It's crazy how some events completely alter us in ways, metaphorically teleporting us to a moeity where everything looks delightful and appealing.

A certain emotional positivity fills in and changes the outlook towards everything, be it as unsettling or disturbing. Every bad is logically taken care of, every mess is settled decently because we stay in the daze of the good. Not letting it wear off no matter the circumstance.

Which is why even the document loaded with work terms didn't look half as intimidating as it usually does.

A knock resounded on my door making me tear my gaze from the file, I looked up and frowned. "The door was open, why did you knock?"

"To wake you up from your daydream" Cassie smirked.

"I wasn't"

"Yeah, whatever helps you sleep at night. Well in your case 'day'" said Ken who had now walked in and shut the door. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Is there a specific reason why I'm graced with both of yours presence?"

"Yes! For the tea" Cassie said.

"For the wha-?"

"The tea, go on spill it!" Ken said plopping on a chair and rolling it straight in front of me while Cassie was plain towering my sitting form.

"I don't know what you're talking about" I mumbled, slightly worried that they may have gotten gist of the incident but how can they, I never told anyone and Gabriel probably wouldn't.

Ken looked towards Cassie and uttered, "I thought we were past her being an idiot phase"

"Even i'm not sure if she didn't get it or she's great at pretending" she replied.

"I'm right here!" I said loudly.

"Oh so she can interpret our conversation, she ain't that dumb" Ken remarked. I kicked him on the shin. "Okay not dumb but definitely violent" I rolled my eyes and continued working on the computer ignoring the two.

These two were here to waste my time and they love pestering me. The more I'd ignore, the sooner it'd take for them to come to the point.

"Oh my God Ken!" Cassie exclaimed quite excitably making me look at them from the corner of my eyes.

"Well thanks Cassie. Noone has addressed me so highly but God is a bit extra. Dont you think?" he laughed.

Cassie smacked his head and whispered something in his ear making his eyes go wide.

Ken pulled his chair even closer to me and gazed at me unblinking, making me finally look at him in question. "You just ignored us and went back working!"

"I...guess" what does that have to do with anything. What is he implying?

"Which is exactly what Mr. White does. You both are copying each other without even knowing it and lets not ignore the freaking daisy lily garden you both are living in ever since you stepped in the office" Cassie continued.

They picked it up, they knew something was wrong. Was my constant zoning out too prominent and wait... Was Gabriel thinking about that incident too?

"Did something happen?" I asked nervously.

"Shouldn't we be asking you that? You're literally glowing and blushing and don't even get me fucking-" I flinched, "Sorry! Freaking started on what Gabriel has been doing. Don't even ask!"

"What did he do?" I asked regardless his statement.

"I knew you would ask and well I would've disowned you if you didn't because I taught you better than to stay less curious and-"

"Ken! the topic. Stay on the topic!" Cassie reprimanded.

"I was coming to that. Jeez women you interrupt too much" he said with a poker face

"So as I was saying don't even get me started at what he has done. Well, count the events on your fingers because they are that visible.

First, he walks in without a jacket. I repeat without a jacket which has never happened in the history of mankind. Gabriel White has never slid out of his professional attire ever so dodging the blazer was well...eye boggling.

Then his hair, he had this messy bed hair which appeared as if they weren't combed and neither did he bother putting them in place, which again is nothing he ever does.

Then I walk here to speak to you and what I see is an interested crowd, now when I follow their gazes I see Gabriel staring at the flowers on some employees desk who looked freaked out. I don't blame him though he was certified to feel scared. I even heard him apologizing for keeping the flowers but Gabriel wasn't listening.

He was in some other place just creepily staring at the almost dead looking flowers and it wasn't the bad stare, mind you. It was more of the 'okay I approve of this' stare. He was freaking lost in some other world which is as unique as the sightation of a honey blizzard snake"

"What's that?" Probed Cassie.

"Nothing! Which is what my point is. That it's nothing. How he is behaving today is out of my mind and it's blowing my senses away.

If this isn't alternate universe, i don't know what is. So tell me Smurf, what did you do to make his morning this good?" Ken said, quirking his brows at me and Cassie nodded.

This couldn't be possible, I'm sure these were just some rare coincidences. It's not like Gabriel would be as affected by the kiss as I am. I mean it was just a kiss and he must've had too many after all wasn't he reputed for all of it.

But about me...

My face was burning red in horror. It was so visible, I'm so stupid. Couldn't i school my features to not put a show for the world. I mean it wasn't something grand. Just a kiss.

Okay so no, it wasn't just a kiss. Gabriel and i had kissed and there was nothing unnecessary to ignore about it.

I remembered the feeling of his warm lips on mine, how he'd held me so close to him and how they moved in synchronization with mine.

My eyes were closed and it felt surreal kissing each other. It was so deep and yearned, as though we were starved. Like we couldn't get enough of one another.

There was frenzy in the sweetness of his movements. Calmness in the overriding emotions. It felt relieving yet strongly igniting. The movements were smooth but the havoc they evoked wasn't.

It made me feel like I was floating, having nothing around me at the same time being complete staying in his arms. He makes me feel like the world is 'it' with him there, he is my 'it' but then I question. Aren't I too soon to say this! He probably doesn't feel things that way, like I do.

I should be cautious but I am not, I should take my chances but I don't want to. If he is bad and if this is how he traps people then let me be a ruin, my resistances aren't ultimately too strong. If this is my ruin, I'd let him do it because he has become my kryptonite and he doesn't even realize it.

He has melted my insides where I don't even know how was I before he came to my life. But weirdly enough i want to stay this way because it appears as though I am liberated, from what...it's still not vivid. But it feels like I have freedom from something... which was exactly what I prefer.

When we pulled apart after our passionate yet subtle making out session, I couldn't open my eyes. The heightened sentiments weren't permitting me to do so.

My cheeks were smoldering in the blaze and my knees were giving away, feeling lifeless. Our heavy breathing was the only audible sound other than the nearly bursting beating of my heart.

I felt his hand on my face as he tilted my chin up but looking in his eyes was still an impossible task. He placed a firm kiss on my forehead and let his lips linger there while I was in a swirling hypnosis.

I'd clutched his collar tighter because my body was a mush against his touch and he'd probably sensed that which is why his hold was strong.

He rested his forehead against mine and murmured in a hoarse, edgy voice which was bearing so much of an emotional pitch, it was unidentifiable.

"No word from you in a situation like this is scary, knowing that you're prone to babble any random statement in intense scenarios."

I didnt respond. I was basking in his scent, the feeling and the recently conspired event. When i didn't speak for sometime, he pulled back making my eyes flicker open

His brows were furrowed and he ran a harsh hand through his hair, not paying heed to their nicely done form, "You're regretting it, aren't you? You didnt want it and now you-"

I cut him off by placing my lips on his, it immediately shut him up but a few seconds in and my boldness had me collapsing.

Pulling away I looked anywhere but his eyes and said, "I hope this answered it. As much as people crave to hear you speak, for this first time i want you to keep quiet. Whatever the moment is, however it is, live it!

Don't overthink things, even if something is meant to go bad just know that the pleasure it brings is temporary. The correction of the negativity is inevitable but if the good of it is enjoyed, the punishment would eventually seem worthwhile."

He didn't move and just had his locked eyes with mine. It seemed as if he was stunned, unable to speak anything. His eyes were in such a soft green that it knocked my breath away. We were trapped in a never ending eyelock where the gazes had a language which was hard to decipher but we understood nonetheless.

There was silence engulfing us, completely and utterly yet what remained vocal was the exchange of emotions in the eyes.

"Jesus!" came a shrill voice, halting my breath all of a sudden and making me gasp. I sprang away from Gabriel even when he showed reluctance in letting go of me.

It was Emily, she had a tray in her hand and her eyes were the size of golf balls. Her cheeks were red and hands were shaking but the ecstatic glint in her eyes was unmissable.

"I'm just going to go, don't worry about me." She mumbled and walked straight away in robot like movements.

My breaths which were already erratic were threatening to blow my system now. We were dazed and in that alternate zone, I'd spoken and done so much with Gabriel without even bothering to filter or control anything whatsoever.

It was like I was free to have him absorb my newly discovered sentiments without putting them to words and he was there to welcome them without even knowing what he was signing up for.

We were so deeply lost in the little bubble of ours that we constantly were drenched in the flow of it and kept proceeding and functioning on the instigations.

"I..." I cleared my throat and clenched my eyes shut, Gabriel looked at me in question, i whispered under my breath "I got to pee"

With this, I raced upstairs not sparing any glance behind. I couldn't look behind because I was scared I would go and kiss him again and as powerful as the emotions were to me they might be overwhelming for Gabriel and he might reject them and break my heart which is why I controlled myself.

Locking myself in the room, I backed against the door. Placing a hand on my mouth I squealed in the lowest possible frequency I could conjure.

I was so overjoyed and excited, I could feel palpations on my face. What did just happen?

After spending about an hour in handling myself when I finally did go down dressed, Emily hugged me to her chest jumping in happiness.

She also informed that Gabriel had asked me to use his driver to be at the office only if I wished to be at work and if not he was fine. I was gobsmacked but Emily wasn't, she was sure that she heard him right even when I refused to believe it.

I decided to not burden Gabriel more than I already had by staying at his house so i decided to hire a cab but I couldn't even step out of the gates without having the guards move behind me.

When I politely asked them to not follow me they didn't bother replying and had just once announced that I wasn't allowed to leave alone because apparently Gabriel had set them for the job.

They ushered me to the car and drove me to the building. I need to have a talk with Gabriel concerning this extra safety insurance where I was escorted in a car with three bulky scary looking gentlemen only to be driven to work.

Reaching at the office, I didn't see Gabriel at all, partly because I overheard someone mentioning him being in a conference and mostly because I wanted to make my mind on what my attitude would be before we see each other.

I'd ran and that is some weird thing to do after making out with someone. And that someone being Gabriel so it's only okay to have a reasoning planned for that.

"She is purposely ignoring me. I thought we were good friends. Well guess who was wrong?" Came Ken's voice, effectively breaking me out of my reverie.

"Aren't we a bit too dramatic today, Ken?" I retorted.

"Seriously?" He said pointedly.

"What?"

"You think you've become wiser enough to dodge the topic? Then fine, do what suits you!" With this he stood up, pulled a box from under my table where I store my candies, grabbed one and angrily went out the door before I even had time to contemplate.

How did he know about my secret stash. What is this guy?

"Drama queen!'" I sighed.

Cassie took Ken's place and held my hands in hers. "Come on Jenna tell me what happened? You can't keep hiding and don't say it's nothing because you and I both know that's not the truth"

I blushed, "Nothing too much, Cassie. There-"

"Jenna" she whined.

I threw my hands up sighing, "Okay fine! We kissed. Gabriel and I kissed. That's it"

It was when these words went past my lips, a disaster like situation erupted around me. The first thing I heard was a sound of a body collapsing and screams that could make a person deaf.

I stood up from my seat to see that Ken had slumped against the opened door with chocolate bar hanging from the corner of his mouth and drool slithering down his chin.

I winced and nearly gagged at the sight. Cassie was dancing in the background with a stupid grin. "Pay up Kennie Poo, I told you they got intimate"

"What on-?... Guys you bet on us?" I was speechless.

"Of course only an idiot can not see the obvious signs of sexual tensio-"

"Shut up Cassie" I said, hiding my face in my hands. What is happening?

She guffawed and pulled my cheeks, "Whatever you say Jen! Oh my God, I am so happy for you" she hugged me with all her might.

I was dying in mortification at this point and didn't know what to do.

Ken sprung to a sitting position and shook his head like a wet dog, like he couldn't believe what was happening.

Then he yelled in a soul shattering squeal, "MY IDIOTS HAVE FINALLY GROWN UP!" OH LORD!!"

My eyes widened, they were making a scene at the floor. If Gabriel gets any idea about this, things are going to get more awkward. He might as welldislike the jeopardy of a private matter specially the one assosiated with him.

He seems like a secretive person.

To distract Ken I said, "You were evesdropping"

"Very well I was" he agreed with a grin.

"May I ask why?" I placed my hand on my hip

"No you may not" he said and Cassie broke in a fit of giggles.

When I glared at him, he sighed, "Because Smurf I knew you were close to confessing, I knew you were going to do it anyway, with or without me."

"Then why did you march out angrily?"

"To have a valid reason to put hands in your secret stash" he smirked, "had I not pretended to be upset I wouldn't have gotten a chance to storm out James Bond style and well you wouldn't have given candies to me otherwise.

I've been eyeing them for sometime now. By the way it's a very nice place to hide them. I almost couldn't find them, note the 'almost'"

He and Cassie highfived making me groan.

I have never been any more delighted to see Matt than I was at the moment.

Matt was at my door as he had promised before because we had a meeting and luckily both of us were in it so Matt had requested for us to go together which I obviously didn't mind and agreed to.

He curiously looked at the laughing buffoons and I was dead sure at a certain point he was weighing their sanity level when they started moonwalking in sync in my office.

The four of us had random conversation where we were talking about everything to nothing but gratefully not about the topic I was dying to not bring up. Thankfully they didn't bring it up, saving Matt the misery of their silly behavior.

It wasn't long when they resorted back to their happy state.
It appeared as though they conquered a planet and couldn't contain themselves.

Matt looked really worried at one point. He sneaked me out of the room, away from those overly excited adults.

When we reached the floor where ye conference was held, we still had a few minutes until the meeting and noone had showed up, we were the first ones.

Hiding by the corridor, I let out a laugh and he joined me when we reminced the act Ken and Cassie have put and how they were pushing each other's chair round my office to provide entertainment to each other in their state of ecstacy.

It was as though the roles were reversed, not Ken and Cassie but Matt and I were the ones laughing like crazy.

It wasn't until a figure walked by us and loudly cleared their throat before aggressively entering the room was when we realised that people had started filing in and we possibly looked stupid laughing at the door.

I was curious as to who was so adversely offended that they so unethically interrupted us by clearing their throat so loudly.

I shrugged, Matt grinned, clutched my hand and tugged me towards the door, "Come on Jinjo, we're already late"

I scowled, "Don't call me that!"

"Sure Jinjo" he said and we walked inside, almost everyone was present.

From all the people seated, the only one my gaze drifted towards was looking right back at me, making me immediately look away.

I was nervous.

Matt was walking beside me and was whispering something. I was all busy in calming my raging emotions that I couldn't focus on anything which is I nearly tripped on the rug.

My heart caught in my throat but I was effectively held in protective arms. I heard a sharp intake of breath and a sound that suspiciously sounded like a growl but I paid no heed to it.

Looking up, I thanked Matt, "Don't fall too much for my charms Jinjo" he winked.

I stuck my tongue out at him making him chuckle and kiss my cheek, "You're such a monkey"

We were into our bantering and heading towards the table while more people were getting in the room.

The chairs were almost all filled other than the one next to Gabriel and three at the sides.

Matt dragged me towards the three vacant chairs when I yet again heard clearing of a throat. This time it was prolonged almost as if intruding.

As I sat next to Matt, my eyes darted towards Gabriel when someone addressed him, "Mr. White, are you alright, would you like some water?"

So, he was the one with a bad throat?

Mental note Jenna, prepare him soup as soon as we go home.

Home. Home?!? What on Earth? It's his home, not yours, alright? It's his house, you're just a temporary guest.

He refused the water and signalled to have the presentation begin.

In all the time, I wondered why the chair next to him was empty. It was as though it was reserved for someone.

Must be someone important.

Halfway through the meeting, I felt a poke from my left making me jump in alarm which caught everyone's attention.

I mumbled a small apology and glared at Matt when I saw him trying his best to keep in his smile.

"Wanna listen to a fact, Jinjo?" He whispered.

I looked at him surprised, he really had guts to propose telling facts in the middle of White GOI's meetings.

"If you ever feel sleepy during an important discussion, just yell 'Jesus, help me, Amen' on the top of your lungs. Not only you but everyone's gonna wake up"

"Why don't you demonstrate it Matty Batty" I smirked.

"Hey don't call me that!" He said smiling at my face.

"Why shouldn't I? You don't listen to me when I ask you not call me Jinjo"

"Because Jinjo is cute"

"So is Matty Batty" I countered.

"Is not!"

"Is to-"

"Mr. Pauling if you have better things to do than focussing on an important work which you were given a chance to be a part of then you can leave.

I'm sure we'd have better people who would be more tilted towards doing their own job rather than interfering in someone else's." Gabriel's voice boomed through the entire room, quietening everyone down in it's wake.

I meekly mumbled, "It was my fault, I was speaking with Matt. We'd make sure it won't happen again"

Gabriel kept looking in my eyes like he couldn't believe it. What did he not believe, that I wouldn't stand up for Matt? Even though Matt was wrong here, he wasn't the only one. If he was getting in trouble, I was equally at fault.

Gabriel's eyes snapped back to his work and he didn't make any eye contact with me after the incident making me turn edgy.

Did I upset him? I don't even know what I did?

A napkin slid infront of me with a giant 'I am Sorry' and a smiley face sketched in it making me smile.

I looked at Matt and mouthed, 'I am sorry too' he shook his head and flicked my cheek.

I was absorbed in the explanations but I could feel a pair of gaze burning the side of my head, it had such an alluring hypnotizing power, it made me feel lifeless but I decided to hold onto myself a bit stronger. Whenever I looked at him, he looked away.

The meeting was over but people were still discussing things in groups so we decided to stick back even though we didn't really have much to say but it was the decent thing to do.

Matt offered me a glass of water and whispered, "Stay hydrated because you're important"

"Do you star in a water commercial?" He rolled his eyes.

I took a sip of water. The room was starting to clear up only Gabriel and a few other people were left behind.

My phone started buzzing in my pocket so I was rushing out of the room to attend the caller but before I could leave, I heard Matt saying,

"Be ready by seven, I'll pick you up for our date"

I chuckled at mock saluted,

"Sure thing Matty Batty"

The conversation was normal but what it didn't predict was for the room to go silent and for someone's heart to fall.

***
A/N: So an update.
Unedited*

An adorably sweet girl at University challenged me saying that I just mock around and not really post updates, so this is for her. So it's dedicated to you 'F!'

Also, about the Matt and Jenna bantering, two people from my class inspired me to write the scene. They are mostly always getting in trouble with the teachers... I wouldn't disclose their names due to privacy issues but smartarses from my uni might catch on them 'Y & A'

Thirdly and most importantly, Fine line's so closeeeee. I'm losing my mind. I can't believe my baby did it again. He's charming this new era and stealing my breath away. He won the Style icon in people's choice today. What they don't know is the new era is high waisted pants and suspenders. Someone hold meeeee!!!

Also, Etched has been shortlisted for the Rocket Awards for best Romance so thank you for your love and support always.

Please press the star to vote and share.
Love, S!