***

"Watch where you're going, punk! Are you hurt?" Jade scolded him.

"Be careful from now on, okay?" He helped him up as he skated to a safer area.

Watching him with appreciation, Jade dusted his body since he fell to the ground as well.

"What?" He frowned at her.

"What do you mean, what?" She asked confusedly.

"You keep following me and staring at me." He complained at looked at the children chattering at a distance.

With this, Sapphire unzipped her bag and brought out her stamp.

She opened his left palm and imprinted the stamp on it.

"Good job." She said to him with a smile.

"What are you doing?" He questioned.

"I'm rewarding you by giving you a good job stamp." She replied to him, lovingly. "Keep it up, Jade. You've done a good job today." She caresses his head like how she does with her students.

Jade looked at her amazingly as a small smiled formed on his face.

"Let's ride on that!" She pointed as he admired the stamp on his palm.

***

Kate went to her office as she unwrapped the gift Jade gave her earlier.

Seeing that it was a model toy, Kate clutched her jaw in surprise. She couldn't believe Jade actually gifted her a model toy. Tears clouded in her eyes as her fingers shivered around it.

After a while, She went to place it on her shelf. Besides it were a couple more toys and the picture of her late son.

Slowly, Kate held his picture and admire his cute, charming looks.

“It's 23 years now since you left me. I think Jade, your younger brother still thinks of you as his elder brother. Only if you were alive to meet him, I would have been best friends and brothers. He made something that you loved most and gifted it to me. You model toys...” Staying this, Kate placed his photograph close to where he heart beats, on her chest.

More tears lingered down her eyes as she smiled. It was tears of joy but somewhere deep inside, Kate could feel her son's happiness too.

Destined had it that Jade would be her son, after all. Kate's late son, Jaden Alejandro had an accident with his dad, Paul. Paul survived a couple of days before he died too. Before Paul's death, he accepted to adopt Jade as well so, Jade had been their son ever since then. Kate still calls Jade her son's nickname; Jadee.

***

Jade and Sapphire put on a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards and states as they prepared to join the rest of the kid's inline skating.

"It was bad enough that you made me make plastic models. Now you're making me go roller skating?" Jade complained.

"Doesn't it look fun?" She smiled at him.

"Do you do these with your students as well?" Jade asked, interestedly.

"No, we play indoor, but we're allowed to farm and play football outside." Sapphire explained. "What about you. Have you done this before?"

"No."

"Me neither. There was this place to do this in my neighbourhood, but I only watched them." Sapphire narrated.

"I couldn't do this as a child because they told me it was too dangerous. Jade muttered.

"Try it now then, let's see if you'll break a bone since you're an old man now." Sapphire joked as she stood up.

Jade grabbed her by the shirt pulling himself up too as they skated to the same direction.

Sapphire fell at every attempt she made, since it was her first time. The same goes to Jade, but he tried. They watched how the younger kids did it so easily.

"Slowly!" Jade held her hand as they rolled skated together. It was more fun than expected. Not until Sapphire fell on her knees.

"Whoosh!" Jade too fell to his butt and moan in pain.

Luckily, there were knee and elbow pads to prevent them from scrapes.

"My knee hurts!" She cried.

Are you hurt?" His eyes searched around her knee area.

"You lied when you said you've never done this before, right?"

"Why would I? This is my first time." He admitted.

"You said you've never done this, either."

"Yes I haven't. This is my first time. She made clear."

Jade wore a jealous smirk at her. "Who was the person you last skated with?"

"Geez! I told you I've never done this before." She made clear.

"Let's get up." Sapphire muttered as she reached for Jade's hands for support but instead, she fell on him.

With this, they stared into each other's eye, intensely. Jade searched her crystal blue eyes that was same colour with the sky. She looked prettier than when they first met. Lost in the eyes contact, two children came to stand behind them.

"Isn't that Miss Blac?" A 6 year old boy asked.

"Yes, that must be her boyfriend. A taller girl who seems to be his elder sister replied him.

"I heard people in a relationship kiss. Let's watch them do it." She muttered to her brother with seriousness.

The kids folded their arms on their chest to watch their next move.

Hearing this from the distance, Sapphire turned to them as they burst into laughter.

"Come on, let's go." The girl held her kid brother as they continued skating.

Sapphire quickly stands up but she fell again.

"Come here." Jade helped her back to the bench as they took off the skating wears.

"Wow! I don't think I'm strong for this. I'm never going to try it again." Sapphire cursed underneath her breath as she took off the skaters and knee wears.

What are you strong for then? You're not skilled at assembling plastic models, either. Jade hissed at her.

Watching him talk to her in this manner, s slim frown appeared on her face. But Jade smiled with made her smile too.

Just then, her phone rang and she picked.

"Hello dear. Aren't you going to bring your boyfriend home?" Fiona started the conversation.

"Hello mum!" Sapphire replied. "It's only 3 months since I started dating him, okay? So chill..."

"Why don't you introduce him to us? What kind of guy is he? I could help yo-"
Fiona was trying to explain but Sapphire cut intro her words.

"I'll see you later mum. I don't need your help with this." She turned away in confusion, not wanting Jade to get their conversation. "I'm fine, there's nothing to worry about."

"I want to meet him, Fire!" Fiona's whined over the phone.

"When the right time comes, mother! Not now!" Sapphire blurted.

"What if I don't like him?"

"Who cares if you like him, it not? I have to like him."

"Have you had sex already. Is he good on bed?"

"I told you were not living together! Bye!" She cuts the call abruptly.

A smile appeared on Jade's face as he had heard their conversation.

"Does she want us to pay a visit?" Jade asked in concern.

"Don't even think about it. Sapphire hissed, taking off the helmet on her head. I thought she'd stop her nagging after I got myself a man. All she wanted for was for me to date a guy, and she's still nagging. Why is she so intends on getting me married off?" Sapphire wondered.

"I'd be fine with meeting her." Jade admitted.

"With this, Sapphire moved closer, staring at Jade with a sincere look.

"Then, would you... marry me?"

Jade's smile dropped immediately as his heart pondered on the thought.

Sapphire burst into laughter was Jade wondered what was funny. She hit him hard on his arm, but he just stared at her awkwardly.

"You freaked out a little just now, didn't you? Don't go around spewing weird stuff from your mouth if you know you cannot do it. I was just joking, Jade. Because you and u can never get married."

With this, Jade felt guilty. He could help but to think where all of these would end?

What if I end up falling in love with her, won't I be able to marry her because of the contract?" He asked himself as he took off the skating tools on his body.

Later that night. Jade went to the bar where he usually drinks with his best friend, Lucas. He ordered more wine as he thought about it. Jade couldn't imagine what would happen in the next 3 months. Somehow, he feels he was getting used to her already. Thinking about how his day went, Jade remembered the stamp she imprinted on his palm earlier that day, for saving the young boy. With this, he checked his palm but all he could see was the faded blue ink that had wiped off.

Thinking about Sapphire, it seems he wants to know more about her and perhaps, spend more time with her. With the sad look on Jade's face, Lucas entered the bar. Seeing his friend disheartened was something unusual.

"What's up, Jade? Why the long face?" Lucas's smile dropped as he studied Jade's expression.

"No. It's nothing." Jade covered up once more. He tried to smile, but he wasn't even happy.

***

At The Damien's Mansion, Sandra was speaking with her son, Ace after dinner.

"Your grandpa is quite a stubborn person. After he saw your uncle leave the company and his family behind because of a woman, he stopped looking at his children. As such, he won't hesitate to throw you or Jade out in a blink of an eye."

"But if Jade hadn't been adopted by my older uncle, would things have been different now?"

"Yes my son. Maybe." She focused as she replied to him. "Well, I don't have any brother now so that's why Jade is taking your place as the first grandson of the Chairman. Do you know, you don't fall short of Jade in any way? It's just that your last names are different. That's all. You know that right?"

Ace nodded in reply.

"All you have to do is give your best. A chance like this won't turn up again so prove yourself worthy to your grandpa." Sandra persuaded as Ace took a gulp of water.

Thinking about it was getting frustrating every second of the day. And every day, all he wanted to know was about Sapphire.