He looked at her with no emotion, but was probably of a type to have concealed it anyway. Jack stiffened slightly, his humorless face appeared.
He knew that she had fallen to the depth of her own tenderness towards another lost soul.
He finally found the words to say, "I've waited so long."
He leaned closer to her and kissed her, this time more passionate than their previous ones.
He said, "I like kissing you.", each word parted by kisses in betweens.
He entered the room and closed the door, his lips still locked with hers, taking every moment as if it lasted forever.
Alice didn't want to part her lips from his. They could do it all day long. Their longing has been poured into that kiss to withdraw the emptiness they felt within without each other's arms.
Jack put his hand on her head, her hair stuck between his fingers, his other hand holding the side of her face.
He moved away and leaned his forehead to hers, out of breath.
"Alice..."
Alice was gasping for breath. She waited for what he'll say.
"I'm yours. All yours."
She smiled and responded, "I'm all yours too."
Jack smiled too. "But.... Alice."
"What?"
"What do you want for lunch?" He went back to the question she failed to answer.
Alice then burst into laughter. "You're really funny!"
Jack laughed with her.
Alice looked into his eyes, suddenly became serious when she said, "I really... really like you."
Jack kissed her lips again and said "I like you more than you've ever known, Alice."
He held both of her hands and intertwined his fingers through hers.
They were just standing in front of each other. His grip got tighter as he felt his heart beating abnormally.
He felt different. It was different. Alice was different.
Alice spoke, "What will happen when we go back to the office?"
"It's a weekend tomorrow. You don't have to think about it."
"But... when Monday comes... I don't know... It scares me."
"We can't tell them. But for now, stay with me."
"I will."
They remained standing still and just stared at each other again like they couldn't get enough of each other. Their bodies send signals to blend in the warmth of the day. There has been a resistance between them.
Alice said "Anything."
"Huh?"
"Anything Aunt Maria cooks, I'll go for it."
Jack slightly beamed. "Great."
"But you have to sit beside me."
"Of course, I will."
He pulled her and went outside the room to move to the kitchen. They go around, exposed and free to whatever they want to do.
In the mansion, they are safe, no pretensions, no fear, no judgments... just them and their fiery hearts that dared to bare.
In an hour, the foods are cooked and they ate their lunch altogether in a long table.
Jack has his coat behind his chair and was left with just a V-neck t-shirt.
He said "I liked it Aunt Maria.", praising the food in contentment.
"Thank you, Jorge.", Aunt Maria replied flattered.
"So, Uncle John, did you like it?"
Uncle John, who just fixed the garden, replied, "I do. It was a delightful lunch."
He looked at the 3 elders and Lucas. Lucas had his headphones on and not listening. They didn't mind him like they already knew he have had these days many times before.
Jack said "It was a pleasure."
Uncle Jaime, the man who cleans the floors, talked, "We are hoping to have more lunches with you, señor."
"Please. Call me Jorge."
"We couldn't thank you enough, Jorge. Please join us more even just for meals."
He looked uneasy after, he sipped from his glass and made a sound, "Hm."
He stood up from his chair and said, "I have to sleep. Thank you all."
He took Alice's hand and said "Let's go?"
"Uh..." She looked at the people left on the dining table. "But..."
Uncle Jaime said "It's okay."
Jack then walked with her to the second floor, their hands tethered.
Alice asked, "You're sleepy?"
"Yes. Do you want to sleep in my room too?"
"I'll stay in my room."
"Okay. I have to rest. You're free to cook for dinner in the kitchen or ask Aunt Maria to cook. I might be asleep for long. I'm extremely exhausted."
"I understand. Yes, you have to rest. Good night."
Jack planted a kiss on her cheek and let go of her hand to go on to his room.
Alice was left with wonders as to why he suddenly acted cold to them or acted as if to break away from the topic. She thought "Why does he treat them so cold even if he rescued them?"
It quite bothered her for a short time but her body was so tired. Her mind is burned out, so she slept in her room too.
She woke up after 7 hours of sleep. She panicked a bit because it was dark in her room. She stood up to go out and check if somebody was around the mansion but everybody seemed to sleep early.
She roamed around his house alone for she thought that Jack might be asleep until tomorrow morning.
Inside was considerably more spacious than might have been expected and was spotlessly clean. She headed straight to the kitchen and made herself a sandwich with strawberry jam for dinner. She still felt full from their lunch because Aunt Maria usually cooks loads of foods to prepare on the table for them to feast on.
She walked around the house with the sandwich in her hand. She thought "How come Jorge doesn't want to live here? It's peaceful and quiet."
She looked for a picture of him on the picture frames that hung around the walls that lead to the balcony. She found no photos of Jorge, only Lucas and the 3 elders.
She got curious and figured she still has a lot to know about him.
She carried on walking, took a bite of her sandwich and reached the balcony. As she approaches the balcony, the view was heavenly.
Her mind is filled with romantic images.
The balcony was dimly lit by the lamps that stood along with the railings' wall mounts. The moon was shining bright and the sea that looked waveless from afar is clearly seen in their vicinity.
The air is cold but she stepped out to feel the evening breeze from Jorge's house and to know how was it like in his house when it's night time.
To her surprise, as she stepped out to the balcony, she saw Jorge, sitting in a table for two, except that he's alone.
He's wearing a sweater and pajamas. A very casual look for a rich man. He has a glass of wine in his hand and the bottle, half empty, was standing tall in the table.
She shivered for a bit. "Oh... shit... I'm sorry. I didn't see you here."
He just smirked. He stared somewhere far.
"I thought you'll sleep for so long? Why are you up this time?", she asked.
"I woke up and now I can't sleep so I drink wine."
"So you can get drunk and sleep?"
Jack faced her and said "Why don't you take a seat?"
She sat beside him but with a table between them. They were both facing the sea.
He was quiet.
Alice finished her sandwich and took advantage of the situation that she has Jack on his serene state to get into a more intimate topic. She then asked what she's been raring to ask lately.
"Jorge... Can I ask you a question?"
"Why am I quiet? Well, this is how I contemplate."
"No, not that, but... what are you contemplating on?"
"Life, in general."
"That took a turn."
"What are you supposed to ask anyway?"
"About lately, from the dining table, when we had lunch... Aunt Maria mentioned to me also that you rarely spoke to them. She told me about how they end up here, just so you know."
He filled his glass with wine as he said, "What about it?"
"You helped them but you won't socialize."
"That's a little bit of a grey area."
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"Can you tell my why?"
Jack glanced at her, drank from the glass and looked back to the wonderful view of the sea at night.
"No strings attached."
"What do you mean exactly?"
"I don't want to get attached. I hope that explains everything you need to know."
"Why? They can be your new family."
"No, Alice. You don't get it. I am an orphan. I was raised in a temporary home. The moment you get too attached to someone, you give them the power to hurt you when they leave."
"You were trying to say that you don't want to feel that way again because that's how you felt from the orphanage?"
He didn't talk.
"So you had to numb yourself from ever feeling emotions again?"
"Isn't that the way it goes? You get attached to someone then they leave you. Then you're just... doomed."
Alice was glad that he is slowly trying to open up himself. It could've been because of the wine or because their relationship is on another level now.
"I understand where you're coming from, but if you are too heedful about being attached, why did you help them?"
He heaved a sigh. "I don't know... I wanted to save them."
"Only 3 of them?"
"They were the only 3 elders who had pure hearts."
"How did you know?"
"I've socialized with evil people all my life. I think I am expert enough to know the uncanny."
"And how did you meet them?"
He chuckled. "Okay, why are you asking too many questions?"
"We can't have this connection without knowing each other too well, Jorge."
He nodded once. "Right. I... I met them in search of my parents before. The orphanage told me they were at the Home of the Abandoned Elderly."
"You looked for your parents?"
"Before. So I can say the words."
"What words?"
He shrugged, raised both of his eyebrows and nonchalantly said, "Fuck you mom and dad."
"Lots of hatred right there."
"Turned out they were not there, but I stumbled upon Aunt Maria and I immediately saw it in her eyes... the pain.. the suffering... and I saw it in her scars... the helplessness, and from the other people too, those are Uncle John and Uncle Jaime. And right there, something came to me, even with my disposition as a big headed selfish bastard who happened to be rich, but by his own efforts which nobody pluck up the courage to understand, I approached them. You see... not many people were kind to me, but....... They see right through me. They trusted me."
"And after that, you just let them live here? Not ever talking to them or knowing them better?"
"No."
"Why?"
"I just wanted to save them from their sorrows. Here, they have a better place to live in, a comfortable one, away from the abuse, a better life and really peaceful, isn't it?"
"Yes. I understand. It really is peaceful in here."
She rubbed her shoulders, feeling the cold chills. Jack saw it and offered his sweater like a gentleman.
"Here, take this. I'm warm enough because of the alcohol."
Alice worn it and smelled it a little bit. He smelled so good.
She talked after she took a sniff, "What if he followed us here?"
"Jack Kinley?"
"Yes and he harmed you? Aren't you scared of that probability?"
He slumped back in his chair. "This world is rotten anyway. Dying is also a gift."
"You really do have a dark outlook in life."
He stared down at the floor with an expression of sad bewilderment on his face. "Heaven....... It's all they talk about."
She remained speechless. Surprised by discovering another side of Jack.
He carried on. "Heaven is nothing but an illusion to cover up the fact that we're all prisoners of hell down here and that we're all destined for eternal damnation." There was a pause. "I'm sorry..."
He snorted. "I think I'm a little drunk now."
"You are compellingly strange. You know that?"
"Villains are."
"You're not a villain. You're just misunderstood."
"I am so cynical and my heart is filled with hatred and vengeance that keeps me going through each day. I saved 4 people and I don't know why........."
He stopped to think. "To see if I'm capable of doing good things............. to see that there might be a little bit of good left in me."
"Every bad in this world will soon subside, Jorge. And you are not a bad person... I can see that."
"You know nothing, Alice. I consumed him. He won't come back. When the darkness wins... Alice... when the darkness won me..." He cut his own sentence.
"What are you saying?"
"Nothing. I don't know." He laughed. "I'm drunk."
"I thought you are a horrible boss back in the office, but you are worse when you're drunk."
Jack was just all smiles. Alice said "But... did you ever try to find your parents again?"
His smile faded from his face. "Not in my list."
"Why?"
He frowned and rose a little bit from his chair, "Why? What for?"
"Maybe they had reasons why they did that."
"Oh, there has to be! But it's not important now."
"They are still your parents, Jorge."
He bit his upper lip and closed his eyes. "Parents do not leave their child." He opened his eyes and glowered at her. "Clothes? Nothing. At least a money in my pocket, no. Food in my mouth! Any of that! They didn't give any of it. So why do I have to give a shit about them now?"
"At least they sent you to the orphanage for security. They still cared."
"Only to that extent..."
Alice decided not to talk back before he gets mad. She stared at his eyes and learned that Jack was broken inside. Inside him, trapped, was a boy yearning to be loved and that there was a reason why he's always been so detached. He fears abandonment above all.
She appreciated that Jack risked to commit when all he ever talked about was not to get attached. Alice felt special.
She sensed that all he needs is love and that, she is willing to provide. She wanted to protect him in return.
She looked at him draining the remaining wine from the bottle as he filled his glass for the last time. She saw a lonely man shaded by pride. A man who grew up with questions in his head of why was he not worthy.
He got everything he wanted, except his parents' love.
She discerned how little money is to fix a broken man and his outbursts of anger from time to time might actually meant that he's in pain.
She badly wanted to make him feel that he's worthy of being loved.
She wanted to take off all the unimaginable pain stuck inside of him. A tear fell from her eye.
Jack didn't know she's crying until he heard her snotty sniff.
He stood up right away and bent his knees to sit in front of her.
"Why are you crying?" He looked worried.
"I just want you to be happy."
"Hey... hey..." He hugged her. "I am happy."
"No, you're not. You're in pain."
"I... You don't have to worry about that. I know how to numb them."
"I'm really sorry."
He kissed the top of her head. "Stop crying. I'll be happy. I promise I'll be happy... As long as we have each other."
Alice wiped her tears through the wrist band of his sweater.
They remained silent until Alice calmed down and stopped crying.
She hugged him and said "You'll always have me, Jorge. I will protect you."
"Now that's the Alice I know. The tough one." He said as he mildly released his arms. He stood up and took the glass and the bottle from the table.
"Let's sleep now. I'm feeling dizzy already."
"Good night, Jorge." She remained seated.
He walked inside to go to his room.
It was a moment to remember for Alice. She felt an ache in her dainty heart knowing that she can't end his suffering alone by herself and all that she can ever do was be a partner to him.
She walked inside next, with a heavy heart.
She went inside her room and reflect on all the things they discussed.
Her problems are just problems until she heard worse. She understands how it felt to be alone but she still has a family, a best friend, and that's what made their contrast.
But both of them are scarred in their own ways, both of them had rhythms in their lives they didn't dance onto, a past they wanted to escape from, a memory they wanted to forget.
She lied down in her bed and tried to sleep but now she couldn't.
She talked under breath, "I can't stop thinking of him!"
She covered herself in blankets and closed her eyes to force herself to sleep.
Jack was in his room, roaming naked. He just took a shower.
The heater is on so he had decided to sleep with just his boxers on. He lied in bed but was just staring at the ceiling.
He remembered what Alice said. It struck him enough to ponder about it for a second thought.
He thought "Why will I look for them just to know their reasons?"
He felt like he needed to but lack the reason to do so. It would be the last thing he would do even if the world is on fire.
He agonized in pain already and pulled himself together and it is not for him to break it all down just to dig deeper from the past.
He hated himself all his life, thinking no one could or ever will love him. He grew up thinking that something is wrong or he had done something wrong. It's the only way a child could grow up when his parents abandon them.
"I celebrated birthdays parentless, had a great job without them, learned to manage other people without them, earned millions... tons of money... an expensive car... a big house..."
He wavered between his thoughts because he knew that beyond all the achievements he got, he still felt empty.
"I don't need them no more. There was a time I needed them and they weren't there. I don't need them now. Just a waste of space in my life."
He just needed them to stick around. He pretended to be mighty but deep inside he was bothered that maybe there was something in him that drove them away.
The feeling he once knew came back to him. It was tearing him apart.
He was in pain and he was sure that his parents put him there.
"No! They mean nothing to me anymore!", he counter attacked his thoughts.
He felt like the wound in him that was closed for a while, reopened as he recalled everything, triggered by what he talked about with Alice.
He knew he would feel this way again once he goes back to the mansion.
He knew everything around him, everyone inside the mansion will only remind him of his past. He didn't want to go back but he's there now.
He looked agitated. The notion irritated him, he grabbed a pillow and put it on top of his face and screamed "Fuck!"
He hated being powerless again.
The toxic in his veins caused him to be drowsy.
He threw the pillow to the floor. He had trouble breathing. He began to sweat as his body heats up.
He never hated wine except at this moment.
He got up from his bed to get the remote and turn off the heater.
He tried to relax a little bit, collected his thoughts through proper breathing.
And just when he's about to go back to his bed, he heard a knock from his bedroom door. He walked towards it and opened it.
"I couldn't sleep." Alice looked up to him with pristine eyes.
"What's wrong?"
Alice saw his naked top. His skin looked supple even though sweaty.
She strained to say "We're not different, Jorge."
"What do you mean?"
"I am finding my place in this rotten world that you say. I crave to know my purpose. I'm thirsty for love too. I wanted to feel like I'm precious to someone. There were times when I want to disappear but I'm afraid that no one would notice that I'm gone. I have wronged people in the past too. I am not perfect either. Just like you, I wanted to find a way out of sadness and live a normal life."
Alice spoke the words like they were thinking of the same thing just a while ago.
He smiled and said, "You kept on surprising me with all these information, Alice."
"Hear me out now, Jorge."
Jorge stopped speaking.
Alice said "I'm not a saint either. I just think you should know that. You are not alone."
"You are a kind person, Alice. You care for your family, your friends and your job. You are so far from being bad. In case, you didn't know."
"I have so much to tell... but it's late at night."
"Is this why you can't sleep?"
"Yes... I can't erase what you said from my mind. I just need you to know that as long as we're together... We'll find a way to get through all of it. Okay? I want you not to give up and just hold on... even if we're melting from the flames of hell in here."
"I never thought it all appealed to you this much."
"Because I care for you! And I don't want you to die!"
"I'm not going to die, Alice."
"But you didn't care about dying!"
"That was--"
"And you didn't care about me if you die!"
"Alice, don't get mad now. You know we can't control anything in this world. There is no certainty in this horror show made by some powerful being. All we can do is play our parts."
"But I need you to promise me that you will try your best to live."
"I won't survive this far if I'm not trying, Alice."
Her emotions gushed out from her mouth. "Because I wouldn't know now what to do if you were gone. You just made my world brighter, you made me feel like I have a purpose... You made me feel noticed... You made me feel loved."
He didn't answer. He acted odd like he's in physical pain.
Alice noticed his reaction. She looked at him, distressed.
"Jorge?"
He's just looking at her. His eyebrows creased. He opened his mouth like he was about to say something but hesitated to do so.
He put his hand on his chest.
"Jorge? What's happening?"
He replied, "My heart burns." then looked down on her lips.
Alice smiled. She walked inside his room and said, "Mine too."
Their chemistry felt so powerful that their bodies throb for their romantic side. The yearning that aches for their lips to meet in sensuous chance for their souls to entwine in smoldering bliss.
They knew they become the remedy for each other's brokenness to heal past wounds, to bring happiness to each other and a promise for a new beginning.
Even their silence of togetherness sings a beautiful melody only known to them.
No words were spoken... as they entangle to each other... caresses turn into kisses, and kisses turn into passion.
She later closed the door behind her and locked it.
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