Chapter 44: Are you going to see him?

"I will see if anything comes up, but for now, I am free. I'd prefer we stick to the beach or movies even as I don't enjoy seeing movies, but any of the options will be a better pass. I'll call you when I'm done dressing. Be fine," she was impressed with what she typed, and sent the message without having to double process all of it.
Jessie was an overthinker, and almost all her actions, she thought through thoroughly. Another of her fear was that she was beginning to let Charles's actions control her and it was scary. But on second thought, she was an overthinker even before she met Jason, and he still broke her. Her overthinking did not come through for her, so she decided she was just going to let herself enjoy everything with Charles as it flows without having to think too much. "Maybe, just maybe, he will turn out as the right person," she processed in her head internally.
Charles sent another message, which read, "I will just wait. I don't know why you would choose to see the movie when we could just go with my idea. But I am just going to do your bids, soon, the rules will be mine to make and I will do whatever I want to do with you then."
Jessie gulped reading the message, she got that it was a kind of lovely message, but it sounded rather scary to her. But from the decision she made earlier, she was just going to move with the flow and not overthink.
At another corner in Carlton city, Charles curved his chin upwards in a smirk, after sending Jessie the last message that he sent to her. No matter how he tried to ignore the fact that he was once pained because of her, it just did not stop him from wanting to get back at her. Even in the text he sent, of how it was going to be his rules to make soon, he meant every one of the words. And more especially in the part about getting her at his fingertips, and doing just whatever he wanted to do with her, no matter how hurtful he was.
He was no holy man and he had met a lot of girls like her, breaking their walls too. Her body language told him she was no different and to him, it was easier to coin around a novice.
Call him manipulative, he enjoyed being one. He was manipulated once upon a time, by not just Tamara who he felt was Jessie, but another girl in his past also. That was why he tried avoiding Tamara even though he found her attractive, but it didn't stop her from using him to win a bet with her friends. Not caring about the reputation, and whatever it may have cost him.
He pressed on his temples hard, trying to massage them, as he thought of every single thing he had to face with his family and friends, even his relatives also. His mood that was in order a few minutes back began to turn sour, and all of it was Jessie's fault as he blamed.
"Or was it his fault for not letting go of the past?" the thoughts ran through his mind, which he ignored as soon as it came.
Jessie finished drying her hair and then picked up a bunch of clothes from the closet, trying to settle on one option. She did not want to look too sexy and she was trying her best to not look like a termed "church girl" will.
She picked up a black Aphrodite high-waisted skinny jeans, then a multi-colored big t-shirt from the numerous clothes that were poured out on her bed and was satisfied with her decision.
After wearing it, she applied a little makeup using pale pink colored lipstick on her lips. Usually, Jessie was not so indecisive when it came to dressing, as she rarely paid attention to the details of her dressing. But once again, it was Charles, and he was making her begin to do the unthinkable things.
She packed the front half of her hair into a double bun, and let the other half fall backward. Jessie picked up a sunglass and tossed it into the mini bag she planned to carry out, as she still was not sure of where the day was going to take them too, but she had to prepare anyway. She took an ash-colored Jordan air sneakers that was on her shoe rack and wore them.
Satisfied at what she felt she looked like, as she was standing in front of a large mirror that ran from half of the wall to the floor, Jessie took out her phone and sent Charles a message which read, "I'm ready, you can come to pick me up."
Stepping into Luciana's room, she met Luciana still in a deep sleep. Jessie only moved closer to check if Luciana was alright, and from all indications which included her breathing that was steady and her body temperature normal, she concluded that Luciana was okay, and then, Jessie made her way downstairs.
Mrs. Ranez made her way to the kitchen to make breakfast for the girls as she was trying her best to become fully active in their lives. None of them had stepped out, and she was having her off day, so she decided to fill in with the kitchen duties.
Jessie innocently made her way to the kitchen, to see if she could find something in the fridge, unaware that her mom was there, till she heard a voice,
"Oh my...," Mrs. Ranez gasped, raising her hand to her mouth, "you are looking so beautiful this morning," she said as she stepped closer to Jessie.
Jessie only laughed in response, as she was lost for words to reply.
"See who is going on an early date, tell me, how is this new guy?" Mrs. Ranez probed, trying to keep up with the latest happenings in their lives.
"Mom," Jessie yelled outrageously, "I never said it was a date."
"So I should believe you are going for charity this morning," Mrs. Ranez giggled, "you know trying to do a lot of community service looking this good, huh?" She asked, trying to sound like she wasn't aware of what she was doing.
While she was still teasing Jessie, a message from Charles came on Jessie's phone. Jessie opened it and read it inside her mind, "I am on my way, will be there soon. Why do I feel like someone is eager to see me or you are obsessed with my touch?"
"Goodness...," Jessie blurted out, smacking her foreheads with her palms. She had forgotten that she was in the kitchen with her mom, and only remembered when Mrs. Ranez began to laugh.
Mrs. Ranez kept on laughing, till Jessie passed her this glare of "not funny Mom."
"Okay, okay, it's just I remember how you talked about not falling in love ever again. So what happened now?" Mrs. Ranez stated, raising her brows in inquiry.
"I never said I have, Mom, it's just a mere attraction, I will be over it soon," Jessie voiced out, adjusting the chains of her mini bag around her shoulder.
Mrs. Ranez, choosing to not pressure Jessie so much, "okay dear, whatever you want to do. Just don't hurt yourself, okay?" She said with genuine concern, spreading her arms to wrap Jessie up in an embrace.
"Okay mom, I will try not," Jessie replied as she fell into her embrace.
"Good," Mrs. Ranez voiced out as she patted her back, remembering how insecure and uncomfortable Jessie felt when she started living with them newly.
They talked about a lot of things while Mrs. Ranez cooked, Jessie, giving her gossips off recent happenings and funny things that have been going on in their lives. Even about their favorite TV show, that Mrs. Ranez had been missing because of work. While they were on it, Luciana walked downstairs, grumpily.
Luciana was still putting on her pajamas with her hair scattered all around. Her face still showed tiredness, as though she could go on sleeping for the rest of the day. Mrs. Ranez was surprised at why she woke up when no one did wake her up and kept her face like she was irritated.
"What happened, dear?" Mrs. Ranez asked as she walked over to her. Luciana just pouted her lips instead, and did not answer.
"What is it, you can always tell me?" Mrs. Ranez asked again.
"It's the foolish sun, Mom," Luciana said, and Jessie began to laugh already. Mrs. Ranez was still confused as she had not gotten Luciana's point.
"I've been trying to sleep, and I just can't. The light kept on disturbing my eyes," she said with her lips puckered-up.
"Okay, okay," Mrs. Ranez giggled, "you really must be joking," she said.
"I'm not," Luciana smiled at all of it, as she was able to distract her Mom's mind. She actually was experiencing a severe head pain, and the light from the sun made it harder for her to sleep, so she used the sun as an excuse when her problem indeed was the head pain.
Noticing Jessie's outfit, "Oh my...," Luciana started, moving closer to Jessie to admire her, "are you going to see him?"