Chapter Five
The next few days were very hectic for the four friends. They gave support to Damian for two weeks till his father's last rites were done. Angela's oldest brother, Arnold, helped Damian with the legal formalities. He called his friend Bob Harris who was a lawyer to help Damian.
They attended classes too together and left the campus together. When Damian was able to cope better and things looked well, Juliette went home, and so did Angela. Xavion continued to live with Damian. He hated his own home, it reminded him of his parents.
Classes went on as usual and life went on as usual. Damian and Angela's relationship improved after his father's death. They confessed their love for one another and were together. They seemed to be lost in a world of their own, a world of love.
They didn't have much time for Xavion. He started spending more time at his own house now. Xavion still pursued Juliette relentlessly. After spending two weeks in her company with lots of stolen kisses, he was certain that she was the one for him.
That weekend she visited her home since she hadn't seen her family for a fortnight. They were worried about her. Xavion followed her, she had become a drug for him and he couldn't survive without his daily dose of her kisses. He was distressed as Damian was together with Angela while Juliette didn't even want to talk about a relationship with him. Did she have a boyfriend already? He had to find out.
Juliette deeply thought and thought and realised that she too loved Xavion and wanted to belong to him. She wanted a future with him. She didn't have the courage to confess immediately but she was in the process of gathering her feelings to confess her love for him.
She went to the marketplace with Jaden, her brother who was a year younger to her but was too tall for a seventeen year old. They went to the Walmart superstore there and started filling their shopping carts.
"So, he's the reason why you won't love me back?" Said an angry Xavion, glaring at Jaden, ready to punch him left and right.
"Who the hell are you?" Yelled Jaden, pulling Juliette behind him.
"I'm her everything, who the hell are you?" Said Xavion as he angrily punched a shocked Jaden. Jaden hit back and they started a full fledged fight within seconds.
Juliette was shocked to see Xavion at Travis Springs. Once the initial shock died down, Juliette realised what was going on. Xavion imagined Jaden was her boyfriend and they were fighting like cats and dogs over it. Other customers were standing and watching the fun. Someone informed the security and he was striding towards them.
"Zavi stop," she yelled, "He's my brother."
Xavion froze and looked at her with his jaws dropped. Then he looked at Jaden and scratched his head in confusion.
"You didn't tell me you're her brother?" He asked as the security guard came and stopped in front of them.
"What's happening here, son?" He asked, looking at the two boy.
"It's under control. They've stopped. We'll complete our shopping, " said Juliette, intervening.
"Are you sure?" Asked the security, suspiciously looking at the three.
"Yes sir, " said Jaden and the security guard walked off.
"Hey I'm sorry dude," said Xavion, looking apologetically at Jaden.
"Ok, Jaden, this is Xavion Alexander, my classmate. And Xavion, this is Jaden, my younger brother. He's a year younger than me," she introduced.
"Hi, you can't be only a classmate. Are you two together?" Asked Jaden.
"Yes," said Xavion.
"No," said Juliette.
"Both of you decide whether you're together or not. I can turn around, " said Jaden, winking at them.
Juliette glared at Xavion while he blew a kiss towards her. "I saw that," said Jaden, smirking.
"Shut up Jady," said Juliette,"Let's get this shopping over and done with." Jaden made a grimace and rolled his eyes at her. He hated that nickname. It sounded like a girls name. Who called their brother that?
They all completed the shopping and went to their car. Xavion went to his BMW.
"Why don't you come home with us? After all you took the trouble to follow Jules all the way here," said Jaden, grinning challengingly, knowing full well that his dad would skin Xavion alive. Served him right for unnecessarily thrashing him.
"Noo, please Xavi, go home," said Juliette, panicking. "Dad will not spare you, he'll shoot you."
"I'll follow you to your house, Jaden. Lead the way," said Xavion, ignoring Juliette's warnings. He never backed out of a challenge.
Shrugging his shoulders Jaden opened his car door and climbed in. Juliette climbed into the passenger seat nervously. Jaden drove off followed by Xavion in his BMW.
They reached the huge sprawling mansion of Christopher Meyers in ten minutes. Parking their cars, they all trooped into the house. It was a Saturday and the whole family was sitting at the table waiting for lunch to be served. They looked up as Stella, their housekeeper served lunch.
"Dad, meet Xavion Alexander, Juliette's classmate," introduced Jaden. "Xavion, this is Christopher Meyers, our dad."
"Hello sir, good to meet you," said Xavion, undaunted as he shook hands with Juliette's dad.
"Hello son." Said their dad, inspecting him properly from head to toe.
"That's our elder brother, Jayson," introduced Jaden as Jayson and Xavion acknowledged each other with a nod. "That's Jade, our youngest," said Jaden and Xavion smiled at her.
"So, what brings you here to Travis Springs?" Their dad asked suspiciously in his booming cold voice which would frighten even the Bravest of the Braves.
"I came to meet Juliette, sir," said Xavion, truthfully as Juliette sat down shocked at his response in the chair beside her youngest sister Jade to steady her wobbly legs. She was scared of what her father might do now.
Jaden's jaws dropped and he stared at Xavion, trying to warn him of the storm that was brewing in the room.
Christopher Meyers stared at the boy who spoke to him without batting an eyelid. "Why?" He asked sternly.
"Dad, let it go. Let's have lunch," said Juliette's elder brother Jayson.
Their dad simply ignored his request and stared hard at Xavion, expecting an answer from him.
"Because I love her, sir. I love her very much. I wanted to see where she belonged to, I wanted to see her roots. I wanted to meet you all. Don't worry sir, I would never do something to make you ashamed of Juliette. I love her and will come to you and ask for her hand when I make myself eligible for her," said Xavion with a hand on his heart as he spoke honestly and truthfully looking Christopher Meyers in the eye.
"How are you so sure, son? It could be a small crush," said her father. The whole room was silent. They all stared at Xavion in disbelief. They didn't know what reaction their dad would have to his proclamations of love.
"No sir. It isn't. I don't do crushes. This is my true love from my soul and I know she's the one for me," said Xavion, seriously.
Their father thought for sometime, the tension in the room was threatening. Juliette sat frozen like a statue while Jaden looked like he would faint any minute. Jayson sat agitatedly twisting his hands nervously while Jade looked down, ready to flee at the first sign of violence.
"I see," said their dad, "I like your spirit, son. I like your honesty and courage. Come, join us for lunch," said their father as everyone looked at him incredulously.
"I've seen you somewhere before," he said thinking as Xavion and Jaden sat down at the table for lunch. A nervous Stella served them.
"Yes sir. You saw me at my house when you came to meet my dad, Xavier Alexander," said Xavion. He had a wonderful memory and he recognised his dad's lawyer the moment he saw him.
Their dad got up from his chair and everyone trembled with fear. "You are Xavier and Marion's son?" He asked incredulously, coming up to Xavion.
"Yes, sir," said Xavion as their father's face broke into a smile.
He hugged Xavion tightly and said,"They were my best friends. I can't believe this." When he released Xavion finally, he said,"I was very broken after their fatal accident. I wanted custody of you, but your uncle refused. I was so upset that I left law practice and handed my company to Jayson, my eldest."
"Oh, I didn't know," said Xavion as they all sat down again to resume lunch.
"So, who's looking after your dad's company?" Asked their dad.
"My uncle Dave is but he hates it. He's an author and architecture isn't his cup of tea," said Xavion and Mr Meyers smiled.
"Are you interested in architecture?" He asked.
"Yes sir, I love it, " said Xavion and Mr. Meyers smiled appreciatively.
"Call me uncle Chris," he said and Xavion nodded.
"So you're planning to take over from him?" Uncle Chris asked.
"Yeah, after this term ends, I'm planning a partial take over and then a complete take over in another year," he said.
"How will you manage your studies then?" Asked uncle Chris.
"I won't do regular classes from my third year. I'll opt for weekend classes or whatever options they have for working professionals," said Xavion.
"Very good. I like your focus. All the best son," said uncle Chris. "If you ever need my help, here's my card, just give me a call, anytime," he said, handing Xavion his card.
Christopher Meyers patted Xavion on the shoulder and left the table. Xavion and Jayson chatted for some time about how Xavion should take over his dad's company.
"I should get going, it was nice meeting all of you," he said getting up. Then looking at Juliette who was busy listening to what he was saying to her brother, he said, "Will you escort me to my car, Julie?"
Juliette blushed and looked at Jayson who smiled and nodded. She got up and went out with Xavion. She came to know a lot about Xavion, his courage, his focus, his determination, his undaunted spirit. The more she knew him, the more she fell in love with him.
As they walked out of earshot, she asked, "Why did you follow me, Xavi?" She asked.
"You didn't give me my drug, my kiss today. You know I can't live without it," he said and Juliette looked around to see if anyone was listening to them.
"Please not here," she said, looking around.
"I'm not leaving without it," he said, determined to get his kiss before he left. He came all the way here, faced her family and now if she didn't kiss him, he would.
So he caught her wrist and pulled her to his car. Starting it he drove off some distance to an isolated spot. "Now, kiss me," he demanded.
She shyly went forward and kissed his cheek. Xavion simply picked her up and placed her on his lap. Then pulling her onto him, he crashed his lips to hers. He kissed her passionately, showing her how much he craved for the kiss. His tongue plunged into hers and she kissed him back with equal passion. Her hands caressed his cheek and his soft hair and his hard chest and he was lost.
When he broke the kiss, he said,"I love you Juliette, so much you don't know. Please don't ever leave me. I'll die." Juliette just simply hugged him to her and he hid his face in her chest, loving the feel of her so close to him. He knew she felt something for him. He knew that she loved him, although she never said so. He could feel her love in everything that she did.
They kissed and made out till Xavion reluctantly had to drop her home. He would see her tomorrow again for his kiss. He couldn't live without her and her kisses.