A Fragile Love

Chapter Four

Jaden stared at the text on his cell phone as he sat in his car waiting for Kiana last class to end. 

"You don't have to pick me up. I'm having lunch with Alanna after class."

Was she avoiding him? He couldn't blame her if she was. He knew he had hurt her feelings.

"Can we talk?"

"Is it an emergency?"

"Yeah, it's about this morning..."

"There's nothing else to say, Jaden."

"There's so much more to say, Kiana. Please...talk to me..."

He stared at the dotted lines for what felt like forever before her next text popped up.

"Ok."

He smiled and got out the car. She was surprised to meet him in the hallway when she got out of class. He grinned and took her backpack.

"How was class?"

"Great...the professor gave us a pop quiz today. I aced it!"

"Of course, you did."

"So, what's going on? What was so important you couldn't wait?"

"It's about your bucket list..."

"Ohh! I knew you were going to freak out over it even if you don't know what I'm going to do. So, I was thinking in class, and I've decided to put dating at the end of it. I can't have guys chasing after me with all the stuff I want to do."

Jaden just stared at her. She'd caught him off guard...again. "You don't want to date anyone?"

"No, not yet...I want to be single so I can enjoy the things I want to do without some guy all in his feelings, breathing down my neck."

"Ok..." What was he supposed to say to that? He was going to tell her how he felt, but now...

"So dating is at the end of your list?" he asked just to confirm it.

"Yes," Kiana smiled up at him.

Jaden's mind began to race.... "Do you remember me saying I was going to spend some time with you for a few days?"

"Yes, to make sure I was ok."

"Exactly, so when are you planning to start this list?"

"Today!" Kiana said excited.

"Good. I'm going to watch over you, make sure you don't hurt yourself."

She looked at him in disbelief. "You're not going to try to stop me?"

"Depends on what you're planning to do, but no. I feel I'll only make it worse if I tried to stop you. Can I see this list?"

Kiana reached in her book bag and handed him a notepad.

He opened it and began to read it.

"Smoke...weed... Hell NO!"

Kiana covered her mouth to keep from giggling at his outrage.

"Why is this the first thing on the list?!"

"You guys do it and it look fun, Cadence and I are the only ones that's never tried it."

"And you never will, no reason to start bad habits now."

"But I heard that people use it for medicinal reasons, so it could help my Lupus."

"I'm not about to let you smoke weed, Kiana. We don't know what that stuff would really do to you with your condition. Besides, I don't want to see you walking around with red eyes and a dazed look on your face." He shivered at the sight.