Chapter 22:

Jack sighed as the movie began to play. It did a count down from five to zero, showed the cast names, producers and so on… Then finally, it presented the name of the movie with an invigorating song-though it didn't have a tad effect on Jack.

Inside the fine large movie theater, one could see the red seats joined together and the beautiful lights above the curved ceiling. 

It was a fine architectural design. 

The stage was a wide opened one, and it displayed a large screen that projected the actors in the colour black and white.

Jack sat next to Clarrissa at front row seats. 

He couldn't help feel like the place was stuffy, and couldn't breathe properly. He was so uncomfortable, that he couldn't even watch the movie. He gave a glimpse at the lady by his side, who seemed happy and smiled cheerfully. Her eyes were completely fixated on the large movie screen, and one could tell the joy in her.

Jack cleared his throat stiffling his cough a bit. He suddenly started feeling sweat trickle down his neck, as he now felt hot. He tried opening his bouffant collar to let in fresh air inoder to cool him down, but it still chocked him as it was rather a mental state.

"It should be Lyya instead," Jack thought mentally. "Not her."

"Are you okay?" Clarrissa asked him, noticing his discomfort.

He was brought out of his thoughts that belittled her. Jack likened her voice to that of a cunning mistress of evil. Though she did have a nice feminine voice tone, but he just felt the need to give her names.

 Jack gave a slight awkward smile, revealing his white teeth as he gave a nod. He lied. He was suffocated, and would take off as soon as he was given the chance to.

Clarrissa said with excitement, " Oh, this is my favourite part in the movie. I like it when the mother chases the boy away, but he still comes back through the back yard. He makes her to jump through the window, then carries her away on a cruise. Even in the fast car, her mother still catches up to her. But you know they never give up on love. The young man in the movie kinda reminds me of someone I know. He's this carefree, fun man that everyone would always want to be around. He ends one relationship just to be with his one true love."

 After talking for a while, she noticed Jack's facial look. He had this tired looking expression and dispirited look on his face. Even if he had managed to put on this non-realistic smile to look nice, it still showed. 

It now dawned on her that he had just been pretending to listen to her unending chat all this while. It wasn't dis-interesting though, it was Just Jack not wanting to be here.

Feeling a bit uneasy, Clarrissa asked, "I'm sorry. Am I boring you?"

He didn't pretend to listen nicely anymore and said bluntly, "It's actually the opposite. You talk alot."

She instantly felt insulted and an amount of shame came into her as she wasn't used to being insulted, rather, she was used to being praised for her beauty, figure and wealth. 

She felt the need to stand up and get away from the place as it seemed she wasn't wanted. She had pride, yes; alot of it.

Raising her body to stand up, she said with a frown, "Well I'm sorry for being this buzzing bee in your ears."

About leaving, but not completely up, Clarrissa felt Jack's arm hold her back. 

She looked at him in awe as it was unexpected. She felt her pride suddenly do a drop down, as it made a little softness pour ontop of her heart. 

"I'm sorry," 

These words of Jack made her feel less tempered. She felt weaker instead as it made her giggle inside. 

"I didn't mean to be rude," Jack said in a husky tone.

She now slowly sat down properly, and moved her head to opposite side, hiding her blush. 

Feeling better and more free, she sat happily and they both enjoyed the romance movie. Well, at least Jack tried to watch it.

Time passed as they watched the film show, and the climax in film hightened. The two couple that were in love in the film, started moaning loudly and gasping as they pressed their body against each other rhythmically in a sensational movement.

The bed that the actors were on, kept shaking and creaking as they continued the movement.

The moans went up louder, as the male actor went below to give the female actor a sweet long open mouth kiss underneath the sheets. 

This was probably meant to spark up something back between Jack and Clarrissa, but Jack just turned away as it wasn't something new or special to him, especially at this moment. He was used it and there certainly was nothing he didn't already know about that.

That active scene was now over in the movie and a regular dinner conversation between the acting couple started.

Jack felt bored just sitting down at a spot for hours just to watch some 'romantic-comedy', he called it.

As Jack yawned at this scene he thought was boring, not like he liked the other, he suddenly felt Clarrissa rest her head on his shoulder, leaving him bewildered.

His eyes widened, and the air he was letting out quickly went back in, making him gulp down air.

"I'm sorry Jack for the way I acted at the party," Clarrissa said, staring into his eyes with her own eyes gleaming with sincerity.  Jack just looked at her still shocked. "I really love you Jack. I still do."

He felt a bit awkward. There was this sudden tension breeze that blew, making Jack look away from her honest looking eyes as he didn't know what to say. 

He tried not to show that he now felt a bit uneasy there, and all he could think of at that moment was the voice of Charles saying, "Make sure she has fun. The Alpha will be expecting a good feedback on this…"

Of all the things he had forced himself to do today and other days, saying right now what he knew Clarrissa wanted to hear, was the hardest thing so far. 

He had lied other times to other girls, so he wondered why today he couldn't bring himself to lie that same lie.

"I love you too," Jack heard a persistent voice tell him inside his head. "Just say the damn word you piece of shit!".

That voice, which he would normally had listened to and lied, kept on yelling at him mentally, as if scolding a child.

"Just do it!" It said. "Do it Jack! Lie like you always do. Just say the damn thing"

Clarrissa just stared at him now with sad looking eyes. Of course the lady expected him to say it back, but he just kept silent. 

She obviously wasn't aware of the mental battle he had going on. 

He couldn't. He just couldn't bring himself to say the words.

Jack turned his head the other way, and lady Clarrissa soon realized and understood. She now felt like a fool, regretting why she had let her defensive guard down.

She stiffled her tears that were about falling down, blinking, and tried her outmost best to make a her face look straight. She gave an ironic chuckle, feeling embarrassed once more.

"Excuse me." She said standing up to leave the place. She tried not to look at the crowd behind them as she passed, since she didn't want to be seen in that state.

Jack closed his eyes in regret, aware that what he had just done wasn't going to just end there. He knew it was going to cause him trouble. He had no choice but to go after her, unwillingly.

The girl could be like a bright sun flower when happy and loved, but quickly transformed into a poisonous ivy, when hurt.

She could sting her attacker like a scorpion, and satisfy her lover in the most pleasurable way ever. You just had to choose. 

Maybe that was what happened that night. After she had begged him and had received a no for an answer, which she never accepted, she had probably decided to destroy his life. Clarissa, the charming devil herself, had to go say she was pregnant right a day to his wedding.

Maybe it was all planned, or maybe it was actually true. Who knew?

Jack went to hold Clarrissa's hand as she made her way to the exit. They tried not to make their fight obvious to the public, aware it was going to take the attention of the press.

"Let me go Jack," Clarrissa ordered in a lowered tone. " You shouldn't be forced to stay here if you don't want to. It's not like I'm begging."

"You see, I'm very sorry Clarrissa," Jack apologized, also in a lowered tone. "Please let's just go back and enjoy the movie."

She considered it, and slightly felt like she was over reacting. She did want to follow him, but before she decided to, she thought to ask,

"Did you ever even love me Jack?" She asked emotionally. "Or was it all a game? Do you have even a tad of love for me?"

Her sorrowful looking eyes hoped for a good reply. But nothing. She smiled again ironically, as she chuckled.

"I thought so," She said. "You know what Jack? I am going to sit down for the show. You can decide to sit with me, or go. Your choice."

She then went back to her seating place. She waited for some minutes, hoping to see Jack follow her behind, but his seat was empty. 

She now turned her head, only to see Jack leaving the place.