CHAPTER 5 “BREAKFAST INVITE”

TACTICALLY, Jenny chose to free herself from Jason's tight embrace. And she didn't have a hard time doing that because when Jason probably felt her attempt, his embrace with her loosened.

"How are you?" Jason immediately asked her as soon as their eyes met. He even held her hand in such a way that it seemed as if he did not want to let go of it.

A shy smile tore at Jenny's lips. But despite the way on how she feels. There is this strange nervousness that the young man had been gradually giving her since earlier.

"I'm good," her sparing answer then decided to withdraw her hand that Jason is still holding.

Jason's eyes glistened with so much joy.

In different circumstances, perhaps if nothing bad happened to her and if nothing bad happened between the two of them then, she thought that she might be pleased with what she sees now.

But maybe because of everything she goes through, it seems that nothing is completely sinking into her.

“I’m sorry about your coffee. I think it would be a good idea if you will have breakfast with me and my mother?” Jason invited her.

That is when Jenny seemed to realize. “Oh no, I'm okay. I will just get myself a coffee again,” she said refusing Jason's offer.

Jason shook his head consecutively. Doesn't agree with what she replied.

"My mother will be very much please once you had breakfast with us. I should tell you that since you arrived here you have always been her favorite topic."

With what she heard, Jenny gazes at Jason with traces of questions in her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I'll tell you later," he said in a lively but final tone.

Jenny did not speak so Jason continued.

“Let’s go? My mother called me earlier, for sure she is already angry with me because I made the food wait again,” he said following his words with a light chuckle.

Jenny didn't say a word to Jason and instead let the young man do what he wanted to happen.

As they walk going back to the place where they both come from, Jenny prefers to keep quiet. It is not because she has nothing to say, the truth is that until now she still does not seem to believe that the place where she thought to find silence is where she found a past that left a very deep wound in her heart.

*****

"WHERE have you been and what took you long enough to make the food on the table wait?" that's what Jenny heard Mama Loida ask as she meets Jason.

"Don't be angry already, I've got someone with me," he replied then turned to her.

"Sweetheart, it's good and you thought of accepting my invitation," the woman passed by her son and approached her with a warm smile as she held her hand.

Jenny couldn't help but smile at what Mama Loida had done. She opened her mouth to speak but it all stopped when Jason preceded her.

"We met outside, we collided," he said.

If she was not mistaken it was as if she heard Jason emphasize the word collided. But since she was not sure about it, the young lady decided to dismiss the thought out of her mind.

"I planned to go for a walk," she said truthfully.

“Is that so? All right, after all, you are to be blamed for everything,” said Mama Loida who addressed Jason. "Later, take Jenny for a walk. Go with her wherever she wants to go,” the woman ordered.

“Oh no Mama Loida, there is no need for that. I'm fine. Maybe I'll just stay in the cabin after this,” she protested promptly.

"Jason has nothing to do, let him accompany you," said Mama Loida, waving one hand. "Come to the dining room before the food and coffee get cold," she said and leads the way to the dining room so Jenny did nothing but follow.

At the table, Mama Loida made her sit in the chair to her left, opposite the chair occupied by Jason.

Jenny would not have wanted to be affected by Jason's stealthy glances that she noticed but because of their past, she could not avoid the feeling.

"If it's okay with you Jenny can I ask you something?" Mama Loida when they were in the middle of their meal.

She turned to the woman and then smiled.

She did not plan to turn to Jason who happened to be looking at her. She could not understand but she did not want to give it a chance to have eye contact with him again like before so she quickly averted her eyes from him.

"Yes, what is it?" her response to Mama Loida's question.

"What do you do?" she asked her.

"I'm a chef, I also manage my mother's bakery," she replied then resumed eating afterward.

“Your mother is very lucky to have you. Ahm, please don't get annoyed with me but I just want to know, do you already have a boyfriend?”

"Ma," Jason rebukes his mother.

"Stop and I'm not talking to you!" after giving Jason a warning look, Mama Loida turned to her and smile.

Jenny shook her head consecutively. But she still couldn't stop herself from feeling amused at why Mama Loida is so strict with Jason and very kind and sweet to her.

"No, I don't have a boyfriend," she admitted.

"Is that so, you and Jason are the same," said Mama Loida.

As soon as Mama Loida said that, she deliberately turned to Jason who at that moment is sipping coffee in his cup.

But even so and he was just quietly listening to their conversation she could see him staring at her from the rim of his cup.

She came here to Baguio to forget what Ryan did to her.

But far from her expectation that here too she will see the man she first loved and the first who hurt and killed her heart.

"Ah, Mama Loida, thank you for the breakfast but I need to go back to the cabin," she said glancing at her watch. "I still need to call my mother," she said then stood up.

"Is that so, wait, are you full already?" the woman asked.

Jenny nodded then avoided glancing at Jason. Even in the corner of her eye, she could still feel his gazes on her. And that was the real reason why she decided to leave.

"I'll go ahead," she said again before finally leaving the dining room.

*****

JENNY breathed a sigh of relief as she entered her cabin.

Why she could feel so much discomfort now, she does not know. She is aware that Jason remained in her heart and mind. But she did not expect such discomfort that the young man would give her now that they met again.

She also did not expect them to meet again. And to think that he is still single until now? If she is not mistaken he is more than thirty years old.

Ever since Daniel died and she found out Jason's true feelings for Ara, she has also left the university they are attending. Because she lost her scholarship.

She neglected her studies because she was unable to cope with the depression she went through when she broke up with Jason. With that thought, the young lady sat on the edge of the bed just to be startled when she heard the series of knocks from the door of her cabin.

Her chest throbbed as she headed for the door. She seemed to know already who it was and she was not mistaken.

"J-Jason," she said as she looked up at the most handsome man she had ever met.

A beautiful smile tore at the young man's lips. “Coffee? I noticed that you did not finish what was in your mug over breakfast because you want to avoid me,” he said then handed her a mug of coffee.

"Avoiding you?" is what she said instead.

Jason just stared at her intently but the amusement was still in his eyes. "May I come in?" he asked.

Jenny did not answer and instead accepted the coffee mug then leads Jason into the living room of the cabin. There was a moment of silence between them until the young man seemed to be impatient and he was the one who broke it.

"Did you know that I have been looking for you on social media for a long time?" started the young man.