Is this destiny?

Ellie is usually good in talking with people, but now she can\'t find any right words to say.

She is too close to Jasper. Her right hand rests on his shoulder while her left one is in his… and she is aware of his broad shoulders and how tall he is… and her brain is refusing to work. His intense icy-blue eyes not leaving hers don\'t help either.

Song ended and she exhaled.

"Is that how much your \'thank you\' goes?", Jasper asked when Ellie took a step away from him.

"What?" Ellie was super-tense and wanted to increase the distance between them. Jasper being less than a step away caused her to have an endless collision of emotions and thoughts which she didn\'t know how to handle.

"I was hoping that we can dance longer.", he extended his arm toward Ellie and pulled her back into a dance-appropriate distance.

"Oh…", Ellie automatically placed her hand back on his shoulder and cursed her legs because they already moved following the music and Jasper\'s lead, and she found herself unable to say \'no\'

.

Ellie had to admit that no matter how tense and uncomfortable she was, his closeness made her feel butterflies in her stomach, and she didn\'t want that feeling to stop.

"You have a lot on your mind.", Jasper observed.

Ellie looked up at him and after few seconds asked: "How did you know that I will need help from that man?"

"I was watching you, and I saw that he is acting inappropriate and that you are… uncomfortable."

"You were watching me?" Ellie was flattered that he was watching her, and she was surprised that he just said it.

"Yes." Jasper bluntly answered, without a shred of embarrassment.

"Why?"

"Because I like you.", Jasper responded without missing a beat.

Ellie was not sure which way to look in order to avoid his gaze.

"Why are you like that?" Jasper noticed her discomfort. "I told you previously. I like you."

After talking to Jeff, Felix and Steve, and messing up few opportunities to get closer to Ellie, Jasper decided that he will not play any games. He will make himself clear with Ellie and everyone else that he is interested in pursuing her until she accepts to be his girlfriend. There is no shame in that. And he will not back down because he knows that she likes him as well. Felix said that he should stick to her as much as possible and that as long as she does not push him away, he is fine. This dancing distance… he wishes for them to be closer, but for now, it\'s fine.

"Stop saying that!", Ellie whispered with urgency.

"Why?"

Ellie\'s tongue stumbled for few seconds. Jasper telling her that he likes her is messing with her mind more than she is willing to admit. "It does not make sense. And it\'s confusing. And there is no point in you saying it if you don\'t act like it."

Jasper tilted his head slightly in order to get a better view of her face. "Based on your definition of liking someone… how should I act?"

Ellie forced herself to lift her head and look into his eyes. "No sleeping or flirting with other girls… or allowing others to flirt with you."

Jasper smiled. He saw her answer as a sign of her willingness to accept him.

"What else?"

Ellie blinked few times before speaking: "How do you know that there is more?"

Jasper chuckled while thinking how adorable she is. "I am watching you, and how much I\'ve seen there is probably not only two, but ten or more points. But if I can fulfill your top three, I think I will have a pretty good chance to win your heart and make you my girlfriend."

Ellie looked at him with a slight frown. She was not sure if his confidence is charming or frustrating. Maybe a bit of both. And what was that about winning her heart? Doesn\'t he see how flustered she is around him? No matter how much she denies it, her heart is telling her that Jasper already made his way inside.

"Am I allowed to flirt with you?"

Jasper\'s smile dazed her, and she was not aware when words escaped her mouth: "If you like me, then it\'s a requirement. As for two and three, no lying and… respect."

Jasper gave her a small nod. "I can guarantee that I will not lie to you. But for respect… I\'m not sure if we have the same understanding of what respect entitles. I will need you to guide me on that one, and if I make a mistake, correct me. Is that acceptable?"

Ellie was in disbelief. How can he so casually talk about these things? They barely know each other! She smiled and shook her head.

He took her smile as a silent agreement. How he saw it, this went much easier than he anticipated. And the guys told him that it will take time!

There was only one more thing he wanted to know: "Is there a trial period until you are confident in my sincerity?"

"No, not really." It\'s not that Ellie does not need time, but she does not have a time period in her mind either. What should she say, a day? A week? A month? She does not know.

Jasper\'s face lit up. "Then, I can consider you as my girlfriend?"

Ellie panicked and regretted that Jasper took control of this conversation. "What?! No! That is not what I said. You asked about my expectations, how you should act if you like me."

"With an end goal of us dating.", Jasper clarified. "I thought that was obvious."

Ellie was not sure what to think of him. First evening he was all about riddles and games, and seducing… and now his expression is sincere and words without a filter, like they are coming from an innocent child. "How can you just talk about this so… openly?"

"Would you prefer if I play games? And you said it, no lies."

Ellie exhaled. "You are right. I\'m sorry. I need a minute to organize my thoughts."

They didn\'t talk for the rest of the song. Ellie realized that Jasper has no intention to give her any breathing room which she needs if she is going to think clearly, so she told him that she is going to the ladies\' room. Jasper said that he will accompany her. He obediently waited few steps away from the restroom door.

Ellie got inside, slumped into a chair in the lounge and took few deep breaths while trying to compose herself and make sense of what is going on. She recollected their talk. She told him no flirting, no lies and to treat her with respect… and he agreed to those. Isn\'t that what she wanted? Yes. She wanted to clarify things, so that both of them know where they are and where they are going… Where are they going with all this? Does she even need to know? Does anyone know where relationship is heading, from the start?

Jasper is charming, and she is attracted to him, and if he can actually do those three, she will not have any problems being in a relationship with him.

Ellie remembered JoAnna\'s advice, to give him a chance. And that is what she will do. Give him a chance and see if he can stick to those three \'rules\' or not.

Ellie stood up with renewed vigor. She decided to give him a chance. To give them a chance and to stop running away from him and from this feeling which is bubbling inside her.

She stepped out and her face fell when she saw Jasper talk with Millie and Sharon. He had his charming smile on, and two of them were flirty, as always.

In a moment, all her excitement was replaced with dejection. Ellie exhaled and walked away in the opposite direction from Jasper.

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