Chapter 4: how did you know that?

"DIMENSION- of course it is dimension…" Jason almost screamed out. "what? What's with this 'dimension' ?" Scarlet lifted her left cheek upwards an brought her eyebrows closer to show confusion. "all these letters on the pages of this diary form the word dimension. I mean: 'D-I-M-E-N-S-I-O-N'" Jason explained. While Scarlet, being a seasoned critic, picked an error, "Yes, but what? What's with dimension?" Jason had a feeling like falling off a cliff, "Yes, you are right though, what could be with dimension? And more than that, what's with these bracketed numerals. He scratched his head and fell onto the camelback again. Scarlet exhaled and stood by, "I told you already, it's of no real use." Suddenly they heard Amber coming. She came with her expensive porcelain crockery in her hands. The porcelain looked so much new- it was impossible to tell that it'd been used nine times and this one was 'tenth'. Amber had put on red silk. She walked with her unusual gaiety and sat on the sofa next to Jason's. She then kept the crockery down and kept smiling at him. Scarlet got a strong feeling of déjà vu and some added embarrassment that it made her grin out idiotically. Jason too, grinned out of uneasiness in between the two. Suddenly Scarlet came back and recognized that Jason had her father's diary in his hands. She snatched it from his hands and sat on it beside Jason. She acted without even batting an eyelid, Amber didn't notice any diary in the room. "so what did you tell your name?" Amber asked in a most polite way. "Ahm, hello mam I'm Ja.." "jason, his name is jason, mom…and he is twenty six." "how did you know that? Did I tell you my age?", Jason narrowed his eyelids. Scarlet swallowed and said, "of course, how else. You told me once, you don't remember? You told me- that you're twenty six" "really? Did i? But I didn't mention any of it today- I think I remember, I surely didn't. Besides that, only two times we met right?" "Ah! Yes right you didn't- of course you didn't, you- told me last time we met." Scarlet said in the quickest way. "oh I see, may be I did." Amber kept her prying eyes fixed totally on the two. They were now partially filled with a bit of confusion, completely clueless about their talk. "Another day? You guys met another day? When? Was it here? How come I didn't see you?" Amber quickly asked- "could it be that both of you are very good friends- very, very good- I mean very, very, very…" "Mom, there's nothing like that ok? We met once in… the- libraby." Jason slid his eyes towards Scarlet, "library?" "yes of course- we met in the city library- coz I often visit it- so we met there for a project- but couldn't finish it that day- that's why we met today for the same project, but mom if you keep asking questions like that then we won't finish it even today(huff)" Amber smiles "Ok, Ok then don't worry Scarlet. I am not disturbing you, both can carry on- I mean, with your project (smiles again). Jason chuckles at Scarlet's struggle while she feels a hard embarrassment but giggles at herself. "what? Stop laughing ok. Don't you think you should go home now?" Scarlet says aloud and Jason stands up at once, "Oh yes, I forgot it so badly, mom must be worried and I didn't even call her at twenty minutes." "call? Why did you need to call at twenty minutes? Anything important?" "oh nothing, she's just worried- after all that…so she'd even send me anywhere only if I call her every twenty minutes." "oh. (pause) By the way, doesn't she ask you about your father? I mean- you both disappeared together." "yes she did, she asked me, I told her he's in a far place and that he calls me sometimes." "She believed it? I mean it's a bit lame one, isn't it?" "Of course, it's too lame of an excuse but she still believed coz there's no other way." Suddenly Jason shrugs his shoulders and begins to walk out of the room but he's stopped at the passage by Mrs. Amber. She stops Jason but doesn't speak anything for a minute, not even hear or see Jason waving to bring her back. She just fixes her eyes at him while they scrounge and note down every minor detail of his appearance to calculate something. Scarlet suddenly feels uneasy of the situation and tries to interrupt but Mrs. Amber suddenly speaks out, almost shouts, "Jason Grills! Right? You are Jason Grills. I've been trying to remember it. Iknew I heard this name before." Amber had her porcelain cup in her hands that she was washing but forgot to keep while striding to Jason. "yes I am Jason- Jason Grills but how did you know my complete name? Ah! Scarlet must've told you right?" Scarlet gets more uneasy, "yes I told her, of course I did (laughs out) remember? she asked your name and I interrupted and said it? And I knew- because you told me. All goes in circle haha!" poor Mrs. Amber feels knocked off but resists to quit, "No. I remember she didn't. Scarlet, you only said 'Jason' you didn't say 'Jason Grills'. I know this name because I have heard it before or maybe I have even seen this boy before…" Amber seems to try quiet hard but Jason doesn't know what to express but surprise and confusion, "no, mam that's not possible. I don't think I've seen you before. You might have seen someone else (smiles)" Scarlet quickly waves in, "yes, absolutely! Jason see you later then, its late now. I'll get my mom some coffee." Jason leaves after saying bye but Mrs. Amber keeps looking at Jason until his car turns at the end of the lane and all lights fde at the turning. Scarlet then closes the door, brings Amber inside and gets her some coffee