A/N I dedicate this chapter to my great friend Kavindya97, who never fails to motivate me in writing this book. Love you so much! Mwah.
P. S - Please don't picture me as Jessie Levi, especially at the beginning of this chapter. :P
And guys if you like my story so far please don't forget to VOTE! And COMMENT all your lovely feedbacks. Thanks for reading my little book. Although the story has just begun :)
I watched my reflection move through the ripples of water. The atmosphere was undeniably harmonic. I lifted my head up and looked up at the sky. I smelled the fragrant flowers which were surrounding the fountain which stood in the middle of the "Lotus Park". A flock of birds were marking their territory. Their chirps filled the air. I smiled merely looking at them. So happy, so free. Exactly how I was feeling then. I felt his strong grip against my waist. I looked back and saw him smiling a me lovingly. He tightened me up in a cuddle and kissed my cheek softly.
"You enhance the beauty of the nature" he said almost whispering in my ear. I let out a soft giggle. He left a trail of kisses from my cheek to my neck. At that moment I was contended. I wouldn't have traded the feeling for the world. He rested his face on my shoulder. We were both standing there up on the "little bridge" which crossed the small waterway, on the back in a spring four years ago. Everything was just fine then. Nothing troubled us. We were young and free. We had nothing worry about. We believed that we will always have each other whatever the weather was. I ran my fingers through his hair caressingly.
"I love you Jessica Elizabeth Levi, I mean.. I am in love with you. All of you..." he said suddenly. My eyes widened with surprise. It was the first time had ever said that he loves me. I felt my heart tighten with happiness. I felt my whole world bloom like daisy in split second. I felt cherished. Accomplished. Contented. On top of all I felt loved immensely. At that moment I knew nothing could ever come between us. I felt my stomach do flips, my heart beating fast.
I looked back and watched him admiringly. A tear tingling at the corner of my left eye. I stared at his beautiful blue eyes for a series of seconds. I could see the unspoken words from his eyes, I felt the sparks fly as he charmingly smiled with me.
"I am in love with you too, Eric Eugene Witholdren" I meant from the deepest bottom of my soul. People will say that one could hardly know what love is, at such a young age. But with all the feelings that I got I knew that there could be no greater love. People find love in most unexpected places and unexpected circumstances. Love is nothing but destiny's wish.
He pulled me into his lips and kissed me passionately. I could feel his lips dancing along with my mine. Almost making my heart ache with never dying love I held for him. He caressed my cheeks with his finger tips. I ran my fingers through his hair. I could literally hear melodious harmonies from my head as we were kissing so passionately. So lovingly. I felt my feet lift up from the ground and as if I was floating in the air. I felt Eric and I was bonded in a magical string that connects the two of us as one.
I felt the same sensation which overtook me four years ago take over me as he stood their right in front of me after delivering those words.
I still do it sometimes
It kept repeating in my head. My mind was blank. I did not know how to respond. And I'm pretty sure that neither does he. He merely blurted it out unintentionally. He looked away from me and walked towards my window seat and gingerly sat their. Looking outside. Watching kids in the neighborhood play and other people walking their dogs.
I knew that I had to say something. Because we were facing such an awkward silence. I did not like any sort of silence at all. Silence scares me. It reminds me of all my flaws. Just as this silence did.
Why did Eric leave me? He had told me he'd never leave me even if he was offered the highest command of the world. But still he found it in his mind to leave me. To Hollywood. Wasn't I good enough for him? But if I wasn't why would he still try to reminisce the past with me? Why does he get the sudden urge to be with me when I'm not even good enough for him.
"How long will you be staying in Torrisa?" I broke the ice and waited eagerly for him to reply.
"For three weeks" he said, still looking outside the window.
"It'll fly by" I said.
"Yeah. Unfortunately it will" he said not taking his eyes off from the road below.
"Don't you like Hollywood?" I blurted out. It was a question I had never even dreamt of asking him. How can he possibly not like Hollywood. The main reason he left was because he likes Hollywood. Maybe I was right maybe he doesn't like Hollywood, but love it.
"Sometimes" Was the reply.
Suddenly my dad swung open the door. "Oops! Sorry to interrupt you kids. But dinner's ready. So whenever you feel like it just come down" he said smiling with Eric.
"Oh I can't wait Pete! We'll come down this instant!"'Eric said as he got up from my window seat. He kept staring at the window for a moment. Then he turned back letting out a heartfelt sigh. I wonder whether he still remembers that he used to climb up from that window to my room.
"Jessie? Shall we go downstairs? I'm kinda craving for your mom's gnocchi" he said scratching his head while smiling at me.
"Yeah sure. I'm quite hungry too" I said returning a smile.
He held the door open for me to leave like a gentleman. I smiled. My heart was still beating fast. I felt happy and afraid at the same time. Whatever he will say or do cannot be good. I know it's not his intention to hurt me. But after all he will be leaving to Hollywood and end up with some fancy chick and I will have suffer miserably for another eon. His romantic approach truly scared me and satisfied me at the same time because it made me go through the beautiful emotions I had gone through a few years ago and because of the fear of this being some sort of a rebound for him.
We rushed downstairs and entered the kitchen. Mom and dad were waiting patiently for us to return. My mother had laid the dinner exquisitely. Just looking at the food filled my appetite. I could see the sense of pride in her eyes with her great work.
"Oh I'm drooling....!" Eric exclaimed.
We all laughed and sat to dinner. I sat next to mom. Eric sat next to me and dad sat next to Eric in our round dinner table.
"Eric do you like.. want to pray before your meals? If so we can go ahead now" my mom said with a smile.
Thanking God for the food we received was never a tradition in my family. And as I recall it Neither was Eric's. Why should we thank God for the food? I mean we should thank our dad for bringing food home out of his money. But not God. Don't get me wrong. I am not an atheist but I think its kinda pointless in my perspective.
"Nah I'm cool". He said chillingly.
"Alright let's begin then"dad said and we began the feast. Eric was the most excited person of us all to having being able to taste my mom's gnocchi after so long. But for me it was not that exciting because I had the same thing two weeks ago. I do love my mom's food a great deal. But none of these dishes were new to me.
"Oh my goodness Anna! This is so good! Better than the last time I had this!" Eric said gleefully enjoying my mother's culinary talent. My mother's cheeks blushed. She giggled. My dad laughed.
"Do you still remember the taste of the the last one you had?" My dad asked pointing his fork at Eric .
"I still remember everything" he replied. My heart missed a beat. He looked at me as soon as he uttered those four words. I kept my eyes focused on my plate. I could see his eyes searching all over my face. I felt a rush of blood on my cheeks. I was worried that he might nab me blushing.
"So did you guys come to the concert at school last Thursday?" Eric asked my parents, helping him to a large spoonful. Instantly I felt dizzy. Why does he have to bring up this in the middle of dinner? I wanted to forget all about it. But he just doesn't let me.
"Oh yeah! we were in the eighth row, You may haven't spotted us" mom replied.
"Yeah. It was too crowded" he stated. How could it be otherwise? The whole population of Torrisa were there to see him. "By the way Jessie. You were simply.. simply.. Brilliant!" He said looking into my eyes. I felt the cold shiver take over my veins once again. His dark blue eyes scorched through my skin and into the core of my bones.
"Thanks" I said playing with my food, trying to avoid eye contact with him.
"She should be in Hollywood right?" My dad said chuckling. I gave him the death stare which instantly made him quiet.
"No!" He protested. "I mean not that she doesn't deserve it or anything" he said looking at my dad and then turning his face to mine.
"I don't want her to regret her decisions as well" he said suddenly being concerned.
At that very minute his mobile phone began ringing. He thrusted his hand in his jeans pocket and took out his phone.
Does he regret his decision of leaving me to Hollywood?
"Excuse me for a minute" he said politely. "Hello?" He asked. I heard the person on the other side said something. "Jonas! Did you change your number?" Eric said suddenly excited to hear his manager's voice.
"Nah, everything is great"
"Yeah. Aha.. Oh.. Really?"
"That's brilliant"
"Yeah I'm at her's"
I stared at him startled. 'Her's' ? Whom did he mean by her? Me? Mom? How does Jonas know about us anyway? Maybe its mom who he referred to as 'her', because of her famous gnocchi probably because Eric may have constantly spoken about how delicious it is.
"Okay man, Bye! Okay.. Sure"
"Sorry! That was my manager Jonas checking up on me" he explained to my parents after hanging up.
"Oh! He seems to be pretty concerned" my mother spoke.
"Yeah he is. He is like my alternate dad" he explained. "Whenever dad is not around Jo automatically becomes my dad" he said chuckling. "And Jessie, Jonas said hello to you"
What? Me? So the 'her' was me? But how? I've never in my life have even seen this guy, leave aside knowing him, but he says hello to me? Oh this is all so messed up!
"Um.. tell him that I said hello too?" I said feeling tangled in a web.
"So how's Lucas and Kathy? How are they handling fame?" My dad interrupted serving himself a plateful once again.
"Now their adapted to it. The first few days were quite frustrating for them. You know.. Paps following them and all the craziness but now they're kinda used to it, fortunately! Because before all that it was constant complaining about they have very less privacy and stuff" Eric replied with a grin.
"I will be sure glad to see them sometime" mom expressed.
"They will be too. Oh! By the way they asked me to give their regards to you guys." He said looking at my parents. "They have gone to Alabama to visit one of my dad's great aunts" Eric said sounding bored. "Which is why they couldn't come with me".
"Hope they're having fun! We tried to Skype Kathy once but their account no longer exists it seems" mom said taking Eric's finished plate. Eric insisted that he himself will wash his plate. And he disappeared to the kitchen as he spoke.
"Yeah, they had to deactivate all of their social networking accounts because of the risk of it getting hacked and the private stuff getting leaked" Eric's voice came from the kitchen.
"Oh that's bad luck" dad said getting up from the dining chair and helping mom carry the dishes to the kitchen. "Yeah! Tell me about it" Eric complained as he reappeared into the living area. At that very moment his phone started ringing again.
"It's the hotel manager" he revealed as he checked the screen of his phone.
"Hello?"
"Yeah I'm doing good! How about you Mr. Casey?" He said with a wide grin.
He listened eagerly to what the manager guy was saying on the other side.
"Well I just had dinner with my relations so don't prepare anything special for me" he said politely.
One question kept on repeating in my brain.
When did we become his relations?