Chapter 29: Do you feel anything for Rebecca?

The day before, after Charles dropped Jessie at the Ranez home and went for his text, he was still vexed about the whole incident. He felt he had not dealt with Oswald enough, so he drove over to his house to teach him a few things. And as it could happen, he did not leave there without exchanging one or two blows with Oswald. Oswald being on the receiving end.
Even as Charles had a large amount of hatred for Jessie, as he thought she was Tamara, he still did not like the idea of assault. Inexplicably, it pained him more that Oswald tried to cause Jessie pain when he was the only one that wanted to feel responsible for her pain. Apart from the pride that Tamara showed when Charles joined Hill's view college, he admired her. It was just her rude attitude and the stupid bet she had with her friends that developed the whole hatred he had for her.
"Hello," Jessie said smiling faintly, with one of her hands tucked into her trouser pocket, as she made her way to Charles. She had searched for him around the whole school and even had to ask Carl. Carl told her that Charles was in school, but he didn't know where he was. So, she was certain about one thing. But her problem now was knowing exactly where he was.
Jessie tried calling him countless times, but the call did not just go through, so she continued the search. She finally went to the parking lot and saw his car. Charles sat there, in the driver's seat. When she met him, he was just staring at nothing through the windshield, the door of the driver's seat open and he had a lit cigarette in his hands.
She was shocked for two reasons, firstly she had not seen Charles smoking before, and also his new attitude of pushing himself away from people was strange.
"Hi" he straightened up himself as Jessie walked over to him, "Were you looking for something?"
"Not really, but I've been trying to check for you. I hope you are doing fine?" Jessie inquired, her face still holding the smile, as she stood by the side of the car.
"I'm doing fine. You can come in" Charles opened the passenger seat, and as if on cue, Jessie hopped in, closing the door behind her.
"Thank you", She mumbled just as soon as she got in.
Charles took the cigarette in his fingers and threw it away, stepping on it before he turned his face back to Jessie, "so you said you were checking for me?"
"Umm... Yes," Jessie stammered, her face a little bit lower than his view, with her hands trying to straighten her hair backward, "wanted to ask you some questions, I don't know if it's necessary anymore."
"You don't think it's necessary and you kept on checking for me. I am sure you must have tried calling my phone countless times. So tell me, what is it?" He probed.
"Well, I saw a few new bruises on Oswald. I wanted to know if you are the one responsible for it?" Jessie questioned Charles, her eyes still not able to stay at his, and her fingers playing with each others trying to fight back the prickling sensations of his eyes on hers.
Charles just smiled internally, maintaining the same expression he had on his face, "so why do you think I am responsible?" He asked, staring at Jessie the more. She had to get used to his presence, he didn't understand why she was feeling uneasy around him. At least, it wasn't the first time they were talking, and it was not any count close to the second, so she was going to have to kill the fear, for many reasons at least, even the ones that were purely beneficial to him.
"I just felt like asking you. Never said it was you" She shrugged.
"Now how do you expect me to have this conversation with you when you can't even hold a gaze with me." Charles queried, smirking a little as he raised his hands to the back of his head, and took a slanting position on the car seat, relaxed. "I can only answer your question when you look at me. The little I know I don't bite"
A part of Jessie wanted to cut all those corners, and go straight to what brought her to Charles, she needed to know who she was to him, so she does not get caught up in a web she spun herself.
Chuckling out her nervousness, "you should not think I'm trying to avoid your gaze. I just want to shut off light rays from getting into my eyes." She affirmed.
"I see," Charles twisted the side of his lips and continued, "about Oswald, I went back to meet him, I still wasn't satisfied, is there a problem with it?" he asked Jessie, and Jessie shook her head vigorously in response. "Then I think we're cool then. Or do you have any other thing you want to say?"
Charles was fully aware that Jessie's decision to ask him about Oswald's scar must have been prompted by Oswald and he was just going to wait and watch her spill out whatever rubbish Oswald filled her with.
Still not satisfied, "Oswald once mentioned something about Rebecca?" Jessie giggled, fighting off the anxiety she felt, "it's not necessary, I just really want to know if you feel anything for her?"
"Hmm..."Charles hummed, the part of the conversation he anticipated, was gradually coming in, and he was very prepared to give a response.
Charles kept silent for a few minutes, not necessarily thinking of an answer, but trying to spike up different emotions in Jessie. "I am certain I told you about the relationship I have with Rebecca, and if you suspect anything other than that, then I guess it is just you overthinking. Besides, it will do your friend Oswald a lot of good if he learnt how to stay to himself and not carry baseless gossip about."
Jessie swallowed the bundles of emotions that overwhelmed her, she didn't know what at all she felt, but she was in no way pushing further anymore.
She smiled at Charles, saying her goodbyes as she stepped out of the car. She had checked her watch and it was a few minutes before the practical class she had. Just as she was closing the door of the passenger's seat, she heard Charles say,
"Call me when you're done. I'll come to pick you up. We have some things to discuss." Jessie smiled and waved at him in response, as she watched him start the engine, and drove out of her view, into the city, just outside Chelan college.
When Jessie caught up with the others, she felt much lighter, and they made their way to the practical class, moving quite fast. Just as they were close, Sophie walked over to Alyssa smiling at her. Sophie's red-colored hair swayed as she got closer, her eyes still carrying the cunning glee with her smile not doing any less.
"How are you doing, Alyssa?"Sophie inquired, playing with her hair and Alyssa paused, inhaling a deep breath to stay just okay.