~❤~
C h a p t e r S i x t e e n
"D-dinner with y-you?" I stammered, taking a step back.
"Yes, that's what I said Miss Rose." His grin widened.
"Oh, I'm sure that won't be necessary. Can't you just drop me off at the restaurant or something?"
"The traffic in this weather – especially since it's peak hour right now – it'd be absolutely appalling. It'd take me three times longer to drive you there, meaning six times as long until I get back home. Didn't you say you didn't want to waste my petrol last week?" He accused cooly without missing a beat. "Like I mentioned, I have a mountain of work to do this weekend. Besides, your brother asked me to take care of you."
I thought back to my brother on the call and almost felt betrayed. To entrust his only little sister off to some stranger? Okay well, I guess Tom really had no choice in the matter, it was an emergency and he probably didn't think Jasper was that much of a stranger.
"No but..." I trailed off, trying to think of an excuse.
"Rose, it's only a dinner. But, I could always call you a taxi if you're that desperate to get away from me."
A taxi? My eyes widened as an image of me sitting in the back of a dark shoddy car in traffic appeared in my mind. I can almost hear the heavy breathing of the unknown driver as he stares at me in the rearview mirror with his beady eyes...
A shiver sent down from my head all the way to my toe. "No, dinner with you sounds absolutely dandy."
"Right, that's settled." He moved forward towards me, cautiously watching my reaction. He lowered his voice softly. "If you like, we could jump back on the piano and finish the lesson. "
I narrowed my eyes at him.
"I promise I won't bite this time."
After the unfortunate phone call, we spent another hour or so back on the piano. This time, it went by a lot calmer and smoothly compared to the debacle before, probably because we moved on from scales.
The difference had been like night and day. He only cut me off once to say I "completely butchering" something totally minor again, but this time I rolled my eyes and ignored him.
Gone was the grumpy old piano professor (well for most of the time), and back was the and the easy going, even helpful, Jasper Green.
~❤~
"Hmm.. would you like some take out, or you prefer we go out somewhere nice to eat?" Mr. Green asks, opening a draw in his kitchen.
I can't believe I was going to have dinner with Mr. Green. All I did was come over for a piano lesson and I managed to get much more than I bargained for, including sitting on his car here and that hug.
Oh man that hug. What a huge cringe!
My face burned from the embarrassment of crying in his arms.
Next, if someone told me I had to stay the night because my parents were unable pick me up, you'd best believe I'll be running outta here at the drop of a hat! Just kidding... I never went anywhere alone after sunset. Nonetheless, I don't plan on falling into the arms of anyone ever again! That was a one off thing, I swear it.
Straining his hand to contain them all, Mr. Green took out a massive bundle of restaurant pamphlets and dropped them on the island counter. I raised my eyebrows.
"You really have a hundred restaurant flyers because?"
"Well, that's what happens when you live alone for years, like a variety and don't know how to cook. Well, anything more than some instant macaroni, ramen or microwave meals that is." He reveals with a proud smile that somehow lacked any indiscretion. Wouldn't normal people be embarrassed that they couldn't cook? "Oh, I can boil an egg?"
"Pfft, you can't cook? Didn't your parents to teach you or does your Mum do all the cooking for you?" I teased sticking my tongue out in disbelief. "Even Tom's pretty decent! You can really save a lot of money if you eat at home you know, not that you needed to of course. Just saying." I dragged the pile towards me. Flipping through the assortment, my vision almost went haywire.
There were way too many to choose from, I had no idea where to start. Thai, Korean, Italian, Steakhouse, Chinese, KFC, Porutugese, Egyptian, Mc Donalds, Fish & Chip shop, Mexican, African, Steakhouse, Kebabs... It went on and on as I dealt the deck of flyers as if on a poker table. I grew excited at the thought of all these choices. How on Earth was a girl to choose?
It was always impossible to decide on a meal when going out with my family, because I want to eat everything on the menu. But the added pressure of having to choose for Mr. Green, especially when I was practically the uninvited guest?
Oh no, no, no. I couldn't.
I don't even have an inkling of what he liked when the whole world's cuisine was laid out in front. What if I chose something he hated?
"You don't even have a flyer for our restaurant? How could you!" I gasped, while continuing to comb through the flyers restlessly.
Suddenly as if a doorbell rang in my thick head, I noticed the lack of reply from Mr. Green and turned my attention towards him. His face had darkened slightly. He stood still in his position, about two feet away and looked back at me with a sad smiled.
"What's wrong? What did I say?"
"Nothing, I'm just letting you choose." There was a small hidden anguish in his eyes and I knew for a fact he was holding his tongue.
"You're being too silent. Was my joke about your Mum cooking for you too mean? I mean, that's what Mums are for right? Or Dads sorry."
He scoffed then smiled again, though his dimple appeared, it didn't quite reach his eyes. He leaned back against the counter casually and stuck his fingers into his pockets.
"I don't have parents," He tried saying nonchalantly, but I caught it. The tiniest quiver at the end of his words, coupled with the slightest flicker of torment in his eyes betrayed his intentions. Although it was barely there, I was able to pick up o it because I also knew it so well myself. It was a lifetimes worth of misery.
Instantly my face crumpled and I felt a deep regret. "Mr. Green, I... I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
"No, it's quite alright Rose. Don't apologise, how were you to know anyway?" He laughed, finally moving to the kitchen sink to wash our empty mugs from earlier. "Also, I don't have your family's restaurant flyer because I memorised my favourite dishes. I only tend to only order the same things at certain places." He turned his head and gave me another side smile in an attempt to cheer the mood.
I could sense that the topic did arose some more sadness in him as much as he tried to avoid it. I cursing at myself for bringing it up.
Dropping all the pamphlets onto the cool granite top, I ran my fingers along the smooth surface, outlining the contours of soft grey quartz that snaked along the icy white stone, creating whirls of patterns. It was as if my nerves, stomach and mind was illustrated on the stone right now.
"I see. It's pretty nice to hear that you like our food that much. Mm...Honestly, I don't think I really know much about you, Mr. Green. You're kind of like a big mystery to me." I babbled my inner thoughts, only realising too late.
Shit.
I play it off as casual conversation. "So... Uh, what do you like to order from ours?"
He chuckled softly at my question. "No, I don't really tend to tell people things about me much. Well apart from you it seems." He confessed as he rinsed our cups under the water. "Hmm... As for what I like to order... I like things that are very homely. Something simple, like a carbonara or the Sunday Roast that your Mum makes. Those are my favourite because they remind me of my Grandma and what she used to cook for me."
"Was she the one who brought you up?" I asked curiously, stepping a little closer. It was a little hard to hear him over the running water with his back turned.
He turned off the tap and dried his hand on the tea towel besides him before turning to me suddenly. My cheeks turned pink as I realised we how close we now were.
I turned back towards the flyers, pretending I wasn't done with them yet. I felt him come next to me, shifting through a few of the pamphlets himself. He stood merely inches away, our elbows almost touching. "Yes, my parents had pass when I was three so my Grandparents took me in. But my Grandfather was always busy working on the farm, so a lot of the time it was me and Nan in the house. I was too young to help outside anyway." He smiled softly.
I thought silently to myself for a moment, trying to gather the information. His Grandparents must have passed away, if he was here alone all the time. Either that, or they lived far away. I turned to him, my heart suddenly crumbling at the thought of Mr. Green always having to eat take out food by himself and never really having a home cooked meal for so long. It must be lonely.
"No brothers or sister, or extended family?" I asked, unsure whether that would be to nosy of me to inquire. Mr. Green simply shook his head, a tight smile on his lip. Yeah, I was stupid to ask.
Oh no.
"Ah... What do you think of some Indian food tonight? Or maybe Italian?" I quickly say. "You've given me too many choices, haha. How about some Chinese take out? Or BBQ Wings! Ah, KFC? Or Pizza? ...Tacos?" My voice trailed off as I noticed he was silent again. "Maybe you want... to... choose...?" I barely say the last word and I turned my head at him. He was looking at me with a funny expression on his face again.
"Rose, you don't have to fret. I'm used to this." He smirked slightly, lifting his big warm hands up in an attempt to ruffle my hair. I ducked under his arm and spun around quickly, stepping a foot away until my back hit the counter. I pump my fist into the air victoriously.
Nice.
So I managed to dodge his touch, however I was now bombarded with more questions about him. How did his parents die? Where were his Grandparents? Did he have any other family friends? How did he grow up?
I bit down hard on my tongue to stop myself from saying them out loud. He tilted his head at me in examination, bringing his hands across his chest and slouched back on the island.
He sighs. "I can see you're bursting at the seams with question, Miss Rose."
I blushed in response, my teeth still on my tongue.
"Since you're so curious, you know what? Fire away."
"What?"
"That's right, ask me anything, " he shrugged.
I opened my mouth for a second, then closed it. Not this fast. I had to approach this with tactics. I can't be asking any and every questions under the sun on such a sensitive subject.
I had to tread carefully because I knew from experience that if someone questioned you too directly, it could cause confusion and pain to flair up. And then you wouldn't be able to think rationally while you tried to explain it... That's if you could even explain it to yourself in the first place.
**"Who raped you Rose? How do you feel about being sexually assaulted?"**
I racked my brain searching for the right way to question it. Where are your grandparents? No, maybe they died. How long has if been since you saw your Grandparents might be a better way to say it? Getting closer, but still a little too sensitive.
How long have you been living alone? Hmm... maybe he just moved out a few years ago. I mean Tom's older and he's still living at home with us.
"How long have you been living on your own?" I asked very slowly and carefully, eyeing him attentively.
"Since I was eight."
Fuck.
I am dumb. Totally dumb. Why did I–
I can't do this.
I brought my hand to my head as I felt my mouth drop to the floor. I am stupid. Ugh, I should run away. I want to hide.
It's not even me we're talking about and I already wish the ground would come up and swallow me whole. I mean, I was meant to hate the guy, or well strongly dislike him, but now I can't help but feel so bad for the way I used to think about him. I was wrong about him.
Thinking back to the way he only drove his average Toyota Corolla to school even though he had hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cars in his garage, to the way he has such an extravagant and lavish house in one of the most expensive suburbs in Melbourne, yet chose to eat the cardboard tasting food from the school cafeteria rather than having a personal chef prepare his meals. I would twist his all these things around in my head, thinking he had ulterior moves without knowing the facts.
I understand now, though he'd never admit it, he probably goes to the cafeteria just for the interaction of eating with people around him, and being able to talk to the lunch ladies because god knows they chat a lot. He always sat in the teachers section despite being bothered by other teachers, or bombarded with the attention of students who stop by their table every few minute. Who would even enjoy that? Only a lonely person would rather sit there rather than escape to his office where he'd be able to sit in peace.
I thought Mr. Green roped everyone in with his charms for his own satisfaction when really, it was because he was lonely.
Holy crap... Eight years old?
He had or used to have Grandparents, sure, but only until the supple age of eight.
You'd have absolutely no idea that he'd been alone for most of his life. Under the guise of a charismatic, witty and sometimes cocky English teacher, he hid it well– his tragedy, his wealth, his solitude.
Jasper Green was a bluff. He played me, but not in the way I thought.
I felt a prickle in my throat and my face burning up as moisture forming in my eyes. A deep furrow between my eyebrows assembled as I wrapped my head around the situation.
"Who looked after you after... you know what." My voice trembled, I didn't dare to say it.
"Ah... After my Grandparents died? I became a ward of state. Eventually I ended up boarding at a catholic boys school, until I ran away as soon as I could. Then I've been on my own ever since then."
"Mr. Green..." I sniffled, "I'm so sorry."
I doubted you.
I brought my hands up to my face again just in time as tears started flowing for a second time that day. It came out all on its own and there was no chance of stopping it. Oh my gosh, my heart was hurting so bad for the younger him, how incredibly sad.
I also ached for the Mr. Green that stood in front of me.
Take out was reserved as a special treat for my family as we always ate leftovers from the restaurant, but for him takeout it must be a mundane routine. How much would a home cooked meal be worth in his eyes? Perhaps thats also why he had been so insistent of me eating dinner with him.
Suddenly, I felt his arms wrap around me again, pulling me into his clutch. For a slither of a second, I wanted to reject him. However, as my body made contact with him, all was forgotten. My futile little promise of never falling into his arms again clearly didn't work. Since when was my resolve so weak?
I couldn't help but bury my face into his neck further, feeling the warmth and soft skin against my face. I was getting accustomed to his smell, it was so familiar now. Warm lavender mixed with clean linen. It lingered around his house and possessions, his car, his jumper and even pants that I was wearing, and now it was all over me. Everything about him was filling in my senses. His hard but toned body against mine, his soft breath on my hair, tickling my ears and neck. His faint heartbeat against my own alarmed heartbeat. Yet there was no signs of me wanting to departure from the spell he seemed to have latched onto me.
I couldn't tell if it was my own tears, or imagination, but I could of sworn I felt a single warm drop of water on my shoulder. I lifted my head up and attempted to get a look at him, but he squeezed me tighter around my back, pinning my head and arms down, crushing against him harder. Feeling myself melt deeper, I closed my eyes and let myself be enveloped as my resistance waned further.
He needed this more than I did, I thought. I could give him this much at least.
As I took in more of his fragrance, it dawned on me that I wasn't feeling afraid right now. Not of him.
I was starting to get more curious instead. I wanted to know more.
For the first time since the incident, I found myself fascinated by someone. It sounded almost too crazy to admit. Perhaps too soon to decipher whether my curiosity for Mr. Green was natural inquisition or if it was because I being swayed by the emotions of our actions right now.
Maybe this sign was a miracle– that finally, after months of feeling like things were regressing, I was progressing again.
I recalled the torment weeks where abruptly my progress and anxiety seemed to deteriorate so soon after meeting Mr. Green for the first time. Fast forward to now – especially within these past few weeks– little by little, as if leaves falling slowly from an autumn tree, I started growing accustomed to it all, to him. And before I knew it, I was surrounded by leaves.
Everywhere.
After a few more minutes of reflection in silence, I tried to peel myself away slowly but his strong physic however wouldn't budge. I wondered what could he have been thinking about that made him so still and wordless... His family? His past? His life now? Or all of the above.
Whatever it was, my arms were beginning to feel numb. I tried to hold on a little longer for his sake. After a few seconds more, I couldn't bare it. It was getting too uncomfortable being squeezed so tightly for so long, I needed air. I'd done my part, standing here for a good five minutes being used as a human squishy.
So with my hands tied, I did the next best thing I could besides kneeing him below– which I wasn't about to do– I bite him on his chest, and hard.
Mr. Green let out a yelp, immediately letting me go and grabbing to the wet spot on his jumper and rubbing it in circles. I brought my hands up to my mouth as I couldn't help but laugh.
I can't believe I just done that to him! Then again, I couldn't believe that I had been in his arms for a second time, this was absolutely madness. I didn't think it was unpleasant however.
No, I thought back... Not unpleasant at all.
"You bit me!" He scrambled in disbelief.
"You were squishing me! I couldn't feel my face." I retorted to my own defense. He stared at me for a moment and then broke out in a laugh himself.
"Thanks Rose, I'm sorry." He licked his lips, running a hand through his hair. "I probably shouldn't have... grabbed you so hard."
I shook my head. "It's okay. I brought it up first."
"Yep, you did."
I blinked. "What?"
"Yep, you did. You brought it up." He affirmed.
This... teacher.
"Excuse me, you hugged me. Twice!"
"And you bit me in return! And you ruined my papers and files! There, that should make us equal now, content?"
I blushed and shook my head with a pouted. "No, I should have bit you even harder. You yelled at me on the piano too!"
"Okay, Miss Rosemary, I give up. What can I do to make you feel better?" He surrendered, taking a step closer. I took one back. He inched closer again, and I moved back once more. We raised our eyebrows at each other. Imaginary swords out in our duel.
"You can decide what we're having for dinner, Jasper." I smiled sweetly.
"Okay, well then I decide that you can cook for me." He jabbed back, smirking even prouder. Damn it. "Me like homemade food."
"Well, you have ingredients to cook with?"
"No."
"Then?" I interjected bewildered.
"We can go buy–"
"No! Mr Greeeen." I pleaded with a sigh, and he chuckled at me. If he suggested we go and buy ingredients, he might as well drop me off instead!
"Okay, okay. One second. " He resolved, turning to the table and sorting through some of the flyers before picking out a few and then put them behind his back. "I have six different flyers behind me. You need to choose a number, and we'll order from whatever restaurant that is. Deal?"
"Hmm... Okay, sounds decent." I took a deep breath suddenly feeling under pressure. "Number... two."
"And the winner is... drumrolls please. Mr. Italia on Oxburn Street. My favourite!" He exclaimed excitedly, bringing the paper forth and waving it in front of my face to show me eagerly.
"You're like a kid." I cringed away, grabbing the flyer from his fingers. He grinned at me.
I felt relieved that the sparkles had returned to his eyes once more, it pained me to see them sad.
"Okay, I'll go grab my phone while you decide on what you want." He told me as he walked out .
"What about you?" I craned my neck to called out to him.
"I already know what I want, duh!" He yelled. I rolled my eyes and then proceeded to go through every item they had. Oh man, even choosing something off of their menu was going to be hard when thoughts of arms and necks were fluffing around in my brain.
~❤~
I was lying on my sides on the couch in the piano room, scrolling aimlessly through my phone. Mr. Green had kindly offered me the wifi password.
He on the other hand, sat at his desk, glasses sitting firmly on his head and desk lamp switched on, typing away on his laptop trying to get some more work done. It'd been more than 40 minutes since Mr. Green made the call to put our dinner through. We'd been informed by the courier that there were some unexpected delays on food delivery due to complications caused from the storm.
And I guess I didn't have much else to do but to lay here.
I could play the piano perhaps... And risk getting a scolding from Mr Green? No, I wouldn't be able to play in peace. Besides, I'd already been overworked today in the lesson.
Maybe I could do my homework then. I decided against it; despite wanting to do well in school, nobody in their right mind does homework on a Friday night after attending school for the entire week. That was what Sunday nights are for– even I knew that. It was a nice thought anyway.
I stifled a yawn, feeling as if my eyes were starting to fill with lead. The whole day had been exhausting from the start. This morning hiding in the library from Mr. Green and Brian already felt like yesterday's news. The soft tapping of his the keyboard as well as the gentle pit patter of the rain dripping on the window behind me wasn't helping either, it was hushing me more to sleep like a lullaby.
Slowly, I gave in.
That's when the sport shed came into my dreams.
The darkness of moonlight penetrated through the leaves above me as the blue eyed demon stumbled against the wall of the shed, inching forward. A black ooze of sticky substance leaked from his steps, trailing behind him as he grunted forward, tipping around, highly intoxicated. I couldn't move. I couldn't scream. I was frozen again.
Slowly, as the demon came for me I fell backwards to the bush bellow the trees. His eyes were glowing through the darkness. The black substance from his feet, catching up now, began to wrap their claws around my ankles. They frothed over my legs, making their way up past my knees, up my skirt and onto my body... consuming me.
I let out a bloodcurdling scream as they entered all my orifices and my scream were reduced to a choking curdle. No one could hear me.
~❤~~❤~~❤~
J a s p e r
The rain hit against the window softly as he finished a sentence on the performance of a student he was writing a report on. That was the fifteenth completed. On to the next!
As he worked on writing another paragraph, a delicate breathing pattern soon penetrated into his ears, filling his mind as his thoughts crossed over to the small figure on the couch a distance away from him.
It was loud– not the noise of the breathing itself, but rather the presence of her. It distracted him. He was not used to someone being there with him in his study while he was working, but it offered a change of scene. It was different from his routine.
The companionship disturbed his train of thoughts, he wasn't able to fully delve into his usual clear frame of mind when working. Instead it played with him, offering him a taste of the memory of her crying silently in his arms moments earlier. Her soft brown hair against his neck, her fragile shoulders shaking tenderly against his chest. The way her tearstained eyes jerked at something deep inside of him.
He shook his head. He had plenty enough work on his plate and he didn't need to be even more distracted now. Nudging his glasses into place, he cracked and wriggled his fingers above the keyboard and shook his shoulders out. Time to get back onto it.
The breathing suddenly hitches, drawing his attention immediately. And it remained hitched as shallow rapid breaths came in succession from the girl that lay on his couch. Then a whimper. He stood up quickly, and crossed the room in a few big steps.
He couched down to her level with concern.
She was shuddering, her hair had fallen over her face messily, and from beneath the waves, her eyes moved rapidly under her eyelid. Her bottom lip quivering as another whimper escaped her lips.
Night terrors.
He turned around, quickly making his way to the piano stool which he lifted the lid off, revealing a small green knitted throw. Opening it up, the smell of his childhood interlaced with the thick air causing a small pangs of pain to emerge from deep within him. He never took this throw out for anybody, not even himself. He threw the reminiscing thought away and instead focused on the girl in front of him.
With the throw stretched in his arms, he laid it carefully over her body. There, that seemed to stop some of the shivering.
He bent down again, and moved the hair away from her face, carefully tucking it around her ear. His fingers burned as it touched her soft skin, and he notices a small tear wiggled out from her eyes. That was the third time she cried today. He smiled to himself.
Was she always a cry baby?
His fingers lingered around her face, and he pushed back more of her disheveled hair from her neck. That was better. Her delicate and lovely feminine face was now visible, from her cute nose to her small, dainty lips. It also exposed the soft base of her pale neck and décolletage. He swallowed a small lump in his throat and retreated his arms as her breath slowed down to a regular interval. His posture relaxed a little.
He soon found his fingers at her hair again as he stroked it softly. It felt a little smooth and tangled, and it reminded him of her personality– a little fierce but hesitant, and always on the look out... and strong. He could tell she was a strong one; stronger that she knew herself.
The small tear drop made its way down to the her cheek, lingering for another second before going down to her nape again. I
t brushed over a small scar on her side of her neck...
~❤~~❤~~❤~
Hello dear readers,
I hope you enjoyed this week's chapter, including the little bonus POV change. What'd you reckon about the POV? It's not quite his personal view as I wanted it to be a bit more mysterious, hehe (: But we get to know a little bit more behind who he is?
Thank you again for your loyal support and those who vote weekly! YOUR COMMENTS ALSO MAKE MY DAY! Also hello and welcome to any new readers^^
I know I'm not the best writer out there, but I hope that it's still something you can tune into full heartedly. I am always up for any critiques as writing alone, I don't always see if something doesn't makes sense or add up. So yeah, enjoy :)
Sussannah