. It gives my body all the tension and now my tummy is hurting just because of those questions. I hit my head as I try to shoo away my previous thoughts. We are in dangerous mission here, MC! Stop worrying about unnecessary things! Because the prior hit didn't work, I slap my cheek again and it's a little bit hard this time until it makes me hiss because of pain.

"Are you okay?" Jake suddenly stopped and now he is facing me. I guess I was a bit too loud while fighting with my intrusive thoughts.

"Oh.. no, no—I mean yes! Yes, everything is fine! Sorry.." I stutter as I look down, trying to hide my face with my hoodie. I look so stupid because of the tension.

"What is it? Is something bothering you?" I cannot look at him in the eyes and read his expression very well but his voice sounds concern.

"No, it's nothing. Everything is really fine." I'm not sure if Jake noticed but I give a little nod to add my response.

"Does my presence bother you?" he asks again.

"What? Of course not!" Finally I look up and face him, my eyes widen of worry. I'm gazing at him as if I try to transfer my feeling to this man in front of me. Perhaps he can sense that every fiber of him never bother me through my telepathy, who knows?

"That's nice to hear." He approved then leads the walk again. I'm not sure if he was smiling or not because of his mask, but the tone he made before sounds more relieved. It would be really good, if he really realised that his presence never bother me at all.

We are walking again in silence; feeling frustrated with no one tries to break this awkwardness wall, I'm trying to gain all of my confidence that buried inside somewhere in my soul, I begin to open the new conversation.

"So..." I'm trailing off for a while, "are you staying in Duskwood all this time?" waiting for a reply from him that never came, I continue. "You were pretty fast to arrive here."

"Mm, I'm staying in the area for a while." He explained it really short whether he was hiding the truth or just trying to not give more details.

"I see." To be completely honest, I'm not satisfied with his answer at all but I don't know if I'm too sleepy and tired or I just don't want to be too pushy, that's why I just let this one go.

Suddenly remember that Jake didn't finish explaining the detail of his plan, I begin to open my mouth again. Well, someone needs to put an effort to kill this thick awkward situation after all. "You didn't finish telling me your plan back then. What's the plan actually?"

"As I said, the mine is extensive and the hatch that Michael told you before is not the only one. I was thinking perhaps we could enter the other hatch without encountering the culprit." He explained, there is this enthusiasm in his voice. It sounds like a good plan without spilling my blood to be honest, but my trust issue is saying otherwise. I'm just hoping it will be that easy.

"And you know where it is?" I asked, hoping he want to share more details.

"Of course I do. I already bring the map of Ironsplinter Mine with me. We can see the entrances and exits scattered across the mine." He is tapping his jacket's pocket where he is keeping his phone before, to point out what he meant by map is on his phone already.

"Oh my goodness! Thank you for saving this damsel in distress." I tried to joke around. Thankfully, Jake understood and he is giving a soft chuckle. I'm glad I didn't lose my touch even though this is our first meeting.

"What was your actual plan before, if I may?" luckily Jake didn't shut in the conversation but still giving it the flow.

"Let's see," I'm trying to recall what exactly it's my plan, but no. Nothing comes out. Well, of course, I just told Michael right away that I'm ready to meet him because of my impulsive and defiant behaviour. I never thought about the next plan. "Nah, it's nothing really; just handing myself over a silver platter." I shrugged.

"You really..." Jake didn't complete his sentence but just letting out a long sigh. I look at him from behind and I could see he is shaking his head under his hoodie.

"Stupid, I know." I helped him by completing the sentence. No doubt, I myself also think that I'm indeed stupid because of it.

"That's not what I meant. It's just—it's hard to believe that you are giving yourself just like that. I would call it as fearless, but yes it is pretty reckless." He commented, his voice is gentle and it helps me to lessen my nerve to not confront myself any longer about my previous plan which is indeed stupid.

"Well, thankfully you are here for saving me from my reckless behaviour." As soon as I realised after saying that, I bite my own tongue and correct my previous statement. "Don't take the wrong idea! It's not like I'm happy you are risking your safety for me, it's just..."

"MC," Jake cut me off all of sudden by calling my name, I surprise with his sudden response, "you really don't have to worry about me." He states that word again. The word that I hate so much. How on earth I don't worry about him?

Without thinking twice, I hit his back out of anger. It's just a light hit, you all can be chill. I'm just feeling so irritated until I need to hit him so bad. He flinched as soon as I hit him and immediately he's looking at me with confusion. I'm glaring at him as I speak, "you are so annoying."

He raises his eyebrows as he tilts his head, still looking at me trying to find the answer. "I'm not sure I understand."

"That is so annoying of you, how you always eager to protect me and when I want to do the same or just worry about you, you are being like that and not to mention how you said that I don't have the right to do that." I didn't realise my voice is raising and now in high-pitched because I'm venting out the frustration I hold. Yes, I understand we don't have much time for this argument but he started it!

"Do you remember when you need to go into hiding because of Lilly's video? Every day, I thought something bad happened to you and I hate myself for it because it means I didn't trust your ability to protect yourself. But..." I pause a bit for taking a deep breath. "How could I not worry, Jake? I have no idea what kind of things you have meddled into until government put their attention on you rather than fix this goddamn country!" I exclaimed. I take a glance to see his reaction, but it's hard because of the mask. His eyes are hard to read either but he is just staring at me.

"It's not just you..." I'm trailing off, hesitating to finish the sentence but I cannot just stop here. "It's not just you, you know. I also—I also don't want to lose you."

That's it. I let it out all of my feelings. I'm grateful I managed to spit it out without bawling my eyes out, usually there are some tears slipping out from my eyes every time I'm expressing my anger. But tonight, perhaps my body kind of understand the situation, we cooperate very well.

"MC," his gentle voice call my name, it sends shiver on my neck. I'm not ready with his counter attack.

"Yes?" I try to look somewhere else but his face.

"I would like to ask you something," he took a pause for a while. "What I'm about to ask you, might be... little inappropriate." What is it? What is he about to ask me for? I'm not sure what he is trying to ask from me and the way he told me is not much reassuring at all.

"What is it?" I'm trying really hard to hold my gaze at him in the eyes.

"I would love to wrap my arms around you right now, but of course if you let me."