4. what is love ?

"Jacky boy are you still single or ready to mingle? " Elder Philip teases jack.

Jack was eating his dinner quietly when the topic shifted towards him " No grandpa ".

" Of course he would say that , sometimes I doubt that he is gay " said Jack's grandfather glazing at his grandson who is still single and always like to disturb his sweet time with his wife.

Stella gasped and Jack choked on his food and started to cough when Stella passed him water.

" Grandpa, I am straight, " exclaimed Jack after drinking water .

"Yeah yeah like I believe you " mocked Jack's grandfather.

" I believe in you, Jacky boy, " Elder Philip said. " How can you Chase crystal if you are gay ".

Everyone was surprised apart from Stella and Jack who were stunned.

" How do you know grandpa? " asked Stella.

" Babygirl you grandpa can read people like an open book and the way Jacky boy always stares at your friend crystal everytime is very obvious." Said Elder Philip not minding other surprised look.

" Jack , why didn't you tell me that you like crystal? She is such a lovely girl. " Smilies Jack's grandmother thinking that her grandson has someone he likes.

" Boy you should work hard and confess your feelings before some snached her away from you " advice Elder Philip.

" Why don't I ask for her hand in marriage for you… " Jack's grandmother was going to continue when Jack interrupted her " No , that is why I didn't tell you that I like her . I want her to be with me willingly and not to be forced into a marriage that she doesn't want ".

" You are right jack. You should cultivate your feelings with her before marriage. " Advice Jack's grandfather.

" What about you Stella? Are you and Andrew still together " asked Jack's grandmother.

" We are not together, we are just best friends grandmother " replied Stella annoyingly. Why did everyone think that she and Andrew are in a relationship? She feels annoyed telling everyone that they both are only best friends and nothing else.

" He is not suitable for Stella, " said Christopher. He thinks that only someone who is at his level is suitable for Stella as this could benefit his company instead of Andrew who's father is just a small company manager.

" You just shut up and eat " glazed elder Philip at Christopher knowing very well what is going through his head.

" I also think that you and Andrew look good together Stella " said Anna smiling.

Stella eats her dinner silently and does not reply to anything because she knows even if she says anything they are not going to believe it.

" Babygirl, don't mind them, you should just enjoy your life . Love will definitely find its way towards you. " Advice Elder Philip not knowing that his word are going to be true in few

days.

" I am full " Jack wiping his mouth said " Elle and I have plans with our friends. Are you done Elle? ".

" Yes , I will come to meet you again, grandpa and grandma . Love you " said Stella waving at her grandparents.

********

Stella was in daze thinking about what her family thought about her and Andrew. Anyone who sees him and her together always thinks that they are boyfriend and girlfriend because of their chemistry and even she also feels that Andrew knows her more than herself. She feels conflicted about her feelings for Andrew. Does she really like him only as a friend or as a person with whom she can spend her life.

" What are you thinking about ? "Jack interrupted her thoughts.

" Uhh.. What did you say ? " Question Stella.

"Are you thinking about what my grandmother earlier said about? " asked looking forward to driving the car.

" About Andrew and me ? " Stella asked.

Jack nodded " you know what if I don't know about you and Andrew being best friends I would also think that you both are in a relationship. The way you both care about each other is really like a couple ".

" I don't know what I feel about him, " said Stella, frustrated.

"Stop talking about me. When are you going to tell Crystal about your feelings? Grandpa is right, you should really confess before someone abducted her from you." Advice Stella grinning.

" You know it is not that easy, " Jack said, annoyed by himself. He is afraid that if he confesses his feelings to her and she rejects him, which he doesn't want. He doesn't want to destroy their friendship because of his feelings.

" But you can't keep your feelings hidden from her forever. You know that this is going to be last year of school and she is going abroad next year. It's better to tell her about your feelings before she leaves. Stella advised her friend that once he lost his chance he was going to regret not telling her about his feelings.

" I know " reply Jack said about Crystal going abroad next year. He is happy that she is studying hard for her dream but also sad they are going to be separated.

******

" That's what happened, " Said Stella, weeping her wet hair while talking with Anna on her phone.

"Hmm… Interesting " came a reply from the phone which is on speaker.

Stella throws her towel away and takes her phone from the dressing table and jumps on her king size bed wrapping herself like a ball in a duvet.

" By the way do you really have any feelings for Andrew or not ? " asked Anna from the other side.

Stella fell into silence. What is love ? She doesn't know. Does it really exist? Her grandparents said they love each other but why can't she see that same love between her parents. She had never seen her father care about her mother and her mother always did what her father told her to do. Is that love ? If that is love she would never want to fall in love.

There was a time when she was a child she had asked her grandfather " grandpa what is love ? "

Her grandfather reply smiling " love is when you care about someone, you feel safe with them, want to spend lifetime with them, want to start a family with them ".

Now that she thinks about her grandfather, she thinks love is lust. Otherwise how can when two people say that they love each one second and in another second they break up because they fall out of love. Isn't it lust in which you feel some attraction towards some people and after fulfilling your desire they fall out.