chapter 12

Jaden suddenly sneezed " I hope that scary young man isn't planning to crucify me" he chuckled. He wasn't feeling so bad after he found out that Layla was ok. Though her brother had scared him badly he didn't intend to give up anytime soon, he would just search for her in a low-key way this time around so as not to bring unnecessary attention to himself, he looked at his table and saw that the food his mom left for him was still untouched and he suddenly felt hungry, it was baked chicken stew and mashed potatoes, one of his favorites and he couldn't let it go to waste, he fell on the food and devoured it like a starved lion, as he ate, he started thinking about how Layla enjoyed her salad and shrimp on the first day they met and his mood brightened up again, for the first time in two months Jaden felt genuinely happy and he did know why, he had seen the one who stole his heart and this made him very excited.

It was already night but he decided to go watch a movie in the sitting room after a very long time.

Layla hadn't thought of Jaden for a while now but when she heard that he had saved her today, she really wanted to see him again, maybe just to say thank you. But her brother just revealed something she wasn't aware of, Jaden had been looking for her for that long? that was strange, she found her brother's phone and took out Jaden's number from it to call him.

She found the number she thought was Jaden's in her brother's call history and dialed it with her phone, and after a few seconds, Jaden picked up the phone.

"Hello, please may I know who it is, that calls me at this time of the night? Jaden said immediately after answering the call from a strange number, he was hoping it wasn't one of his students or their parents or maybe Sophia.

"Hello dear friend, sorry for calling you at this time, I just thought of you after a while and decided to check up on you, I wasn't sure if you were sleeping yet, but if you're busy, I'll call tomorrow," Layla said smiling as she wondered how surprised Jaden must be at the moment.

The moment this familiar voice spoke, every dead bone in Jaden's body seem to come alive immediately and he became more elated, this was more than a pleasant surprise, he got up from where he was without even realizing it as his legs seemed to move on their own.

"Hello, is this Jaden?" Layla asked, as she was now unsure of the number she had chosen, no one spoke but she could hear some footsteps. she was about to hang up and then, Jaden finally snapped out of his excitement and spoke. "it is! I'm Jay_ Jaden" He started feeling nervous and tried to choose his words carefully.

"oh hi, Jaden! why did you take so much time to reply I was beginning to have my doubts, but it's you alright", " I'm so sorry, I didn't hear from you for so long and I got worried, and I forgot to take your phone number last time we were together". Jaden said loudly not very sure of what he was saying or what to say next.

"It's all good now, Jaden I sincerely want to thank you for saving my life today, I had surgery not long ago, it's really complicated, but it hasn't been easy for me, I wasn't even supposed to leave the house today but when I sneaked out, something like that happened, maybe it was fate telling me I had lived enough and it was time for me to go and meet my parents, but you didn't let that happen, you were there just in time, like my knight in shiny armor and you saved me, I don't know if I can ever repay you Jaden". Layla spoke and she was beginning to get emotional, her brother should be very mad at her right now because she didn't follow his orders.

As she spoke Jaden felt his chest grow tight when she mentioned something about dying, he didn't want to hear it again.

"Layla you don't have to repay me or anything like that, we are friends and that's what true friends do, now I don't want to hear you say anything about dying, we are young, and still have many decades here on earth before we ever think of going away". Jaden said.

"ok! Hihihi, If you say so my friend, I hear you, so, I was thinking, what do you say we meet up again huh? what do you think about that?" Layla proposed as she came back to her normal jovial self.

Jaden immediately bought the idea, he was about to ask her the same thing but was holding back his thoughts because of Layla's brother, now that she mentioned it herself, this made him feel elated, maybe she had also fallen for him.

"It's perfect, of course, I've been looking forward to that for so long, will tomorrow be fine by you?" Jaden asked.

" I would love to, tomorrow is perfect but the problem is I can't leave the house for now, so I think next week is cool, I'll make every necessary arrangement and send you the location of our meeting point soon, consider this as a way of me thanking you," Layla said.

Jaden felt like ice-cold water had just been poured on him, was that the reason she wanted to meet him? just to say thank you? That means she did not fall for him after all, he was so delusional and his thoughts were running wild, but this wasn't bad for a start, he didn't mind too much.

"okie cockie! I'm looking forward to seeing you soon then" He said with a small smile.

"And hey Jaden, you don't even need to take your wallet when coming because it's my treat ok? Everything is on me, from the food to the clothes, to whatever you want!". Layla said and started to giggle and before Jaden could speak she sensed that he might be uncomfortable with that so, she spoke again.

"Don't take this the wrong way, it's not like I am sending you off or something, I proposed we go out so it's only normal for me to settle the bills, next time is your turn".

Jaden wasn't very comfortable with this, they had settled his bills the last time in the restaurant, and he had his own money and didn't mind spending it on her, but since she said he could take the wheel next time, he was fine with it.

"Anything you say my lady, but don't make it a habit, I'm not poor you know?", he said, he wanted to make a better impression of himself than what he did the last time.

"I won't, I have to go now, you can save my number now, and text me whenever you want, I'll reply as soon as I can, and I'll do the same if I need someone to talk to, I'm sure you'll be there. thanks again Jaden, and good night to you". Layla told him over the phone as she was already feeling sleepy.

"And thank you for making my night, pretty damsel, I can tell you're already sleepy, better go to bed now sleepy head, for it's past time to ride the rainbow to dreamland! and don't forget to dream about me". Jaden said dramatically and chuckled.

"hihihi, you're so funny, sweet dreams bro, I'll hang up now," Layla said and hung up immediately.

Jaden finally came back to himself. " but what had she just called him? Bro?" he didn't like it one bit. The call had ended and his excitement was dying down, he looked around and noticed that he was already outside, which explained why he felt chills from time to time but he had no idea how or when he had come out of the house, the last thing he remembered was picking the call in the sitting room.

He sighed and quietly started to walk back inside, and as he opened the door, someone immediately fell out as if the person had been leaning on the door, Jaden was highly alert and caught her in his arms before she fell.

"Mom! Have you been eavesdropping on my conversation?" Jaden asked his mom, he was even surprised that she was still awake by this time of the night.

His mom tried to smile as she looked at him apologetically. "but your voice woke me up, how could I not become curious when my son was speaking so sweetly over the phone, with a soft voice" she half lied, Jaden's mom was worried about her son who didn't look good for some time now, she wanted to speak with him when she noticed that he was in the sitting room watching the TV but his phone started to ring, and after he picked up the call, she noticed that he had become excited all of a sudden, she wanted to know what brightened his mood so much and decided to listen.

"I'm so sorry for waking you mom, you can go back to sleep, it was just a phone call," Jaden said trying not to look embarrassed.