Jason watched Ivy wipe away her tears harshly as he stood by the balcony’s entrance with her unexpected surprise prepared for him. His heart instantly ached, imagining if he wasn’t there the night before to rescue her, what would have happened as he walked closer and patted Lucky who was wagging his tail at him.
He sat next to her with the aquarium of guppies. He knew he needed to make her express it all out as she was holding it all in.
He gently pulled her in for a hug. "Thank you for the surprise…” He whispered as she suddenly recalled the surprise she wanted to give him which completely slipped her mind. While trying to control her emotions from thinking about leaving Jason soon, remembering the surprise as a farewell gift made Ivy out of control as she poured all her heart out while being enveloped in his embrace.
"It's alright. It's all over. You don't have to worry." Jason comforted but to no avail as she wept helplessly. Jason could only gently comb her hair while watching the rain outside the balcony accompanying her. A part of him was grateful for all the decisions he had made so far while a part of him knew, soon, he will throw this young lady back into making a tough decision about her family and the status of their friendship.
Knowing Ivy, Jason knew that although she looked strong on the outside but in actual fact, she was deliberately keeping everything to herself and hiding her issues to not worry people around her. Sometimes, the pressure she puts on herself actually exceeds her abilities.
Even if he was to be selfish and not let her meet her family, he wasn’t confident that with him alone he would be able to guide her and provide enough love or support.
“What if it turned out to be like Nancy again?” He wondered with regrets. He knew it was best if he let her meet with her family soon after her exams. That way, at least he knew she would get all the protection and love she always craved for while running the business well which was built by her father for her family.
“Guess, that’s also how someone protects someone they love; by quietly staying by their side protecting them on the sideline…” Jason thought to himself as he gently patted Ivy who had quietened down and was much more calm.
"You know you're only eighteen? Why do you put yourself under so much pressure?" He asked softly as he intended to prompt her to speak.
Ivy suddenly recalled, she was in fact crying at the thought of leaving him soon but he must not know about it. Hence, she had to cover it with a lie and knew he must have thought she was shaken about the incident on the night before.
Although she was at first but she was more grateful that at the nick of time, he came to rescue her. "I was … trying to protect my friends …from being harassed..." She stuttered as she sat still in his comforting hug.
"That does not give you the chance to ignore your own safety, Ivy…” Jason caressed her wet cheeks but got so furious at the thought of Kyle’s deeds at his delicate beloved Ivy. He couldn't help but to begin to continuously question her, letting go of his fears and worries.
“What if no one was there? What if I didn't plan to head home a day earlier to give you a surprise? What if he took advantage of you? Do you understand how dangerous it was for you at this age to fend for yourself and your friends but put the blame on yourself when it isn't your fault at all?" Jason furiously asked as he reminded himself to control his tone, leaving Ivy sat up straight while sniffing.
Ivy knew for Jason to be this furious, she had made a huge mistake and she was lucky to escape as she tried to control her emotions from the realisation of last night’s dire situation and nodded. The sight of her vulnerable self made Jason’s heart soften that he didn't have the will to lecture any further but instead longing to protect her all the while. He patted her head instead and smiled.
"Thank you." She smiled in return as she felt a little better while he wiped away her tears.
"Come, I have a surprise for you and dinner." He pulled her injured wrist which she didn't notice earlier as she yelped in pain.
"Oh, oh am sorry!" Jason apologised as he rubbed gently on her blue black wrist.
"Come, we will fix this as well." He took her to the kitchen and reminded himself to rub her bruise with ointment later.
She sat noticing the bowl aquarium of guppies' gift Jason brought back down was in the middle of the dining table with her favorite Mac and cheese pasta. She couldn't help but to keep grinning watching both guppies swimming happily in the small aquarium and also her surprise meal.
Jason sat in front of her after serving the mac on cheese on each of their plates.
"I missed you..." He finally told her which caught her wandering attention back at him as she looked up at him with twinkling eyes. Those were the words they both hoped to hear from each other the entire week only to be heard from him first. Jason could tell how touched she was at hearing those three words from her expression .
"Thank you for the gift. I think they missed you more..." He added on as she couldn’t help but to smile and started to have dinner.
“I miss you too…” Ivy said in her heart while watching Jason taking his first bite of mac and cheese. She couldn’t help but to blink back her tears at the thought of not being able to say it out loud as she didn’t want to give him false hope knowing she would leave him soon.
After dinner, she was contemplating on skipping exams as she found herself having difficulties concentrating on studying the entire night as she stood by the window. After reading Andrew and Sandra’s messages on updates of Kyle’s interrogation and telling her that he had been bailed, she had been bothered about Jason’s safety since they were dealing with an underground mobster after all.
Besides, she really wanted to avoid Melissa in college since the party she held surely got her into trouble with not just the authority but her parents. However, a part of her felt disappointed if she was to bail out, since it was going to be the second last exam before finals in three months' time and she had prepared a lot for the exam.
"Ivy?" Jason came into her room wanting to attend to her wrist with an ointment but saw she was so deep in her thoughts with her eyes closed. He enjoyed the sight of her standing by the window watching the rain pour outside since they got home. He told himself to ensure he would remember the beauty of the scene which slowly was finding a permanent place in his memory.
“How did Melissa cope with Kyle being charged to the authorities and why did she have to meddle with such a dark background guy?” Ivy questioned herself and was also certain that with Melissa’s wealthy family background, they could bail Kyle anytime.
“Will I be harmed if that’s the case or even worse now that they know about Jason. Will he be harmed too?” Ivy sighed worriedly.
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Jason was wondering what she was thinking so intensely. He went closer and touched her shoulder as he shifted her to face him. She jumped from his act as he caught her and hugged her.
"It's me! Sorry, I startled you..." Jason said gently as he patted her back while she eased into his arms as she caught her breath.
Ivy was stunned for a moment from her thoughts as she slowly let go of him.
"What were you thinking so intensely? Were you memorising some stuff?" He asked worriedly.
She shook her head as her heart beat got faster again but she wasn't sure if it was her thoughts earlier of him getting injured made her nervous or just being around him gave her the vibe. He guessed she was worried about last night as he started to open the ointment and applied onto her bruise before rubbing on it gently.
"I'm thinking of skipping exams but...." She finally said quietly as she looked out the window and watched the rain while enduring the pain of her bruise.
"But you would be wasting all of your effort... I really think you should go." Jason urged as she kept quiet. She couldn't bring herself to tell him her worries which involved his safety.
He started to add on more force to her bruise that Ivy couldn't withstand, controlling her tears and choking on her words when she wanted to reply. She didn't know if she was crying because of the pain on her bruise or the pain in her heart on not being able to tell him the true feelings and thoughts anymore. She learned the furthest distance was also the closest distance and it’s more torturous than being far apart.
"Look, I know you're worried about last night. Rest assured it will be fine. You shouldn't let some jerk waste your effort, Ivy." She blinked, contemplating on Jason’s thoughts as he wiped away her tears.
"I will drive you to college everyday..." He persuaded as she interrupted. "You're busy enough. Don’t bother."
"At least on Monday? I will make sure you're safe. Even if I am not there, Marcel would be. Just go ahead and take that exam. After all, it’s going to be finals after this. During the three months before the finals, despite the internship part for the next six months, there are no other ways for them to evaluate your results. I am sure you will do well this round too. I will also give you a great evaluation on your internship because you deserve it. So don’t worry about anything else and just sit for it peacefully next week alright?" He persuaded as she smiled after weighing his suggestions.
The sight of her smile eased his heartache as he tilted her head higher to face him and looked into her eyes. As he felt himself drawing closer to her face, he was going against his will to take an attempt to kiss her.
It took her by surprise but as her eyes twinkled and her mind went blank, she realised it was a moment she never allowed herself to day dream of; knowing all along their romantic relationship was fake but it was beginning to become a reality.
At the thought of all the risks he was jeopardising, Jason managed to pull away gently before his lips touched hers.
“Rest early and stop thinking too much. I will help you study tomorrow alright?” He said quickly as he started to walk hastily towards the door.
She was stunned by the sudden change of actions but was more annoyed to sleep alone. Although it was with Lucky, she knew her nightmares would create chaos for her. However, she was already feeling sleepy as she told herself it was only right for her to leave Jason alone after the attempted kiss.
“If he did kiss me, will I be willing to break the promise to Nancy?” She wondered by herself as she slowly drifted into her paracosm.
At the point of blinking at the bright lights, she attempted to open her eyes and she saw Phoenix beaming on her. She instantly sat up to hug him.
“Are you alright?” Ivy asked Phoenix, recalling the fight they had with their mother’s guards.
“I am… You were exhausted from over exerting your powers but grandma had transferred her ….” Before Phoenix could finish explaining, a barge from the main door of grandma’s cottage greeted them. Standing with an army of guards behind, stood the mighty king of the seven swords kingdom; Ivy and Phoenix’s father, King Polaris.
“Father!” Phoenix called out in fear and was on high alert as he spread his wings wide open to hide Ivy from him.
“There’s no need to hide her… I know Ivy is here…” The king groaned as Phoenix held Ivy in his wings in an attempt to run away.
“Leave her… I’m here for the queen… Petunia shall be doomed when she returns to the kingdom! Search the plains!” He instructed his guards as grandma stepped into the living area from the kitchen.
“Mother…” The king greeted as he knelt down.
“You insolent child! How could you let that witch treat my grandchildren this way?!” Grandma yelled at him as she beat him with her kitchen towel.
“Mother… I shall carry out my duties to protect the kingdom and everyone in it… Show me where Petunia is and I will bring her back to the kingdom to be executed…” The king explained as Phoenix looked at grandma doubtfully. Phoenix had trouble trusting the king as the person he was told to assassinate was clearly Ivy before this but it didn’t seem to be the case now that he was instructing a search for their mother.
“Mother, I failed to carry out my duties back then and protect all of you that I had caused so much trouble from her witchcraft. Please forgive your son, mother…” The king pleaded solemnly as grandma sighed. Only then did Phoenix understand that both himself and the king were under their mother’s spell all along.
“Mother is locked in a prism at the north east of the plain. She should be exhausted from mind controlling serpents for us to fight. Ivy had just recovered and found her powers…” Phoenix explained as the King raised his hand.
“All of you should rest here…” Before the king could finish his sentence, a bright light pierced in from the window sending an explosion into the cottage as Phoenix scrambled to save Ivy while grandma stood on the front line protecting the three of them from the debris. There were back to back explosion and when Ivy could catch a clear sight of who the culprit was, she saw the face of the lady who pushed her down from the tall building from afar laughing hauntingly which sent chills down her spine as she gripped tightly onto Phoenix before a huge blinding ball of red light was heading towards all of them.
Jason was cursing and scolding himself in his room as he paced around to calm himself down for acting too irrationally.
"She was afraid but it was wrong to take advantage of her. Why did you even attempt to kiss her?!" He scolded himself. “Besides, you were going to make enemies with her soon… Jason!” He smacked his head for his stupid act.
He decided to head to the kitchen for a glass of wine instead after awhile. As he stepped out of his room, he heard a scream from Ivy’s room.
He instantly sprinted to check on her and found Ivy woke up in cold sweat. Despite the blinding lights from her dreams, her body remembered the terror from the night before instead. She could still feel Kyle's body pounding on her as she tried to get over it. She forced herself not to cry or think about the feeling but she couldn't control the trauma as she sobbed, cringing to her knees. Lucky was already scratching on to the room’s door trying to get out and barking to alert Jason. In a blink of time, Jason opened the door and switched on the light as he rushed over to her while she sobbed. He could feel her trembling body while he lifted her onto his lap and cradled her.
"It's alright, Ivy. Was it a nightmare?" She couldn’t tell him it was more of the trauma her body felt from last night’s incident as she eased in deeper in to his arms and wailed all her terror out.
"It's alright. It's alright." He comforted as he hugged her tightly while his heart ached at the sight of her clinging onto him as though she was begging for her life. A few tears welled up in his eyes which caught him by surprise as he blinked them back and focused on calming her down.
"I will get you something warm to drink?" She shook her head after she quieted down a little.
"Could you stay with me just for tonight, please?" She begged with her shaky voice as she sniffed in his arms.
“Hmm…” He hummed in agreement and tucked her back into the blanket.
"I will switch off the lights and close the door first?" She hesitated for a while in letting go of his hand but eventually nodded. He was cursing Kyle for causing such unnecessary trauma for Ivy who already had issues with her sleep and was in the midst of preparing for her exams.
Ivy watched Jason closing the door first before switching off the lights, leaving only the night light illuminating the room. The darkness frightened her a little as she shut her eyes tightly and held onto herself with her hands all fist up. She waited for him to climb into bed and cradled her again before she calmed down and held onto his arm.
At times like this, she missed her grandma the most. She recalled her dream of her father. She wondered was he still alive and was he doing well? Every time the thought of her father would stir her feelings to feel bad for him. All along, she always hoped for the best for him as she was after all one of the sacrifices he made to earn that bright future.
Jason could feel she was more calm, hugging on to his arm as though she was seeking refuge from him. He eased in to make it comfortable for both of them. Jason’s gentle gesture pulled her back from her thoughts of her father and was grateful once again for Jason to be by her side. She forced herself to indulge in the moment of refuge and forget about leaving him for a moment.
"Thank you..." She whispered as she hugged him tighter.
He smiled watching the silhouette of her hugging him as he patted her to sleep.
"You know, it's alright to be weak and defeated sometimes…” He pinched her wet nose before taking a tissue to help her dry them. “So, stop putting the burden on yourself. You're a strong woman. I’ll always be by your side…" He whispered as she nodded and hugged him tighter.
“...protecting you, always and forever…” He finished the sentence in mind instead as her gesture caught him off guard from telling her the ending which could only give false hope when the business venture falls through at the end of next week. He could only hold on to her for now with the hope of her to be mature enough to handle the situation when the time comes. Even if she doesn't, he already had plans to keep this promise.