Violent Love

Chapter1: Invited

"OLIVIA!"

I'm walking in the hallway, heading to my class when I've got stopped after hearing my name. Turning around, I see Jared jogging toward me. I give him a friendly smile as he finally stands in front of me, barely breathing.

"Hey, good morning," I greet, scanning his figure, "are you okay?"

He smiles then he pulls a deep breath. "Yes, yes. . . I ran actually just to reach you.

"Why?" I ask, "do you need something?"

"Oh. . . I just wanna ask you to have dinner later in my house." He then gently scratches the back of his head,smiling coyly at me. "It's my birthday."

"Really?" I retort when I hold his forearm.

Actually, for being coteachers and friends for months, this is the first time that Jared invites me to celebrate his birthday with him.

". . .oh we need to tell our--"

"Olivia. . ." he cuts off, looking at me so deep."I just want to be you and me. You know, I don't want to have lots of guess, I mean. . . it's just a dinner, I don't celebrate birthdays actually."

I remove my hand from his arm, feeling my lips twitching in a smile. "Okay if you say so. . . hmm well, tomorrow we still have work and it's not good if we stay late at night, drinking, partying something like that."

"You got it."

"Okay. . . see you around Mr.Leto," I said, "I must go now. I have a class to attend, and a happy birthday to you."

Just like me, Jared is a teacher here in Wattson High. We're friends-- I like to call it like that since I can talk to him sometimes or ask him to substitute me on my classes whenever I'm ill-- for six months and surely, he's a good man and a coteacher as well. Every female teachers here find him as attractive and manly, that for me is so true.

According to them, Jared isn't a wild person. What I mean is, he never goes in bars, drinking some strong alcohols, nor smoking. After his work here, he directly taking his pathway to his home. Oftentimes, whenever I go in the faculty, I have been seeing him alone, reading for his lessons, computing grades and so on. But if Jared sees me,he immediately stands from his seat and ask me for some coffee. They all say that he has some interest toward me, but I don't mind it anyway because he's a good friend. It's so natural to be a nice guy when you're friend is around, isn't it?

As I continued walking, I tilt my head behind again to see if Jared is still there. And in my own surprise, he's still in his stance from where I left him, looking at me with those dead piercing eyes,grinning at me that make me feel some little uneasiness.

A weird curve across his lips that actually brings shivers down my spine.

* * *

"SO, JARED," I ask when we both step into his house, "where are your family? I mean, it's your birthday, aren't they going to visit you?"

He look upon me with a shock expression in his face as if I tell him nonsense things. "Um, well they're not able to be here with us," Jared replies with furrow on his eyebrows, "they met an accident when I was a kid. My aunt was the only one who raised me but just like them, she died when I'm 22-- Olivia, please don't ask about those deceased people, let's enjoy this night.I don't want to remember that painful memories."

"Oh," I mumble, heaving a deep breath, "I'm sorry."

Jared's house is just so simple-- only enough for a small family. It has a living room which is not that huge but spacious. By the arrangement of his knicknakcs, I can tell that he's a very organize person. The house also has two corridors to some other rooms probably, and to the dining and kitchen area.

The atmosphere here is a little uncomfortable and I don't know why-- but maybe because of the silent surroundings.

"Let's go to the kitchen and help me to prepare," he says in a polite way.

I smile. "My pleasure then."

After a couple of moment, we have prepared the table setting and the food we have cooked.

"It's a privilege to be with you here in my house," he says when he pulls a chair for me to sit.

"Well, it's a privilege too, to be with you. . ."

"Really?"

I lift my head to reach his level. "Yea. . . so go there and take your seat, I'm hungry."

As time goes by, Jared and I are still telling each other's story, and I find him a good listener.

"Do you have boyfriend?" he suddenly asks.

I gaze upon him with a wide eyes, then I burst out laughing. "Hey?! I don't have, I'm still single." I jabbed a small piece of a roasted pork through my fork."But I'm still looking for the one-- honestly,there's someone who keeps on sending me love letters on my table."

"So you mean, you have secret admirer?" he questions and I notice a little changes of his expression.

"Maybe."

"Do you like that person?"

Taking another bite of my food, I reply, "How can I like that person if that person only exists through papers?"

Jared then clears his throat, grabbing his glass and sips its water. "You should be aware of that person. . .you know, it's hard when someone has infatuation to you. It may turn out into a wild and cruel admiration."

I blink three times;my eyes are locked on his,trying to progress his sentences in my mind. In some point, he's right. I don't know why he is telling me this, but I thank him for his friendly concern.

That person sends me four to six letters a day, and it actually making me sick. Sometimes there's flower in my table, and boxes of chocolates. I wonder who gives that.

"It sounds a little creepy, Jared," I utter, "but then, thanks for reminding me."

"That's nothing," he replies when he shoots me a warm and simple smile."By the way, thanks for accepting this offer, for having dinner-- joining me on my birthday."

I flick my tiny hair over my ear."just like what you have said, it's your birthday, and thanks for inviting me too."

Weird. It's kinda weird that I am the only one he has invited here. Jared and I aren't that close so it gave me some uneasiness and I can't say no because I'm too shy enough to refuse his offer. What he has shown to me, I don't want to give it a meaning coz there's nothing wrong if your friend invites you on his birthday. However,it actually garbles my mind for the thought that, I feel some discomfort in me; for being alone here in this man's house, for being the only woman he bothers to give an attention.

If this is his kind of way of showing some esteem, if there's something he has been thinking right now, Jared is the only one who knows.

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A/n: Thanks for reading guys! Vote if you like the part. ☺