Everything comes back to you -J.MARIANO

[1.11]

ꪻaryn strolled in the bookshop (Andrew's) post reading a recommendation for a specific book in a magazine. Andrew's bookshop was closer and given that it was close to five o'clock, she merely assumed the other would be closed. "Fancy seeing you here," she whispered upon meeting Jess in the aisle which Andrew had disclosed as the location of this specific book. He had clocked her entry to the bookshop the second the bell above her head rang, simply because he had been trying to avoid Luke for the evening and had plans to run the opposite direction to him should he enter the building. The likelihood of accidentally running into her was just a bonus of his current circumstance.

"We do spend a lot of time in bookstores," Jess replied as she smiled softly, her gaze falling on the shelf just behind his head. "What are you looking for?"

Taryn hesitated before her explanation, gaze drifting down the bookshelf in front of her. Once she reached the bottom shelf, she let a gentle sigh. "The book you have in your hand."

"This one?" he taunted, holding the book up victoriously. She hadn't an idea as to why Andrew didn't have multiple copies in stock but the very mere idea that he would get the book and she wouldn't be aggravated her soul, even though he would undoubtedly let her borrow it.

She rolled her eyes jokingly, "What do you want for it?"

He frowned, feigning confusion, "The book?"

"No your jacket. Yes, the book!"

He, for a moment, looked taken aback before smirking his response. "Sarcasm? Wow, am I influencing you?"

"Mariano," she almost muttered, wanting to get back on track so she could somewhat wager the book from him. "The book?"

His smirk grew as he leant against the bookshelf next to them, hesitating for thought even though he had already figured out what he would have liked to get out of this situation. After thirty seconds, for her it felt like hours and she had began to impatiently tap her foot subconsciously. "Dinner."

She raised a brow, intrigue beginning to set in. "Dinner? What kind?"

"Whatever you want," he shrugged, not having much care for what they would be eating as long as they were eating together.

Taryn looked away from him for a second to glance at her watch. Based on the time, she figured that her Da wouldn't have started to make dinner yet so she could swing home and tell him she wouldn't be eating without creating annoyance or food waste. She smiled softly, "Chinese?"

Without hesitation, he handed her the book and smiled subtly, "Deal."

Taryn grinned as she took the book from him and the two of them quickly went up to the counter so she could pay. Andrew, who had watched the interaction out of the corner of his eye, suspiciously eyed Jess as Taryn paid. She didn't see a second of the squinted eyes, based on her natural avoidance, but she could sense a posture shift in Jess that just didn't sit right with her. So she walked quickly out of the bookstore and by the time they paid for their dinner, his natural posture had returned and he seemed comfortable again.

Because of sudden rain, Taryn and Jess were forced to seek shelter indoors for their meal instead of their original plans to sit underneath the willow tree at the lake - their usual spot. So, as his home was closer, they chose to eat there. Luckily Luke was busy downstairs with customers who had also run away from the rain so they were able to sneak upstairs without him seeing Jess. They sat opposite each other on the circle table in the kitchen of the apartment, both digging into various containers of food whilst chatting away. "No there is absolutely no way, I don't believe you," Taryn half laughed as she stood from the table, having suddenly felt the cold as their conversation lulled.

"I'm serious!" Jess replied, turning in his chair to watch as she took a blanket from the messy cupboard and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"I'm sorry but I've known Luke nearly all my life and I simply refuse to believe it," she chuckled softly. Once she returned to the table and he turned back towards her, she continued, "He cannot have been a jock."

"He had a jacket and everything," he added, attempting to further convince her of the truth.

She raised a brow, "What for?"

"Track and hurdles."

She grinned instantly, an image popping into her head, "Shut up!"

"His pictures in the hallway at school."

She frowned, wondering how she hadn't spotted such a thing beforehand. "Is it? I don't really pay attention to sports."

"Really?" he responded sarcastically, eyes full of fake disbelief. Taryn picked up one of the fortune cookies still within the bag and frustratedly threw it at him, of course not intending to hit him. Jess outstretched a single hand and caught the fortune cookie as it approached the side of his head. "I'll show you tomorrow."

She smiled and watched as he opened the fortune cookie, his eyes widening at the words written on the slip of paper. "What did you get?"

"If I tell you it won't come true," he replied quietly whilst pocketing the slip of paper.

"It's not like birthday wishes," she laughed and tucked a problem piece of hair behind her ear. The rain had entirely ruined her curls but she didn't care too much, it was only Jess and she saw no ounce of dislike in his eyes. In fact there was initial concern that her hearing aids would break and he had even offered to hold a coat over her head, she enthused that it was not necessary as they were pretty much rainproof. "You just don't want me to know."

"Do I?"

She hummed, "Must feel pretty relevant to your life... Did it say that perhaps the I hate the world attitude is not suited towards you? Oo! Or did it say go to school else you're going to fail out?"

He rolled his eyes jokingly, "Ha ha very funny Tee. Aren't you going to open yours?"

Choosing to ignore the slight tugging in her stomach at the nickname used, she picked the second fortune cookie from the bag and cracked it open. "Sell your ideas, they have exceptional merit," she paused briefly to set the piece of paper in an empty container. "I don't believe in those anyway."

"No?" he frowned, having not expected that specific piece of information. "I thought you would have."

She shrugged, "I normally always get the same two in rotation so not really."

"So to you that doesn't mean anything? Out of all the fortune cookies in the world you get the same two? Seems meaningful to me."

"I don't know, I just never have," she paused. "What did you get?"

"Not telling."

"Jess."

"Taryn."

She sighed, figuring that this conversation wasn't going to get anywhere. "I dislike you."

"Hm, sure you do," he responded before placing a piece of the cookie into his mouth.