Mate 02: Jazeera

|CHAPTER 02|

Zaitelle Axis

"Why don't we part ways?" 

I ask while I'm busy observing all the people who are busy buying things that they need and all vendors that are struggling to pay attention to other customers. 

I am standing beside him when I ask him that that's why I did not notice that he asks me. 

"What?" I ask and look at him. 

Just like before, I take one step back because he's too tall for me. I am just maybe at the range on his shoulder. 

"Why do you want us to part ways?" He asks while his thick eyebrows almost met due to confusion and I don't know what else he's thinking right now that he seems upset. 

I tilt my head sideways and recall what he asked. 

My mouth slowly opens big but I quickly close it because he suddenly looks at me. I blink twice and force myself to give him a reason that can't expose what I planned for this day and the need for me to not go with him this time. 

"Ah, Uhm...," my eyes start to secretly move to find something that can help me. 

"Ah, Nana told me to buy stuff and I don't want to trouble you that much. And!" I face him as I raise my hand to make emphasize to him. 

He is just looking at me, not saying anything. But I did not take the intimidation that I feel whenever he's like that and take all my courage to make him agree. 

"It's not for you to find out. Please? Don't worry, you can always trace me, right?" I reach for his left hand and sway it side by side by looking at him with such expression.

I'm too embarrassed to act this way that I swallowed my pride and dignity as a woman only to make him agree to what I want. 

I'm turning 19 and yet... 

I shake my head and just focus on making him say yes. 

"Is that more important than your safety, Zayi?" He asks seriously that I become silent. 

Silence then rules the space between us. Why does he need to ask that? I don't know if it's more important than him. But honestly speaking, he's more than important to what I'm here for. But for now, no. I have to buy something more important than him for now.

He will always be my most priority than anything else. 

"Yes, of course!" I playfully laugh and continue to sway his hand. 

"What?" He asks, not believing what I have said. 

"I just need to buy it as soon as possible. Come on, Kest! The shop may run out of merchandise! I need to buy it for Nana, okay?" I stop swaying his hand and look around. 

They are too loud but it did not make me lose my concentration into looking for ways to be part-away from him. 

"There!" I point in the right side direction. We're at the center so it's like, I point in the direction of Eastside. 

"I'll just go there. Don't follow me okay? You can find me there anytime but after..., uhm maybe one to two hours after. Okay, Kest?" Using my two hands, I hold his hand and try to read his expression. 

He's just looking at me just like earlier. 

I can't help but blink my eyes and secretly gulp the saliva on my throat. I ask him using my eyes. He's not saying anything and he keeps his silence. 

"Hey," I call his attention and he only moves after I call him. 

"Okay...," my smile widens because of what I hear from him. He looks like he loses in a battle that he cherishes. But, I'm sorry for now, Kest. I need to buy stuff this instant. 

"Yes! Thank you! See you later, okay?" I didn't wait for his response and walk my way. You can call it hopping while walking as if I won a lottery. 

I'm too happy that every person I pass by, they will not pass without a greeting from me. 

I look back to where he is right now but I can't see him clearly as I am already a bit far away from him. Knowing that he has a high enhancement on his senses, I know he can see me right now. 

With that, I wave like a crazy person waving to nothing. 

"Take care!" I mouthed those words as I turn my back and find a shop that can help me find what I'm looking for. 

Honestly, Nana didn't tell me to buy stuff. Clearly, I intend to be part-away from him because I don't want to let him know that I will buy him a gift. A present. 

Two days from now is his 20th birthday. I was even surprised when he agreed to go with me when he's supposed to be busy right now in their Manor because of the preparations for him. 

Last time, I wasn't able to give him the present I bought because my family and I went on a trip. 

I am too sad to even make it up that's why I don't want to waste my opportunity to buy him a gift now. 

While walking, I observe all the merchandise they display in front of their shop. Several kinds of stuff look cute and pretty and the temptation is too strong that I need to restrain me. 

I am here to buy Kester's gift, not for myself. 

Thinking that I continue to look for something unique and different from others. 

One shop catches my attention. 

A girl my age is the one who's selling some unique kinds of stuff that I find interesting. The girl has long black silky hair and has a rounded face. Rosy cheeks and a sharp jaw. She's so pretty! I am a bit tall than her. Maybe, two inches difference. 

"Hi!" I cheerfully greet her as I can't help but stare at her beauty. She's a treasure that a man surely will fight for. 

The moment she looks at me, her blazing red pair of eyes pierce right into my dark gray eyes. Instead of getting scared because of the intensity, her stares are giving off, I smile at her. 

"Do you have something unique for a birthday present? It's for my male best friend," I ask her while getting mesmerized into her deep set of eyes. 

It's like she's hypnotizing you but not. It's the effects of her eyes. 

"Oh, I'm sorry," I blink my eyes when suddenly I feel like I came back from somewhere. 

The thought of her hypnotizing eyes is actually true that when I look at her, the blazing red eyes that I saw earlier are already gone. Instead, I see light hazelnut brown shades on it. 

"Oh, it's okay. What's your name?" I ask her instead of prying deep into what happened just now. 

"I'm Jazeera. I'm sorry, I didn't notice that my eye color changed and it did affect you," I smile at her to reassure her that it's okay. 

She hasn't yet learned how to control that ability of hers and I smile thinking of something that can help her. She's too precious to be ignored for something that can actually be a masterpiece. A treasure box. 

"It's Zaitelle, you can call me Zai," 

As soon as our hands touch, fate starts to work its job and I never knew that the mo ment our path crossed, something will happen that I never expect. 

What is your role in my life, Jazeera?