Chapter 23: 23

Author’s POV

Ayla returned to her home.

"Ayla, where did you go ?"

"I asked Yona but she said Jace took you to a place you wanted to go", Mr White asked.

"You don’t need to worry dad. She is ok", Jace answered while Ayla ran to her room. She couldn’t contain her happiness nor did she hide it. She kept wanting to ask Jace what was the reason for him doing this but she couldn’t ask.

"Is he saying he likes me?"

"Is he really in love with me?"

"Is he?"

"Oh gosh, I can’t believe this is happening."

"Is my first love going to be successful? Is it real? It’s not a dream right?"

Ayla kept mumbling and jumping on the bed when Yona entered her room.

"Woah, what happened? What made you dance? Say I to want to know the reason behind your blooming smile", she was teasing.

"It’s nothing", Ayla hid it.

"You will say it’s nothing and I will agree? Ayla, I’m not dumb so spill it to your sister. I’m dying to hear", she was dying with excitement.

"Ok so I’m telling you but don’t tell anyone", she said.

"Yeah I won’t", Yona agreed while Ayla started telling her story.

Ayla explained from the start how she met him in the infirmary. How she likes spending time with him and how he made her feel safe and how she heard his emotional crying of him in her mind. She kept narrating the entire thing as if she was telling a storyline but Yona didn’t look happy.

"Ayla, did Jace take you to meet with him?" she asked.

She nodded.

"Does he know what you guys talk about?"

"Yeah he does because I didn’t tell him where I want to go but he took me so", she was telling casually but the situation was weird for her.

"Oh ok you take a rest I will come later", Yona said and came out of the room.

She straight walked toward Jace’s room. Her facial expression has worry as well as anger which reason is still hidden.

"Jace, what are you doing?" she asked.

"What?" he replied.

"You know what I’m asking so don’t try to act as if you don’t."

"What? I don’t know what you are talking about."

"Oh, you don’t know? Or are you acting ?" she said.

"Explain properly", he said.

"Why did you take Ayla there to meet the guy? Did you not know her feelings?" she asked.

He stayed silent.

"Why are you silent now? Tell me!! Or do you want me to believe that you are a brother who will accept his sister to have a boyfriend when normally brothers end up fighting?"

"I know but yeah I’m not someone who will break it", he was looking somewhere else.

"Look here and say it properly", she shouted.

"What should I say? Didn’t I say I’m happy with her being in a relationship with James?" his voice was loud as well.

"No, I’m sure this is not the reason. I know you are not the person to do something like this," she said.

"If you know then stay silent and let things go the way they should be."

"Tell me the reason!"

"Reason?"

"Yeah"

Jace took a deep breath and said, "Yeah I was the one who told James to be in a fake relationship with her."

Yona took his steps back.

"I know what I’m doing so stay out of it."

"No, you don’t know what you are doing. Jace, you are gonna break her." her voice was lengthy.

"She won’t. It’s one of her child’s plays so she will instantly forget about him in less than a month so let it be the way it is now as long as she is happy then when they break up again everything will come to normal so don’t worry." he was saying as if it is nothing.

"Jace, stop everything before it will mislead the situation and make it complicated", Yona kept saying but it was of no use as if her words were going above his head.

"Nothing will happen so keep it a secret. I’m telling you everything will be perfect and she will come back to us like before", he said.

Yona didn’t bother to argue anymore and walked to her room where Ayla was sleeping.

"I hope you won’t get hurt again", she said, addressing her forehead.

Days passed while Ayla kept spending time with James.

"James", she called, seeing him leaving.

"Yeah?"

"Can we hold hands?"

"Yeah", he hesitated.

Both were walking on the streets when Ayla said, "Shall we go on a date today?"

"Huh! Date?"

"Yeah, we only spend time in school recess and you walk me home but we never went out together so I want to go on a date with you... Don’t you want to?" she asked.

"Ahh sure sure. Let’s go watch a movie in the evening", he said with a smile while Ayla hugged him.

This was again the same as when she hugged for the first time. It was all one-sided. Still, Ayla can cope with it.

As he agreed on the date Ayla ran to her room and started to get ready.

"Ayla, where are you going?" Yona asked.

"I’m going on a date with James", she was loud.

"Date? When will you come home?"

"Umm not sure?"

"Then you can’t go. You stay home and study", she said.

"No, I want to go. It’s my first date", she cried like a baby.

"No, I can’t let you go out for long. If it would be me then I would have allowed but I don’t know that guy how could I trust you to go with him alone?" she said.

"I swear I will come safe."

"No"

"What’s happening?" Jace asked.

"She is arguing with me so that I will let her go on a date", Yona said looking away.

"Let her go then", he said again as if it’s nothing.

"Yeeee"

Ayla smiled but soon he added, "Because I’m coming too."

"You are coming? Why?"

"If you want to have a date then let me too or stay home. What do you say?"

Ayla whined but she agreed at last but it was not three but four. Yona and Jace are already ready to go with her.

After a while

"You two?" James asked, looking at Jace and Yona.

"We are coming too", Jace’s smile was creepy.

"Oh ok", he agreed.

They went to an arcade where they played games together but slowly Yona too came to know James. But that’s not where their date ended. They went to watch a movie which was in the romantic genre. Ayla sat with James while on the other side Yona was with her being cosy.

When the light turned off Ayla slowly took her hand to lock with James but he took his hand back wrapping both hands.

"Was it a coincidence? Or does he just not like touching me?" Ayla wandered.

"Ayla, what are you thinking? Watch the movie", Yona made her snap out of her thoughts.

"Oh yeah."

She kept looking at the screen while Jace went out all of sudden. He was on call for a long time but all of a sudden Yona got a call on her phone.

"I’m going for some work so make sure you take Ayla home safely", Jace said.

"Yeah that’s what I’m here for", she said and hung up on him.

But In the middle of the movie, Yona went out. Now only James and Ayla were together so she tried to get closer to him. He placed her palm on his but the reaction was just like before.

"You don’t want to hold hands ?" she asked all of a sudden.

"Ah no, I don’t have any problem. I have to go to the washroom", he said and left leaving Ayla all alone.

She waited for both of them for minutes but no one came. At last, when the movie ended she came out with Yona’s clutch with her. She kept calling her number but no one answered.

"Where did she go?" she said and walked toward the washroom but as soon as she open the door her tears started coming from her eyes. It was uncontrollable. She kept questioning herself why she is here? But she didn’t have answers. Her emotions, feelings, and expectations broke instantly.

"Why the hell did I have to go through this?" she spoke at last and walked toward the exit dropping the bag on the floor.

She didn’t call anyone. She didn’t tell anyone but got a cab and went home.

Her tears never stopped for a minute. On her entire way, she kept crying, pouring her heart out.

"Ma’am we reached", the driver said she came out while the rain was pouring on her. Now no one could tell if it was her tears or the rain. Her dress was completely drenched but she still walked like that inside while in the living hall everyone was presented except Yona who she left behind.

Everyone started panicking seeing her.

"Ayla, where is Yona?"

"Why are you alone?"

"I told her to bring you home safely. Where is she? Why are you alone?"

Jace kept asking questions but she didn’t have any answers her tears kept coming out.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay