16

“How are you?” Cory finally asked, breaking the silence and turning to her to watch her answer the question. He pauses knowing that she had understood the question and she was taking her time to find the right answer. It gave him a certain level of satisfaction knowing that she wasn’t just going to give him the regular “I’m fine” reply

“Honestly? I want all of this to be over, I’m nowhere close to fine” she tells him with a sullen look, before emptying the contents of her glass into her mouth.

“For real? Who could’ve known? you’ve been looking rather happy about the week.” Cory teases with a chuckle.

“Right? With the constant sighing and death glares I give almost everyone?” she joins him in his sarcasm.

“I didn’t notice all that, what gave you away is how much sleep you’ve had these past few days, very relaxing indeed” Cory adds. Making her burst into laughter

“You didn’t just use my sleep pattern to mock me” Jasmine retorts.

“Of course not, you’re a zombie now, you don’t have a sleep pattern anymore,” he tells her, with a loud chuckle.

The air felt nicer to breathe suddenly, he did enjoy the silence before, but hearing her laughter echo in the mansion, was a whole lot better.

“I’ve missed this, so much,” Jasmine says turning to him.

Cory wondered if he heard right. Did she say she had missed talking to him? Laughing and just being in her company? He had felt the very same way, all week long.

“have you now?” he asked with a smirk, making her blush lightly, before giving him a nod.

“It’s felt like we’ve been apart the whole week and even when we are in the same space, you’re still too far to reach. Plus, you’re always so busy monitoring and surveilling, you hardly ever look my way” Jasmine confesses.

Again, Cory wondered if she was hearing right. How could she think he never looks her way, considering that’s all he does when they’re in the same space? And here he was feeling like she had been too occupied to even give him a minute from her time.

“Well, that’s not true Jasmine,” Cory says, enjoying the way her name traveled from his lips. He wondered if it was okay that he called her by her name, but seeing the look in her eyes and the unsuccessful attempt to hide her red face, he was certain she liked it too.

“It is. Most of the time I want to talk or say something, your eyes are all over the place but on me”

“So, you’re saying I should stare at you more often?” Cory asked, knowing that wasn’t what she meant, but enjoying how she acted when he asked.

“Okay no, that’s not what I meant,” she tells him.

“Okay, so I shouldn’t stare at you?” Cory asked again, making it even more difficult for her.

“I give up,” Jasmine says with a short laugh, throwing her hands in the air, showing she has surrendered.

She gets up and walks over to the living room, leaving Cory sitting at the dining. She had hoped he would follow her, which he did shortly after she sat down.

“I’ve missed this too” Cory finally confesses as he takes a sit close to her, his eyes fixated on her, watching her reaction to his confession.

“Really?” Jasmine asked, almost as if she had not expected that response.

“Yes. But unlike you, you’ve been the one too busy to look my way” he adds.

“Oh, I see…” she says with a smirk before continuing.

“… so, you want me to stare at you more often?” she adds, giving him a taste of his own medicine.

Cory chuckles at her statement, he relaxes his back into the chair and takes a deep breath, he was enjoying this moment with her, but he knew better than to keep her awake.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I want” he replied, taking her by surprise.

“Oh,” Jasmine said. She didn’t see him saying that at all.

“You should sleep, we’ve got an early day tomorrow,” he tells her, almost feeling bad he was the one putting an end to this moment they were finally having.

“I guess you’re right” Jasmine agrees with him, adjusting fully on the sofa.

“Too tired to head up?” Cory asks as he shifted for her to stretch out her legs.

“Nope, here’s the only place you can be close” she answers with a yawn.

Cory didn’t know what to say or how to feel about the fact she wanted him to be with her, but he liked it, he didn’t have a problem with it though, so he gave her a nod and let her relax in the sofa while he did the same.

He wondered what the next few days would be like, especially after they had confessed to each other how they felt. He hoped they wouldn’t be as distant as they had been the past week. But he knew whatever happened going forward, he would understand and still be there for her, as a guard and as her friend.

************************

“Cory” a voice came echoing in his sleep. He wondered why he was dreaming about his mother and why she was calling him repeatedly. He was enjoying his sleep too much to even answer or wonder why he wasn’t seeing her.

“Cory!” his mom’s voice came in louder, making his eyes open up, to see her standing in front of him, with a confused and shocked expression written all over her face

“Momma?” he said, still trying to process what was going on with her.

“Yes? I thought you had work?” she asked in a low tone. Why was she being weird? He wondered.

“I do” he replied, using the back of his palm to wipe sleep off his eyes.

“What type?” she asked, this time her eyes moving to his side. He followed the direction of her eyes and saw Jasmine still asleep close to him. Her legs over him and her head on the other edge of the sofa.

“Shit! What’s the time?” he asked his mom.

“Half six. Why?” she asked