Jade settled on the edge of Kaya's bed. "How are you feeling?"
Kaya didn't know exactly how to answer Jade. They hadn't known each other long, but Jade seemed like a nice enough person. Honesty seemed like the best policy. "My head hurts, but I'm okay."
"Ransom didn't do anything weird, did he?"
"No." As long as you didn't count pinning her like that as weird.
"Do you like him?" Jade grinned.
Kaya quickly shook her head.
"Are you sure? Ransom isn't so handsy with just anyone." Jade bopped her fingers against her own head. "That was a poor choice of words. He isn't so... affectionate? Close?"
"I know what you're trying to say."
Truth be told, Kaya was just as confused as Jade, but she hated to see the woman struggle for words.
Jade rested her hands in her lap. "Are you really dating Zoren?"
"Honestly? I'm not even sure anymore. Should I not?"
"Zoren isn't bad, I suppose. I've never thought of him as a man, but..." Jade shrugged.
"He's kind. And he did save me from all those reporters." Kaya slung an arm over her eyes. "I don't know. I've never dated anyone before."
"What?!" Jade cleared her throat after the explosion of disbelief. "Never?"
"Should it be like this?"
"Your situation is unique."
Jade had a point. Kaya didn't have the luxury of being picky right now. She needed to roll with the punches as they came. Still...
"I don't want to just date casually. Love isn't something that should be thrown around willy-nilly."
Jade nodded, her long braid slinging forward over her shoulder. "For now, you should let Zoren take care of you. Just because the press says the two of you are dating, that doesn't mean that the two of you have to actually date. He lives next to you, so he's in a good position to be there if something were to happen."
That seemed logical. Kaya let it sink in before she nodded. "I don't have time for real dating, anyway."
"No one has time for dating. They make time."
Kaya laughed softly. "I really don't, though. Working at the cafe is hard enough."
"Tell me if you ever need a new job. I'm sure I can find something better."
"I'm just getting used to Noel. But I'll let you know if something happens."
Jade smiled gently. "You can lean on me and Lina. We will be there for you, no matter what. And, besides, she and I are pros at figuring ways out of situations."
Friendship. Something Kaya had very little of in her life. She didn't want to think through those memories, but Kaya thought she might like to make new memories with Lina and Jade. If anyone needed those kinds of friends, it was Kaya.
"Jade, I'm forcing my brother to go get food, do you want anything?" Lina called from the doorway.
Jade's phone rang at the same time. She gave it a precursory glance before she lifted it. "I have an appointment. Tobin, give Zoren your order. Make it expensive. He deserves it." Jade answered her phone with a "what do you want?"
Kaya watched her remaining friends hover around her bedside with a growing sense of home. If the big city was going to be like this, she might endure the scandal despite all her misgivings.