Chapter 13.

You need more stamina muffin.

Song: Heart attack by Demi Lovato.

~~~

If the way to a man's heart is through his stomach then I am afraid I can never reach any man's heart.

I thought mournfully.

"Joanna what did you do now ?" My mother's angry yet worried voice came through the laundry room.

I frowned at the mess in kitchen and then at the almost burning oven. "Frankly? I don't know."

I heard running feet and then a loud gasp from my mother as soon as she entered the kitchen.

"I vaguely remember saying that you are banned absolutely forbidden from using the gas or oven." My mom scolded, her hands on her hips.

She looked like the unknown lady in Tom and Jerry, only a lot thinner.

"Sorry mom, I was just trying to help you."

She scoffed, muttering something under her breath. "What were you making?"

"Uh pizza?"

Her eyes narrowed at the spilt milk on the gas, "Your Pizza has milk?"

"No! I was also making hot milkshake."

"Oh God Joanna, even that you couldn't make?" My mom groaned in disappointment.

"Mom! I can make that. But I switched off the vegetable gas instead of the milk one and then went back to read book."

"You do not read while cooking Joanna." She scolded as if speaking to a naughty child. But then again, I'm naughty.

I smiled sheepishly. "Sorry?"

Her answer was grunt. "And what happened to the oven?" She went near it and before I could warn her, she touched it and instantly pulled away screaming. "Holy mosses! It's burning."

"I may have kept the temperature high and then went to read a book." I shifted my legs, my crossing my fingers behind my back. Please don't let her have a dramatic trauma.

"You forgot? What do you mean you forgot?" Oh no! "Didn't you even smell the burning food, I could smell it all the way up to the laundry room and you were just in the living room. And who's going to clear this mess now? It looks like there was a tornado in here. I don't know how you are going to handle your own home or what you are going to make and give your husband. Who will even marry a woman who can't cook? Why are you just standing there now? Go get a broom and start sweeping. Girls these days! I swear-"

I hurriedly rushed to get a broom not wanting to listen anymore. I don't know if it is just mine or every girl's mother who worries a little too much about her daughter's future husband, his eating habits and thinks that the modern generation girls are utterly spoiled.

But I may have to agree with the last one. Some are stinky spoilt.

"Joanna your stupid phone is ringing." My mother shouted from the kitchen and I ran back with the broom.

Leaving the broom on the ground, I grabbed my phone and ran upstairs before my mom could oppose. Bless the caller!

I pressed the phone to my ear, breathing heavily.

"Ran a marathon?" Ace's silky voice came through the phone.

I chuckled. "Ran up the stairs."

"And so tired? You need more stamina muffin." He teased, knowing I don't like to exercise.

"I have enough stamina, Thank you."

"Oh yeah? Wanna check out how much?" The innuendo wasn't lost on me.

I rolled my eyes. "No thanks."

"Hm hm. So why were you running?" I heard shuffling and then Max's voice.

"Are you busy?"

"Nope, we are in the warehouse." He informed.

"But I thought you left the drugs and gun thing." I spoke accusingly.

"I left the drug dealing, guns is legal." I could imagine him smirking at me.

"My foot legal. Are you mad? What if you get caught? Mother of God, Bryan! Do you shoot people too and then say legally?"

Bryan laughed, a melodic laughter that warmed my heart to it's roots. "No muffin we don't shoot people, we just provide guns to legit people."

"Is that what you're gonna do in future?"

He paused and I felt anxiety embrace me. He is seriously thinking about selling guns in future? What the green smurfs?

"I don't think so. I want to become a businessman."

I sighed in relief. No selling guns. No dangers. Happy wife. Happy life. Why am I even thinking about us in future?

"So why were you running?"

I grinned, my previous abrupt thoughts discarded as I told him my pitiful story of not knowing how to cook.

"Damn! Your poor future husband." Was the first thing he said after I finished telling him everything.

"Oh please my looks make up for the lack in cooking." I boasted smugly.

He snorted, "Keep dreaming. Are you hungry?"

"Obviously." When am I not?

"I'll pick you up in 10."

"No wait! I can't come, my mom's pissed off and if I even step out of my room, she will start throwing verbal bombs on me."

He sighed, "How about I come and tell that you have to tutor me?"

I thought about it and then agreed. Hopefully mom would allow.

After almost twenty long minutes the bell rang and my mother's shout came, "Open that damn door. I am busy cleaning your mess."

I gulped nervously and ran down, muttering a quick apology to mom, I opened the door.

I gasped in shock and awe as I took in the sight before me. Ace standing anxiously, running his hand through his hair trying to gauge my expression. But that wasn't what shocked me, it was the fact that he was wearing a light blue jeans and plain red T-shirt that had collar and was full sleeves, wisely hiding his tattoos. For the first time he was wearing something of a light color and looked completely cleaned up. Ironed clothes, shaved face, nicely combed hair. He looked nothing like a bad boy, in fact he looked like a hot geek.

"What is all this?" I finally asked, looking all over him again and enjoying the view.

He shifted his foot and coughed, "I was meeting your mother so. . ."

I resisted the urge to laugh at him. This was probably the first time he was meeting some girl's parents and he obviously didn't know what to do. I mentally squealed realizing he is going through this for me.

"Who is it Joanna?" My mother's sharp voice and pulled Ace in, shutting the door.

"Uh a friend mom."

"If it's Logan or Alan tell them the next time they touch my cookie jar, I'll throw my stilettoes at them."

Ace raised a eyebrow at me bemused and I blushed from neck to forehead. "Mom, it's not them."

She didn't reply for a few seconds and then came out, wiping her hands on her apron. She stopped as she noticed the stranger besides me.

"Who is this?" Her eyes narrowed and then looked over him from toe to head, trying to find faults. I heard him gulp softly under my mother's strict scrutiny.

"A friend. Bryan Cooper." I answered hastily.

"Is he the one Connor doesn't like?"

I stared at her is disbelief. Connor told mom that he bunked college and saw Ace here? You're in deep shit bro!

"I don't know." I answered truthfully.

"Uh good morning, I mean good afternoon Mrs. Williams." Ace said, struggling to keep his voice strong. This was the first time I had seen Ace so apprehensive and disoriented. I loved it.

A mother's strong and hard gaze can make any guy squirm.

My mother raised her eyebrows at his voice. "Are you nervous?"

"Uh ye-no. No." Ace shook his head.

My mother looked thoroughly entertained by now. "Are you afraid of me?"

I shook my head mentally. My mother found a weird happiness in torturing my friends.

"No Mrs. Williams." He answered, his voice stronger this time.

My mom paused. "Lillian. Mrs. Williams makes me feel old." My mother turned to go and I pinched Ace's arm, reminding him what he came here for.

"Mrs. Wi- I mean Lillian, can I take muf-Joanna somewhere?"

I slapped my forehead mentally, he was supposed to say for tutoring.

"Are you trying to get into my daughter's pants?"

"Mom!" I hissed, embarrassed, the almost kisses immediately invading my mind.

"No, I mean she has to tutor me so." Ace corrected and I noted slight pinkness on his neck and cheeks, was he blushing? Aww.

My mother looked at me and then at Bryan. "This tutoring doesn't involve removing pants and getting underneath or above sheets resulting in any sort of penetration, does it?"

"Mom! No!" I exclaimed in horror, my face reddening in process.

Even Bryan looked uncomfortable and licked in lips nervously. "No. Not at all."

Finally my mother nodded, "Are you going to the school fest today?"

I shrugged, I hadn't gone yesterday due to Ace and I was in no mood to go today.

"Joanna, you are the class president. Shouldn't you be there everyday?" My mom scolded.

"Mom, all are so busy that no one will even notice my absence and everything is arranged, if they need me they'll call me." I assured her.

"If that stupid female calls me you are dead." She warned, "Don't touch her." She warned Ace and then went into the kitchen.

"Stupid female?" Ace inquired, his confidence and ego seeping back to him now that my mother had approved and wasn't glaring at him.

"Mrs. Finn." I answered, opening the door. "Mom doesn't really like her."

"Oh."

The bike ride was pretty silent. I was enjoying the wind on my face and he was busy riding. Soon we were sitting inside a food joint.

I looked around; I had never been here before. The place wasn't very big but seemed pretty neat. The whole place screamed homey and peaceful. There were a few people laughing and eating. It was jovial and cozy.

"I used to come here with my mother." Ace said suddenly, his voice held no emotion.

"Does your father ever talk about her?"

"Never. It's like he has forgotten he was ever married, he just fucks that bitch." Ace spoke with so much malice that it made me wince.

"I am sure he remembers her, he's just trying to move on." I said, trying to comfort him, softly tapping his hand.

At first he froze and I lifted my hand, embarrassed. But then he smiled and joined our hands. I couldn't stop the way my heart lifted and stomach churned.

He sighed. "That's not true. He moved on the second that bitch came into the house."

It was awkward hearing Sean's mother being called bitch every time. I hadn't known him for long and I didn't like him much now but this was too much. "She doesn't have a name?" I asked in a low voice.

Ace stared me. "I don't want to burn my tongue by taking her name."

Shit! He really hates her.

"Can I take your order?"

I turned and faced a middle aged woman smiling lovingly at us.

"Tacos and Pizza?" Ace asked and I shrugged. I loved both.

He ordered and the lady gave one last sweet smile before going.

"When are you telling me your life story?" Ace asked, turning his attention back to me.

I grinned. "You'll have to wait and see."

He smiled, his rare smile that made my stomach do a somersault. "I guess I can do that."

Our food arrived pretty fast and we dug in. My concentration on the extra cheese Pizza in front of me.

Yummilicious!

"Were you wearing this at the warehouse?" I asked, suddenly curious.

He paused and shook his head, almost nervous. "I was wearing my usual black jeans and black Tee but I changed as I had to come to uh- meet your mom."

I grinned, a full mega watt grin. "That's so sweet." It was hard to stop from leaning and pinching his cheeks.

"Thanks." He stiffly said, his cheeks going light pink.

I bit my lip from commenting anymore, preventing him from further discomfort. Although my heart seemed to have floated into a dreamy world and the butterflies in my stomach seemed to be twerking.

We finished eating and he paid even after my protests. It was almost like a date, the only thing missing was it wasn't.

"What's your worst fear?" He suddenly asked, walking into the opposite direction of his bike.

I thought for a second. My worst fear? Lizards? But I can manage to stay in the same room. Getting criticized? I can bear it. I thought some more. "Losing someone I really care about." I finally answered.

His eyes furrowed and his hands went into his jeans pockets. He kicked a pebble astray. "That's everyone's worst fear."

"True." I agreed. "But that's because we never know who we'll lose when. Its unpredictable and humans hate it."

We lose everything we have ever found. Its a way of life telling us to not take anything for granted.

"It's funny how the people that hurt you the most are the ones that swore they never would."

I shrugged. "Yeah but no one ever said life was easy."

"My mother had promised she would never leave me, she did. My father had promised me on my fourth birthday that he would always love me the most, he didn't. When that bitch married my father she said in her oath that she would treat me as her own son, she never did. When I first met Sean, he promised he would be my brother, he never was. And Anastasia was the worst." He paused as if suddenly realizing I was there and I didn't know who this Anastasia was.

I so wanted to badly ask him who she was but I knew he wasn't ready for it. "Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so love those who treat you right and forget the one's who don't. No one ever said life would be easy but they promised it would be worth it."

We were all born for a reason. Chase that fucking reason and strangle it as you feel proud and alive.

He looked at me intently with something in his eyes that I vaguely recognized as affection and confusion. I looked at me, before turning away. His stare was doing different things to me and I didn't know if I should like them.

Eventually his lips quirked up, "Love the ones who treat you right." He repeated and I nodded. Finally something that goes in his head. "You are weird." He added.

I scoffed. "Me? Weird? Bitch please, I am limited edition." I slapped my mouth realizing what I just said. It was a complete reflex; I was so used to hearing this from girls that my mind automatically connected with the mouth after hearing weird. "I am sorry; I didn't mean to call you uh-bitch. It just kindof, sort of came out and-"

He laughed, his eyes crinkling with amusement. "It's okay. In fact even I can use it. Many people call me weird too."

We are all a little weird in our own little weird way. That's what makes us different.

I sighed, "Yeah sure. Wait! No. That's cheating, you can't steal my dialogue. Make one for yourself."

He thought for a few minutes, unconsciously still kicking that pebble. "How about this? We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love."

I stopped walking, my mind still trying to make sense of those weirdy words. When they finally registered in my mind, I burst out laughing. "Oh my god! Do you even know what you just said? That's what you are going to tell when someone calls you weird?" I continued laughing, until his words froze me.

"You look beautiful when you laugh."

My breathing hitched and then stopped altogether, his words ringing in my head like a chanted spell that had my mind bewitched. The air around us had charged noticably.

"Yeah?" I whispered breathlessly, lost in his eyes.

Hips lips quirked up and he leaned closer. "Yeah, your eyes shine like stars shinning at night. So pretty."

Oh my! I gulped as he leaned even more close. My eyes darted to his lips and suddenly his eyes clouded with unfathomable emotions and his mouth open, like even he couldn't believe he had just said that. All too soon, his stance changed. His mouth closed forming into his iconic grim line, he eyes became blank and his back stiff.

I felt my breathing become normal and my heart beat reducing. What was all that about? You could have just frigging kissed me idiot.

"How about I tried being normal but I got bored? Or I tried being normal and those were the worst two minutes of my life?" Even his voice lacked the earlier joy and playfulness.

"Yeah, they are good." I said in a small voice.

"Home?"

I nodded, not daring to spare a glance at him. Stupid me, I shouldn't have laughed at that time. Things are weird between us now. Again.

And I didn't like it one bit.

I sighed realising how attached I was getting to this bad boy who I was tutoring. It was unhealthy and scary.

Attachments: Make us dream about things that will never come true.

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