Chapter 37 - Hidden Feelings

"Party?" Amy asked with a confused look. When did he return that he already knew of a party.

"Yes party" Lair replied with a smile.

"I thought you just came back, so how did you suddenly get invited to a party?" Jade asked the exact question on Amy's mind.

"Does that matter?" Lair asked.

"Yes it does" Amy and Jade answered simultaneously. They haven't forgotten the frat party Lair had invited them to while they were in college. That was one of the worst moments of their life. The images of frat boys doing stuffs that shouldn't be mentioned or remembered was forever etched in their memory.

"An old acquaintance of mine invited me" He replied curtly.

"So do you mind telling us who this friend...or acquaintance is?" Amy asked emphasizing on the word friend, making Lair seriously glare at her. What's with her and all the questions?

"He's just a guy I got to know during my first degree" He replied with a hint of annoyance when he noticed she had another question coming.

"Another frat boy?" Amy asked with furrowed brows. There was no way she was going to relive that awful experience that took place in college.

"No!" Lair exclaimed.

"So explain how you met an old friend that has invited you for a party in less than 24 hours?" Amy asked seriously. Lair growled in annoyance. And someone will ask him why sometimes he wished for a koala pet than a sister like Amy?

He turned to look at Jade and he was surprised to see her eagerly waiting for his reply. He gave her a look that interpreted 'you too?', but Jade just shrugged her shoulders. Well he should understand their prejudice, after all he was to blame for it.

"I bumped into him at your company this morning and he invited me for his birthday party" He said as he recollected his conversation with Blake.

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"Long time no see. What are you doing here?" Blake asked curiously.

"I'm here to see my sister" Lair replied.

"You've got a sister who works here?" Blake asked with surprise.

"Yeah" Lair nodded.

"No way!" Blake exclaimed making Lair chuckle. Blake was still as dramatic as ever.

"I'd love to chat and catch up, but I've a birthday to plan...And I'm inviting you. So please bring your sister along" He said with a smile.

"Happy birthday man. So what's the date?" Lair asked.

"Friday. But I can't give you a venue yet. It's kind of spontaneous, and it's going to be a small gathering. Why don't I have your number so I can text you the time and venue later" Blake suggested.

"Okay" Lair said, passing his phone to him.

"I'll text you later. It was nice seeing you again" Blake said.

"Same here" Lair replied before walking away.

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"A colleague at my work place?" Amy asked suspiciously."What's his name?" She asked again making Lair roll his eyes in frustration.

"His name is Bl..." His voice trailed off when they heard the door open.

"Auntie!" Lair called out excitedly when Grace walked into the house with bags of groceries.

"Lair?" Grace asked in surprise.

"I can't believe you still look as pretty as ever" He said with a smile as he took the bags from her and hugged her.

"You tease" Grace said with a smile as she playfully smacked his arm.

"Auntie" Amy greeted as she approached them.

"Amy, you are here too" She said with a smile.

She turned to Lair, "When did you get back?" She asked as they walked towards the dinning table.

"Just this morning" He replied.

"Mom, welcome back. Where's Kelvin?" Jade asked from behind them.

"At the arcade with his friends" Grace told her.

"Auntie I have a request to make" Lair said with a cute smile as he placed an arm around her shoulders.

"Here we go" Amy said as she rolled her eyes at Lair. He'll never change.

"What?" Grace asked Lair with a smile of her own.

"I missed you so much that I've craved for your signature dish. Can you please make some for me?" Lair asked making a cute face.

"Just that?" Grace asked back.

"Yes, and don't worry Amy already volunteered to help you" He said, nudging Amy forward.

"When did i..." Amy's couldn't believe her brother just did that.

"Don't worry Amy, I can handle it" Grace said smiling at her.

"No Auntie. She'll help you. She has to learn how to cook, at least for her boyfriend's sake" Lair said with an evil smile. This was pay back for not picking him up from the airport.

"Amy you have a boyfriend now?" Grace asked in suprise.

"Ha who'd be crazy to date her. But I meant just in case she finds someone who's crazy enough to" Lair replied making Amy stare daggers at him. Her blood was boiling but she knew she had to be patient. Her pay back will sure be earth shaking.

"Lair stop teasing her" Grace scolded Lair before turning to Amy, "You shouldn't mind him. Will you help me in the kitchen?" She asked with a smile.

"Sure" Amy replied as she grabbed the grocery bags and followed Grace to the kitchen, but not without saying, "You're so dead Lair Walker".

"You really have no shame" Jade said shaking her head at Lair who had a proud smile on his face. He knew how Amy hated cooking or worst staying in the kitchen.

"I know that already" He said with a smug smile on his face.

"Let's sit outside" Jade suggested as she led the way to the porch.

They sat down at the porch silently for some few minutes before Lair broke the silence.

"How are you?" Lair asked her as he looked at her intensely.

"I'm fine, and how are you?" Jade asked back with a smile. She missed having Lair around.

"Come on Jade. Amy told me about it already. I'm asking how.are.you?" He asked seriously.

"I guess I'm fine" Jade said with a causal smile as she shrugged.

"I know you Jade. I know how you think, how your mind works. I know how you just take your emotions in and lock them in place, hiding it from the world with squared shoulders" He paused.

"I'm asking again, how are you?" Jade slowly turned to look at him silently before turning her gaze from him.

She slowly shook her head, "I don't know" She replied, making Lair move closer as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Lair had been her friend for so long and he knew the kind of person Jade was. He was here when her father died of colon cancer and he saw her devastated she was, but she held a smile everyday just to be strong for her mother and brother, even when her heart was in shackles. He watched Jade study like life depended on it so she could gain a scholarship for college, and still worked part time just to help her mother pay the mortgage when the bank almost foreclosed on them. He knew Jade more than she knew herself.

"Would it be wrong if I say, I still feel hurt?" She asked as she turned to look at him.

"No, it only makes you human" He replied sofly, returning her gaze.

"I don't want to be human Lair. I don't want to feel this hurt. This past few days I had to lie to myself, even to Amy that I'm fine and that I can do it. But I can't stop my heart from feeling the pain of his betrayal" She said as her voice lowered, while her eyes slowly turned red.

"He hurt me you know. I've been asking myself what I did wrong. How I went wrong? What I lacked? If I'm not good enough for him or anyone. If I was stupid or if I was too blind to see him for what he was...my heart hurts more for being a fool, for believing in what's not" A tear glided down her cheek. This myriads of questions have been suffocating her for days.

"It's okay Jade. Just so you know, you're more than good enough for any man out there, and you did nothing wrong in loving someone neither do you lack a thing in your life. You're just perfect for any man and far too perfect for Cale. He is a fool for not seeing that" He said as he wiped the tears off her face.

"Perfect huh??" Jade asked sarcastically.

"Believe me you're. And you deserve someone better. I don't want you hide all your pain in your heart. You have me, Amy, Auntie and even Kevin. So when you're trying to be bold and tough, also try talking to us" He said making Jade nod.

"What did you do to her?" Amy called from behind them as she glared at Lair before walking over to sit by Jade.

"Nothing, we're just talking" Lair replied.

"What did he do to you?" Amy asked pulling Jade from Lair's arm to hug her instead.

"I'm Sorry Amy" Jade said as more tears ran down her cheeks.

"What for?" Amy asked in a quiet tone, slowly patting down her back.

"For hiding my emotions about the breakup thing from you"

"Shhh...It's okay. Why did you think I called Lair. I know he'd make you get it all out" Amy comforted her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to bother you or make you feel sad for me"

"I know honey. That's why we have Lair to do all the worrying stuff" Amy said making Jade's lips twitch slightly.

"So how about we go to that party Lair talked about?" Amy asked with raised brows.

"But that's on Friday" Lair exclaimed. He had not mentioned the day earlier on.

"Friday? So why are just telling us now?" Amy asked shooting daggers at him.

"You didn't ask me missy" Lair replied with an equal glare.

"Tomorrow is friday" Jade added.

"So guys should look pretty. I want guys to shamelessly gawk at you both. So make me proud" He said standing up.

"And where are you going?" Amy asked with an irritated tone.

"To check on my food duh!" He replied without looking back at her.

"Glutton" Amy cussed out.

"I heard that" Lair said from inside the house making Jade laugh.. She missed this two crazy sibling.