Jake found Jade’s expression to be cute. He couldn’t get enough ot it.”That’s not true, you chose it, yourself” Jake said in his defence.”Then the fishes know you and they hate me” Jade blurted out, her hands still folded across her chest as she eyed Jake in a way that dared to refute her. She wasn’t going to agree that she didn’t know how to fish.”Okay fine, use mine” Jake said handling over his reel. He stood up from his seat and signalled her over. Jade looked at him for a couple more seconds and she finally obliged.”Don’t worry you’ll get one this time” He encouraged her as she took on the chair he was previously occopying, while Jake stood behind her.”I’ll pray to the fish goddess to grant my pretty friend Jade Peterson a fish” He teased. Jake was enjoying himself. Having Jade there made him extremely happy and her cute tantrums were so amusing. At first she had been too quiet, but now, she was nagging him and he liked it. Was there anything about her he didn’t like? Hell no.Soon he heard Jade shriek excitedly when her reel wobbled, it was a sign that it caught a fish. She knew this because she had experienced it in the last few hours but unfortunately, they always came out empty. NO FISH, NO BAIT.”Jake, Jake, Jake” Jade screamed anxiously as she reeled in the fish.”Oh my god, I caught it!” Jade squealed excitedly, as she dangled the fish in front of Jake, grinning sheepishly. Jake cheered for her, he was getting an overdose of the different sides of Jade Peterson.”It’s going to fall back in” Jake yelled when he noticed the fish kept struggled for its freedom.”Oh” Jade eyes flew to the fish, and she snappily flinged away towards Jake, but he wasn’t fast enough to escape it. Because the next minute it crashed on Jake’s forehead.”Ouch” Jake let out groaned in pain. Jade’s eyes widen in shock. She hurried over to him, she thoughtlessly pulled his head forward as she gently pressed on the spot, which was beginning to redden. She kept pressing on it, that she didn’t notice how close they were.Jake himself was startled not by the incident but by how close Jade was to him. Her body was slightly pressed against his. He suddenly felt like pulling her closely and slamming his lips against hers.”It’s fine” He said pulling himself away from her, not willingly though. He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable when she finally realize what she was doing. And if he stayed one second longer, he doesn’t know what he’ll do.”I’m sorry” Jade apologized.”It’s fine.I guess I’ll be your fish” Jake said with a small smile, when he noticed the reel was empty, it seems Jade finally lost.”Oh” Jade pouted sadly. “Can I try again?””That’s enough…You’ll get tired” Jake said declares. but Jade faked a frown, and pouted her lips with a puppy face at him.”No more. I got enough for us” Jade looked at the fishes they’ve caught, and she realized Jake was right. She reluntanctly agreed and nodded her head.She didn’t even catch one fish.Jake picked up his phone and placed a call, and soon Jade saw two people bringing in an outdoor grill, and other stuffs. Jade looked at Jake, questioningly.”Are we going to grill them here?” Jade asked curiously.”Mmm” Jake nodded. “You don’t want to throw the fishes away do you?” Jake arched a brow, while Jade shook her head. She was actually enjoying all this. She has never gone fishing before, and she never knew it would be this fun, even though she didn’t catch one, or rather she cught one and set it free.Soon Jake set the grill up, with little of Jade’s assistance, that was only because he had refused her help and had asked her to remain sitted.Jade watched leisurely, as Jake busied himself with the grill.”Help me roll up my sleeves” Jake suddenly turned to Jade and asked.”Okay” Jade helped roll up his sleeves, and with Jake in a standing position, he looked down at her. Even from where he was standing Jade looked beautiful, he suddenly had the urge to scrouch down and hug her, and place his chin on her head, you know just the way they did it in movies.Jake! He chided himself in his head. He was really having alot of crazy thoughts.”Thank you” He muttered and hurried away, before another thought drifts into his head.Jade continued to look at Jake as he grilled the fishes for them. She noticed how deftly he handled everything, and she was beginning to wonder when he had learnt to do something like this.Jade snapped her head away, when Jake suddenly turned to look at her. It would be embarrassing if Jake caught her staring at him, like that. She didn’t want to give him the wrong idea.After a while Jake finished grilling the fish, and he walked over with a plate of fish.”A tasty and delicious fish, specially made for you” Jake handed her the plate, as he smiled at her.”Thank you” She said as she received the plate from him. Jake reached for one the bags he had brought, and he grabbed her a can of beer.Jade reached for it, “Thank you. It seems you came highly prepared” Jade noted with a teasing smile.”Of course” He did come prepared. Because he wanted everything to be just right.**********The Walkers mansion wasn’t as harmonious as it used to be…okay, it wasn’t usually too harmonious, but it was better than it was now. It seemed as if a cold war was going on in the house. Amy hasn’t been down from her room since last night, and Lair has spent his whole night keeping her company. The walker elders, have been having their own issues since last night reveal. Making the whole place quiet.”You’re going to ignore me too?” Mrs Walker asked her husband peevishly. Her hands were folded across her chest as she leaned on the headboard. He didn’t answer her and just continued putting up his clothes.”Jacob, I’m talking to you” she asked. Her voice slightly raised as she sat upright.”What do you want me to say?” He snapped at her, completely shocking her.”You just raised your voice” Mrs Walker pointed out. She was startled by what her husband has done. He looked at her with disbelief and continued his search for something to wear.”And his back to ignoring me” She sneered.”So you’re all going to fight with me because I did what was right for the family?””Vivian, no one is picking a fight with you.” He finally turned and answered her. “You’re the one pushing our kids away with your self inflicted fights. Can’t you see what you’re doing?””Lair left home for three years and not once did he return, because you kept pushing him and fighting him. Imposing all your decisions on him. Our eldest hasn’t come visiting in a long while because you hate his choice of wife, and now he won’t bring home our grandchildren to show to us, because his wife hates you…and I don’t blame her. And now, look at what you’re doing to our own daughter. Vivian we’re not fighting you. You’re the only one tearing this family apart, and you’re sure doing a good job at it” He hissed.”You had better fix up this mess before it gets too late. If Amy leaves this house, then I’ll leave too” He said before walking out and slamming the door.Mrs Walker was startled by her husband’s declaration. She couldn’t believe that was the first time in 40years, her husband has raised his voice at her, talk more of warning her.All this was all because of that boy. That poor and miserable boy. Her family was turning against her, just because of him.’He better keeps himself hidden, or else if and when she finds him, he’d regret the day he was born’________AMY’S ROOMAmy was sitting on her bed with her back resting on the head board, while Lair pulled the chair by her dressing table and sat on it in a way he could rest his head on the backrest while he stared at Amy. She looked frail and pale, most probably from all the thinking she had done last night. She had a hard time sleeping last night, and he had tried his best to coax her to sleep. She had only slept at the early hours of the morning and now was already awake and she looked horrible.”So what are you going to do now?” Lair asked with concern.”I don’t know” Amy sighed and replied. She has thought long and hard about it, but she still didn’t know what to do or how to go about the whole situation.”You know we have to do something about this. You have to really think about things and come up with a decision. What you’re going to do? Do you want to go find him? And if you do find him, what’s next? What do you say? What will you do to fix all troubles our mother has brought upon on him and his family? Because of what Ethan said is true, then I guess he never had the opportunity to go to school” Lair’s vein popped at the thought of that. How sinister could their mother be. He signed and continued.”And if that is true, then he must be leading a tough life and I wonder how he and his family have been coping all these years. How do we fix that?” Lair laid all the facts before Amy. She was the one who knew the man and the one who is centered in all this, therefore she should know how to handle the matter. He can’t make any decision for her, but he can only support whatever decision she makes.He could tell what her decision would be. He knew the kind of thoughts that were going through her head at the moment, because if he were to be in her shoes he’d probably think and feel the same way…and that was the feeling of guilt.Guilt because, if Michael hadn’t been fallen in love with Amy, then he wouldn’t have suffered such cruel fate from their mother, he’d probably be having things going on well for him, and he wouldn’t have suffered all the pain their mother must have inflicted on him and his family.Amy raised her knee and buried her face between them. Her shoulders slowly began to tremble, and he knew she was crying. Lair climbed onto the bed and wrapped his arm around her. With his hand slowly patting her back.”Shh, it’s okay” He consoles her as be kept stroking her back gently. Amy turned and buried her face on his chest as she sobbed harder.Lair didn’t know what to do to console her, but his veins were twitching badly, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.His mother has outdone herself this time, and he despised her for doing this to Amy, to the family. What has the poor girl done, to deserve such cruel treatment for her? He hated to compare but he preferred Jade’s mom to his. Grace would always put her children’s happiness first, and not go about inflicting pain on them.All he wanted to do to meet his mother and talk some sense into her head. It was high time somebody in the family did that. How could she be so destructive of her family, and yet she had the right to sleep peacefully at night. In as much as he wanted to barge into his mother’s room and talk some sense into her, he also knew he had to calm Amy down.”Don’t worry I’ll help you. You’ve got me” Lair said in a soft and gentle tone. While Amy nodded gently.”Do you want me to call Jade?” Lair asked, but Amy declined by shaking her head. She didn’t want to stress Jade out by involving her in all this. Jade has been the one who had consoled her when Micheal broke up with her and even when Blake rejected her. Jade has alway been with her through thick and thin.Now, she didn’t want to be an extra burden, and knowing the kind of person Jade was, she’d be truly disturbed if she got to find out.Amy lifted her head as she slowly pulled away from her brother’s embrace. She raised her gaze to him as she tried stifling her tears, she said, “Lair, I want to find him, and make things right, please help me”. Lair looked down at her and gave her an understanding nod,”I will help you.”**********Jade and Jake were both enjoying each others company, as they stayed by the lake side, enjoying the cool breeze and scenery while engaging themselves in different forms of conversation.Jade was surprised by how juvenile and funny Jake could be, the guy got a lot of jokes and she had laughed so much that her stomach started to hurt.Jake stared at Jade as she threw her head back and laughed at something he just said. He was entranced by her. The way she laughed without much caution, attracted him even more. She wasn’t like the other girls who’d fake a smile or laugh in a robotic manner, like their jaws would break if they laughed too much.”You have a beautiful smile” Jake suddenly said before he could hold his words back. He felt like had said this before, he wasn’t sure. But he was regretful for suddenly blurting that out.Jade swallowed at the compliment. Her smile slowly disappeared from her face, as she blinked rapidly. She didn’t know how to reply to his compliment.”Ermm…Thank you” She muttered out in an awkward tone. The atmosphere suddenly became awkward afterwards.”Uhm..So tell me how have you guys been enjoying ProGuard?” Jake asked, trying to make things less awkward. He thought about bring up a more comfortable conversation.”Your software program?” Jade asked rhetorically, while Jake nodded.”It’s been great. As a matter of fact it’s beyond great. Your company’s software is such a master piece, it makes me wonder who could have come up with a brilliant idea. That person must be a genius. It would be an honour to see such a great mind. In fact, I’ll give him or her a big hug. That was mind blowing” Jade rambled enthusiastically. She has always wondered who the brain behind that project was.Jake who has started this conversation to engage her in a less awkward conversation after his tongue slip, and also to get an honest review from her, was now staring at her intensely. A mischievous thought dropped into mind.”Are sure you’d give that person a hug?” Jake asked, his gaze was intent.”Of course and I’ll probably take them out on a lunch date.” Jade declared without much consideration. She was too carried away thinking about the genius behind the anti-hack software, that she didn’t notice the smile on Jake’s face.”Then I’ll be looking forward to that” Jake said with a impish smile.”Huh??” Jade blinked confusedly. ‘What was he looking forward too'”What do you mean?” Jade asked confusedly.Jake leaned back on his chair, as he crossed his leg and stared at her. “Well you said you’d want to meet the genius behind ProGuard, so I’m looking forward to helping you do that” Jake said with a surrepitious proud smile. Being called a genius by her was making his head swell. He was about do die from happiness.”Really?” Jade’s eyes lit up with excitement.”Of course. I can help you do that. He’s actually someone I know personally, I mean personally and I can help you arrange a meeting” Jake said, with a mischievious smile which Jade didn’t tend to take note of.She nudged forward on her seat. “Jake you’ll do really that?” Jada asked again in disbelief.She had always felt that the software was a work of perfection. And she has secretly been admiring whoever came up with that spectacular idea. She was someone with great interest for programming as well as graphic designing. So it was a given that she’d be intrigued with something like this.”Sure” Jake nodded.”Thank you” Jade smiled with much excitement, her eyes were dancing with joy, and she almost pounced on Jake, but her rationality held her back.”So are you really sure about the date thing? I mean I don’t want to get him all excited, by telling him a beautiful fan was going to take him on a lunch date, and he’ll get disappointed later” Jake asked. He wanted to be sure, so he wouldn’t get too excited in vain.Sincerely, Jake was suddenly feeling unsettled by this, he didn’t want to decieve her, but he couldn’t help it. He didn’t think that such a stupid question would land him a date even though it was just a lunch date, and he was so not going to waste this opportunity.’What if she gets angry at you for lying to her’ A voice in his head whispered to him. He had promised to never lie to her about anything, so what was he doing?’You’re not lying. You’re only playing along. You didn’t lie. She didn’t ask you a question which you lied about. This idea just an opportunity so use it.’ Another voice said to him.Yes he wasn’t lying to her. He was only going to surprise her. There was no way he’ll throw a lunch date with her away. Hell no!He could already imagine the surprise on her face when she realise he’s her so called genius. Jade smiled in his heart at the thought of that. Not to mention that hug…’Oh yeah, I’m so doing this’ He cheered in his mind.”Sure I’m serious. It’s a gesture so I can convect such brains” Jade said in a jocular manner, before bellowing out in laughter.She remembered her father had mentioned to her that there was a scripture in the bible that says one should give good gifts to those that were higher than them so they could convect the grace upon their life. She didn’t know if that was true, but she was going to try it.Developing her own game that will be broadly accepted in the market has always been her dream. It would be a privilege to get to talk to someone that could do such wonders. She could get to learn a thing or two from him.”The truth is, I just want to get to see him. It would really be a privilege” Jade said more seriously.”Okay, I’ll keep that in mind” Jake said with a pleased smile making Jade stare at him.”To tell him i mean. I’ll remember to tell him” Jake added. He tried not to arouse any suspicions out of her so he didn’t ask anything else. “But what’s in it for me?”
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 71
