Chapter 20: The Kiss

Ace eyes flew to Arnold who gave him death glares. He began to wonder who he was cause he never saw him around the neighborhood.

"Ww..ho are they? And who's that man seated in the middle in particular?." He asked Jenna as she turned her head to look at Arnold.

She really wanted to ignore Ace but he kept bugging her.

"Who is he? He looks really strange and why was he looking at me like that?." He helped rinsed the plates and dried them with a towel.

She was so angry. What was his own problem? He's here to bug my life after being away from me for years. She was so pissed that his presence only made her sick.

"Why are you here Ace? And how did you know you'd find me here?" She said something that sounded like a whisper.

"I came back few months ago. Granny told me you ran away from home and we searched for you but we didn't find you. Granny called to tell me you'd be here so I came to see you beautiful.

So I should be the one asking why you ran away." He knotted his brows and slowly touched her face.

"I didn't run. I just needed to put my life together. That shouldn't be your business anymore." She frowned at Granny who silently stirred up the food.

"I've missed you. Do you believe I searched for you for everywhere? Even to Mercury. That's how much You..he halted when she cut him off.

"Ace please I already told you. You are just a friend and nothing more." She left to arrange food on the table leaving him shocked.

*****

Food was ready. Grandma, Ace and The men were now seated at the table. The chairs wasn't enough so she went to the sitting room and took out a chair to sit.

"He's so hot! My Dear." Grandma whispered in Jenna's ears but it didn't sound like a whisper at all. It was loud and she knew the men heard what she said. Grandma had that issue since. She had a problem of whispering low.

Jenna forced a smile at the men that sat across her and chewed slowly.

Arnold hardly ate and Grandma felt like he didn't like what they cooked.

"Don't you like what we made?." Grandma turned her head to look at him while he played with the fork.

"No..I'm not just hungry." He replied and Jenna knew he just wasn't comfortable.

Was it because of the house wasn't nice as his? Or the food was local? She just didn't know.

Jenna and Ace sat close and he tried to reached out to her hand under the table.

Arnold studied the two in front of him. Jenna gave him a look that said "Behave yourself."

Arnold could understand that something was going on under the table. He didn't know why but he felt really uncomfortable.

"Thank you for saving my daughter. She told me all about what happened over the phone." She smiled at Arnold.

"Welcome." He forced to say.

Ace felt something strange with this man. The way he stole glances at Jenna was something he didn't understand. He needed to know what was going on. It's been over a year since he saw her does that mean she was now with someone else?.

"Mm..Jenna can I see you outside for a minute?." He stood up.

She stared at him and nodded. "Excuse me." She forced a smile and followed him outside.

He led her outside and they stood at a corner.

"What's going on?." He asked.

"I don't understand Ace. Why did you call me out here?."

"Who are those men? Most especially the one with the long hair?." He was now serious and just needed to know the truth.

"That shouldn't bother you Ace. He's a visitor." She turned to leave when he held her hand and drew her to his chest.

"Is he just a visitor or something more." He waited for an answer with hope that she'd say nothing that wouldn't hurt him.

"Ace can we just not do this now. I've got visitors inside I'd like to go attend to them." She tried freeing her hand from his grip but he didn't let go.

"Are you trying to avoid the question Jenna? You've got something with him don't you?" He looked deep into her eyes as she fell silent.

"You've got something with him don't you Jenna?." He repeated.

"And what if I do? Why does that matter to you?." She looked him in the eye.

"You can't say this Jenna you know I really like you." He held both her arms with teary tears. Jenna felt silent again as she looked to the ground.

"I..I know I never told you. I was young and shy. I knew nothing. I was scared of confessing my feelings to you cause I was afraid you didn't feel the same way. I... came back to tell you how I feel that was when Granny told me you were missing. Believe me I searched for you. I searched everywhere for you.

My feelings has grown deeply and Seeing you all grown up makes me fall in love with you all over again Jenna. I love you and I'm sorry I'm late." He halted when he saw tears rolled down her cheek.

"We..we could make this work. Look at me, look at me Jenna." He lifted her chin making her look into his eyes.

"I feel his dangerous. He isn't the right man for you. I knew you had a thing for me but you just didn't want to accept it cause you were so serious with your studies. Everything would be over now and we would continue our love story and travel out of this country. We'd get married and live happily ever after like those in the movies. You've always wanted a fairy tale love story so you've got one. I'll never hurt you. I promise."

He waited for a response but Jenna said no word.

What could she say? She knew she liked him but she couldn't accept the love he was now offering. She had a thing for him then but now.. she just didn't know. She just couldn't find herself loving him. No, she felt it wasn't right. She felt this wasn't the man she's to be with. This isn't what she want. She didn't feel the spark even for a bit.

Even if she was forced into this love her heart wouldn't be here. Her heart belonged to somewhere else but where?.

"I know you want this Jenna. Just accept it." He pulled her to his chest again, now more closer. He looked deep into her eyes then down to her delicious lips.

Arnold walked out to make a call. He stepped out to his car then he saw them.

He held her waist and kissed her passionately but she wasn't kissing him back. She felt sad and down in confusion. What was happening to her.

Arnold held his phone in his ears as he stared at them in shock.

Jenna withdrew her lips from his then she turned to see Arnold who stood by his car.

She felt her heart break seeing how he looked at her. They had nothing to do with each other so why did he look at her the way he did?

She knew she just couldn't stand there. She walked into the house and sat at the table trying to calm her nerves down.

Arnold entered the car and sat down then he made called Damien to inform them that it was time they left.

"We should get going grandma. It's quite late." Damien stood up.

"It's okay dear." Grandma replied.

"Mm..Jenna are you coming?." He looked at her and she nodded then she turned to look at Grandma.

"I'll come see you Grandma. I promise." She held her hands and the men walked out of the house.

"But you haven't..." she was cut off.

"I'll come see you and we'll talk about everything." She got up and hugged her.

She walked out of the house and walked to the car. She could see Arnold from where he sat. He was looking at something outside the car window.

She looked around one last time before getting into the car. She didn't see Ace, maybe he had already left.

She felt hurt. She wondered why she felt that she had betrayed Arnold. The worse part of it all was that he didn't look her way till they got home.