Chapter 18: And Then There Was Steve
Jonathan and Liza had spent the last forty minutes sitting on a chair, Jonathan glanced at Liza as for the fifth time in last twenty minutes she refused to dance with someone. Jonathan was happy that no one else was going to be holding his Liza tonight but he was also worried about her. Liza loved to dance and although she had two left feet, she could waltz like nobody's business. He could see the wall of defense she had built around her and he knew that he was he reason behind that wall. He knew that even when she was talking to him, she had her guard up. It felt as if there was a glass wall between them. It was painful to watch her fake her smiles whenever she was with him, she rarely laughed anymore and even if she did it was merely a remnant of her laugh.
Liza had been enduring Jonathan's burning stare for the last five minutes and she was getting increasingly irritated by every second. Her body acted as if it could feel his eyes on her and goosebumps rose on her flesh. Many people had come to ask her to dance but she had refused everyone of them. It wasn't that she didn't like to dance but that night she wasn't feeling like dancing. It could be due to the fact that a certain someone was sitting beside her. They had barely spoken a few words in last twenty minutes .There had been a time when she could talk to Jonathan for hours. They would talk about anything and everything but that time was long gone and now there was only lingering awkwardness. Fed up of Jonathan's staring Liza turned to Jonathan and raised her eyebrows as if asking him what he was staring at ? To her surprise instead of finding a cocky or even a flustered Jonathan she found him looking at her with a wistful expression. Jonathan shook his head side to side and looked away.
Liza wondered what it was all about and was about to ask Jonathan when a new hand appeared in front of her. "May I have this dance ?" a husky voice asked. She looked up and saw Steve. His golden hair were slicked back, and his eyes were twinkling with usual mischief in them. He was wearing a black suit and was looking absolutely delicious. Liza hadn't expected to meet Steve at the party so she was surprised when his handsome face came into view. " Must you ask me that every time you meet me ?" Liza questioned with playful exasperation. Liza had met Steve at few parties after Krista's meeting and he had made a point to ask her to dance in every one of them. "Well, you look so beautiful every time I meet you that I can't resist asking you to dance with me " Steve shot back with a wink and a light smirk. Liza let out soft laugh. She got up from her chair and said "Well, I am sorry but I am not in a mood to dance tonight". "Why do you always refuse to dance wit me?" Steve whined. Liza chuckled at seeing a grown man whining like a baby. "I am sure somebody else would be more than happy to dance with you but I can't" she said. "Fine. don't dance but then you owe me a date" Steve stated with a winning smile on his face.
Liza hesitated a bit. Sure Steve was a nice guy and all but did she really wanted to go on a date with him? She had a few casual dates with some guys but none of them had ever appealed to her much but Steve was someone she actually enjoyed talking to and who knows she might even like him. She wondered if it would be awkward if she said yes with Jonathan sitting right beside her. Liza glanced at Jonathan once and found him looking around the surroundings. Satisfied that he was too busy too care, she turned to Steve and said "Sure. Just text me the date and time". Steve looked surprised for a second as if he hadn't expected Liza to say yes to the date. A light blush formed on his cheeks and he grinned. "I really didn't expect you to say yes but now that you have agreed to it I will make it the best date you have ever been to" Steve said with a cocky smile. "Sure, we will see Mr. Casanova" Liza teased him with a smile of her own. Suddenly Steve leaned in and placed a light kiss on Liza's cheek, then he pulled away, made a bow saying "Until then my Lady" and left with a smirk on his face with a blushing Liza in his trail.
Jonathan looked at the blush forming on Liza's face and had an urgent need to punch Steve. Liza was standing beside him with a stunned expression on her face. The soft smile that spread on Liza's face was beautiful something he hadn't seen since he had met her again but knowing that the reason behind it was Steve was his own personal hell. He had heard them flirting and had heard when Steve had smoothly asked her out. He had pretended to be looking around so that Liza couldn't see the look of absolute fury on his face. His knuckles were white from forming hands into fists and his rage was barely controlled. Jealousy seeped through every pore in his skin and for a second he wondered if he was really turning green. It was weird that even after so many years and even after deciding to let her go, how he still considered Liza to be his. He wanted her to be happy but he wanted to be the reason behind her happiness. He loved her blush but he wanted to be the only one to make her blush. He knew that he was being selfish but he had to try. He knew that letting her go would be the right choice and he would let her go if she truly loved somebody else but till then he would try his best to win her heart .000