Chapter 64: Chapter 64

Chapter Sixty - Four

Ava's POV

We sat across from each other. Looking down at our laps or looking out the window. Trying to avoid eye contact.

The whole mood had changed drastically as soon as we entered the dining room. We remained quiet as we took our usual seats. Like Maria had asked us to do.

It was like a switch had been switched. Everything was quiet except for little noises of the utensils from which she served. It was weird that Maria did not even sense that the silence around us was way heavier than usual. Maria was humming to herself as she served us our breakfast.

I watched her doing her work with fluent movements. Completely immersed in the task that she was doing. Even though my gaze was at her, my whole attention was somewhere else. Someone whose touch I could still feel on my body. Even when I close my eyes, last night's flashes right through the front of my body. His skin on my skin, his skin pressed up against me, his lips on me, his rough voice whispering my name again and again, his moans and my sighs. It was like I was living last night over and over again through these glimpses.

My whole body was aware of the fact that HE was sitting across from me. And that he was in the same space as me. Breathing, living and being present. Every cell in my body was acutely aware about his presence.

Was he just as aware of my present as well? Was he wondering the same thing? Was he reliving the same things when he closed his eyes?

I got the answer to all of these questions, as soon as I dared to get a chance to look up.

Jasper was staring at me. No, his eyes were trying to dig the most deep rooted secrets.

With intensity. With deep deep intensity.

And I knew by that look that he had not forgotten anything. And that he was, in fact, replaying what happened last night.

Even though that was a wrong assumption, I cannot mistake the light in his eyes. One thing was certain from the burning gaze of his eyes, that he had not forgotten about last night. Not in the least.

"What are you both are waiting for?" Maria interrupted, making both of us tear our eyes from each other and look at Maria. Placing the bowl from her to the table, she pointed at our plates.

"Dig into your food and start eating." Maria instructed us.

"Thank you, Maria." I said.

"Thank you, Maria." Jasper said, thanking Maria.

Maria nodded her head, humming something in acknowledgement of our thanks before walking out of the room. leaving us alone with nothing but each other's company. She would probably go to her usual routine, walking around the whole house, doing chores and such. What she did not realise was that this was the moment when her presence was needed the most.

How was I supposed to cope up with his presence without her? How was I supposed to face him without giving away the turmoil that was burning within me, without her?

Maria would not have done anything with this situation, however her just being her would have been enough for me. To give me some courage, to give me some comfort and the feel of being protected. Right now, I was feeling completely and utterly bare with my emotion and reaction. There was not a wall or a shield that was not protecting me right now.

If she were here, at least, I would have someone that I could turn to. But now, I was helpless.

I heard some clattering noises. Slowly, I raised my head and I saw that Jasper had already begun eating. He was not looking at me but he was certainly aware of me. Now that I saw him eating like there was nothing wrong with this current situation, I decided to "dig in '', as Maria had called it and started eating too.

If he was going to pretend and ignore last night then I would not bother with it too. I had not been the only one last night so why should I bear the burden? Why should I only worry about it?

He did not seem bothered at all. Or maybe he was just good at pretending. I did not want to admit it but it did bother me that Jasper was not looking at even a single ounce of worry about what happened last night. Was he thinking of it as a mistake? Was he just going to pretend that it did not happen?

With a hard internal shake, I pushed all of the thoughts in the back of my mind. If I kept on thinking about it then I would not be able to focus on reality. It was really hard to pull myself back from all the thoughts that were running through my head but I did it.

I ate my breakfast in silence and only focused on it. Even though I knew Jasper was standing right across from me.

Both of us ate and almost finished it, simultaneously. Both of us stood up. He picked his grey vest that he draped over a chair. I stood up and picked up my bag from the side table where I usually leave my bag, whenever I forgot to take it back to my room when I came late at night.

Jasper and I worked in the sink, working swiftly and smoothly by each other's side. If somebody saw us from outside they might think that we were a couple who do this everyday. Which was not far from the truth except that we were not a couple.

We both walked out of the dinning room and out to the front door.

"We are leaving, Maria!" Jasper informed Maria loudly as we headed towards the main door. To inform her that we were leaving.

My heartbeat spiked at once, when he called out, "We" and not me to Maria. It made me realise that he was aware of the fact that I was walking beside him. And that I was not that INVISIBLE to him.

Anyway, we moved out of the house and to the parking lot where Mike was waiting for us beside the car. To take us to our destination to the office. We walked side by side and I saw Mike's eyes slide from Jasper to me to back to Jasper and then back to me. I saw some sort of understanding pass between them and I hoped he had not figured out what had happened between me and Jasper.

"Good Morning." I greeted Mike.

"Morning." Mike greeted back, although his eyes were still curious and probing. As if he had sensed that something was different today than the rest of the days. Even though none of us, Jasper and I, never usually talked to each other in the morning. But today the vibes were different between us. I guess that is what gave us away.

Anyway, Mike opened the door for me and I climbed inside the car before Mike shut the door from my side. I saw that Mike was giving Jasper some look. In return, Jasper gave him a look in return and a silenced message passed between them. Both of them communicated without ever speaking up. And I hated it. I wanted to know what was the message that passed between them.

Honestly, I knew that guys can communicate with each other without ever speaking up and only using looks, and to say that it irked me was an understatement. I mean, come on. Whole situation communicated by only using a look while no other person understood what relied on that look. It was like a secret language of its own. And I wanted to learn it too.

I almost groan thinking about these things.

The other side of the door slammed shut as Jasper slid into the side seat between us and settled down. The whole atmosphere of the car was somewhat tense but nobody tried to speak up, not even me, to help and dissipate this tension. Instead, I did what every other aka all three of us were doing. I ignored the tension by looking outside the window, just as Jasper took out his phone to check - whatever he checks everyday, while Mike focused on the road.

And our whole ride to the office went in complete silence.

We reached our office in forty - five minutes or so. I did not usually keep track of time but this time I did because it was next to impossible to not notice how slow the time was going. Mike parked the car in the private parking lot and I opened the door. Not waiting for Mike to do it for me. I closed the door behind me and without looking back at Jasper or Mike walked out of there. Leaving them both behind. I knew HOW rude it was, especially when it came to Jasper who was my damn BOSS and not a fellow employee, for me to just ignore the two of them, and walk out of there like that, but I couldn't help myself. And it was not as if I had not done it before. They could manage it.

I entered the office building and rode the elevator to my floor. My whole heart is consolidating with only one conviction.

Busy with work that I forgot about everything that had happened yesterday.

But I knew that it was next to impossible.