Chapter 25

"Would I make a good boyfriend for you, Jia?" Mike repeated as Jia blinked up at him.

Jia gave him a small smile," Where is this coming from?"

Mike suddenly looked unsure and he shrugged. Jia gestured for him to take his seat while asking if she could sit in his bed. He nodded before Jia sat Indian style and ran a hand over her mouth, "In my world, of Class, Nobility and Society, I would say you would make a very fitting boyfriend for me. You`d center me and we get along so you`d be a great life companion."

"Even if my mother is a stay-at-home mother and my father a Knight, "Mike asked.

Jia smirked," Thanks to my mother, I can marry anyone regardless of their social status. She made sure of it when I was born."

"That`s kind of cool," Mike remarked.

"Yeah, I think so too… but," Jia trailed off.

"But what?"

"But I could never go out with you."

"Why not?" Mike asked, mildly insulted and Jia laughed at him.

"Because silly, I know that you don`t like me like that, you like Kyra."

Mike turned pink, "What? I don`t... that`s…that`s just ridiculous and…"

"Please don't deny it. Being dumb and clueless does not suite you," Jia told him.

The Knight felt his face grow hot, "How did you know?"

"You get flustered around her and you act like a dork whenever she`s around you, "Jia listed out and Mike slapped his forehead in embarrassment. "You also kind of gravitate to towards her whenever you`re near her."

"Please stop, "Mike pleaded.

Jia smiled at him "You're perfect for her. Why haven`t you asked her yet? And please, do not say she doesn`t like me because from an outsider's point of view and as her friend, I can totally see that she like you."

Mike rubbed a hand over his face and sighed, "I do like her but… I`m too...," He groaned," I`m too afraid to ask her out because of her brothers."

Jia frowned, "Ithan and Ian? They`re teddy bears."

"They`re over protective brothers and my Seniors. I feel like I`m breaking some kind of law by liking their little sister."

Jia stared at him for five seconds and Mike fidgeted slightly, "That has got to be the dumbest thing I`ve ever heard."

"What?!" Mike exclaimed.

Jia held up a hand to silence him, "Sure you respect them but think about this, those two will not be in relationship-"

"If there even will be a relationship." Mike broke in.

Jia folded her arms and stared at him with determination, it was starting to really scare him, "Oh, there will be a relationship, I`ll make sure of it." Mike shook his head at her as she continued. "Anyway, as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, you two will be in the relationship and they cannot control who she will go out with. The respect you have for them is admirable but it shouldn`t be a barrier."

"But I- "

"Look, if it bothers you that much, just ask for their approval," Jia suggested before adding, "Not that you need it. You`re trying to date her, not marry her."

She watched Mike mull over the idea and shook her head. Any girl would be lucky if someone like Mike wanted to date her and in this case, Kyra would be the lucky one.

"Think about it," Jia urged him quietly.

"Mike!"

Both teens jumped at the shout before Jia saw a cute little boy who looked like a younger version of Mike run into the door but he paused at the sight of Jia.

"Hi," Jia greeted him with a smile as the boys' green eyed widened at her.

He then turned and yelled at someone outside the door, "Mummy, Mike has a girl in the room!"

"Elijah! "Mike exclaimed as he got up and walked over to grab the little boy before spinning him around. The boy laughed out loud and yelled.

"What on earth is going on?" a woman asked as she stepped into the room. She was tall and long blonde hair that was braided. She was wearing a long summer dress and had two bags in her hand.

Jia stood from her seat and move to stand before the woman. She held out her hand, "Hello, I`m Jia. I`m a cousin to one of Mike`s roommates."

The woman smiled at her and introduced herself as Michelle, Mike`s mother, whom he inherited his smile and green eyes from. The little boy was Elijah, Mike`s little brother.

"Sorry we`re late honey, Elijah made us stop at the store to buy you something sweet. "Michelle said to Mike as she held up the bags. The Knight simply smiled as he put down his little brother and moved to hug her before taking the bags form her.

"No problem, mum, "Mike replied as he released her took the bags from her hands.

Jia felt a tugging on her jeans before she glanced down at Elijah, "Yes, little one?"

The boy pouted at her, "I'm not little. I'm seven, I`m a big boy."

Jia chuckled, "Very well then, yes big boy."

Elijah seemed satisfied as he folded his arms and stared up at her, "Are you Mike`s girlfriend?"

"Mike dropped the bags on his bed, "Oh for the love of-!"

Michelle gasped, "Elijah, that is rude!"

"It`s okay, I'm not offended. "Jia said as she crouched down and smiled at him, "No, Elijah. I`m not your brother's girlfriend. I`m his friend. I`m sort of like his sister type."

Elijah pursed his lips and studied her face carefully, "Does that mean you're my sister type too? Because we share everything."

Jia grinned, "Only if you want me to be."

The cutie pretended to think before nodding, "I do. You`re really pretty. I want a pretty sister."

"Thank you."

"Stealing compliments again?" Roy asked as he stepped through the door with two lunch packs tucked under his arms. Elijah gasped as Jia watched her cousin move to put the packs on his desk.

"Not stealing if it`s given to me freely." Jia pointed out as she stood up.

"Right."

"Roy!" Elijah yelled before he broke into run towards Roy`s legs. Jia watched her cousin bend and lift him into his arms before tossing him into the air and catching him. The little carbon copy of Mike simply laughed and Michelle simply shook her head at their antics. Jia deduced that it probably wasn`t the first time her son was tossed up and down by Mike`s roommates.

"Hey there, buddy, miss me? "Roy asked. He had stopped tossing him and simply held him in his arms.

Elijah nodded and hugged him, "Yep."

Rou chuckled and turned to greet Mike`s mother, "Hi, Aunt Michelle."

Michelle smiled at him, "Hello Roy, how are you doing?"

"Couldn`t be better."

"Roy, she's my new sister. "Elijah revealed as he tapped Roy`s face and pointed at Jia.

Her cousin gasped at him, "No, how dare you?"

"What did I do? "Elijah pouted and Jia laughed while Michelle turned to Mike with an arched brow. Mike shrugged with a snicker.

"You`re stealing my cousin sister from me."

"I didn`t know that." Elijah admitted before he turned to the white haired teenager," Are you his cousin?"

Jia nodded, "Yep, my mama and his papa are sister and brother."

"Like me and you?"

"Not really, it's like you and Mike." Jia explained

"Oh, "Elijah`s face fell. He then chewed on his bottom lip before looking at Roy, "We can share her."

"Are you sure?"

Elijah nodded frantically and everyone in the room burst out laughing. After a few seconds of laughing, Jia cleared her throat at Mike pointedly, "Mike, isn't there something you`d like to give to your mother?"

"Oh yeah!" Mike`s face lit up before he grabbed the case and went on to place them in his mother`s hands.

"What`s this? New reading glasses?" Michelle asked, she shook her head at her son," Mike honey, I already have the pair you bought me last year."

"This is new, try them on." Mike insisted.

Jia braced herself as Michelle grinned and opened the case before removing the glasses. She flipped them open before putting them on. Suddenly her grin dropped and she froze.

"Mum?" Mike asked hesitantly as she blinked and removed the glasses before putting them back on. She looked at him and her eyes began to tear up. She sniffed and moved closer to him and put her hands on his face, "Mike, you… you have my eyes. They`re green. Just like your grandfather`s."

Mike nodded.

"And your room, it`s blue! "Michelle exclaimed as tears started to fall from her eyes.

"Mummy? "Elijah asked softly.

Michelle sobbed, moving to Roy and lifted her son into her arms, "Honey, you have green eyes too."

The little boy tilted his head at his mother, "Yes mummy."

"Your father told me that you two have my eyes, I knew that but seeing this, "Michelle shook her head and turned to her oldest son," Mike, this must have been expensive."

Mike shook his head in denial, "Not really, I made them myself but Jia helped me with the finally touches."

Michelle put Elijah down and went over to hug Jia tightly, "Bless you, child. Bless you."

Jia returned the hug and prayed that she wouldn`t accidently electrocute Mike`s mother, "It was my honor to help Mike."

Michelle pulled back and squeezed her engulfed hands, "You don`t know what you`ve done for me. Thank you Jia."

Jia ducked her head and smiled bashfully, "Your welcome."

"Mum, do you want to go sit outside at the gardens? You could see the flowers? "Mike suggested.

Michelle turned to her son and nodded. After a series of goodbyes, the small family left and Jia wiped the last of her tears away.

"That was nice of you. "Roy commented.

Jia sighed heavily and turned to her cousin, "I didn`t do much, just persuaded a sorceress to help Mike, he did most of the work."

Roy snorted, already used to her ways, "Still, he wouldn`t have finished it without you, give yourself some credit."

Jia smiled and nodded as they settled down for their lunch. Roy was able to get lamb stew and fruit cups for them both and they sat down on his floor eating away. Roy was telling her of the Exams at the end of Christmas and how if he didn`t do well, he might not have enough credits to come back the following year.

"So you have to work hard every year to ensure that you do come back?" Jia asked. She had finished the last of her stew and was opening the fruit cup to attack the watermelons.

Roy confirmed, "Yeah, it`s not an automatic thing, every year we have final exams that determine whether we come back the following year."

"Wow, that`s really tough.What happens if you fail?"

"You stay away for two years before coming back."

Jia winced and bit into her water melon. Suddenly her phone rang and she answered it without reading the Caller ID. An image of her grandmother appeared and Jia chocked on her watermelon while Roy spat out his stew into his lunch pack.

"Such charming reactions from my darling grandchildren," Laurel commented with an arched brow at her grandchildren as they tried to gain their composure.

"Grandmother! "Both teen wheezed. Laurel was their grandmother, and honestly, she was a force to be reckoned with. As the Matriarch of their family, she was loved, feared and respected for the way she handled the family affairs. Both teenagers respected her and hated disappointing her but her surprise calls always put them on edge because she usually asked them to do things that were outside of their comfort zones.

"How are you two?" she asked them, her violet irises taking in her grandchildren. Jia knew that her mother had inherited her skin color and eyes from her grandmother and it always warmed her heart to see her grandmother`s eyes. Today however, it was scary.

Both teens shared a quick glance before shrugging uneasily.

"Fine." Roy answered.

"Very well thank you." Jia added.

"Is school going well for the both of you?" Laurel asked and both teenagers nodded.

"Yes grandmother."

Jia tucked a stray curl behind her ear nervously, "Perfectly well. I haven`t gotten any Fail grades in school."

"That is wonderful to hear, "She said before clearing her throat, "Now, for the reason that I`ve called. Jia, darling. Are you aware of what`s happening tomorrow?"

Jia felt like running away or shrinking into a bug, "Yes and I do not like this conversation anymore, grandmother."

"Regardless of what you feel like. My flight has been grounded as are your respective parents and so they cannot come and visit until Monday so I will need you, Jia, to represent me tomorrow at the Debutantes Opening Festival."

Jia`s jaw dropped and Roy winced, he honestly felt her pain.

"What?!" Jia exclaimed and dropped her fruit cup, causing all the fruits to scatter on the papers beneath them. Roy was silently grateful that they had laid out blank pieces of paper beneath their food plates to prevent food scarps falling on the floor.

"You are my Heir apparent, and will be given the title of Lady of House Norvel so you must make some appearance this year." Laurel reminded her.

"But grandmother, I already represented you during Roy`s exhibition. "Jia pointed out.

Laurel nodded, "And you did marvelously, despite the little scene you caused with Isabelle."

Jia turned to glare at Roy, "You told her?!"

Roy looked taken back, "What?! No! How could think that?!"

Her grandmother tutted, "Your cousin didn`t tell me, you did, just now."

Jia moved to speak and froze while Roy shook his head at her, "Busted."