Jean could feel his eyes on her. She entered the kitchen at her dorms and went to the fridge as she felt him watching her. "Can I help?"
Jean shook her head "No. I like cooking ... It ... relaxes me..."
He started walking around the kitchen silently.
Jean said "I have prepared some apple strudel I like to have for breakfast. I am going to heat it up... I am also making some scrambled eggs. She didn't know why she was explaining this to him. Maybe it was so she kept the conversation flowing as silence was making her nervous. She was all alone with him and was going to eat with him.
She put the Apple strudels on a tray on the side and then got on With gathering ingredients for the omelettes. She opened the top cupboard and reached for salt and pepper. She felt him behind her as he reached high and grabbed what she needed. She brought her hand down and looked at him. He put the salt and pepper on the counter.
She said "Thank you... I wish I was as tall as you..."
He frowned "You are at the perfect height Jean. There is nothing wrong with your size."
She walked away and grabbed the oil from one of the cupboards as she walked to grab a pan "I am short. I know I am."
He said "Don't talk about your height please. We have height difference. But almost everyone is shorter than me pretty much here... I like you the way you are."
Jean put the pan on the stove and put some oil inside it. She bit her lip.
He said "I see no advantage in being a certain height. Actually being shorter means you have less likelihood of breaking bones when falling..."
She said "I know. I always loved swinging from tree to tree and to my house all the time. I fell many times but never broke any bones." She then turned to smile at him but saw his hardened expression.
He said "You did what? You risking your life? For what? I don't like that. Don't ever do that."
She looked away and tapped an egg on the stove to break it "I can't do that here... Climbing trees are against the rules here on this campus it seems. I would have loved to build a tree house for my wood working project." When she looked at Leandro she saw he was again not looking pleased.
Leandro said "I hope you don't ever swing on trees or thinking of building tree houses. I forbid it. It's against the health and safety rules."
She said "Why? Would I get detention if I do it?" Her eyes widened as she realised what she had said. She wasn't meant to say that out loud. She was just thinking it. She found her pan with her scrambled eggs more interesting to watch now not wanting to look at him.
He sat at the counter top of the kitchen "You will get into trouble Jean. Big trouble if you violate that rule."
She could imagine that. She took out another pan and poured some oil in to fry some tomatoes she had chopped earlier as she turned down the heat on the eggs. She poured the chopped tomatoes onto the pan. "What kind of trouble?" She was curious. She didn't want to look up as she asked it. Now that she had blurted out she wanted to know if she got detention she wanted to go the whole way and find out more.
He got off the counter and walked slowly to her "Big trouble jean. Very big trouble." He then picked a wooden spoon as he waited next to her and started stirring the tomatoes with one hand. His other hand was on his hip as he was facing her "You are not thinking of disobeying the rules. Are you jean?"
She could not look up at him. She turned off the heat on the stove that heated up the eggs. She said "Eggs are ready. Let me put the Apple straddles in the oven."
As jean went to get her oven tray with her pastries on it, Leandro put away the wooden spoon and opened the oven door for her.
She quickly walked to the oven and placed the tray in the oven.
Leandro watched her "Jean. I asked you a question."
Jean took a deep breath as she turned the knob for the oven "I ... can't say ..."
Leandro said "Why not? Are you or are you not thinking of violating the rules about climbing trees. Swinging on trees also violates it because there is a line on no activity associated with the trees since it has danger of falling. There is a rule for dangerous behaviour of any kind. Swinging on trees or buildings is quite a big violation or rather is a couple of major violations."
Jean said honestly "It's kind of normal in my home town to swing on trees and jump around..."
He took a step towards her "But you are not thinking of any dangerous behaviour here jean. Are you?"
Jean turned to the stove "It's all ready now..." I set the table now. Could you please warm the bread on the toaster if you don't mind?"
Leandro walked to the toaster and placed pieces of bread in the designated spots. He pressed the lever and turned to jean "You can't avoid the question jean."
Jean was setting the table. She didn't look up as she said "I am not planning on breaking any rules."
Leandro said "Good. I would hate to punish you..."
She turned around closing her eyes. She took a deep breath. She hoped she never got caught doing any wrong doing. She would have hated to be punished by him too. She opened her eyes and got on with setting the table. Once the table was set, she made sure all was set and the food was served.
Leandro pulled the chair out for her and she sat down. He sat down opposite her and said "Would you like any drink?"
He said "I will get it. Do you have some milk?"
She nodded "Yes. Plenty of milk."
He stood up and walked to the fridge. She watched him take out the milk carton. She bit her lip as she said "Leandro. What's the punishment for swinging on trees and buildings."
He said as he poured a glass of milk for himself and one for her "No one has ever tried it..." He brought the glasses of milk to the table and put one glass in front of her. He said "Why do you ask?" He then sat down and set his glass of milk down too.
She said "I am curious. That's all..."
He leaned back in his chair "Jean. Don't be tempted to break the rules. Let's say if anyone breaks health and safety rules I will give them a punishment they never forget... A big one..."
She gulped.
He then closed his eyes and made the sign of the cross as he said a prayer before his meal. He opened his eyes and looked at jean. "Thank the lord for creating you and thank you for making this lovely meal."
She blushed "How do you know it tastes lovely. You haven't tasted it yet.."
He said "Oh. It's not about the taste jean. The effort you put in and the care makes this a lovely meal because it's made with love..."
She was feeling like her cheeks were heating up. When he talked to her like that with so much emotion, it made her feel like the only girl on the planet. He sounded so genuine and there was meaning behind his words. The truth behind his kind words touched her. Obviously despite from being a wealthy background, Leandro's mama had raised him to respect people's hard work. He did not act like a spoilt rich kid at all. He was so attentive. Even to objects. She knew he wouldn't start unless she did so she quickly started eating. He started eating slowly too. He looked so relaxed and content. He didn't give away much emotion but he seemed so friendly that all the nerves and worries Jean had about sitting opposite him alone and sharing food with him evaporated. He was so well mannered. It was like dining with a prince. He acted so elegantly at the table. There was so much contrast in his character that intrigued her. He was so rough and was a no nonsense taking leader. He was a tough kid. Very mature but he could be gentle too. And extremely polite.
Leandro drank from the glass of milk as he said "What else are you upto in hale that is against the rules here?." He then smiled.
She said " Well. Riding horses with nothing at all."
Leandro raised an eyebrow "Nothing?"
She nodded "Yes. I love doing that. It was also against the rules here... The girls at the horse riding club told me... They said no one has ever broken the rules regarding this. No one has ever done any bare back riding to live through the sanction and tell the tale... It's abit of a shame it's against the rules actually. It is amazing to ride the horse with no saddle. I would have thought some people break the rules by now."
He said "You are not thinking of breaking this rule here either I hope."
She said "I am not planning on causing trouble Leandro... What's the punishment if someone does ride a horse with no saddle?"
He said " A very serious offence deserves a severe punishment jean.... Now listen... If I find out you are ever putting yourself at risk on campus whether it's swinging from trees or swinging on buildings or riding horses with no saddle, I will be very cross jean... I am warning you..."
Jean swallowed hard "I am not planning on breaking the rules..."
Leandro said "I know ... But you may get tempted... That's why you are asking what is the punishment. To see if it's worth breaking the rules."
She said "I know it's not worth it..." She then thought to herself "But will worth it if I don't get caught." The call to having fun like how it was in hale was strong. Leandro was right to look at her with narrowed eyes trying to catch her.
He said "Very well..." He then raised his glass to jean "Here is to a safe lifestyle on this campus..."
Jean raised her glass and touched her glass to his. Their fingers touched.
Leandro took a shaky breath as her touch mixed with the look in her eyes directed at him created a special moment for him. She was perfect. She had a surprising urge for activities he didn't approve of. He knew she wanted to test the waters. He could tell she was contemplating if it was worth doing what she enjoyed or not.
He put down her milk glass "Jean. I know what you are thinking. You are like Jacob. You don't think some rules are necessary. He calls the health and safety rules, city kids' rules..."
Jean said "I like the rules. I do... They are there for a reason... I think only in event of emergency one can only break the rules." She then thought to herself "An emergency like missing home and the fun at home... I just have to break a few rules when no one is watching"... It's only rule breaking if you are caught or rather that was what her brother reminded her that she agreed with. Everyone there thought she was fragile and needed protecting .... But .... She was a country girl too and was getting her strength back after a long period of medication. She had in fact come off medication now and she wanted to taste the freedom and test her boundaries slowly. She was excited. But of course Leandro's rules, were bound to be broken.
Leandro smiled "Excellent. Are there any other activities you can share with me that you did in hale but is banned.... I am certainly curious about your lifestyle..."
She tried to avoid the subject "Do you want more milk? I do." She then stood up and walked to the fridge trying to think what to say to avoid his penetrating gaze that was on her and she was sure he could see right through her. He was on her case and she was sure he was now familiar with a side of her she didn't think he would see unless he visited her in hale to watch her in action. She couldn't believe how good he was in extracting the information she was most unlikely to ever share willingly. He was well trained in military school to get any information he wanted and he could catch people. She had to be careful if she wanted to have fun with hobbies she used to have to make her feel like home.
Leandro watched her move to the fridge. He found her quite cute when she was trying to avoid his questions. He had seen a side to her he loved a lot. She certainly was daring and had unusual hobbies... But this was his campus and none of those hobbies were safe at his realm. He hoped she listened to his warnings. She surely must have been more responsible than Jacob. Girls were more mature than boys when it came to the rules. So he tried to push down his doubts. He didn't know why all she could imagine was, Jean breaking the rules he warned her against. She wasn't going to dare break his rules. No way. She didn't want to face the consequences surely.
When jean came back with the milk carton she asked "How does this school apply sanctions not in the rule book because no one has tried the offences before?"
He stated "I will be the judge of course. I may or may not put it forward to my committee. I may be the decider and even the executioner ... So don't even think about doing any adrenaline pumping activities from your home town, Hale." He then smiled sweetly at her "I hope you won't be..."
She smiled nervously "Thank you for the insight ..." She then turned around and took a deep breath feeling his stare penetrating at her making her heart beat faster.
She went back to sit on her chair. Suddenly her hand hit the jug of milk and Leandro stood up. "it's ok jean. Here is a napkin." He then started to wipe the milk on the table and so did jean as she also grabbed a napkin. They were both bending over the table, their hands touched. They both sucked in their breaths and looked up at the same time into each other's eyes as their eyes were inches apart . Time stopped. Or so it felt this way.