After that disastrous date, Aselia began to avoid Jaguar. She felt uncomfortable in his presence. She would either send him out on long missions or patrol duty or would do the same to herself.

If he was in the cafeteria she would eat in her office and if he was in the training room she would make excuses to not go there.

One evening she was taking out her frustration on a punching bag in the training room, wearing a crop top and yoga pants. She was startled by his deep voice:

"You have been avoiding me, Falcon," it was more of a statement. Aselia stopped punching the bag and taking off her gloves turned to face him. Sweat covered her face and shoulders. The Ruby bracelet glistened on her right arm. While he stood there with his hands in the pockets of his leather pants.

"And why would I do that?" she side passed him to drop her gloves on the table.

"You tell me," his gaze followed her to her neck and shoulders where precipitation shimmered like dew drops and travelled down her back to soak in her shirt. She picked up a towel from the table and began to dry herself.

"I am not," she kept her eyes away from him while he kept them on her and said:

"You can’t even look at me, can you?" this made Aselia turn and she faced him again.

"You are being paranoid for no reason at all. I am busy, we are going through troubled times. We need to be prepared and vigilant."

"You don’t even go on missions with me anymore," he held her gaze.

"You are not my partner, Yurian is. And you can handle such small missions alone. If a need will arise I will accompany you," she answered before turning around to walk out of the door. But he walked swiftly past her and blocked the way, making her stop in her tracks.

"Watch a movie with me tonight and let’s get drunk. You promised to be my friend," Jaguar pleaded.

"I am your friend but I can’t watch a movie with you," Aselia knew she didn’t feel anything for him and was wrong to keep leading him on.

"Why not?" his eyes searched hers for hints of what she truly felt.

"Because I feel like I am using you to kill the loneliness in my heart, it’s wrong," Aselia slumped her shoulders.

"Use me all you want. I don’t care," he spoke abruptly, his pleas apparent in his words.

"I do, don’t rid me of guilt more than I already have," she tried to steer past him but he clasped her arm so she would stop.

"Please, you can’t give up so easily. Stop pushing everyone away, even if you don’t feel anything. Can’t you just lighten up and have fun with me? Leave the guilt out and come to my room tonight. I will wait for you."

He let her arm go and walked out, leaving her dumbfounded. He was persistent that was for sure but what he wanted to gain was beyond Aselia.

Sighing she headed for the washrooms to freshen up and change. As long as they stuck to watching the movie, she hoped there was no harm in it.

After freshening up and changing into a t-shirt and jeans Aselia texted Yurian that she would be late today so he can head home from his patrol duty and not wait for her at dinner.

Pocketing her phone Aselia made her way to Jaguar’s room and knocked on the door. He opened it within a few seconds and grinned like a teenager seeing her standing there.

"I am only here for the movie," she replied in a serious tone and entered his room.

"Affirmative," he grinned behind her and closed the door.

H

Jaguar’s room was dark and he seemed to have altered the settings according to his taste. There was no bed just a huge mattress which he had untidly arranged on the floor with lots of pillows and cushions. There were strips of golden neon lights tapped along the walls, which gave out a beautiful golden tint to the room. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

A gigantic flat-screen tv had been set up on the wall across the mattress, a mini room fridge lay in the left corner. And a few posters of different bikers adorned the walls of his room. Aselia peeked at them and asked while settling down on the edge of the mattress:

"Have you ever considered becoming a professional biker? I am sure you are already in the top 10."

Jaguar grabbed a few beer cans and chocolate bars from the fridge and hopped on the mattress too before answering:

"It occasionally crosses my mind but I haven’t gotten the opportunity so far. My organization doesn’t let its members take such professions. Maybe one day, who knows?" he handed her a chocolate bar and a can of beer.

"Thanks, and I hope so," Aselia took the bar and opening the wrapper began to gnaw on it.

"Make yourself comfortable," he pointed to the spot next to him and Aselia scooted over.

"So what are we watching?" she asked opening the can and taking a sip.

"Up to you," Jaguar handed her the remote control and Aselia began to flip through the movies. Finding one of Paul’s latest movies she played it.

"Ahh! Stroinis fan. Man is a legend," Jaguar chuckled seeing her wide smile.

"He doesn’t age and I swear he is the most handsome man I have ever seen," Aselia appeared starry-eyed.

"He is a vampire and a playboy. One of my friends was assigned as a bodyguard to him," Aselia’s face fell a little. Why he had to be two things she hated the most?

"Really? A playboy," she questioned with disappointment.

"Yeah, as they say never meet your idols, they will only disappoint," he shrugged his shoulders and Aselia couldn’t help but say:

"Meh! Not that I was planning to meet him but I love his acting."

"Will you sleep with a celebrity if you get a chance? I mean if he is available," Jaguar wanted to observe her reaction and see what stance she had.

"I can’t seem to sleep with a normal person and here you are asking me to sleep with my crush," her face turned red like a tomato and she bit her lip so as not to say anything more.

"Sorry," he gave her a sheepish look.

"Let’s watch the movie now," she averted her gaze from him and hoped he wouldn’t ask her awkward questions. They silently began to watch the movie.