Chapter 7

JAYDEN SAT DOWN on the chair he was sitting on earlier then took a beer and drink it. He ignored the teasing of his friends because of what he did.

"Jayden is already a man." Jacob raised his beer, "Cheers, you idiots, we have a full pledge man now."

Jayden just grunted.

And the idiot, Luca Muller, stand behind him and the idiot massaged his shoulders. "Just fight, Jayden. You can do that, you're strong man, right, bud?"

He raised his middle finger. "Fuck you all."

His idiot friends just laughed at him.

"But seriously, this is the first time we saw you with a woman." Jacob said seriously.

"Am I going to prepare a tuxedo? "Jack Williams asked, one of his friends.

"Wedding march please!" Laughing Muller shouted, "For our lover boy here, Jayden Dawson!"

He just tsked and continued drinking.

"Who is that woman?" Ethan Evans asked.

"His neighbour." His twin replied.

"Isn't your house far from civilization? I'm surprised you have a neighbour." Luke Williams asked incredulously.

"He moved." Kayden answered.

"Wow. You moved just to be with her?" Dylan Brown, tsked. "That's a big leap, man. When is the wedding?"

His friends whistled.

"You got it bad, Jayden." Vincent Vacanti, who tapped him on the shoulder, said, "Very bad."

He just ignored his friends in their madness. His eyes focus on the kid's playground, not far from the pool where Lucky was and playing with the kids.

She looks so happy, so is the kids who keeps on hugging the kissing Lucky. The children seemed to having fun with the woman playing with them.

He turned his attention back to his friends.

"Did you see when he pulled the woman up and hugged her from behind?" Liam Jackson slumped on the table, "That was smooth as fuck!"

"Yeah." Slate Walker agreed then turned to him, "What did you two do in the garden?"

"Careful." His gaze sharpened, looking at Slate. "She's not like that."

Slate put his hands up. "Sorry, I was just asking." He said with a sly smile on his lips.

He emptied the beer bottle he was holding and then opened one again. "Stop asking questions. Its pissing me off. She doesn't even like me as a man, as a person only."

Ethan grimaced. "Oh, that must've burned."

Dylan and Taylor laughed.

"Toasted." Muller said in a sing-song voice.

"And fucked." His twin finished the sentence then laughed, "Jaydee here, couldn't sleep at night thinking of her ---" He pointed at him when he was about to say something, "Don't deny. It's bad for your health."

He just let out a violent breath then returned looking at Lucky who was now being dragged by Hugo Johnson's two children, who were approaching their table.

Oh, fuck!

"Slow down, slow down." Lucky said laughing at the two children.

Everyone at the table turned their attention to Lucky.

"Daddy! Daddy!" One of Hugo's son said. "She's Teacher Lucky." The kid introduced her.

"Sorry." Hugo apologizes for what his children did. "They're not this hyper-always."

Lucky smiled brightly. "That's okay. I don't mind."

"Daddy! When I grow up, I want to marry Teacher Lucky!"

"Me too!" His brother said.

"I'm really sorry." Hugo winced while apologizing to the woman.

"That's okay." She chuckled. "They're just kids. Come on." Lucky invite the two children back at the playground. "Let's play."

Hugo's children immediately went with her back to the playground. As they walked back, their eyes met.

He offered her a smile.

She answered him with a frown and rolled her eyes at him.

"Double burn." Hugo chuckled.

"Toasted and fucked, twice." Luca replied. "She doesn't like you, man."

"I'm working on it." He replied.

"Would you still like her when you found out where she came from?" Karter, who just had just arrived, suddenly said.

He looked at him. "What do you mean by that?"

Karter just shrugged and went to sit beside Vincent.

"Maybe she likes someone else, so that's why she doesn't like you." Jack said that make him feel annoyed.

"Maybe not?" Luke laughed. "I mean if she wants you, she will pay attention to you."

"Bud, she thinks of you as a cockroach she wants to kick." Ethan added.

"Maybe she's not interested in you because she likes someone else." Slate tsked. "Imagine her kissing another man, what will you feel?"

He quickly took the ice pick with the crushed ice and then loudly slammed it on the table, causing everyone to calm down and look at him.

"I said I'm working on it so shut the fuck up and don't anger me."

Kayden nodded. "He threw his kitchen knife at me because I smiled at her. He's that jealous and possessive.

He did not say a word and ignore his friends in their madness.

He will not win against them. He will just get tired.

He just turned his attention to Lucky who was laughing softly while hugging and kissing Evan's children on the cheek.

She's really too kind, too nice, and ... too sweet.

"CHEERS!" All the women in the living room of Mrs. Jones's house shouted at the same time, and Lucky was there too. "We may have a good night, ladies."

She intended to go home immediately but Mrs. Jones did not allow her, so here she is now, late at night still sipping some red wine, with the guests who hasn't left yet.

She met other women who were with her but the others, she could not remember their names. There are many women there. As for as she remember, everyone she met are married to some of the man in the Village.

"You look bored." Mrs. Jones approached her.

She laughed softly, "Of course not, Mrs. Jones."

She winced at what she had called her. "Just call me Lia, Amelia for short. We're almost at the same age after all."

She nodded while smiling. "Thank you, Lia."

Her smiles gradually faded when she noticed the cuts on her wrist and Lia noticed that she was looking at her wrist.

"I have a very dark past." She said smiling then sat down next to her. "I tried to harm myself."

"You're alive, that's what matters the most." She replied.

Lia nodded. "Yes, thanks to my husband. I wanted to live because of him." Then she looked at her, "I saw you with Jayden earlier. He's a family friend and he's the first male friend I ever have. I mean, the only male best friend. " Lia chuckled. "My husband is a very jealous man."

"Jayden is a friend too." She said.

"Are you sure about that?"

She stared at Lia. "What do you mean?"

"I'm still naive at some things but I do know that Jayden doesn't hug everybody." She smiled at her then squeezed her hand, "I don't know what your relationship is with him but as Jayden's friend, I would like to ask you to take care of him. He's broken than you can ever imagine. He jokes and smiles but behind that , is a man with a very dark past that until now, he still does not forget. "

Her lips parted in shock. Jayden is a broken man? With a dark past? Just like her?

"What happened to him?"

"It's not my story to tell." She patted her wrist. "Just take care of him. Don't let his strength from the outside fool you. He's crumbling inside."

She nodded then smiled lowering her gaze. "Thank you for telling me this. Now I'm finally grasping his reason why he trash my gummy bears."

Lia's eyebrows rose. "Gummy bears?"

"It's a long story." Shaking her head and chuckling, she said.

"Well I don't have the time but maybe we can grab coffee this week."

"I would love that."

"Great!" Then her face became serious, "Please take care of him. Even if only when you're together, he needs that."

She nodded. "I'll try."

The smile returned to Lia's lips. "Thank you, I'm glad he met you."

She would have answered when someone called the name of the person she was talking to.

"Lia!" That woman who just arrived. "Oh, God, I'm sorry I'm late." She shook her head as if something had happened that she did not want. "Vaughn had been crying because he didn't want me to leave."

Lia laughed. "Your son is really, like Vincent who is clingy to you."

The woman rolled her eyes in annoyance. "You have no idea, anyways thank you for inviting us."

Lia chuckled then she introduced her to her friend. "Gracie this is Lucky, Winter's Teacher."

Gracie beamed at her. "Nice to meet you."

"Same here." Then she excused herself to the two because she need go to the bathroom.

She walked the path that Lia had shown her but she stopped walking when she saw Jayden carrying Winter and playing tag with the child.

'He's broken than you can ever imagine.'

Jayden.

It seemed that he notice her gaze as he turned to her. He immediately said goodbye to Winter who immediately ran towards her other playmate then Jayden walked closer to her.

He reeks of alcohol all right.

She thought he would stop in front of her but she was shocked when he hugged his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

To her great shock, she could not speak.

Instinctively, she took a step back only to be pinned softly on the wall, with Jayden's body still pressed against her.

He is not himself. Probably because he drank a lot of alcohol.

They're in a narrow hall leading to the bathroom and no one is around but that doesn't mean no one will see them.

"Jayden, let go of me please." She pleaded.

She bit her lower lip when she felt him nuzzling his face into her neck and she was not ready for the strange sensation that invaded her body.

"Jayden ---"

"Why is your voice still so tender even though you are already pushing me away?" He said in a muffle voice. "How can I avoid you if your voice is so tender and alluring."

She cleared her voice then hardened her voice. "Let me go, Jayden."

He chuckled. "Now, you're just becoming adorable."

"Jayden ---"

"I also don't want to chase you or approach you." She held her breath as he kissed her neck down to her shoulder, "But I don't know why I miss you. I shouldn't feel this way, you know. I shouldn't feel this but fuck, I can't help myself. "

She whimpered when Jayden bit the skin of her neck.

"W-what are you doing?" She does not know what to do. "Jayden, stop it. You're drunk."

Finally and thankfully, he pulled away and stared at her.

"Jayden ---"

"Two weeks, Lucky, two weeks without talking to you is unbearable."

"Jayden ---"

"Can you smile for me, Lucky? Please?"

'He's broken than you can ever imagine.' She remembered what Lia had said.

Maybe he's acting this way because of his past? Because he's broken? Or maybe he's just drunk? But nonetheless, she told Lia that she'll take care of him.

"You're drunk, go home." She said in a gentle voice.

Instead of listening to her, he laughed softly as he watched her. "That's what got me, the sweet angelic voice and your bright smile, those are enough to bring a man down." He sighed heavily. "My twin will laugh at me."

"Jayden, I'm not doing anything to you."

"Then do something to me. I don't mind."

"Jayden---"

"Please do something. Please? I'm fucked up already."

'He's broken than you can ever imagine.' She blinked when what Lia said came to her mind again.

Lucky took a deep breath and cupped Jayden's face. "You're drunk. I'll take you home."

The man stared at her. "Are we okay?"

She sighed. "Yes, we are okay."

"Why do you seem to be forced to agree?"

She look him in the eyes. "Because I'm worried that you might hurt me again. I don't want to be in the hospital again, but I can't control how my heart feels. My heart will be hurt if it wants to and I can't stop that. All I can do is to control the situation and that means, staying away from you. I don't want to die at a very young age, Jayden. "

"I will not put my Grandparents through that. I can easily feel pain, Jayden. I can easily be affected. That's why I surround myself with positivity. I'm a softy. You see, I barely know you, but I'm already affected and that's what scares me. "

He looked down at her chest where her heart was. "I'll be very careful with your heart."

"And how are you gonna do that?"

He looked at her. "I'll try to be positive, so my negativity won't affect you."

"Can you do it?"

He smiled. "Someone told me, one gummy bear a day will keep the negativity away. I plan to eat one pack a day."

She did not know but she laughed at what he said. "You're really drunk. Say goodbye to your friends, I'll take you home."

She was relieved when he finally stopped hugging her and then he saluted at her. "Yes ma'am."

She just shook her head and then bit her lip hard because she realized that it seemed that her bladder is gonna explode.

Holy shit!

She almost ran down the pathway to the bathroom to pee. Fortunately, she succeeded to reach the bathroom but she was out of breath.

She felt her heart.

It looks okay. She was not much affected by her running.

Her heart still has strength left for her to survive after all.

When she came out of the bathroom and walked back to the living room she saw Lia talking to Jayden and from where she was standing, she overheard the two talking.

"You really should go home, you're drunk." Lia tsked. "Why are you drunk? Your friends are still standing straight."

Jayden scratched his neck. "I kind of drank some few beers at home before coming here."

"That's why." Lia shook her head. "My Driver will send you home, you can't drive in your state right now."

"Nah, that's okay. Someone's driving me home."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"All right, be careful."

Jayden nodded then went to the birthday celebrant to said goodbye as she approached Lia to say goodbye.

"Thank you so much. I enjoy it." She said.

"All right, I won't stop you this time. I'm looking forward to our coffee date."

She smiled and nodded. "Me too."

"Be safe on your way home."

"Thank you."

After she left Lia, she went to say goodbye to Winter.

"Are you going home, Teacher Lucky?"

"Yes baby." She stroked her hair. "See you on Monday?"

"Okay, thank you for the gift."

She hugged the child then said goodbye before leaving the house.

She was startled as she walked towards her car when someone grabbed her hand.

It's Jayden again.

What with him touching her? Earlier he hugged her, then did something on her neck and shoulders and now he is holding her hand.

She has not had the slightest experience with the opposite sex but she thinks Jayden is not doing a normal job for a man.

Something is definitely going on with him.

When they got in her car, she turned on the engine and carefully drove to their apartment.

When she got there, she parked the car before getting out.

"I'm dizzy." Jayden said softly when he got out of her car.

"Do you feel like you want to vomit?" She kindly asked.

He put his arm around her shoulder. "Nah...just dizzy. My vision seem to be spinning."

"Come on, I'll help you."

She wrapped her arm around the back of his waist to help the man to enter their apartment building. The two of them walked slowly and she didn't feel Jayden's weight much so there was no tightness in her chest.

She even helped him open his apartment and then laid him on his bed.

It was only then that she realized that their room was next to each other. And because the wall between them is thin, he can definitely hear her on the other side when she's noisy or her voice is loud.

She pouted.

Should I whisper from now on?

"I'll just take a towel to wipe you. That's what my Grand-mommy does whenever Grand-daddy is drunk."

Jayden just grunted, his eyes closed. He looks like he really did drank a lot.

She went out of the room to look for a towel, when she can't find any, she just took one of her towels from her apartment and then returned to Jayden's apartment.

She put water in the basin before returning to the man's room.

She carefully sat on the side of the bed while the basin was on the floor then she started wiping the man.

While wiping Jayden's body, she thought of something.

This is the first time she has done this to a man who is not a family member. Actually, almost all of her first experiences with the opposite sex, were all she experienced with Jayden.

He's the first guy who helped her with her sanitary napkin. The first guy whom she's comfortable to talk to. The first guy who sang for her. The first guy who held her hands. The first guy who hugged her. The first guy who did something to her neck and shoulder and the first guy she drove home.

She shook her head. Only now does she realize, she really has no experience with men.

Maybe because her life back then was just revolving around the Hospital and studying at home. Even when she was a teenager, she just spent her time in the Hospital.

But she never complained. That was also for her. She was too focused on healing and nothing else.

And now that she's in the outside of her comfort zone, she's experiencing new things.

Like what she's doing now to someone who she barely knew, but she likes him anyway.

She was stunned to see Jayden frown as he slept and began to turn his head. He moans as if he was hurt.

"N---no...d---don't...M-mom."

He's dreaming--no, he's having a dream.

She quickly shook his shoulder to wake him up. "Jayden! Jayden!"

He got up from his bed and his eyes widened looking at her. "S---sorry. Did I scare you?"

She shook her head and wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Are you feeling okay?"

He nodded then lay down again while catching his breath. "Sorry about that. You can leave me now, so you can rest."

She took a deep breath then lay down next to him then patted her arm. "Come here, lay your head here."

Jayden was obviously surprised because he could not speak immediately.

"Come on." She had to pull him to lay down his head on her arm.

She stroked his hair and combed it with her fingers. "I also always have nightmares and this is what Grand-mommy and Grand-daddy always do to me so that I will not be scared anymore and go to sleep again."

Jayden was staring at her. "Will my nightmares go away?"

She smiled at him. "Close your eyes and sleep, then we'll sleep."

When he did not obey, she gently stroked his eyes to close it and then stroked his cheek down to his jaw.

"Sleep." She said in a gentle voice. "I'm just here."

That's what her Grand-mommy always says to her every after nightmare. And she calms down.

She hope Jayden calms down too.

When she saw that Jayden is having a hard time sleeping again, she continued caressing his jaw softly and started humming a soft melody, Fix you by Coldplay, a song that really hits her hard when she heard it for the first time, hopefully it calm his nerves.

'When you try your best but you don't succeed

When you get what you want but not what you need

When you feel so tired but you can't sleep

Stuck in reverse.'

She started combing his hair.

'When the tears come streaming down your face

'Cause you lose something you can't replace

When you love someone but it goes to waste

What could it be worse?'

Her hand move to caress his forehead.

'Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to fix you.'

She smiled when she noticed that Jayden's breathing was starting to deepen.

'But high up above or down below

When you are too in love to let it show

Oh but if you never try you'll never know

Just what you're worth.'

She lowered her hand to his and caressed and squeezed it.

'Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to fix you.'

Even though he was asleep, she continued to caress his hair, his cheeks and his hands until she was didn't realized that she had fallen asleep.