.
CHAPTER 36
.
Jacqueline’s POV
.
Sunday passed in a whoosh, it was a non-memorable day with me doing random normal stuff..
Monday came and it was a kind of no-school day because we had a curriculum and it involves fixing and tidying the school up, we were all given portions of work to do, it only included the junior students and we thought it was unfair on our parts because the seniors are not participating in it and to pacify us, Mrs Howard promised us pizza after it, which we, of course agreed to.
Our class work was easy, not so easy but it was better than taking out garbage and washing the school toilet.. We were asked to paint the school walls for just our floor. We put on old sportswears that we found in old boxes in the storage room and we were given shares according to our seat rows..
Martha, I, Lancelot and three other students were given the first, second and third walls.. Yes, Lancelot is in our class, we found that out today and we’re moving pretty well with each other.. We got our paintbrushes ready and put on the gloves given to us, I and Martha faced the first wall.. I dipped the brush into the bucket filled with yellow paint and painted vertically and accordingly. “Jacqueline, here I got you something” I turned to see Lancelot.
I stopped painting and turned to him.
“What? And why are you not painting?”
“I wanted to give you this hamburger first.. My mom made it” he said.
“Just give it to Martha Lance, I’ve got goo in my hand” he said.
“Martha already have hers,” I turned and saw Martha holding a half eating burger and a heavy moving mouth.. She caught my gaze and shrugged. “I can’t eat that now, just find someone else to give it to” I said.
“I can feed you.. Open up”
“Um okay,” I opened my mouth and cut a part of the hamburger, I chewed on it..
“Mmh.. This is good” I said, licking my lips.
“Told ya.. Here, try another bite” he said and I took a second bite and moaned.
“That’s enough Lance, I have to focus on painting” I said..
“Oh.. You’ve got paint on your nose Jackie” he said and I scrunched my nose up.. “Ha! You look like a–
“Don’t say it Martha” I gave her a scolding look and she giggled and looked away.
Lance took out a handkerchief from his br**st pocket and wiped my nose.
“All gone” he said, folding the handkerchief and putting it away.
“Thanks..” I gave him a smile and he nodded before walking away.
I finished painting my side then added more paints to the sides that didn’t have much paint on them, then I pulled back and check out my work, I smiled and gave myself a thumb up before glancing at Martha who was almost done with hers. “I’m done guys.. I’ll go wash up first” I told them before walking away to get my clothes. I walked into the school bathroom and took of my gloves, I turned the faucet and washed my hands thoroughly, I checked the mirror and wiped traces of paint that touched my skin.
I pulled the sportswear off and pulled into my uniform before dressing my hair and adjusting my clothes.
I moved away from the bathroom and walked to the stairs, I got to the first floor and almost immediately Nick rushed to me.. He seem to be in much of hurry cos he stood to catch his breath before smiling at me.
“Hi,” he said and I gave him a questioning look.. “I-I got you burger” He drew out a burger from the paper bag he held and stretched it to me.. “Wow.. Thanks” I took it from him and took a bite from it..
“It’s good” I said and I faced Nick, his palm was still spread out; I gave him a questioning look.
“You can’t eat it out of my hand?” He asked and I tilt my head in a confused manner..
“Why will I do that when I have my own hands?”
“You also had your hand when you ate of someone else’s hand”
“Someone? Who?” I asked.
“Never mind” he started walking away then he stopped, turned and walk back to me before grabbing the burger from my hand “Sorry but you can’t have this anymore”
He turned and walk away, leaving me to stare behind him, speechless.
“Okay what’s wrong with him?”
I sighed and walk to my friends.
.
❇Nicholas POV❇
.
I walked out of the lab, while others walked to class, I used the stairs to the second floor.. I needed to see Jacqueline. You can probably say I’m missing her but her presence and character seem to brighten my dull mood. I got to the second floor and as I turned to the hallway I stopped walking.. Jacqueline was dressed differently, well not just her but everyone in the hallway and she was painting.. A smile curved across my lips as I watch her focus solely on her painting, making her lips twitch to one side.
A guy suddenly walked to her and she turned from her painting to talk to him then he fed her burger.. Wait, he fed her burger..
I leaned closer to look at the guy, probably to check if I’ve seen him around but I haven’t.. Does she really crave so much for it that she couldn’t even refuse and worse still, she had to eat it from his hand. I slowly walk away and got a burger, it was wrapped in a paperbag.. I hurried to the stairs and used it to her floor, almost immediately I sight her coming from the other side.. And I rushed to her, stopping to catch my breath.
“Hi,” I said after chuckling awkwardly. “I-I got you burger” I took it out from the bag and stretched my arm to her, expecting her to eat it from my hand.. I mean since she can eat from some random guy hand then it should be something that’s normal.
“Wow.. Thanks”
She took it from me..
“You can’t eat it out of my hand?”
“Why will I do that when I have my own hands?”
Wait.. What..
“You also had your hand when you ate out of someone else’s hand” I said it before
I could hold myself.
“Someone? Who?”
Is she serious or trying to be hypocritical?
“Never mind” I turned to walk away, walked back and took the burger from her. “Sorry, but you can’t have this anymore”
I walked away and threw the burger into the trash can, I sighed and rested on the rail.. What’s wrong with me? I acted a little way out of the line back there.. Wait was I jealous?
I shook my head, as if shaking the sentimental thoughts off..
I ran to the stairs and took it up to my class..
During lunchtime, I head out of the class, I rested my palm on the rail and my gaze went downward, to Jacqueline’s class.. It didn’t take a minute before I sight her smiling, a piece of burger in her hand, my gaze went sideways and I saw a girl beside her, also with a slice of pizza and then a guy at the other side.. Hold on.. It’s him, the dude who fed her burger. Are they friends or something, he said something again and they laughed. I was about looking away when she caught me staring, her lips pouted and she waved at me.. It got her friends attention too. I huffed and walk back to the class, I guess I lost my appetite. .
Jacqueline’s POV
.
⭐
I did few chores at Nick’s house and left cos he didn’t even come out, he only stayed inside and talked to me through a speaker.. Though surprised, I did my work and left.. I got to the restaurant, tossed a ‘hi’ to Noel and pulled my apron on and started work.
“Jackie, will you please take the garbage out?” He asked.
“Yes Mr Sherlock” I said, Noel and I exchanged knowing glances and smiled secretly.
“I’ll help” he volunteered and I nodded.
He grabbed a bag while I took the other and we grabbed the tied bags filled with trash in the store room and walk to the back.. Dumping it in the large can.
I heard my phone ring and I took my glove off before grabbing it from my pant
pocket, I checked the caller and swiped to the receiver, waiting for him to speak.
“Um hello?”
“Yes Nick” I said.
“Uh can you come over tonight, probably when you’re done working?”
“I don’t know, why?”
“I need help with–
“Dinner?. Try to fix yourself something else, I’m busy”
“Wait.. I don’t need help with dinner or any food, I just feel kinda sick and–
“Hold on.. You’re sick?” I asked, alarmed.
“Um sort of”
“Was that why you didn’t come out when I was around? Is it that serious?” I asked.
“Um yeah. So are you coming?”
“Yes but I’m truly busy right now, I’ll try to get an early pass and come but it might take a little while”
“I’ll wait. Bye” he hung up and I sighed.
“What happened?” Noel asked.
“Oh it’s a friend of mine, he’s sick” I said.
“Sorry about that” he said and I nodded, we walked into the restaurant.
Just as I envisioned, I did get an early start, the orders we got at the delivery shop wasn’t much and tiredly, yet frustrating-ly, I got a pass.
I hurried to Nicholas house in s taxi and got there, I met him on the porch, I dropped my bag and sat beside him.
“How’re you doing now. Do you have a headache or a fever?” I asked, touching his forehead to feel his temperature..
“I’m good” he dropped my hands “I just need coffee”
I gave him a blank stare before getting a cup full of coffee from the mug, I walked back and gave it to him. He took it and took my wrist.. “This looks like a burn. How did you get it?” He asked.
“Oh um it’s a knife wound, I got it while I was chopping some vegetables at food and fries but it’s nothing serious, it’s just something that happens most of the time” I said and he left my wrist and took my palm, he first stared at it like he was examining it before pressing it, probably feeling the softness. “Your palm feels so soft”
“Yeah, that’s because I cook a lot and carry deliveries and sometimes I get burns from hot pots when I get careless” I said and pulled my hand away “Enough about me. Drink your coffee before it gets cold” I said and he slowly took his gaze away from my hand and drink a little from his coffee.
“How about you stop those part-time jobs and work full-time for me?” He asked
and I arched a questioning brow at him “I’ll pay you the exact amount you get”
“Sorry but I can’t accept it”
“How about I double it?”
“It’s not about the payment Nick, what am I supposed to be doing here with all those times.. I’ll probably just get lazy here and besides I love to be paid according to how I work”
“And I’ll pay. I’m willing to double it too”
“No Nick–
“Why? Am I that much of a grouchy boss?”
“It’s not that, I mean you are but.. I just don’t want to”
“How about you give it a second thought”
“Okay but I can only drop one job”
“Let it be the one with that Noe dude” he said.
“It’s Noel and I can’t drop that job, it’s less stressful and bothersome. I can only
drop the delivery job” I said.
“Uh okay.. ”
“I’ll inform them and tell you when it’s done” I said.
“Okay” he said “Can I lie down for a bit?”
“Yeah sure” I said and he stretched on the bench and lay his head on my lap.
“I need to ask, why do you want me to stay extra hours with you cos I’m sure it’s not all about work” I said.
“It might not be but just take it that way and don’t ask me anymore questions” he said..
“Okay.. If you say so but don’t forget you’re doubling my payment” I said and his
soft snores came out in response.
.
________________________________
T.B.C
✨WEIRD HEARTS ✨
(Love in circles )
.
BY BLESSING SILVER
.