{CHAPTER TEN}

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The morning following Phil's incident dawned with a serene calmness in the air. All seemed tranquil and ordinary. Despite my initial reluctance, the nanny escorted Phil to school today. Mom's conviction that the incident was a mere lapse in judgment, considering Phil's well being and cheerful demeanor the previous day.

Phil, devoted to his academic pursuits and demonstrating brilliance as a diligent student, embraced his studies with a commitment mirroring Dad's unwavering resolve in all endeavors. Relenting to mom's viewpoint, I consented.

However, a twist of fate disrupted the serene morning setting—Lisa, compelled to extend her stay into the night, permeated the room with the resonant symphony of her loud snores.

"Ugh, Hanna, your phone's ringing! Can you hurry and grab it?" Lisa groaned, her eyes barely open, hastily pressing her pillow against her ears in a futile attempt to muffle the persistent ringing of your phone.

In the bathroom, my hair enveloped in a towel, diligently brushing my teeth, I overheard Lisa's faint mumble, "Oh, it's Jackson." Swiftly cleansing my mouth, I hurried out of the bathroom to respond to the phone call.

"Hey Hanna," Jackson greeted warmly as I picked up the call.

"Hey, Jackson," I greeted back with a smile on my face.

"Uhm...Jackson, so yesterday, the things I blurted out, I actually thought you were Lisa! My bad," I chuckled, trying to make up for it.

"It's cool, Hanna," he began, but I cut in, "Nah, it's not cool. Dumping my family drama on you was the least I could do when we barely know each other," I shared, strolling around before plopping down on my bed.

"No, really, it's fine, Hanna," he quipped.

After a moment of quiet, he questioned, "Tell me, how's Phil?"

I quickly blurted out, like we were old pals catching up on our daily life's, "He's all good now, luckily he wasn't har..." I hesitated for a moment, a memory surfacing in my mind. "Hold up, how did you know he was found? Can't remember mentioning it to you?"

"Uh... I kinda guessed he was found because, you know... you're all cheerful and relaxed," he murmured, with a barely noticeable stutter in his voice.

"Oh, you picked up on my happiness," I chuckled softly, muffling the sound with my hands to prevent Lisa from overhearing.

Another moment of silence lingered between us, this time tinged with awkwardness as we remained quiet for a full minute.

Jackson's voice, slicing through the silence like a blade, carried a tender warmth that enveloped me. "Hanna, I'm uncertain, and it's alright if you decline me. I comprehend my past actions at the mall were unkind, and I seek your forgiveness," his words caressed my heart with each utterance.

"It's fine, Jackson, no need to apologize," I remarked casually.

"Thank you, Hanna, but I believe I owe you for the past, please don't refuse," he implored sincerely.

I took a deep breath, a grin lighting up my face. "I'm totally down for it!' I replied with excitement."

"Ah, yes! We meet at the very cafe of our first encounter. Same spot! Same time!" He exclaimed, his excitement bubbling over the phone.

"Absolutely!" We both chuckled at our eagerness to see each other and ended the call. Just as I hung up, there was Lisa, wide-eyed and beaming, giving me a playful gaze.

"Wow! Look at you blushing so hard!" she teased, giving me a playful tickle. That way, the dialogue feels more lively and engaging in your writing!

I burst into laughter as she tickled me, "I wasn't blushing," I managed to say amidst my escalating laughter that soon filled the room.

"You were," she remarked, finally halting the tickle that nearly stole my breath with laughter.

"I wasn't," I shot back, swiftly retaliating by playfully hitting her with a pillow in return for the tickle she had given me.

It quickly intensified into a whole pillow fight scenario from a comedy movie, cause Lisa just wouldn't let up with the teasing; she even composed a goofy song about it.

I was so embarrassed that I blushed even more. My cheeks turned as red as ripe tomatoes!

"Alright, I confess! I did blush," I exclaimed, placing a hand on my chest, gasping for air, as I brought the pillow fight to a stop. I recognized I couldn't outsmart Lisa, so I surrendered.

"I knew it!" Lisa triumphantly declared, flashing me a subtle smirk, fully anticipating my surrender, as she aimed her pillow at me with a quick motion.

"So, what are you gonna wear?" she asked eagerly, bouncing on the bed, making it spring up with her excitement as she sat.

I was still embarrassed by her teasing me about blushing, and here she was, curious about the dress I was going to wear.

"I don't need a dress; I just need you out of my room," I said jokingly, with a sheepish grin, playfully smacking her with another pillow.

"Ouch! What's my crime this time?" she skillfully retorted, deftly sidestepping the pillow I hurled in her direction. We both cracked up laughing at our playful antics.

As our laughter died down, Lisa popped in, "You know what? What you need is a new dress," she remarked, envisioning the dress floating in the air.

"Lisa, a new dress? It's not like it's my wedding, and can you please quit with the daydreaming!" I quipped playfully, rolling my eyes at Lisa's suggestion.

"But you're going out on a date with him," she remarked, a touch of disappointment coloring her tone as she caught my disapproval.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't exactly label it as a date. He just wants to reconnect, you know? Besides, it's not like it's my first encounter with him," I mentioned, shifting on the bed to find the perfect spot.

"Okay, fine, but how about you drop me off at home while you're heading to your 'not-so-date'?" she asked, mimicking double air quotes with her fingers in response to my disapproval.

"Uhm, I won't be using my car today, and you know the reason," I mentioned, shooting her a knowing look.

"Alright then, how about we hop on a taxi together, and you drop me off on the way?" she proposed, her eyebrow elegantly arched in suggestion.

I signaled my approval with a thumbs up, affirming to her that it was indeed a splendid suggestion.

With a quick flick of my fingers, I morphed the thumbs up into a snap, quipping, "Time for your grand exit from my room; help yourself to some movies downstairs."

"Why?" she questioned, with a shrug on her shoulder.

"I gotta get ready for my date, and having you here is just making things crazier," I said, shooting her a look that suggested she was definitely a distraction.

"I thought you were dead set on it not being a date," she teased, a mischievous grin playing on her lips.

"I swear, it's not a date!" I groaned, dragging her out of my room, feeling a tad embarrassed. "This is precisely why I need her out of my room."

I could finally breathe a sigh of relief as I managed to get Lisa out of my room. I dressed up elegantly for the not-a-date with Jackson, opting for a taxi ride. I harbored a reluctance to disclose my chauffeured journey to Jackson, for reasons unbeknownst to me.

As we hopped into the taxi, Lisa made a quick stop at her place, giving me a much-needed break from her 'date' chatter. She just wouldn't stop going on about how a new dress would have been better.

The taxi then whisked me off to the rendezvous spot Jackson and I had chosen, the very place where we first met. Even though we've known each other for a while, nerves started to kick in as thoughts of our reunion filled my mind."

"I hope today goes smoothly," I sighed, my fingers nervously fidgeting with the delicate fabric of my dress.

As I drew closer, there was Jackson, already settled in, occupying the precise location where we had our initial encounter at the cafe. He emanated a radiant aura, visible even from behind, his sturdy shoulders exuding an additional layer of charisma.

Before I approached him, I carefully adorned my lips with a bold red lipstick, a choice inspired by Lisa's advice. Despite ignoring her counsel on a new dress, I embraced the power of the red lipstick. "A red lipstick always does the trick," Lisa's words echoed in my mind.

"Hey, Jackson," I greeted warmly.

"Hello, Hanna," Jackson greeted, confidently pulling out a chair for me with a captivating smile, inviting me to take a seat.

"You've got quite the memory! This spot brings back memories from the first time we met here," I remarked, impressed by his recollection.

"Well, I guess I'm just a gentle man," he teased, adding with a wink.

We both giggled at his humorous antics, then he chimed in, "So tell me, how's your brother doing?" He inquired, his hand resting thoughtfully on his chin.

"Oh, Phil's, he's good, luckily, he's safe and sound," I responded, a smile of relief spreading across my face.

"Pleased to know," he murmured, his demeanor shifting to a more solemn tone as he averted his gaze momentarily before discreetly meeting my eyes.

He inquired in a hush tone, "Were the authorities able to figure out the identity of the young man?"

I replied with a strained smile, "Phil was found, perfectly okay, so we didn't see the need for that," still smiling as I spoke, all while surprised by his behavior.

He responded, "Ohh! I see," disappointment evident in his eyes after my reply. "Just remember, Phil shouldn't be unaccompanied. The young man might pose a threat," he cautioned.

"Absolutely, I'll bear that in mind," I affirmed with a smile.

His eyes locked with mine, a tender gaze drawing me in. "Hanna," he whispered, his voice a delicate melody, "will you be mine?" The question crashed over me like a wave, filling the room with a surreal silence, leaving just us in a suspended moment.