WEIRD HEARTS
(Love in circles)
BY BLESSING SILVER
CHAPTER 33
Jacqueline’s POV
I chuckled awkwardly and nervously as my gaze stroll around, watching the eager look on the audience eyes, waiting for the k!ss. My gaze reached Nicholas and he had a lopsided smile on. My brows narrowed. How can he be smiling at something that’s not even funny, we’re practically busted. He looked at me and I gave him a questioning look, he shrugged and made an inaudible sound. My heart was pounding my chest like crazy.. My gaze went to Nicholas again and I nudged him to do something since the crowd wouldn’t stop asking for a kiss, but Nick didn’t look like he’d do anything. I took the microphone from the man and turned to the crowd..
“Uhm,..” I said and chuckled awkwardly.. “Sorry people but n- I mean we, that’s me and my b-boyfriend are a really shy couple.. We don’t do stuffs like that in public, we only do it crazily when we’re alone and I’m pretty sure y’all won’t wanna see that. Right honey?” I turned to Nick, a small smile on my lips..
“Oh do we?” He asked with a sarcastic smile and I gave him a glare.. He’s not even trying to be helpful. I turned to the crowd with a placating smile..
“I know you must be disappointed but uh.. Um.. That’s all I wanna say” the crowd began to grumble.. Obviously disappointed and amazed at our attitude..
After the whole not-funny drama, we were made to say some last words and then our prizes were taken to Nick’s car.. Once on the passenger’s, I released the relief sigh I was holding.. I could swear I almost got bursted. I gave Nick a look.
“What?” He questioned “I had so much fun”
“And I almost had an heart attack. Why did you keep smiling like a goof? We almost got caught” I said.
“Almost. Good thing’s that we didn’t get caught and that’s what matters plus we won and that happened because of me..” He gave me a smile and I sighed again..
“You? I also participated. Don’t make it sound like you did it alone” I said.
“I might have not but you can’t deny that I did most of everything” he said.
“Show-off. Can we just go already?”
“Sure” he said and started the car.
I glanced at my phone as Nick drove into his apartment.. I had just thirty minutes left to get to work. I grabbed my bag as the car parked and alighted, Nick came down too and we took the prizes into his house. He already insisted that I take them, well except the tickets and I agreed but I’ll have to leave it here first..
Nick carried the toaster while I took the rest, we went into the house and left them in the storeroom.. I went to the kitchen while Nick walked to his room and I made coffee, I turned a sandwich into a plate and when I walked to the dinning with the food, Nick was already in the living room, on a couch.. Seeing me, he walked to the dinning and looked at the table.
“Where’s yours? I mean your food?”
“I didn’t make mine”
“Then have that one, I’ll make another. I want to have dinner with you, there’s still time for that right?”
“Um.. I guess so” I said and he walked into the kitchen while I stared behind, awed.
Nick emerges from the kitchen, a plate of sandwich in his hand and a can soda on the other.. He dropped it on the table and took the seat beside it. I, with a surprised expression took the other seat and drew the meal close to myself.
We started eating, it was a quiet yet awkward moment.. I had eaten a small portion of my sandwich, I gave Nick a glance and he was drinking out of his soda can, he put it down.
“My dad will be returning soon” he said and my gaze went to him, I put my coffee cup down.
“How soon?”
“Tonight” he said and I gave him a small grin.
“That’s good. Is that what you said you had to tell me yesterday?” I asked.
“Um it’s kinda among it” he said.
“So what’s the real thing?” I asked.
“We’ll be going back together, to Korea” he said and my curious face twitched to a frown..
“Together?” I asked “Is it a life time thing?..
“I guess so. We plan on relocating permanently” he said and my mouth dropped.
“B-but why didn’t you tell me earlier?” I asked.
“Cos I wanted to enjoy the moment and then I was having so much fun, it skipped my mind” he said and my expression couldn’t be explained “I never believed I’d have so much fun and it’s all thanks to you. I had a very wonderful time” he said and I chuckled awkwardly..
“Yeah. I-I have to go now” I said and stood up, wanting to grab my bag, the handle got stuck to the table and as I pulled it, it got opened and the contents fell on the floor..
“Oh geez” I breathed out and squat, drawing the bag to myself and picking the items. Nick came and bent beside me too, helping me pick stuffs. I stretched my hand to pick a small transparent purse that had the antiseptic, some plasters and cotton wools I take to work everyday to treat my injuries in case they start to bleed or the old medication get soiled up. I made to take it but I guess Nicholas beat me to it because I touched his hand instead and his gaze shot up at me, our eyes met and slowly I took my palm off his, our gaze not getting disrupted.. Nick slowly broke it and pick up the bag, he examined it then opened his mouth like he wanted to say something but he shut it back and stretched the purse to me..
“Thanks” I muttered and collected it, I threw it into my bag and we continued picking..
“I guess this will be our last meeting together” I said, looking at the floor board.
“I guess so too” he said and I swallowed my saliva..
“Oh gr… eat” I stammered. “But why are you leaving? Don’t you like it here?” I asked
“I never liked it here. Especially because of Selena.. I plan on living a simple quiet life over there while we await a cure for my disease.. It’s the kind of life I’m used to and it’s kinda great too.. In a way” he said and I didn’t know when I sighed sadly and my gaze went to him.. My vision were getting blurry because of the mist of tears clouding it..
“I hope you find everything you want there” I said and hid my face down..
What’s wrong with me?
Why do I feel so disturbed about his departure.. It’s kinda an advantage to me because I’ll stop working for him and then dedicate that time to myself and school work..
I gave a quick glance at Nick and I didn’t know when I threw my hands around him in a hug, okay maybe I do know but I didn’t expect myself to make that move.. I felt his hand on the small of my back. A tear dropped from my eye and I sniffed.
“Are you crying?” He asked and I sniffed again as if trying to hold the tears in.. Not being able to talk cos of fear that I might choke on my words, I nodded multiple times.
“Why?” He asked..
I sniffed again “I’ll miss you Nicholas” I said and sniffed again..
I’m such a jelly.
Not hearing any response, I pulled away, took my gaze from his side and wiped my tears, I chuckled awkwardly.
“I’m sorry about that I-I just get too emotional about stuffs” I said and grabbed my bag and stood up, he stood up too..
“Are you leaving already? You didn’t even finish your food” he said.
“I don’t feel like and thanks a lot for it but I have to go now” I said.
“Okay then I’ll just drop you off”
“No, that won’t be necessary, I prefer our last meeting to end here.. Thanks again for the food and take care of yourself. Bye”
Without waiting for a response I walked past him, hurried out of the door, to the porch, the gate and then out of the building.. I didn’t stop hurrying until I got onto a pavement and distant from his house.. I breathed out and walked down the pavement slowly and thoughtfully to my work..
Nick is leaving, the thoughts echoed in my ear, causing me to sigh. The thought just didn’t go well with me..
I can’t believe he’ll be going away forever, like we won’t be seeing each other anymore.. He didn’t even think about me, about everything we’ve done together before making that decision.. It’s probably cos we’re not aa close as I thought we were. He made a choice. A choice that seem right and it’s just unfortunate that I wasn’t included in it.. I only made myself look stupid.
“Arrgh!” I hit my palm on my head. “Why did I hug him and say those words to him?” I asked myself slowly. It’s because it’s true, my subconscious answered. I’ll surely miss Nick but what I don’t get is why I’m having this feelings.. Nick probably won’t remember me once he’s away, I’ve only been just among his random friend list, nothing important nor serious. He probably wouldn’t even think of me.. It’d be like I never existed.. I just feel unnecessarily perturbed. Well, I care about him and I’m probably being this way cos he’s the only guy I’ve had so much fun with and we’ve gotten close, letting go would be a little hard but I don’t think it goes the same way for Nicholas and since he’s leaving I have to start forgetting him so it won’t get too hard in the future, I’ll focus more on my work and studies and throw him to my past.. His absence will probably do more good than harm.
I stopped walking, pulled my bag down from my shoulder and zipped it open.. I ran my palm through other items and took out the movie ticket, I zipped my bag and squeezed the ticket it my palm. I sighed and scanned around, I sight a waste basket at a corner and walked to it. Slowly, I dropped the ticket into the basket of rubbish and walked away from it..
I have to forget him, I tell myself.. He doesn’t look like he’ll miss my absence, that’s why he made that choice right?
So I have to stop thinking about him leaving and stop feeling this way, I’m just his househelp anyways.. We only shared moments that are not enough to make memories nor turn back on decisions. Nothing’s changing. I might’ve once thought I, at least meant something to him, something that he’d miss when it’s absent but I guess he doesn’t see me that way.. I feel like I was literally used. That’s what workers are meant for right?, to be used so it’s no biggie, I only got my share..
I strapped my bag to my shoulder, turned to the direction of my work, turned one last time at the public waste basket..
“Goodbye Nick.. Forever” I mumbled, turned and hurried to work.
Nicholas POV
Jacqueline walked out, more like in a hurry before I could utter another word. I watched the door shut behind her and I sat back on the chair and let out a sigh..
*.. I prefer our last meeting to end here* her words rang repeatedly in my ear.. And I threw my back to the cushion rest.. I could still feel her slender fingers caressing my back, her soft whispers that was accompanied with tears and her body against mine.
I’ll miss you”.. Those words were the first emotional sentence I ever heard from a lady.
I’m just so paranoid. I don’t want our meeting to end here, like this.. It doesn’t change the fact that I’ll be leaving but I just want to say a proper goodbye to her.. Probably over coffee or a drive.
I pulled the chair backwards and stood up, I walked to a couch and grabbed my car key’s and phone then head out to the driveway.
I hopped into my car, got my gate open and drove out.. As I kept going down the road I kept my eyes searching through the wind shield for her..
“She couldn’t have gone that far, she just left so– oh there she is” I breathed out and drove towards her..
She suddenly stopped walking and took her bag down, I watched as her hand moved in it and she took out something I couldn’t see from where I was before zipping her bag up.. She stood for a moment then moved away from her former spot and when I watched closely, there was a waste bin, I parked my car.. She stood beside it, as if contemplating on something then she dropped a paper-like item into it. She drew her bag up, looked at the waste bin like it had taken something vital from her then hurried away, practically running.
I looked at her direction as she walked away then my gaze went to the waste bin.. I was curious. Her expression when she disposed that item didn’t look like she was trashing rubbish or something useless and with the way she contemplated, I’m sure she must’ve disposed something she didn’t want to but just had to.
I came down from my car, took a glance at her as her feet hurried to wherever she was going to.. I stared at the waste bin before counting my steps to it. I stood a little distant from it and stared at it, it was getting a little dark but thanks to the streetlight I could see everything and it didn’t take much time before I sighted the paper-like item.. Light green and white it color.
She only disposed paper, why did she make it like it was a big deal..
I turned to walk away but I turned back to it.. The paper looked familiar somehow.
“Wait.. It’s the movie ticket”
Ignoring the fact that I was touching a pile of rubbish, I picked the paper and when I stared closely at it, it was truly the ticket.. Why did she dispose it?
I pocketed it and hurried back into my car, started it and followed her again.
I was almost getting to her when she took a turn and before me was a building.. She walked to it and then into it. I parked and studied at the building.. A restaurant??
Does she work here or something? I alighted from my car and rested my butt on the bonnet.. If she’s there to eat then she’ll be out soon and I’ll wait.
A minute later, the glass door opened and she walked out, without her bag and two garbage bags in both hands that had gloves.. She walked away from the building and then down to the back.. It’s obvious she’s taking out the trash and that means she works here..
She walked back, her hand empty, I grabbed my cell phone and clicked on her ID.. It started ringing and I glanced at her.. She stopped walking, reached into her apron pocket and took out her phone.. Her gaze stayed on it for a while then she pocketed it back..
Wait.. Did she just ignore my call?
I was about calling again when a guy walked out from the restaurant and up to her, he had an apron on too.
They talked for a while and chuckled.. My brows furrowed. He took her gloves from her and walked back into the restaurant.. I quickly sent her a text ?Arrived home yet??
She took three steps forward, stopped and grabbed her phone.. She stared at it for a while and rested her back on the wall. The dude from before returned and walk to her, she put the phone in her pocket and laughed as they walked back to the restaurant.
So here.. She’s ignoring me cos of a dude..
I drove all the way here to make things right and she’s here showing me that me that I’m not needed.. She’s probably glad. I’m finally off her hair and she’s gotten a forever pass from work.. I’m here trying to say a proper goodbye and she’s here, laughing out with some dude and ignoring my call.
If she wants it that way then I’ll let it go that way too.
I walked back to my car and tap my fingers on the steering wheel..
“It’s fine. I’ll definitely forget her too after I’ve left”
I started my car and drove off.
Getting home, I threw my phone on a couch and plopped on the couch. I sighed and took out the ticket.. The movie’s supposed to be next tomorrow and she’s throwing hers away and is that dude from earlier her boyfriend or something..
My phone started ringing and I picked it from the couch and swiped to the receiver..
“Yes dad” I said into the phone.
“I’m at the airport. Are you on your way here?”
“Just arrived from somewhere but I’ll get my car ready and be there in no time” I said.
“Okay. Just be quick about it before my lungs get completely squeezed because of these belligerent people” he said and I chuckled.
“On it” I said and he hung up.
I stood up, grabbed my keys and hurried out.
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