chapter 24: Kids Or Not?

Blaze was dreaming of lying down on the soft green grass as the wind was blowing elegantly until the sound of a gunshot made him jump out of his sleep. As his eyes fluttered open, he met with white chiffon fabric, and his arms were draped around that fabric, actually, around the person who was wearing that fabric.
Blaze shifted his head a little as he saw a few strands of brown hair coming from the top. His eyes trailed up, stopping at the grey orbs staring down at him. His eyes widened, his cheeks starting to heat up, and he attempted to sit up immediately, only to get his head bumped with Diva's.
"Ouch!" both of them winced at the same time and squeezed their eyes shut. Blaze was the first to open his eyes and notice just how close their faces were��only a few inches apart. He retreated his hand back that was still around her waist and scooted away from her, keeping a good three feet distance between them.
He lowered his gaze, staring at the floor, feeling conscious suddenly. He couldn't believe he fell asleep, that too, his head was resting on her lap and he was hugging her waist. How humiliating! How would he show his face to her anymore?
That was one of the main issues with introverts��they got flustered easily and couldn't let it go.
Once Diva was done soothing her bump, she looked at Blaze who seemed kinda timid for some reason. To start a conversation, and to remove the unwanted awkwardness, Diva asked, "How was your nap?"
"I-it was okay," he stammered. Blaze wanted to slap himself for stuttering out like a wimp.
"Just okay? You seemed like you were having the sleep of your life," she teased, a mischievous grin on her face.
"As if. It was very uncomfortable," he lied through his teeth.
"Really? I must have been hallucinating then." Diva gave a bright smile.
"Yes," he agreed and licked his lips, feeling unsettled.
Diva found it quite amusing. It was rare that Blaze Hudson got flustered. Although she wasn't clear why he was so embarrassed. But why did she have to care as long as she got to tease her friend?
"You know, you were mumbling in your sleep," Diva stated, suppressing a grin that threatened to take over her face.
Blaze flinched as he stood up from the sofa and exclaimed, "You're lying!"
"I'm not," Diva affirmed.
"As I said��" his words died in his mouth when his eyes fell on the maids that were doing their work around the living room.
The maids were here the whole time, the thought sank in. As the realization hit him like a brick on the head, his cheeks heated up as if they were on fire and his heart leaped in utter agitation. Blaze ran a hand through his hair and silently walked towards the staircase, making his way to his bedroom.
Diva wondered what happened to him all of a sudden.
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"How embarrassing! I was sleeping in the living room, that too, on Diva's lap. The maids saw that as well. What would they think of me? What about my image? What if her grandma saw it too? Ugh! So embarrassing!" Blaze whined to himself, standing in front of the dressing table while brushing his damp hair.
He touched his cheeks with his cold fingers to feel them burning hot. He made sure to sprinkle freezing, cold water on his face to cool it down, yet it didn't work. "What am I, a girl?" he scolded himself and shrugged off the weird thoughts.
Just then Diva barged in the room without bothering to knock. Blaze wanted to say to not just waltz in like that. But he didn't say that, afraid that he would end up stuttering.
"Blaze, dinner's ready," Diva informed him.
He hummed in reply.
"When are you coming?" she asked, playing with the bracelet in her hand.
Blae ignored her question and let out, "You should have just sent a maid."
"I would have. But Grandma told me that it's my duty to call you for dinner," she told him in a singsong voice.
"How considerate of you!" he taunted and put the hairbrush down, before making his way out, Diva following behind him.
"Aw, don't be like that. It's not like I'm doing it just for Grandma, you know," Diva interjected, with a pout on her lips. "You are my friend."
"Whatever." Blaze rolled his eyes.
I seemed to have calmed down a little bit. Thank goodness, Blaze heaved a sigh since he wasn't getting as flustered as he thought he would. Oh, but little did the shy Hudson know, more embarrassment awaited him.
As they entered the dining hall, Blaze greeted Emerald with a small smile and sat on his usual chair. When they started eating their meal, a thought occurred to Emerald, so she asked, "Have you two thought of kids yet?"
Suddenly Blaze choked on his food.
"Diva, pass him the water," Emerald urged, so Diva helped Blaze drink some water and rubbed his back in circles.
Blaze swatted her hand away and said, "I'm okay." He forced a smile on his face and drank some more water, glaring at Diva, who just chuckled nervously.
"As I was saying, have you thought about kids?" Emerald repeated.
He was lost for a whole minute, wracking his brain for a tangible reply. "Why do you ask?" Blaze questioned, his gaze locked on the plate of food in front of him, the back of his neck felt slightly hot.
"Grandma, do you want us to have kids?" Diva asked bluntly.
Can you not say it like that? Blaze gritted his teeth. Just the thought of having kids with Diva, he didn't know, it was just unthinkable. Even so, his thoughts went off-track as he started thinking about what their kids would be like.
Since he was an introvert and Diva was an extrovert, their kid would be in the middle, right? A normal kid, who didn't talk too much, or didn't stay quiet too long.
What the fuck am I even thinking? Blaze slapped himself internally, bringing himself back on track. He was ashamed of himself.
"No, it's not that. It's too early for you guys to have kids, is all I'm saying," Emerald stated.
Phew, relief washed over Blaze.
"Nowadays, young people are so eager to have kids, they don't even think it through properly. Since Diva is so airheaded." Emerald glanced at Diva, who pouted. "Blaze, you understand, right?"
"Yes, yes, of course," he replied quizzically. "Even I don't want kids," he added.
"What? You don't want kids? But the kids are so adorable!" Diva exclaimed.
"To you, maybe." Blaze rolled his eyes.
"Now, that is not right. You need to have kids, but not now, okay? Kids are very important. They fulfill��" Grandma lectured Blaze about how significant children are in their lives.
What did I get myself into? he wondered and continued eating his food. Did Blaze Hudson ever imagine that a simple topic of kids would have him flustered? Still, his mind wandered off to that topic again and again. He couldn't get it out of his head, and it was embarrassing for him. He just couldn't un-think it.
After dinner, when Blaze and Diva went back to their room. Diva noticed that Blaze was unusually quiet, not that he was a chatterbox, to begin with.
"Hey, Blaze, is something wrong?" she asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"No," he replied curtly.
"But I can see something is bothering you," she pried.
"I don't want to talk about it." Blaze averted his gaze from Diva.
"Oh, okay." Diva forced a smile and went to grab her laptop.
"Where are you going?" he inquired.
"I'm going to my own room," she answered.
"Why?" He furrowed his brows.
"I don't want to disturb your sleep." She smiled at him. "Have a goodnight," she wished and left the room, leaving Blaze with his own train of thoughts.
"She is so weird. Sometimes, it feels like nothing affects her. Sometimes, it seems as though she actually cares. Stupid girl." Blaze stomped his feet and sat on the couch, before starting to work on his laptop.
As midnight drew closer, Blaze felt bad for making Diva leave the room. Maybe he shouldn't have whined about his sleeping problems. Maybe he should have just sucked it up and learned to bear with it.
But she was already gone. He wouldn't go to bring her back, would he?