Jason comes out of his room with Carry. A smile is plastered on his face and Carry smiles as well. There is this hopeful energy between them. A few boundaries are slowly breaking. A few that Jason in his growing confidence is willing to break a little faster.
"Thanks again for another great study session Ms. Gold. I can't wait for another." Jason says
Carry chuckles and pushes on his shoulder slightly. She's a few inches shorter than him and he finds it a tad cute looking down on her. Although he never thought about it before. "Well at the rate you are learning, I won't have anything else to teach you." Carry says.
"Oh. That might be a problem, with me wanting you to come back, I guess I should slow down then." Jason jokes.
Carry blushes at his obvious flirting but steals herself. He's just joking, she thinks to herself. He has to be.. "Well, if you want to use my office when you get back, you better take this seriously, young man."
Jason laughs. "Oh don't worry I'm taking it very seriously." Carry knocks him on the shoulder again. They notice Kyle in the kitchen and Ana heading off to the shower. She must have worked herself tired from her own busy school life.
"Looks like you guys are done for the day," Kyle calls out from the kitchen. He is cooking dinner, intermittently dancing and softly playing music. Jason notices that he seems to be having fun. Kyle hasn't looked so happy and content in a long time. Jason can tell he is right at home.
"Guess who's eating with us Kyle?" Jason asks for him to state the obvious.
"Yes. If you don't mind me staying?" Carry politely interjects.
"Of course," Kyle shouts," You will always be welcome in our home. Let me start getting stuff set." Kyle begins rushing around a crazed energy awakening in his movements.
Kyle would usually just have everyone eat on the couch but there is a teacher here. A teacher that was influential for Jason. Ms. Gold is here, she has helped Jason and continues to help him even now. Kyle has to pull his A-game. He lays out the finest table cloth over the living room table and calls everyone out.
The dinner is set pillows for seats.
It's humble, it's homely and Jason chuckles as he leads Carry to sit down.
"Come sit down, Ana is washing up and will be out soon. Can I get you anything?" Kyle asks Carry as Jason and her both sit down.
"Water would be nice, Thank you." Carry asks politely. Carry and Jason sit right beside each other, their knees lightly touch through their clothing and for a moment Carry hesitates to pull away. A moment that eats at Jason. Kyle misses the small interaction and rushes to get food and water ready for everyone. Carry slowly pulls her knee away.
"Give me a sec and I'll get that ready for you. Thank you again for deciding to stay." Kyle says from the kitchen with a big smile on his face.
"Sorry Ms. Gold for the lack of chairs, but I can make it up to you," Jason leans over to her, "With a conversation of course. As always." Jason smiles slyly as she blushes. Carry couldn't help but squint her eyes a little irritated at the boy obviously messing with her.
Carry might have focused more on school than relationships, but she was a grown woman and no way an idiot. She knows what he is getting at and she has let it slide enough. Her blushing cheeks die down. She smiles and leans closer whispering into his ear. Her breath tickles Jason's ears flowing through his hair. "You keep playing this game young man, and you'll see me really mad. Don't embarrass yourself while I'm helping you."
Jason goes beat red. He scrambles away and stutters for an apology. Any confidence he had built up from hacking came crashing down hard and fast. Chapters of how to communicate from the previous books he read come flooding through but nothing helps him fight through the embarrassment of being called out. His antics were plain as day.
"Ohhh. What's going on here? Ms. Gold is staying!" Ana rushes to the table in excitement, her bright purple Pj's blurring from the bathroom to the living room table. \
"Yes, Ms. Gold decided to eat with us so let's be on our best behavior Ana." Kyle slightly warns her.
"Aye Aye Captain. Thanks for eating with us Ms. Gold" Ana chuckles and trashes some of the questions she was saving for a moment like this.
Carry smiles. "Just Carry is fine Ana, thank your brother for doing so well today. Even if he gets ahead of himself sometimes." Carry looks him up and down Jason's face flushing even further.
"Wow Good job Jason!" Ana congratulates him. Kyle comes over with the food and they all begin to eat.
The dinner is relatively tame afterwards. Although Carry takes the time to embarrass Jason further. She tells a few stories of him at school, some of their conversations and overall they have a fun night.
"Thank you for having me, I loved the food." Carry says to them all. Jason is no longer red and smiles happy that they had these moments together.
"Any time really." Kyle says. "Go walk your guest to her car Jason." Kyle nudges him.
"I was going to already, Kyle." Jason fights back. Then looks at Carry and bows, extending his hand to the door. "After you, Ms. Gold."
Jason opens the door for her. "Thank you, such a gentleman." She teases him.
They both walk down the stairs and to her car. Jason runs his fingers through his hair and hesitates until blurting out what's been eating at him. An apology.
"I'm sorry. I tried to flirt with you and it was childish. Thank you for helping me." Jason does his best but the heat in his face takes him away.
Carry reaches up and pats his head. "Just stay focused next time. It wasn't bad if you were just a little older." Jason shakes his head in shock.
"Wait.. Wait. So like I had a chance?" Jason asks and Carry laughs hard as she gets into her car leaving him standing there.
"You wish, kid. I'll see you tomorrow." Carry drives off leaving Jason there alone.
'I need to get that communication skill. This is too confusing, but she said it wasn't bad, that's something.' Jason heads back up the stairs a little hopeful that he isn't a total loser, maybe next time he will try to hold back a little.