WEIRD HEARTS
(Love in circles)
BY BLESSING SILVER
CHAPTER 31
Jacqueline’s POV
I wiped the sink after I was done with the dishes and turned the faucet. I finished the kitchen work and moved to Nick’s gameroom.. I noticed the neatness and tidyness.. I’ve been here for over thirty minutes and I’ve barely done any work. I wondered if it was just me or if Nick house seem to not be getting dirty lately.. Either ways I worked on properly putting the game pads. All along the only work I’ve done is keeping the rooms clean, not that it have been used but because of the dusts.. I only had to dust, mob and do a bit of arranging. I was moving away from the computer when Nicholas walked in.
“This room never seem to get dirty at, considering that it’s supposed to be the room with the worst kind of dirts” I said.
“Why do you say so?”
“Because it’s your game room, boys like games and it’s definitely the right place for boys to spend most of their time on. And here, it’s not even dirty at all, don’t your friends visit this part of the house or you never told them you have one?” I blabbed and faced him.
He had a blank face.
“I don’t have friends,” he said..
“What?” I scoffed and suddenly held my face blank when I saw his serious expression “You’re joking right?”
“I’m not..I gave up on friends because I know they’ll desert me once they find out about my disease, I mean if my mom could leave me for twelve years then what will friends do? I couldn’t take the risk.. Friends will definitely avoid me like a plague then spread it out” he said.
“I won’t,” I said and he brows furrowed “I won’t leave you because of your illness Nicholas” he stared at me quietly and I drew out two chairs, I took one and with my gesture, he sat on the other.
I gave him a small smile first “when I was little, I was this timid, scared and demanding girl and somehow I grew up with it, except the demanding part.. My mom always says I wear my emotions on my clothes because my feelings could be easily read. I grew up trying to hide them a lot and somehow I wasn’t successful,”. I paused and place a palm on Nick’s.
“I believe all humans come with a problem of theirs, small or big, different or not; we all have issues of our own and they don’t come without solution, it just sometimes needs patient to act. Your m- sorry Jason’s mom was so callous to have left you but you shouldn’t let her action or words speak for everyone else because I won’t leave you, at least not because of your illness..” I chuckled a little “I don’t know why I feel so confident about this but just know I’m always here” I said..
“Why?” He asked slowly “because apart from my dad no one else stayed”
“That’s because you feel that way but I won’t, cos I’m your friend and that’s what true friends are for.” I said and he gave me a smile..
“I’m not thanking you for this because I’ve said enough ‘thank you’ for one day but I really appreciate this”
“You just said ‘thank-you’ as well” I said.
“I wasn’t direct” he said and stood up. “So you want to play a game with me?”
“Nah.. I still have so much to learn with these devices and besides I don’t think I have the energy for it because I need it for the grocery shopping. So you ready?”
“Sure.. And we’re using the bus”
“Huh? Why not your car”
“Nothing.. I just feel like going public today” he said and I gave him a questioning look..
“But wh–
“I already gave myself two shots.. Nothing will go wrong, at least not today and I took some with me too” he said and I smiled lopsided-ly.
“Classic Nick”
We head to the bus station side by side and when we got into the bus and took seats, I couldn’t help but get amazed at how Nick gaze stayed on the window, watching things around.. He smiled at intervals as well.. He looked like he could die of ecstasy and it made me wonder if this was his first time riding in a bus..
“This feels like an adventure” he mumbled to me and almost immediately, turned back to stare out of the window. I shook my head and looked ahead.
The bus parked at our destination and we, along some of the passengers got down and more got in..
The grocery store was just ahead and the list was with me.. We trekked for some minutes to the store and I noticed Nick felt disturbed about it, he has probably not walked that long under the sun.. We got to the door and walked in through the glass door. Nick waited while I talked to the cashier and after grabbing a shopping trolley, we walked to pick what we wanted.
“Let’s have some ham” Nick grabbed two bags of hams and threw it into the trolley.. I shopped mostly for vegetables and fruits.. We got some food necessities too and Nick put a carton of milk in. I got some red meat, wheat bread, cereals, baking ingredients and sausages.. We shopped for close to thirty minutes and we had our goods stored in three trolleys while Nick carried the carton of noodles. We were assisted to the payment stand and the lady on duty, attended to us.. She finished and gave us the amount, Nick paid through his card and collected the receipt slip. Our groceries was packed up in big shopping bags and Nick and I carried two each.. I took the lightest.
We got outside the store.
“Unusual right?” I asked Nick “The atmosphere, shopping, Carrying heavy bags and walking under the sun, it’s not something that have happened to you before is it?”
“It isn’t but it’s not as shitty as I thought.. Except for the sun of course” he said.
“Should we get some ice cream then, there’s a store at that corner.. We could rest while we eat it” I said.
“Yeah..”
We got our orders, I got a vanilla and chocolate flavor while Nick had just chocolate, a big size.. We ate it outside the store, on a bench and I saw how Nick ate his with so much relish..
“I feel like I’m on a school trip and we’re having chocolate for dessert” he said, licking his lips.
“You miss your middle school that much?”
“No.. I’ve just never been on such trip when I was little” he said.
“Really? Your school never had one?” He asked.
“My disease didn’t let me partake in it” he said. “It didn’t let me do fun things as a child, especially after Selena left.. Jason’s mom.
My life was based indoors.. I never went on trips, didn’t attend middle school regularly, never go on outing, never even shopped and the birthday parties I had were indoors; no friends, just me and my dad and a very boring celebration.. I missed out on so many stuff as a child, I don’t even know what childhood fun feels like.. I only see them in my imagination and I’m too grown up for it.
But this one, sitting on a bench and taking my favorite flavor of sundae feels like one of it” he said and took a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.
I stared at him, a little awed. His disease really kept him from so many things.. As a child, I got all the fun any child got.. I had extra of it as a matter of fact.. The only sad thing was that it got cut short but I still remember those fun days.. I can’t imagine how a child, that’s supposed to be full of life stayed isolated because of the fear of being discovered if he mingles with his peers. It’s a sad thought though especially when you watch others do it.
“It’s not too late to still have fun now” I said and he gave me a look..
“How?”
“Ever heard of adult fun?” I asked with a witty grin..
Nicholas POV
I gave her a questioning look..
“Adult fun?” I questioned “What’s that?”
She was about replying me when a woman walking with so many shopping bags on her both hands, fell at our front and the content on two of the bags spilled while the other bag got torn.
“Ouch!” She yelped as her knee crashed on the floor. In a flash, Jacqueline ice cream was taking her place on the bench while she quickly rushed to the woman..
“Are you okay ma’am?” She asked, squatting over her with a concerned look.
“A little. I must’ve hit my foot on a rock and my knee hurts quite much” she said.
“Did you come with a cab?”
“With my car.. It’s over there” she pointed to a red Benz.
“Alright. Can you try to stand up, I’ll help you to your car” she said, taking her hand.
“My.. My gro–
“I’ll bring them to your car. Let’s get you there first” she said and helped the woman to her feet. The woman somehow with Jacqueline help, started walking to where her car was parked. I watched them, in a bit of wonder.. Jacqueline’s caring spirit is natural. I couldn’t help but feel amazed.
She walked back to the spot where the woman wares was scattered on the floor, she bent, pushed her hair back and started putting the fallen items in the good shopping bag.. She looked at me.
“Will you stare or assist me?” She asked.
“You’re already on with it, so continue” I said and faced my ice cream. I heard her huff and continue picking.. I moved my gaze to her again and she was done filling the shopping bag, she fit the big pack of diapers between her hand and walked to the car, leaving the bags. I put my ice cream beside hers and took the bags, three in numbers, to the car.. I fixed them at the backseat and Jacqueline gave me a smile as she moved to the woman.
“Are you sure you’re good enough to drive?”
“Yes. Thank you so much,” she said “here, take this for your time and kindness” she said, stretching her a dollar bills.
“Sorry ma’am but I can’t take it.. I didn’t help you for the tips, I helped because I saw you needed it” she said.
“Thank you. I’ll never forget this favor miss?”
“Jacqueline ma’am”
“Okay and.. Is that your boyfriend?” She asked, referring to me and my eyes widen.
“What,” Jacqueline’s eyes shot towards me.. “No. He’s not my boyfriend”
“Oh.. Okay. Thank you both” she said, gave us a big grin and shut her car door. I walked back to my ice cream before it melts and continued eating. She joined me later and frowned at her melted ice cream before sitting with me.
“As I was saying.. You can still have fun even now that you’re all grown up” I said.
“Is that what you called ‘adult fun’?”
“Yeah.. I actually made the name up but it still rhymes” she said. “So tomorrow, during my work hours, we could visit a fun place together and have some of the fun you missed out on as a child. Adult have fun too but not all kind of children fun.. Because some of them are too immature to partake in as an adult.. Like building a sand castle but we can still have other fun. What do you think?” She asked.
“Cool. I’m beginning to anticipate it and after it, there’s something I have to tell you” I said and she nodded.
“We should be heading to the bus station now” she said, standing.
“Yeah” I threw my cup into the waste basket that was a bit farther from us.
We were among the first set of people that entered the bus and we got good seats, Jacqueline took the one close to the window while I sat beside her.. Our shopping bag, on the floor beside our seats. When everyone had gotten in, the bus drove off.. As it moved, Jacqueline’s hair started waving in the air and some strands touched my face.. She frantically caught them together and pinned it in a rough French plait, she gave me an apologetic look then looked back at the window. I took out my phone and began playing a game..
I hadn’t played for up to twenty minutes when a weight fell on my shoulder, I turned sideways to see Jacqueline.. Fast asleep on my shoulder.. Some strands of her hair pricked my flesh and I moved it a little but she didn’t stir nor wake up. I lowered my shoulder a little for her comfort, our journey was still a little far so I let her sleep.
We got to our stop minutes later and some passengers got off but since she wasn’t showing any sign of waking up and her sleeping state was so deep, we didn’t get down.. The bus drove on and I stared down at her, her lips were slightly apart and her eye lashes spread on her upper cheek and her neck showed signs of passage of air.. I looked away and ahead.
The bus parked at another station and people alighted and the ones on deck, moved in. The bus drove on and eventually got to a third station but Jacqueline was still asleep..
Did she stay awake all night? I wondered, giving her sleeping face a stare.. The bus drove on again and this time I felt a small tap on my shoulder and I turned to see a guy on uniforms..
“Where exactly are you going to sir?” He asked and I gave him a signal to lower his voice and I think he got it because he wasn’t that loud on his next words “The next stop is at the countryside. Is that where you’re heading?”
“Um not really. Can I follow the bus when it’s coming back, I’ve passed my bus stop already” I said and he gave me a questioning look “don’t worry, I’ll pay extra.. Just name the price” I said and he nodded before moving away..
It was starting to get dark when the bus pulled up at our station and when it galloped to a stop, Jacqueline stirred and slowly her eyes fluttered open.. I watched as her eyeballs rolled around first and when they met mine, she suddenly jerked up from me shoulder and with widened eyes, she stared out of the window and licked her lips..
“OMG.. Did I fall asleep?” She asked In a bit of a loud voice.
“Yeah, for straight one hour, thirty minutes on my shoulder” I said, straining my shoulder and she gasped.
“What time is it?”
I checked my wrist watch “6:48”
“Oh no.. I have to go now” she stood up and grabbed her bag.
“Don’t forget about tomorrow” I said..
“I won’t..” She yelled “And you eat some vegetables tonight, no fast foods okay?”
“Sure”
She gave me a thumb up and dashed out of the bus.. The man from earlier came to me and I tossed some tips in form of Money to him.. He gave me a smile and nodded. I grabbed the shopping bags and alighted from the car..
I inhaled the air and smiled..
For the first time in a long time, I feel like I went on a real outing.
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