Chapter 8 : kiss

"Sure Mrs Bruce but I've got an editorial board meeting at four, probably I'll be there at five thirty?"I spoke steadily into the mouthpiece.

One of my babysitting clients wanted me around this evening and I was striking a deal with her.I started babysitting last summer when I felt sitting at home and doing nothing after school was boring.Now with after school activities,it was becoming hectic.

"Sure,but the reservation is at Sotto Vochay and heaven knows how difficult it is to get one.Can you get over by five to look after Karla? We really need to beat traffic."She pleaded.

I contemplated  over the thought flipping open my bag and fishing out my printouts.I still had seven pages to edit and so needed to be present at today's editorial board meeting in order to finish up,or I'd have to sacrifice my sleep in order to get it done.

I was at the almost in the meeting  room anyway and there was no turning back.I braced myself to tell Mrs Bruce that I honestly couldn't make it in time when suddenly my eyes caught on something in the class through the transparent shutters which made my breath hitch.

Bile rose up my throat bringing back the sickening taste of the pizza and French fries I had for lunch.

My knees buckled up beneath me and I clutched onto my phone desperately, clenching my fist to fight back the threatening downpour.

There, right before my eyes, Jessica was passionately making out with Jay.His hand slid to her waist to draw  her close enhancing their proximity as she run her fingers through his damp hair.He was just from basket ball practice,it was obvious.

I felt sick all over as I tried my best to move but I just stood there, immobile like a sculptured artefact , my teary eyes glued on them momentarily forgetting the mother I was striking a deal with at the other end of the line.

Jay finally broke away from the kiss,his expression neutral, showing no hint of satisfaction or displeasure.His eyes softly scanned the room and in the process got caught in mine.Visibly he stiffened as we gazed into each others eyes.His demeanor changed as he wore a look of apprehension and disgust,at himself?

I whipped my face away pretending not to have seen anything worthwhile.The aura was suffocating as my confidence dropped drastically remembering the phone in my hands.

"Yes Mrs Bruce on second thought, I'll be there by four thirty."I managed to say and she expressed her profound thanks.I braved up and swiftly backed away from the door progressing toward the exits.

I rushed to my car and yanked open the door dropping myself onto the seat.I could feel my heart thumping, threatening to break loose from my rib cage as nursed the hurt .I lay my head on the steering wheel and the horn blared loudly in protest.

I'd seen many couples make out and it didn't hurt this much.  Aiden Sanders and  Nicole  made out in the hallways all the time they were dating.It'd just seem gross  like the others and I'd turn away but with this it was sickening in a really hurting way.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't care about Jay .It hurt so much that I  felt it each milli second they kissed.It was a quick one of  another  regular teenage make out session but that was absolute torture in my eyes.

I bit my lip and tried to swallow the lump gradually dying in my throat.It resulted in a hiccup and I gulped for air ,the horn giving one last toot for attention.

"Ugh"I groaned lifting my pale face from the steering wheel as the hard truth hit me. Jay and Jessica were dating so they had the right to do such stuff,and others probably...

It's not as if it were forbidden or something but God, did I hate  it.

How could Jay expect his happiness to be my happiness when I craved and longed for that same affection from him, the boy I wanted and another girl had,my dream.

My thoughts trailed on as I pushed the key to ignite my car,the vehicle at once coming to life signalling the task ahead of me, babysitting.Atleast it would serve as the perfect distraction.

                        ***

I stared blankly into space as the same image played over in my mind.No matter how many jobs I took on this week,my thoughts came back to haunt me on the go.

I shook the gruesome image which hurt my heart anytime I thought of it away and focused my attention to the twins ,one of my favourite little girls playing on the park.

"Cami!"Isla stressed tugging at my sleeve for emphasis.I snapped out of my reverie giving her my full attention.

" I want my juice box now!"She demanded stomping her foot on the ground for emphasis.

I unzipped the pouch on my lap and quietly dropped it in her outstretched palm.

She looked at me for a while before slurping on it noisily. Other days I would have  minded her manners or argued with her nonstop to play a bit longer in the sand pit before a snack break.

I sank deeper on the bench ,my eyes glued on her as she run over to her sister to flaunt her unusual prize.

In less than a minute,she had emptied the box and dropped the litter right in the sand.

Okay,that was it ignoring her manners for today.I picked myself off the bench and walked to her place in the sand pit instructing her to pick the litter and drop it in a bin.

"I don't want to.The bin's far." She wailed looking at me reluctantly with her cute bright eyes. I looked back at her evenly daring her to disobey.

She pouted and I folded my arms across my chest.Well,two could play that game.

"Kid trouble?" A familiar voice asked startling me.

I looked back in mild shock to see Jay staring right a me.

Unable to process anything,I shifted my gaze and realized  a  little innocent clone of himself holding his hands and looking shyly up at me.

"Hey Parker,"

"Hi."I replied avoiding eye contact though his eyes were glued on me.The place grew awkwardly silent and my mind whirled trying to find a way to diffuse the tension.

"Mike?" I asked Jay gesturing to the little boy at his feet.

"Yeah,Mike,say  hi to Camilla."

"Hi" Mike waved with a smile removing his hands from his brother's.

I guess Jay came to spend time with him in the park or something.

Mike run up to the twins  as they engaged in whatever it was that they were chattering about.

Jay sat right next to me as we looked after them on the bench.

There was silence for a while as I swapped an imaginary bug off my jeans.Jay broke the silence.

"I never knew you babysitted?"

"Yeah,it's something I do often for the love of it because these angels are my dearies."

"Where have you been then?"

"Why?" I asked surprised.

"We've been looking for one for a while now, for Mike."

"Oh,"

"Well I can see he likes you already since he seems well behaved.Trust me,he's a handful."

"Most kids are a handful at times."I laughed.

He looked at me contemplating on something for a while before asking if I could come over and babysit Mike  sometime at his place.

" Sure."I  nodded after he said he'd talk to his parents and text me his address.

"Is that boy your boyfriend." Alya asked pointing to Jay  who was helping Isla with her lace some few metres away from us.

"It's a very rude manner to point at people in public." I chastened trying to weasel my way out of answering the question. It didn't seem to work since she looked up at me with her cute doll eyes  waiting for an answer.

"No..."  not yet .I completed sneakily as she slurped on her juice box.

She looked at me for a considerable amount of time before skipping off to play with her twin and Mike.

                       ***

Benji dropped me off at Jay's  to babysit Mike.He gladly did that since  he'd got  a new ride.Pfft,Showoff.

" Hey,don't trample in my car with your cheap skin boots."

He chastened referring to my  totally to die for Nike trainers as I heaved myself onto the passengers seat not forgetting to slam the door with a thud.He scoffed as he manoeuvred the car out of the garage.

" Lover boy,you can call my boots all things but not cheap.It's a na uh." I corrected strapping the seat belt across myself.

Few minutes later,we pulled up in front of a huge house with a cute front yard.

"Don't mess up clutz.You owe me money for gas."

"Have a nice day too Benjamin." I said with a smile.

He griped the steering wheel and made a turn such that its friction could have caused a fire and reeved off.Honestly ,I wasn't surprised.

Mrs Greene was really nice with a dazzling smile and pretty blue eyes.She looked exactly like our Principal but only younger.

She left after showing me around the house and telling me to keep Mike away from wishing fountains if we came across one .

She left soon after to attend to some meeting she had leaving Mike and I alone.Jay was of course at basketball practice.

"What do you want to play Mike?" I asked as he stared intently at me from the doorway.

"Trains." He gushed taking my hand and leading me to his toy section filled with train rails,stick figures,racing cars and balls.

I made a place for myself to sit among the toys as he set his trains running.

I spent a great deal of time helping him build Villas for his trains to pass through.

"Mike! Your snack's ready!" I called out as I placed a tray of brownies on the table.

He came rushing in immediately savoring his glass of milk and cookies.

"I want more cookies Cami." He whined as soon as he was done with his snack.

"Mike, we are out of cookies." I patiently explained. I didn't really want a temper tantrum and it was brewing up from the look of things.

"I want more cookies." He continued griping.

"Mike,I told you there are no cookies left.You want a sandwich instead?"

"NO.We are not out of cookies.Mum keeps cookies on the top shelf in the attic." he said leading a skeptical me to their attic.

I groped for a light switch and finally the lights popped on.I met a  room with absolutely no sign of cookie traces.

"Mike,where did you say ..." My voice trailed off as the door slammed shut and I heard the clicking of keys.

Just great. He'd locked me in.I was outsmarted by  a boy who had barely escaped preschool and barely could do his own lace.

"Open up Mike!" I said trying the door over and over.

"Please," I begged.

"You said you no grape juice but I'm going to have all the grape juice in the world  ha!" he said boldly.I could hear the distinct screeching of a chair being dragged.I was sure he was dragging it to the fridge to carry out his threat.

He wasn't allowed grape juice after sometime period because,his mum said it made him hyperactive.

As if that was not enough,"I'm the Grape King." He loathed. I couldn't help but do an enormous  eyeroll.

"Michael Greene,if you don't stop all this naughtiness I promise I'll tell your Mum." I said coming up with my own little threat.

He laughed for a while before jiggling the keys to get on my nerves.

"Mike please,I am begging you."

"I am sticking my tongue out at you and you can't see." he played.

"Please Mike,I'll bake you some cookies tomorrow if you cooperate."

"You tricking me." He called out.

"No I'm not.I always keep my word ." I assured.

"But Milly,I can't get it unlocked.It's stuck." He called out.

Not lying to myself but if Mrs Greene found me locked up in here , it wouldn't be a good first impression. I groaned in frustration.I was near dialling her number when I heard a jingle of keys and  turning of a door knob.

I lifted my head as the door jerked open.

"First day and you're having a hard time already." Jay teased as he looked at me admiringly.It was a mocking admiring type of look.

"Aren't  you supposed to be at basketball practice?" I asked eyeing him in his basketball vest.

"What,you haven't seen me this up close before ?" He asked stepping closer.

I took a step back,embarrassed he had noticed I was checking him out.

Mike stood in the corner trying to make sense of everything.

"C'mon." he said picking  Mike up from his position by the door and heaving him up on  to his shoulders.He carried him outside to the court and helped him make shots.

"That's ace." he encouraged giving Mike a hi five.Mike's joyous attitude was abruptly put on hold as soon as his Mum returned from work and it was time for me to leave.

"I promise I'll come back tomorrow." I said bending down and speaking to my feet.Mike clung onto my feet as I tried to walk which made me stop involuntarily.

"Mike be a good boy and say bye to Camilla and stop this naughtiness." His Mum piped in.

He shook his head and hung on tighter than before.

"I don't want her to go."he screamed." She won't come back."He added.

"Mike I'll have to bring the cookies so I'll  definitely come back." I assured.

"Pinky promise?"

"Pinky promise" I said lifting him off the ground happy we had reached a mutual agreement.

Well,Jay just stood by the doorway ,his hands sprawled on his chest typing away on his phone and pretending, I think,not to give a damn care about what was going on.

Author's Note

Wow!Jay kissed Jessica, Camilla's heart got broken,Mike is the grape king.....what do you think?