A kiss in the park

I didn't expect to see Jordan again, at least not until the wedding day. There was no reason for him to come around anyway, when his paid clowns, my parents, were making sure that everything was perfect and under perfect supervision, even me! I think he paid them to keep an eye on me too, because my parents kept monitoring my every move. I had to walk past their door on my way downstairs, so it was easier for them to watch my every move at every moment of the day. Even at midnight, when I went downstairs to get some water, as I closed the fridge and turned around, I was startled to find the figure of someone lingering in the doorway. I quickly switched on the main light, only to find my mother standing there, with an ugly, insincere grin pasted on her face. She looked like a image that had followed me out of a nightmare. I scowled at her and ignored her, while she stood there, not even hiding the fact that she was there to keep an eye on me. I finished up with what I was doing and returned back upstairs. She followed behind me, and waited until I had closed the entered my room and shut the door behind me before she too entered her room.

I think Jordan told them to keep an eye on me because he feared that I would try to run away from home, or worse, try to hurt myself. Especially after he had seen me grief-stricken because of Daren. My parents watched my every move, every moment like vultures waiting on a dead body to hit the ground. I did my best to ignore them, although I didn't really need to try much. I was already too exhausted to even attempt to try anything silly, and my mind was too preoccupied to care about who was watching me or not. It was easy to ignore them. I didn't even try to talk to them about anything, neither did they attempt to reach out to me, even though they were ironically arranging my wedding in earnest. For most part, I was actually grateful that I was finally leaving them, even though the future I was about to step into was not so certain, I think it was better than living with people who clearly didn't want anything to do with me. At least, with Jordan, I was a stranger. And whatever treatment I received from him, I could live with it, knowing that I should expect the worst from someone who wasn't family. But living like a stranger, with my own family? That was worse than living with a hostile stranger.

The day before the so-called wedding day, all the preparation was at it's peak and I was feeling even more suffocated. I had been couped up in the house ever since I returned with Jordan, I had not left the house even once. I wanted to get away from all the activities for a moment, and get some fresh air. So I dressed up in a simple chiffon summer dress, and left the house. As I was leaving through the front exit, my father stepped in from the garden door. He looked horrified when he saw me standing at the door.

"Where are you going?" He cried aloud, and when I turned to look at him, he quickly forced a smile. "Uhm, you should be resting up. Tomorrow is the wedding. Don't get yourself worked up or anything. You should go back to your room and rest." He said, feigning an awkward softness, while maintaining his dry smile. He didn't even look convincing. My mother was a better actor. She would have been more convincing with her act. I felt so irritated as I watched him.

"Don't worry yourself. I am not running away, I will be back soon. I just need some fresh air, that's all. You can assure your son in-law that he will get his money's worth. I won't just run off on you like that, I bet you cannot pay back all that you owe him. I'm not that heartless. I think I am more considerate than you are, although I can not give you credit for passing that trait on to me, since you have none of it at all." I said. "But, if you still don't believe me, you can follow me like you always do. Or get your wife to do it. I think she is better at it than you are. I will be in the park." I said, then I walked away without letting him go say anything.

I didn't believe that he would really follow me, but a few yards into my walk, I looked over my shoulder to find my father tailing me. I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Really." I muttered to myself as a sad smile curled up my face. "How much did Jordan pay them? He must have paid some pretty big price for this amount of loyalty." I wondered aloud to myself.

I pretended that I had not seen him, and kept walking. He followed me all the way to the park, until I settled into a bench. I don't know if he left then, I just stopped paying attention to him, to enjoy the serenity of the park.

The park was empty and peaceful, and the trees were overgrown, providing lots of shelter and cool breeze.

I think I must have fallen asleep, because at some point, because the next thing I remember was waking up to a weight over me and a wetness on my lips. As I gradually roused from the brief sleep, the weight lifted slowly, and when I finally opened my eyes, I found myself staring into sinful grey eyes. I recognized the eyes immediately, because those same eyes were just staring into mine in my dream. It was Jordan. His face was so close to mine, and his breath was sweet and warm against my face. He smiled at me, and I think I must have smiled back.

It took me a moment to realize that I had woken up from the raunchy dream I had just been having about him. It took me another moment to realize that the tingling feeling of wetness that stayed on my lips was an aftermath of a kiss. An actual kiss. A kiss in reality!

Jordan had just kissed me!

Jordan smiled again, as if he could read my thoughts from my eyes.

My eyes flew wide open as I gasped and put a hand to my lips.