"Don't pretend as if you can torture me with your eyes." he taunts. "You aren't that vampire from Meyer's books, what's her name again?"

I realize that we are standing face to face like warriors in a combat, sizing each other up. You can't beat me in a debate man! I relax my posture and look him straight in the eye.

"Jane," I say icily, "Don't try to distract me -"

"I am not. Your mum said that way too loud and my ears picked it out. Silly little things!" he tugs on his earlobes and I can't help the grin that escapes my lips.

"She likes to embarrass me in public. That's what old people do," I shrug. "But you followed me. Do you wanna make fun of me? Because I'm not -"

"Oh just cut the crap! I was simply curious why you got the name -"

"That's none of your damn business," I give him one of my frosty nosed looks. Gladys says I could freeze Elsa with my stare.

Gladys is my best friend and the greatest fan of the snow princess of Disney. You could go to her house and find everything drowning in icy blue. Wallpapers and cushions. Her beds are just swathes and swathes of blue. She says it's her one year old that's fond of the princess, but I know better than to trust her. When l accosted her, she made me swear that I tell no one.

Hey I didn't just tell you that. So all good. By the way, I still give her Disney Frozen goodies on her birthday.

I see him staring intently at me.

Shit! How long was I zoned out?

I have this bad habit of going blank while I'm thinking of something. Gossips run that I have some foretelling superpowers. Someone even brought in a doctor friend who suggested it could be something like absence seizures, whatever that is.

"Umm- where were we?"

"The meaning of your name," he taps his foot impatiently.

"Oh right —" I trail off. Should I reveal it to this complete stranger?

Why not? Sometimes it's easier to share things with people whom you have no common acquaintance with. Reduces the risk of bitching and back biting.

"It's just that patty-cake was my favorite game as a child and there was no single child in the apartment I used to live, so my mum had to play patty-cake with me. Hence the name. It probably a very dumb reason, as silly as the name."

"I like the name," his eyebrows dance on his forehead.

"Jason Mathew Fitzgerald," he extends his hands. "You can call me Jace"

"Patriesse Parker, call me Pat please." I shake his hand in a businesslike way.

"Oh no! I'll call you patty-cake," he grins.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me."

"Pat! There you are," Sarah's voice suddenly breaks the stillness around. "I was wondering where you are -" She stops midway, her jaws dropping open.

"Oh hi!" she addresses Jace, taking up her most flirty voice, and unmindfully straightens her skirt.

"Sarah, meet Jason. Jason, Sarah!" I introduce quickly. "We were just having a talk over umm-"

"Business deals." supplies Jason smoothly. "Nice to meet you Miss Parker. I'll come over to your office to talk about the new improvisations in the company logo designs. Now if I may take your leave."

"Sure," I mumble, not knowing how to react, as he bows and disappears into the darkness.

"Is that a client?" Sarah gestures after him.

"More like a designer who's joining office."

"Oh! Lucky you. Is he single?"

You can count on Sarah to keep a track of all single boys in and around London. She's on all social media, giving flattering pics and always swiping right on Tinder, no matter how fake the person looks. She's still in the search for her perfect half.

"I need his number," she suddenly clutches my hand.

"What? No..."

"Why not?" she pouts, "If you're working with him, you must have his number."

Shit!

"Yes, I mean, n-n-no," I stutter. "I'll get it from me when he come in tomorrow." I lie.

Her face falls like a deflated balloon and I don't know how I'll face her tomorrow. I may never meet Jace again.

"You're a lucky girl, Pat." she groans, "you have a perfect other half. Just look at the way Brendan ogles at you."

"As if I'm his favorite brand of candy!" I reply, not exactly wanting to go into the details of our relationship.

"Exactly," she beams, not even bothering to find the double meaning in it. "I need my other half soon. I need sex, the hot and heavy kind, the -"

"Sarah!" I cut her off. I don't like the other half concept. "You are never a half, Sarah. You are complete. Why would you need another half?" Her silent woodland eyes scan me for a while, as if trying to gauge the depth of the words I said. I look into her eyes, daring her to challenge it.

"Fine," she tosses her hair.

Fine? Just fine? Outrageous! Is that even a reaction? I knew the gravity of those words wouldn't enter her feather brain. It is for that reason I never let anyone know that I love writing, I love thinking and threading yarns. It is my passion. People around just blow me off or stare at me as if I'm an alien. Who needs to give advices to imbeciles? I'd rather keep my thoughts to myself. I huff in after her to see the party in full swing. Brendan appears from somewhere and grabs my waist, pulling me to his chest.

"Shall we dance?" he whispers in my ear. My breath hitches at the implications and promises in his voice. We're going to have good sex tonight.

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