Chapter # 5

Jane Arnold's P.O.V.

"I am Jane, not Jennifer." He rolls his eyes dramatically and steps forward, leaving one step distance between us.

"Sorry, I am just not good at remembering the names." Now it is my turn to roll my eyes, instead I lower my arm a bit and snatch the book out of his hands. He looks at me with stunned eyes.

"Has anyone ever taught you any manners, Eric? You are not supposed to snatch away someone's book and buy it for yourself." I keep my voice low and throw a quick glance at Beth behind him, she seems to be busy with her work, not taking a notice of whatever is happening around her.

"Exactly, you are not supposed to snatch away someone's book." He snickers and again pulls the book out of my hands and twirls its base on the tip of his finger. I watch him with knitted eyebrows as he twirls it two times effortlessly.

"Still, you snatched it. Anyway, I am not in a mood for an argument so, go take your money from her and give this book back to Beth." He says nothing in response. He raises his right eyebrow and takes another step in my direction and leans into me, leaving the slightest distance between us. I inch away from him but can not move back any further as my back hits the bookshelf. I again look beyond his shoulder, Beth is not at the counter now. He stares at me intensely. His eyes never leave mine or scan the rest of my body.

"Why do you want to buy Shakespeare's sonnets?" He asks and I can not process his words at once. I am too baffled by his closeness to answer his stupid question.

"Of course, to read. You dumb." Still, I manage to utter. He does not show any expression on his face as I call him dumb. Instead, he raises both of his hands, holding the book, above my head and places them on the bookshelf. He lowers his face and comes to my nose level. I can feel his breath on my face. My mind races and signals me to push him away but my heart does not feel scared. He eyes my face and then closes them for a few seconds later opening them again as if trying to memorize it. This is our second interaction and none of these has ever been fabulous, still, strangely l feel as if I can let him stare at me for eternity.

"You are so beautiful." He mumbles and my breath gets hitched in my throat. Where is it all coming from? I try to look away from his eyes but fail.

Unexpectedly his eyes fall from my face and land on my nose or lips, I can not tell. I close my eyes and feel the tip of his nose touch mine. My heart speeds up as if it is about to jump out of my chest. Oh Lord, what is happening to me?

"But you are the one who is dumb." I flare my eyes open and stare at him, he is standing away from me and laughing as if he just saw the best comedy show ever. I am too shocked to respond to all of this. I stand dumbfounded.

"Bye, dumb Jane." He flicks the book in front of my eyes and then waving goodbye at Beth, he flees out of the bookstore.

I manage to move from my spot and shake my head. I eye Beth with a flat face. She stares at me with an apologetic smile.

"You can have Shakespeare's sonnets next week. I will have fresh stock next Monday." She tries to make me feel comfortable, but I am still lost in the early few minutes. I was certainly not ready for this and did not expect Eric to be such a jerk. I call him a jerk and still have a feeling that there was something hidden in his dark orifices. Something like a deep emotion.

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I would be a big damn liar if I say that I am not feeling angry at all. I am a volcano who intends to erupt right on top of Eric. I have been pacing in my room in frustration since I came back from the bookstore. I am still embarrassed at letting him come near me and make a joke of me like that. Thinking of this whole drama I take my phone in my right hand and call Jessie. She is my anti-depressant.

"We need to talk. I am wrecked." I subtly whimper when I hear a hello from her side.

"Jane, are you ok? What has happened? Why are you crying?" She asks, concern clear in her voice.

"I am not crying but I am about to if you do not come to my house right now." I blink back the tears of remorse.

"Okay, I know that you are worried, sweetie. Just take a deep breath and sit down because I know that you pace when you are worried." I hear her calm voice, followed by a voice of a waiter. She must be in some cafe with Chris. I feel bad for ruining her moment.

"Okay, I am sitting now and I am sorry for ringing you up when you must be busy." I murmur my apology, earning a groan from her side. I look at the clock and it shows the 8: pm. The long night is still left there.

"You can keep your sorry and I am not busy. I am just leaving the Cafe. I have also told Chris to drop me at your place and I will sleep there too, so you have the whole night to tell me. I will be there in twenty minutes and you can sob all you want till I come. Later, you will only speak with no tears or I will strangle you." She threatens me in her usual style. I promise that I will not welcome her with a tears-stained face and she cuts off the call.

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"Say it all my minion, but with a huge grin on your face." Jessie hugs me and whispers in my ear as I open the door for her.

"Like this?" I stretch my mouth wide enough to fake a grin.

"Better. Let's go to your room." She points her chin towards the stairs and drags me towards them.

We enter my room and I do not bother to close the door as I usually do when Jessie is in my room because I do not trust her unfiltered loose mouth around my mom. Mom is still at work so I can risk my house listening to Jessie.

"Start right from the beginning of your sad story." She says as she plops her elbow on the big fluffy white pillow on my bed to support her head while laying down on my bed.

I look at her black sparkling eyes excited for my story and begin to unfold the whole bookstore event. She listens to me with deep interest leaning towards me while I sit on the corner of the bed, facing her. When I tell her the main part which left me feeling angry and stupid, she hugs me.

"Oh, sweetie. You are worried about nothing. Many handsome guys are jerks, so just let this memory slip away. He should feel bad for playing a dirty trick on you. You did not even show the slightest interest in him. Right?"

Her right brings a question to the surface and I tell her that I have no interest in him.

"Good then, why the hell you are behaving as if you had a fresh breakup?" She asks, rolling her eyes as if she is dealing with a child. Perhaps she is, maybe I am truly just exaggerating the encounter with Eric in my mind. It is not as if we had a kiss or something. I shake my head, sending these thoughts away from my conscious.

"I guess, you are right...he was just messing with me and I just took it to my heart and made it even easier for him to startle me." I chew on the inside of my bottom lip as I say these words to Jessie. My mind again grasps the memory of something lingering in his eyes.

"Jessie. I also saw something else. Something like a deep emotion in his eyes." She jolts up from the bed and spins in the room.

"Oh, emotions...deep emotions, like love?" She grins, batting her eyelashes.

"No. I do not know." I laugh at her mention of the word love. She is never serious.

"Come on, then what it could be?" She asks, pouting and staring at the ceiling in thought.

"I do not know. I also do not want to know. I only see him calling me dumb and I swear that I will take my revenge, next time if we ever encounter. Which he should pray that we don't or I will not forgive him for snatching my book and messing with me." I stand up from the bed and fold my arms on my stomach. My face faces the dark sky peeping through the curtains of my window.

"Wow, I already see you winning this my brave soldier." Jessie claps and gives me a thumbs up.

I chuckle before pulling her in for a hug. I think sometimes Jessie is right, I bother little things when ignoring them can be a blessing for my mind. I have planned to take my revenge on Eric, still, his eyes make me reconsider my decision.

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