Phases Eight

Phase 20 The Proposal

      Jake wasn't refuted about his hunch as he witnessed a pair of male dark blue eyes, following him for the past one hour. Not exactly him the man followed, but those deep blue eyes of his laid particularly on Barbara. He never moved a muscle from his vigil stand and not blink for a single moment.

He was so poor in prying, as Jake had been drilling holes into his face with his piercing stare yet he never gave up on his so called stalking. Whomever wanted to spy Amelia must be a block-head as they had used a person with a sense less than a earthworm.

He slowly leaned closer and whispered into Barbara's ear, "Hey don't you think the bastard o'er there is following us?"

"Are you talking about the one at twelve-o-clock?" inquired Barbara in the same hushed voice.

Jake's eyes flew open. Had she been knowing about it all the while and not being slightly blemished? How she manages to act so well? Wasn't Iris supposed to be the actress?

Barbara closed the gap between them. Her moist lips were just inches apart from Jake's ear. Anyone over there would've mistaken her to be kissing him. Jake's heart pounded erratically against his ribs as he felt her warm breath over the side of his cheek.

"Know one thing? He is here to see this. It's a good thing because he'll definitely go and report this to her"

"Who is that her?" said Jake perplexed.

Barbara snorted, "Don't act like you don't know. This guy is one of the minions of the accursed witch I'm supposed to live with"

Blood rushed to Jake's face making it appear in a color between red and purple.
"Don't say.."

"Unfortunately I've already said. You heard me right. That diabolical bitch is always inquisitive about my whereabouts and relationships. Being stalked by her gets me to the edge but now I'm somewhat pleased by it." Barbara's hands gently cupped Jake's face, where the warmness of his cheeks surged into her palm.

"It's because of her I'm so close to you, ain't I?" She gave an unusual grin, which might also be called as a soothing smile.

Jake observed the transformation that took place in Barbara's face. Her bold and sharp looks were slowly calming to comforting and soothing features . He realised, she was trying to change herself for him.
She was madly in love.

Jake curtly squirmed away, mentally blemished by her proximity. Barbara's unexpected act made his insides go haywire.

Having unfathomable love in his heart for Amelia, he couldn't imagine lending a part of his feelings to Barbara, though she was a part of Amelia. He had swore fealty to the lady of his heart and there was no way he was going to give up on her.

Barbara gave a humorless laugh, "I took you by surprise didn't I? I think you would've known me by now Jake. I'm quite acerbic. I don't hold feelings in my heart knowing that it is one sided. I think it is better to be ditched than to be devoured by vanity."

Jake's mouth hung open. He never knew what Barbara had for him was actually true love. Barbara's history of boyfriends was a ceaseless list, so Jake had been mistaken that she was carried away by infatuation caused by hormones. Whereas she had been down to earth all the time.

Jake's heart skipped a beat when Barbara knelt on the grass before him. She plucked a yellow carnation on the grass by the side of the bench and held it close to her bosom.

"Don't worry Jake this is not a proposal. This is going to be a rejection. Do you know what does a yellow carnation symbolise?"

Jake shook his head solemnly.