Death Pleasure

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Second Date

A week had passed, Patricia is together with Jax every day and has no contact with Yahir and Janna anymore.

The missings are still missing, but no more additional victims. Because Jax was being inspired and busy with Patricia.

Sitting in the corner of the darkroom, he was smiling. For once, he finally felt again alive. Patricia brought him to dream and wish to find his genuine happiness--and it is to be with Patricia forever.

Wait, is he blushing while thinking of her?

But he can't be.

He doesn't know. But the only thing that came into his mind is to see her every day. He is excited, so he stood up and decided to fix himself.

He drove his car into the mall and hugged himself while waiting at the entrance. The breeze made his skin shiver.

Minutes had passed, he saw a figure of a woman, wearing a dark teal jacket partnered with thick navy blue pants, walking towards his direction.

He smiled widely, waved his hands and pretended he wasn't bothered by the weather. Patricia was busy looking right and left of the road while crossing, but still managed to notice him and smiled back.

The moment she reached him, he wrapped his hands into hers. Patricia was surprised. Isn't it too soon? But when Jax caught her reaction, he quickly withdrew his hands, "I'm sorry. I'm just used to hold my friend's hand," he excused and gazed into her eyes.

"That's fine," she said and responded to his eyes.

Seconds of awkwardness, she destroyed the silence, "Wait, aren't you felt cold?"

Jax looked at his plain white shirt and summer shorts, "Why? It isn't snowing yet, is it?" he asked ignorantly.

"Nah... Don't lie, your cheeks are turning to red. You might get hypothermia." Patricia removed her jacket and remained her sweater, "Here, use this," she lent.

He shook his head, "No, I can't. That's supposed to be my job."

"I don't care about the stupid norms, just accept it. Also, what are friends for?"

He left with no choice but to take the jacket and wrapped to his neck.

"Thank you, I-I didn't expect it will be this cold," he chuckled.

"Me too. The breeze is too soon this October. The snow is near."

"Yeah."

"That wasn't enough, let's buy you a jacket."

As they went inside, spider webs, pumpkins and scarecrow statues welcomed them.

"I can feel the Christmas," Jax murmured while they are walking.

Patricia can't help but laugh at what she had heard.

"Yeah, I know it sounds ironic. But I still felt the Christmas vibes."

"You're weird." she teased.

"I'm sorry."

Patricia went in front of him and stopped, and so Jax. "Why sounds pathetic? That's a compliment. I love weird people."

"So, you're saying that you are weird too?"

"Of course."

"Prove it," he challenged.

Patricia looked around, and pointed to the fashion store, "There's a jacket over there," she said and lead the way.

"Don't change the subject," Jax who still standing teases her.

"Don't be silly, I'll tell it to you later while dinning."

He shrugged his shoulder, "Okay."

Dim yellow lights shone their eyes, as well as the warm air-conditioned embraced their skin. And there they saw a variety of hanging fashioned outfits.

Patricia walked in the aisle of jackets, surveying each item she was passing through. Suddenly, she noticed that Jax is still standing at the door and watching her. "Aren't you coming?" She invited.

The volume of her voice is enough to travel in his distance, but he didn't hear it, because he remembered someone. He felt that this scenario is being repeated,

but not with her.

"Wake up."

Jax came back to his senses when he felt the heat of her palm touched his cheeks.

"Is there something wrong? Don't worry about the price, just think that this is my Christmas gift. Or if you want, this is my trick or treat."

"No. I just felt like... Do you believe in Deja Vu?"

"That's lame. But it's normal to experience that feeling. It's just from your memory feeling the same mood or ambient but the scene wasn't really repeated exactly. Maybe you just used to have a friend that you bonded in the mall."

They spent some minutes inside the store until Jax realized something.

"Patricia, I don't know what to pick."

She was holding two thermal jackets at that moment: one dark teal and cream white, and decided which one to choose.

"How about this?" She offered the dark teal.

"Why I didn't see that? That's perfect," He said monotonously and they went to the corner.

While paying at the counter, Jax was curious about another jacket they bought. "Who's the lucky man that will receive that gift?"

"It's for my friend."

She was pertaining to Yahir, and that dark teal jacket was supposed her gift to Yahir so the color would be paired with her sweater.

And that's also the reason why Jax loved that Jacket.

While walking towards the food court, they saw a Halloween themed photo booth. So they decided to spend time on it.

"One... two... I told you to smile."

Jax shook his head, "It's embarrassing."

"You looked more handsome when smiling."

At that moment, he blushed and can't control himself but to form a smile.

"One, two, three!" She counted quickly and shoot.

After, she lent his phone to him so Jax could see the result.

"See? You're more handsome when smiling!"

Jax was flattered by the compliment. "Now It's your turn," he while readying the phone.

When the camera is opened, he focused it on the booth. But his eyebrows crossed to each other, "Hey? Where do you think you're going?" He said when he noticed Patricia is walking away.

"I'm hungry, let's eat!".

"Nope, picture first."

Patricia felt guilty, so she has no choice but to do this fairly. She went to the booth.

"One... two... Wait, why aren't you smiling?" He intentionally raised his eyebrow.

She pouted, "Fine!" Then forced herself to smile at the camera.

"Can't you be natural? Smile naturally?"

"I never thought you'd be this manipulative!"

"I didn't hear you, just smile. People are waiting for their turn!"

Patricia followed his order.

"One, two, and three!"

After, Jax turned to the old lady next to their line, "I'm sorry for making you wait," he gestured his hands pointing to the booth.

"No, let me take you a couple-picture." The stranger offered.

"Thank you. But by the way, we're not a couple."

"That's hard to believe."

That time, Patricia had just reached them. "Oh, mother, I'm sorry for making you wait."

"Go back in there, I'll take you a picture."

Patricia didn't hesitate to accept the generosity so they posed in the booth together.

"Grandma, let me handle this," her teen granddaughter initiated.

***

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