Chapter 13: Chapter Thirteen

Sunday was a boring day. I went to Church and came home. Trevor called me later on, apologising for not being able to visit me since his family decided to go and visit him. I would have visited too, however there was something in his voice that told me that I wasn't wanted; so instead I spent it with my loving family, my mother, my brother and my little sister, Tatiana, who gave me a charm for my bracelet as my late birthday present. I have no idea how she found out that I had gotten the bracelet back and I wasn't in the mood to discuss it.

"Do you like the charm Tatiana got for you?" Robert asked me as I placed our dirty dishes into the sink.

"I'm guessing that it was you who either brought it for her to give to me, or told her to get it for me. My question is why?" I replied, turning on the taps and grabbing the sponge.

"You liked the bracelet and she didn't know what else to buy you, so I simply suggested the idea," Robert stated and I could imagine him shrugging.

"To be honest, I'm surprised that you’re not wearing it." He scrutinized

"It was a beautiful piece of jewellery," Robert complimented, now leaving against my tall cream kitchen cabinets.

"What is this? Wait...your being sarcastic. I get it, don't worry I won't be putting it on anytime soon, if ever again, so you better return Tat's present." I hissed, getting annoyed by his games. Hearing him leave the kitchen, I glared at the dirty plates, scrubbing them harder than usual. On my birthday, he had been complaining about the fact that I had even accepted the present, yet here he was wondering why I wasn’t wearing it!

"Put it on now. I'm not being sarcastic and I sure as hell aren't telling her to return it. So if you don't want to wear it that much, you tell her." Robert argued, throwing the silver bracelet at me. With a shriek, I dropped the dish that I was washing into the sink and quickly caught the bracelet.

"You're crazy! Where did you even find it?! Actually don't answer that. Just don't throw my things." I growled, placing the bracelet on the counter before continuing with the dishes.

"Besides, I'm surprised that you’re not even cursing me for actually keeping it in the first place." I added

"Well I had some words with the guy and kind of understand where he's coming from now." Robert commented

"What words?" I quizzed abruptly, wanting to know straight away.

"Words that you need not to worry about," He chuckled, leaving the room once again.

"Mummy!" I yelled, ready to tell on him.

Today was Monday and I was now in work, waiting for my brother to pick me up for a special treat, to lunch. It wasn't everyday that I and my big brother did this, since we hadn't been speaking for the past two years, so I instantly said yes.

"You took your time," I protested as I heard a knock on my office door.

"I'm sorry your majesty," Robert joked as I began to clean up my desk.

"How long do we have?" Robert queried

"An hour and a half," I replied, grabbing my bag and walking towards him.

"That means that we have to move quickly." Robert exclaimed, pulling me out of my office.

"See you guys later," I said to the staff, including Jessica who had kept quiet ever since she realised that I had found out that it was her who had started my pregnancy rumour.

"Your forgiven Jessica, just don't make up lies next time and ask me." I sighed, hating that we hadn't spoken for the past couple of days.

"Thanks and don't worry, there won't be a next time," Jessica gleamed, winking at me. Nodding my head in agreement, I walked behind my brother, ignoring his look of confusion.

"She told people that I was pregnant." I shrugged, taking the lead as the cool wind blew against my warm cheeks.

"You aren't are you? I mean you’re too young. Your life has only just started! I don't want you to already be stuck at home with annoying children." Robbie rambled, stopping in his tracks, his face pale.

"Calm down Robert! I'm not pregnant and children are not annoying!" I giggled, laughing at his reaction. I now knew that he would definitely freak out when and if I was actually pregnant.

"Whatever. Let's just get to where we're going before I have a heart attack." He mumbled, making me laugh even more.

We finally arrived at the restaurant that he wanted to take me for lunch and we were seated outside. Luckily, the weather was on our side, being sunny and not too cold, only breezy.

"I'm surprised that you wore you're bracelet. I thought you would have left it at home," Robert observed

"Are you really going to talk about this again? If you don't want me to wear the stupid bracelet, I'll take it off…Geeze." I growled, fighting with the piece of jewellery on my wrist. I shouldn't have worn it in the first place but I was just trying to be kind and wear Tatiana’s charm on the bracelet too. If I knew that it was going to be such a problem, I wouldn’t have worn it.

“Hi guys! And Melanie, why are you fighting my bracelet?” Debbie’s voice questioned above me. Snapping my head upwards, my eyes directly met dark brown ones which pierced into my light brown eyes. Feeling a sharp kick in my leg, I hissed in pain, glaring at Robert, I realised that I hadn’t answered Debbie’s question and they hadn’t answered mine.

“Robert told me to take it off,” I answered simply, not paying attention to his ranting about how I was lying.

“What are you guys doing here?” I quizzed, focusing my gaze on Debbie only.

“We were invited. Didn’t Robert tell you?” Debbie frowned, looking at my brother questionably.

“Nope, he didn’t. Anyways let’s forget about that. You guys take a seat.” I smiled fakely, staring at my brother with a look that read ‘I am so going to kill you.’ With a slight chuckle from his lips, I felt another sharp pain on my lower leg and groaned again in pain.

“Can I ask what’s going on?” Stephen voiced his voice dangerously close to my ear as he took a seat, causing my heart to skip a beat for a second.

“Nothing.” I lied; stroking my painful leg which I was sure would bruise by tonight.

“Debbie, let us go and order some drinks,” Robert suggested, his eyes glued to her as her’s were on him. I wonder what’s going on between them…

“Why don’t I go,” I piped in, not wishing to be left with Stephen for even a second, unsure about myself.

“No. You stay here and keep Stephen company whilst I and your brother order the drinks,” Debbie stated, rather too quickly as they stood up and left, not even asking us what drinks we wanted.

“Idiots.” I cursed, leaning back angrily.

“Don’t worry, at least I’m here to keep you company,” Stephen chuckled

“So, how was work today?” Stephen began, trying to engage in conversation, whilst I was doing my best to avoid it.

“Fine.” I replied easily, staring at my blank screened phone, which rested in my hands.

“Are you really not going to look at me?” Stephen sighed, his sadness immediately causing me to sigh in response.

“I really am not going to look at you.” I repeated being serious. Suddenly, my phone was snatched out of my hand and I gasped at how quickly it had happened. Too quickly for my mind to register.

“Hey! You can’t just take my phone like that. Plus, what if people saw what you did?” I whispered, since he was using his superhuman speed.

“Don’t over react Melanie. No one saw me and yes I can,” Stephen rolled his eyes, pulling my chair closer.

“What are you doing?” I hissed, trying to keep my feet firm on the floor so that my seat didn’t move, but there was no point.

“Moving you closer to me, where you’re supposed to be,” Stephen informed me, lacing an arm around my waist, causing my body to instantly warm up and tingle due to his cool touch.

“Have you forgotten that I’m engaged and will be a married woman in two weeks?” I asked, struggling in his iron grip.

“No I haven’t and I’m sure that you haven’t forgotten that we’re soul mates. You’ll come back to me when you realise it,” Stephen reminded me, for the hundredth time.

“Whatever you say Stephen,” I shrugged, not in the mood to argue. We sat in silence for a couple of minutes and I hadn’t even realised that I had leaned into Stephen, moulding into his side, with my head on his shoulder, until he shifted.

“I’m sorry,” I blurted out, removing my body from his straight away as I felt heat rise to my cheeks. The action had felt so natural that I hadn’t even thought about what I was doing before I had done it.

“No need to go pink Melanie,” Stephen chuckled, earning a punch in his arm.

“It’s not funny. Debbie’s my friend. If she saw that I was leaning on you like that, she’d probably freak, plus tell Trevor and that really isn’t the way forward.” I explained, trying to make him understand.

“I and Debbie are just friends. After ‘our date’ which you attended, she told me that she only liked me as a friend and to be honest, I think I feel the same about her too,” Stephen smiled, his cute dimple showing.

“I don’t believe that. She’s gorgeous, why wouldn’t you like her more than a friend?” I challenged, now captivated by his black eyes.

“Because she’s not as ‘gorgeous’ or stunning as you,” Stephen retorted, leaning closer to me over the table.

“Are you really not going to give up?” I questioned a small smile on my lips due to his ongoing attempts for me to take him back.

“I am really not going to give up,” Stephen repeated as I had done, softly taking my hand and playing with the bracelet. Enjoying the touch and tingles he was giving me, I did not dare to tell him to stop.

“I have to say that I’m surprised that you’re wearing this, I like the new charm too. Let me guess, Tatianna got it for you?” Stephen guessed, continuing to play with the bracelet, his eyes glued to the silver piece of jewellery.

“I’m surprised you still kept it and yeah she did. My brother urged me to wear it and just before you guys got here wouldn’t stop speaking about it, which was why I was about to take it off. Speaking of my brother…” I trailed off, glancing around until I spotted him with Debbie. They had been gone for about ten minutes and I was sure that it didn’t take that long to order drinks. From the looks of it, they seemed to be enjoying each other’s company, flirting quite a lot from what I could see. The thought of Robert having an interest in Debbie made me chuckle.

“I would never have imagined it either,” Stephen voiced, as if reading my mind. His eyes set on the couple as mine were, not too long ago.

“I think it’s cute, however I’m starving. Whether you’re going to eat or not is your choice,” I replied, feeling my stomach eating itself. Snatching my hand back, I ignored Stephen’s laugh which made shivers run along my spine and tried to focus on what I was going on eat.

“Same old Melanie,” I heard Stephen mumble, but decided to ignore him. After having ordered, I realised that the couple had ordered lunch too, as they sat at the bar. It was a good thing that I hadn’t waited for them.

“Your mother was very happy to see me on Saturday,” Stephen smirked as our food arrived, not quite early enough for me.

“I have no clue as to why though,” I joked

“I’m hurt Melanie.” Stephen gasped, holding his hand to his heart.

“You really shouldn’t become an actor,” I laughed, beginning to enjoy his company a little too much.

“Ignoring your comment, I think that she was even happier than seeing her own 25 year old daughter,” Stephen commented, stuffing some salad into his mouth.

“I’m very sorry to be the one to tell you this Stephen,” I began, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, as I turned to him with a serious look on my face.

“But my mother’s reaction to you was only an eighth of how she reacts when she see’s me. So I suggest that you don’t get too excited.” I told him as a matter-a-fact.

“I beg to differ,” Stephen disputed, moving closer to me, the smell of croutons entering my nostrils.

“Whatever you say Stephen,” I smirked, moving my hand from his shoulder to his cheek, reminding myself of how soft and cold his face had always been. It hadn’t occurred to me that our faces were so close until I felt my heart hammering against my chest due to Stephen’s eyes glancing downwards towards my lips. They met mine only a second later and I could not mistake the desire that now shone in them as he ever so slowly moved closer to me.

“So what the fuck is going on here?” Trevor’s voice roared at the foot of the table, making me instantly jump away from Stephen. Hearing a slight growl erupt from his lips, I peeked at him in horror yet; his eyes were glued to Trevor.

“I’m sure nothing was going on Trevor. Calm down,” Jessica stated, looking around at the crowd that was now staring at us.

“I’m sorry.” Jessica mimed and I internally growled myself. What had I just gotten myself into?

“I come to surprise you and apologise for not spending yesterday with you and here you are, about to kiss Stephanie!” Trevor yelled

“Who are you calling Stephanie you transsexual? You look too feminine to be a girl mate,” Stephen retorted, standing up.

What had I gotten myself into?