"I guess your phone is ringing!" Jason comments making me jump out of my daydream again. I fish in my bag and drag out the fiercely vibrating phone in a hurry, juggling with the receive button, almost dropping it in my hurry.

"Butter fingers!" Jason mumbles.

"I'm not!" I give him the death stare as I put the phone to my ear.

"Gosh! Pat, where have you been? You didn't come to my place for two days." a familiar voice blared from the speaker.

"O shit, Brendan. I'm so sorry. I didn't -" I have really messed up this time.

"I get it. You must be caught up at work and stuff but you could've texted at least! I brought in your favorite white wine but then ended up drinking it all by myself on the couch, watching nickelodeon -"

I cut him off, "Look. I'm really sorry for the wine and everything. It's just that -" I look at Jason. His eyes are focused ahead, disinterested in the conversation. My gaze reaches his hands. He's vigorously rubbing the top of his trousers and clenching his fist.

"I have overtime this weekend! I'm sorry." I breathe out in a whoosh! I can see Jason eyeing me curiously. I mean who puts off meeting their boyfriend for giving company to a stranger? But he gathers himself up quickly and flashes me a genuine smile of admiration.

My stomach is doing somersaults.

"It was my -"

"Bae" he remarks, nonchalantly. "Kiddo is really cute."

"Brendan isn't a kid," I get defensive! "He has as much sense of responsibility as a grown up. He -"

"Hey, I was just kidding. No bad blood!" he holds up his hands, palms towards me in a gesture of surrender.

I fold my hands and turn towards the window.

"Angry?"

"Hmmm"

I half expect him to turn me around or cajole me with soothing words.

"Fine," he mimics my pose instead, and turns to face the other window. I can't help but steal glances at him to see if he really means it. No man has ever behaved in that way and treated me as his equal.

"Okay! I'm sorry!" I blow a deep breath, taking all the frustration out, and whip around, facing his back. "It's just that -"

"Your boyfriend is a bit childish but you are overprotective of him. I get it." he turns around facing me again and I can see the spark burning in a core of blue sapphire. His eyes appear magical in the dark and for a moment we forget to speak.

"Can I say something to you, Pat?" he's the one to break the silence which is growing heavier by the minute. "I love the colour of your eyes."

"My eyes?" my hands rise instinctively to my face, "Why? They are grey, quite a common colour. Yours are more stunning, vivid blue."

"Yours have the texture of a silted water bed, glistening and soft, ever moving, ever gliding and ever changing. Do you know what thunder clouds those greys can summon? You are magical, Pat!"

"Relax, Breathe -" I try to brush it off as all poetic and untrue, but I find myself shivering. Is it all true? Is there beauty in me too? I've always been the ordinary girl - freckled face, sharp nose and jaw and ash eyes.

"We've arrived!" he announces, just as the car takes a turn at a pair of strong iron gates. A sprawling lawn extends on both side and a small driveway leading to a grand cottage.

"I know this is not grand as my parental house but this is what I call home." he remarks, unbuckling his seat belt, struggling to get out. I can't respond even when he opens my door most gallantly and holds out his hand.

"This is regal!" I blurt out. "Is your Grandma -?"

"My Grandpa was a noble too. She's my granny on my mother's side."

"Jace, love, where have you been?" a thin, fragile voice beckons as I see the open doorway and the light in the house spilling out into the porch where a slender figure is standing in the backdrop of dim electric lights.

"The entire place is painted in shades of gold and lit by chandeliers. My Grandma has good taste," he shakes his head in a comical way and takes my hand, leading me to the "good-manner grandma".

"Do keep her pleased," he whispers conspiratorially in my ears. "She'll have scrutinized you from head to toe before you enter. But Grandma is a sweet old dearie.

I keep a smile pasted on my face as we approach the door.

"I was with a friend, grandma. Meet Pat!"

"Nice to meet you Mrs. -" I extend my hands in courtesy, but she pulls me into a hug abruptly and mutters, "Anderson. But you can call me Grandma! I'm so happy my boy found a nice girl like you. So decent and demure, just a lady"

"It's not like that, grandma," I interrupt without meaning to. "Me and Jace. I-I mean -we- we aren't like you think. "

"Grandma, you poor darling, "Jason hugs her in a full blown passionate hug as she kisses his forehead. He appears like a ten year old right then, not a grown up. Tears threaten to well up in my eyes. My Grandma passed away before I was born.

"She's just a friend. "

"Just a friend." I chime in too, nodding along but something hits my heart. Why do I have this feeling? Why do we feel like we could be something more than just friends?

I just can't comprehend any single emotion that courses through me. Life is complicated.

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