“But…” Jake speech slurred when Jade sprang her head up to a grave look on her face.”I’ll sign this on one condition” He said with a straight face. Jade felt her heart skip a beat at that word ‘Condition’. She didn’t like the sound of this at all. Jade tensed up when he got up from his seat and started walking towards her.Her eyes cautiously followed him as he slowly walked towards her with the contract in his hand till he stopped by her side. Jade almost jumped off her seat when Jake took the seat close to her and occupied it.He watched her every reaction and he almost chuckled in amusement. Jade shifted uncomfortably in her seat under his scrutinizing gaze.”What is… your…condition?” Jade asked stuttering.”How well can you play ‘Demon souls” Jake asked as he tilted his head towards her.Jade was stunned by his question. What had knowing how to play a video game got to do with the contract? Jake cocked a brow at her in a way that he suggested he was waiting for her reply.”Very well” Jade replied tensely. Whatever this was leading to, she had a feeling she wasn’t going to like it.”Teach me””What?” Jade’s eyes widened in surprise. Her eyelids blinked involuntarily.”Teach me to play ‘Demon souls’ and I’ll sign this papers”________Amy hasn’t been able to keep her thoughts in order since that surprise package was delivered to her desk yesterday. She had a feeling that it had come from Blake, or maybe that was what she wished for.How great would it be to if those chocolates had from Blake…that would be so awesome.The rational part of her kept telling her those were only wishful thinking and those chocolates are definitely not from Blake and might have been from a secret admirer or probably for Lair, but she didn’t think her brother would be thoughtful enough to send her chocolates at work, and even when she had asked him yesterday, he had made it clear they didn’t come from him.Amy was lost in her thought when she heard a knock on her desk. She raised her gaze to find the company messenger standing across her desk with a cheery smile on his face.”Good day ma” He greeted with a polite bow.”Good day” Amy greeted back. She raised a brow at him.”Ma Please sign here” the messenger said passing her the proof of delivery for her to sign on.”Another package?” Amy asked curiously. It wouldn’t be another box of chocolates would it?”Yes” The messenger replied handling a medium sized box to her with a pink ribbon tied around it.”Really?” Amy asked with her eyes inspecting the box in his hands. She slowly reached for it and signed on the POD that had been given to her.”Yes ma””Thank you” Amy said before fixing her eyes on the box in her hands.She looked around the box to check if anything was written on it, but unlike the first time there was no note nor was anything written on it.Amy looked at the box as a myriad of questions ran through her mind. She knew the box contained chocolates.Could this really be from Blake? Maybe this was his way of apologizing for his behavior at the party. Amy shook that thought out of her mind. Blake had apologized to her when he had come asking endless questions about her relationship with her brother. She didn’t think he’d go as far as sending her chocolates. And not only has it been delivered twice, they were really expensive chocolates.Amy decided to stick with the fact that it might have been from a secret admirer in her workplace. But why was that person not Blake? She pouted sadly.That guy is just a fool! He only knows how to smile and flirt around but he is really dumb!!! Very dumb! Amy cussed in her heart. She picked up the box to thrash it in the waste bin when she heard someone call out her name before grabbing the box from her hand.”Amy what are you doing?” Jade asked with a frown.”Jade?” Amy called in surprise.”Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be at work?” Amy asked curiously.”And that’s why I’m here. I’m working” Jade replied as she opened the box of chocolates. A smile appeared on her face when she discovered what was inside the box.She furrowed her brows as a frown spread across her face, “Why are you throwing this away?” Jade asked with a stern look.”Give me that” Amy said without answering Jade’s question. She tried snatching it from Jade’s hand but she wasn’t quick enough.”No way. You’re just going to thrash it and it would all go to waste” Jade rebuted.”That’s none of your business. Just hand it over” Amy ordered with her hand stretched.”No tell me why you’re so angry at this. It’s a gift right?” Jade asked interestedly. She had decided to pay Amy a surprise visit on her way out. She watched from the door as Amy facial expressions changed like a chameleon’s camouflage. Amy had been lost in her trail of thoughts that she didn’t notice her walk up to her desk. It was not until Amy had tried putting the box in the waste bin that she suddenly spoke up to stop her.”Who said it’s a gift? Are you implying I can’t get that for myself? ” Amy said with an accusing tone.”Then you won’t mind me having it” Jade said as she slowly opened the box again. She had no intentions of eating it, but she wanted to see Amy’s reaction. She could tell something was wrong with her friend.”Have it if you want” She said before plopping down on her seat. “It’s not like it came from him anyway” Amy mumbled under her breath. Jade clearly heard her mumurings but she acted like she didn’t as she closed the box and sat opposite Amy.”What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be at Xenox right?” Amy asked as she kneaded her temples. She remembered Jade had not answered her question earlier.”Don’t tell me you forget about our last conversation over the phone” Jade asked back.”And what was it about?” Amy asked making Jade sighed in resignation. She was too lazy to hassle her brain for that.”I was asked to sign a contract with your boss” Jade told her.”What?” Amy was shocked. Her eyes widened as she looked at Jade in disbelief.”You’re here to sign ProGuard with my boss?” Amy asked in disbelief. How did this happen?”Yep” Jade replied with a smile on her face. She was pleased with that expression on Amy’s face. This was the same expression she was looking forward to see on Cale and Stephanie’s face when they find out she had gotten the contract.”And??” Amy asked curiously.”What do you think?” Jade replied as the smile on her face widened. Jade covered her ears when Amy squealed excitedly. Amy covered her mouth with hands when she realized she was screaming and her colleagues were staring at her.”Sorry” She apologized before walking around her desk. She pulled Jade by the hand and led her out of her office to the cafeteria on the 3rd floor. It was empty at this time of the day.”How did this happen? You’re just an intern. Wait, what happened to Mrs Lim? Why did she send you? Was this a test or what?” Amy rambled on, while Jade laughed at her friend’s reaction.”Hold on. I’ll tell you everything” Jade told her.”Okay, be quick. Out with it” Amy said impatiently. Her curiousty was eating her alive.”So it all started like this” Jade started.Amy eyes bulged out and her mouth was agape after Jade finished narrating what had happened. What followed was another round of a deafening scream from Amy. She pulled Jade into a tight hug. She was that happy for Jade.She had never thought something this good would happen to her friend so soon. This was great news. But what she was most happy about was that Cale and Stephanie would soon receive the biggest shock of their life.”Shh…Stop screaming” Jade chided with a smile.”I can’t wait to see the look on those scumbags faces. That would be so good to see. I’d love to make a video of their sick faces when they receive this news. That would be so fulfilling” Amy said excitedly.”Jade I’m so proud of you” Amy added as she pulled her in for another hug.”Thank you””And Jade you should dress like this more often. You look spectacular” Amy said as she let go of Jade. She really loves this new Jade. This was a huge leap from her old self. She was taking things into her hands and making decisions for herself. She could only wish for more.”Alright that’s enough. I still have to report back to work” Jade told her as she grabbed her bag. She wasn’t ready for another dress up lesson. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t listen to Amy’s advice.”Okay. Don’t forget to send me a video of that vixen and her lover” Amy said making Jade shake her head in disbelief.”I’ll try””Okay. Congrats on being the newest staff of Xenox” Amy cheered.”Thank you. And tell your crush I liked his gift” Jade said with a wink making Amy blush.”Who said it’s from him?. It could be from someone else, you know?””And I thought you bought it?” Jade teased. Amy was speechless. She had given herself away. Now she wasn’t going to hear the end of this.”Go away. You’ve become a bully” Amy said with a frown. She was embarrassed that she couldn’t keep up with her lie.”Whatever” Jade waved as she walked away with a smile on her face.. Amy should wait till she tells Lair. That would be Epic!__________Jake leaned back on a swivelling chair with his back facing his desk. His mind kept flashing back to his conversation with Jade.He bellowed out in laughter when he thought about the silly demand he has made.”Video games?” He asked himself in disbelief. He still couldn’t believe that was all he could come up with. How lame. Sincerely he was looking forward to spending his time with her. He wondered what he would find underneath that small framed woman.”Teach me how to play the ‘Demon Souls’ and I’ll sign that contract” Jake said. He watched in amusement as her eyes kept fluttering while she stared at him in silence.Jade didn’t understand why he would make such a condition. Video game!”What do you say Miss Peterson” He asked in a low voice as he leaned forward, so much that their knees touched, but Jade instinctively pulled back.”Are you willing to teach me?” He said in a low and steady voice.”But…why that?” Jade opened her mouth to ask. This was her first response since he spoke about his condition for signing the contract.Jake’s lips slightly twitched when he heard her question. “Were you hoping I’d ask for something else?” He asked as he studied her every move.”No” Jade replied.Jake licked his nether lip seductively as he leaned in closely. “Well I could also ask…””I’ll teach you” Jade suddenly declared as she adjusted on her seat uncomfortably. This guy was making her uncomfortable and she didn’t like any bit of it. He kept looking at her like she was a good piece of meat.”That’s what I thought” Jake said, standing up to return to his seat. He could tell she was uncomfortable with their close proximity and he didn’t want to tip her off, certainly that won’t be in his favour. Jade watched him cautiously as he returned back to his initial seat. A frowned formed on her face when she thought about how this jerk had tortured her in the last few minutes with that awful gaze of his.”I also have a few conditions” Jade spoke in a firm voice while Jake glanced at her with surprise.”Few?” Jake asked uncertainly. How could she have ‘few’ conditions when he only had one. He stared at her amusedly.”Yes” She nodded.”Let’s hear it””Firstly, you have to stop looking at me like that” Jade said in a flat tone.”Like how miss Peterson?” Jake asked feigning ignorance.”Like that” Jade said squinting her eyes in anger, because he was still doing it.”Oh..I’m sorry if my gaze makes you uncomfortable, it’s just that…I have a medical condition, that makes me stare at people this way” Jake said with a straight face. Jade looked at him incredulously. She didn’t believe there was such a condition. What did he take her for? Not only was this guy stupid he also thinks people were as stupid as he was.Jade was about contending that statement of his when he interrupted her by raising his hand.”What are the others?” He urged. She took in a deep breath to calm herself and continued.”Secondly, this will only be for a week and in that one week you’re not allowed to talk about what happened between us in the past. Thirdly, you’re not allowed to flirt or do anything improper to me. Fourthly, no private places. If you must learn we’ll have to use a game house and finally you’re not allowed to boss me around” Jade said in a go as she tried to stay calm. Everything about Jake irked her and for God’s sake somebody should do something about those eyes of his. She could feel a headache coming. Dealing with this guy was definitely not going to be easy. If it hasn’t been that he was of great importance, and he had a major role in her getting that job, she’d have poked her fingers into those eyes of his and probably give him a good shake till some sense gets into him.Jake was stunned by how fierce she was at the moment. He never would have thought there was a side to her that was assertive.”Would that be all?” He asked raising a brow, while he kept swirling his pen around.”For now, yes.””Then I have one more term to add” Jake said as he stopped playing with his pen. Jade narrowed her brows at him. What other terms was he talking about?”I’m listening””You said you’ll teach me for just a week and my calculation is right there are about 168 hours in a week. But unfortunately weekdays are excluded because we both work. So you’ll have to teach me only on weekends, and that would be for 4 hours every Saturday and Sunday till you complete the 168 hours. And if you must know I’m a slow learner so you should consider giving me more time.””And oh…you must ensure that I know how to play at a professional level by the end of the stipulated time.” Jake said with a smile tugging on his lips. He couldn’t pretend like all this wasn’t amusing, because it was.Jade felt her lips twitch in anger when she realized Jake was trying to be smart. How could she have played into his hands? 168hours? Was she expected to teach him 24hours a day.And what did he mean by 8hours every week? In that pace she’ll still be teaching this bastard in the next 6 months. Jade held herself from latching out on him by taking deep breaths.”Deal” She agreed reluctantly. If this was the price she had to pay to get that Job then she would do it, but that didn’t mean she was completely agreeing to his stupid term of tutoring him for just 8hours in a week. She didn’t want to be acquainted with this jerk for long.Jake smiled to himself when Jade agreed. He was going to enjoy his time being with her and hopefully he’d know why he was attracted to her by then.Jake almost had an heart attack when he slowly turned his chair around and saw Blake standing by his desk.”You idiot” He cussed as he placed his hand on his chest. He wasn’t expecting to find him there.”I’m not an idiot. At least I wasn’t the one grinning like a roasted lamb” Blake rebuted before walking over to the sofa to seat.Jake was about sending him away when he noticed that something was wrong with his brother’s expression.”What’s wrong with you?” Jake asked with concern.”I don’t know” Blake said with a frown as he laid down on the couch.**********Jade hurried back to Xenox after she left Amy. Though she was elated about signing the contract, she still couldn’t shake off the feeling that something wasn’t right with how the whole process had gone.Meeting Jake was entirely unexpected. Though she had thought that meeting him there would put her at a disadvantage especially after overhearing his conversation with Stephanie. But surprisingly it wasn’t as bad as she had feared.She didn’t like the fact that she had to be around Jake at all. Though he acted differently today, that doesn’t change the fact that, that man was a jerk. Had his demand being a little outrageous, she definitely would have walked out on him.Jade headed for the Vice president’s office when someone suddenly pulled by the hand into the emergency exit. She raised her head to see Stephanie staring at her. Jade pulled her hand away with a deep frown on her face.”What’s the meaning of this?” Jade asked angrily.”What did you hear?” Stephanie replied with a question of her own.
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 33
