There was no doubt in her mind that there was something in Jaing—no matter how many other men looked or sounded like him—was someone she could never hope to replace in her lifetime. Maybe longer than that—into eternity. She didn’t need to dig deep into her mind to try and find a time she had felt this way; there had never been a time in her thus far short life that she had felt this pull to a single person.
Amala finished her meal shortly after Jaing—more like trying to keep up with him so she didn’t keep him waiting on her. Still trying to calm the fire burning on her cheeks though she had relaxed a little, she carefully combined all her table dressings and slid them off to the side. She smiled at him, laughing lightly. “I don’t think you’ll have much to worry about that, unless you room with someone in the barracks.” The statement was more to solidify in her mind that she was going to be in the barrack a great deal of her time. In the back of her mind ideas were already spinning about how she could make the best of it and do some of the things she had never had time to before. "With my whole 'social butterfly' personality--I don't think you'll have much to worry about for people talking to me." She smiled and winked playfully at him.
Then she noticed Jaing was dangerously close to her face and the fires renewed themselves on her cheeks. At first Amala stared gently at him, not really sure in that moment what to do—her breath caught in her throat and every muscle froze in place.
He finally questioned her after what seemed years and Amala closed her eyes and smiled softly. She leaned back a little, giving them just a little more distance. “Well, um, I don’t know. I guess there’s no better time to pack than now. I can leave with you tonight if you think it’d be best. But I’ll need to come back in a few days to file my two weeks notice and get this house cleared out.”
She could only imagine that cover of darkness would be the best way to get her into the barracks the first time—she was sure that in a sea of military trained men, news of this type would spread among them fairly quickly rather she was seen or not. "If it will be harder to get me in and back out--then I'll stay here for a while and find a way to see you every day."
[23]