"You keep talking to your phone. Is it the same guy?"
I looked away from the mirror and towards the direction of my bedroom where Jaden was lying on my bed. Did he know about Nate too? I hadn't told him anything yet because I wanted to be sure about him.
I spat and quickly rinsed out my mouth and brush and placing the back in the holder.
"What guy?"
"The Nate guy." Jaden said, raising his brow at me.
"What Nate guy?" I asked, wondering how he knew.
Jaden sits up on the bed and looks at me. "Did you got your head in the bathroom? I'm talking about the guy Arlen told me you're seeing. I mean, he didn't even have to tell me, you've been singing and skipping around the house, smiling like the cat who got his cream."
Of course it was Arlen! Who else would it have been really?
I wasn't seeing Nate either. Hearing him and texting him, yes but we are so not dating. What he fuck was Arlen thinking?
"Nate is..."
My phone vibrates against the bed side table. Jaden smiled knowingly before turning to grab it for me, gaze on the name that popped up on the screen.
"He is?" Jaden teased and I scrunched you my nose.
"Why do you wanna know about my dating life?" I asked, reaching for the phone. "You don't see me asking about yours."
"That's because mine is practically inexistent. You on the other hand are home with me every Friday night." Jaden said, shaking his head at me and making the same tutting sound. I narrowed my eyes at him and smacked his hand.
"I like staying home with you. You're my kid now." I said, ruffling his hair.
"I don't think that's how it works."
"Well, What I say goes. You're my kid now." I said, smiling softly at Jaden. It's been weeks since he started living here and months now since we first met and we have come a long way.
"To be honest, I'd rather be your little brother."
"Of course! What else would you be? My uncle?"
"You're not funny. We keep telling you, you're not funny." Jaden said, pulling a face at me. I could clearly see the fond in his eyes and the way he leaned more into my head pats.
"Keep lying to yourself." I said, giving him one last pat before getting up from the bed. "Let's go and make breakfast?"
"Can't we eat out?" Jaden asked. "I wanna eat with you and not worry about the dishes." Jaden juts out his bottom lip and looked at me with big brown eyes, his bed hair somehow intensifying THR puppy look. Oh wow. He must have been lethal as a toddler.
"Fine but you're going to eat the salad I make for you in the afternoon."
"Oh my god, Cil. It's just leaves in there and then you squirt lemon juice all over it and just no." Jaden whines. "I'll sing for you."
"Please don't. I've heard your shower concerts." I said, laughing at the horrified look on his face. What? He was loud and apparently liked Cher. It wasn't intensional, I just forgot to lock my door that day and the music drifted in.
"Psh, you lie! I sound like a beautiful humming bird."
I giggled at that. "Whatever you say, baby bird. Go and get ready." I said, nudging him towards the door. Once Jaden was gone, I quickly took a shower and pulled on some clothes, a cream jumper with the sleeve covering the majority of my palm, a pair of jeans and sneakers. I brushed my hair, letting my fringe fall onto my face.
It was when I was done dressing up and reaching for my wallet, I realized I still hadn't opened the message from Nate.
From waitwithnate: good morning angel
My cheeks heats up as I read the words over and over again.
To waitwithnate: good morning Nate
I pushed my wallet into my pocket and made my way out of the room. Jaden wasn't yet out, so I made my way into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. While pouring the water, I got another message.
From waitwithnate: how are you? how's your weekend going?
To waitwithnate: really good. I'm having bonding time with my little brother. You?
It felt good typing that. Jaden. My little brother.
From waitwithnate: I'm on the road right now, I'm on my way to have breakfast with my sister.
To waitwithnate: you're texting and driving?
From waitwithnate: no! I would never! I've got a driver
Oh. Mister fancy man with the driver. I wonder where he was coming and I wondered if he lived close by or if he was from another city entirely. I wondered what he actually looked like. Maybe. Maybe he's someone I've met before? He doesn't sound like it though. I mean, we've talked everyday for two weeks now so know his voice, I can even pick it out in my sleep. It's just... I wonder if we'll ever get there? The two of us having breakfast? The two of us having breakfast with Jaden.
I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice Jaden walking into the kitchen until he tapped my hand.
"Hey! You're ready."
"Yeah. You talking to your boyfriend?" Jaden asked and I rolled my eyes at him. I grabbed a cup and poured a little water into it, sliding said cup over to Jaden who drinks it all once. It's something I do every morning, make him drink a little water before we do anything else. Jaden somehow forgets to drink water.
I had already ordered this bottle on amazon, it was ridiculously big and it had the hours of the day on it. It was perfect for Jaden. Jaden was dressed in a graphic tshirt and dark ripped jeans with combat boots, beanie pulled over his hair.
While Jaden ordered an Uber, I quickly typed out a response to Nate.
To waitwithnate: well, aren't you the perfect brother
Nate's response was pretty quick like he was waiting for my response.
From waitwithnate: I could say the same about you
To waitwithnate: it's too early to be cheeky
From waitwithnate: there's no such thing, angel
We got into the Uber waiting outside and I alternating between Jaden and replying Nate The ride to the breakfast bar took less than I expect but thankfully it wasn't packed fill of people. There were just a handful here and there with some empty seats. The little diner was warm and smelt like chocolate and coffee, white walls with little lights and everything looked plush and soft, not the regular stiff chairs.
Once we took our seat, a waitress appears by our sides with menus.
"Welcome to 24eleven. What would you like?"
I flipped through the small menu and finally decided. "I'll have the double chocolate chip pancakes with syrup and bacon. Lots of bacons. And a latte."
"I'll get the same thing but with a milky tea." Jaden said. We both handed her the menus.
"Your breakfast will be with you shortly." She said before walking.
Jaden and I talked, mr trying not to snort laugh when Jaden tells me about what happened that week during PE. I laughed as he described it, articulating with his hands as he spoke. This kid.
"You did not."
"I did. Simon tripped and actually managed to pull down coach's short and he was standing there wide eyed and in spongebob boxers. Everywhere was silent and I couldn't hold back my laughter. I just fell to the ground laughing."
"Oh my god." I chuckled, covering my face with my hands.
"I laughed so hard I almost pissed my self." Jaden said and this time I snorted.
The waitress appears with our orders and once it was on the table. She goes after making sure we don't need anything else and we dig into the food. We ate, occasionally talking here and there. The food here was amazing and the pancakes was so fluffy and the bacon was perfect.
I had seen this place several times on my way to work but had never dropped by until now and thank goodness I did. The food here was ridiculously good. Even Jaden was enjoying the food, chewing his food and sipping his tea.
"Who's your favorite client?" Jaden asked.
"My favorite?"
"Yeah. Pick one."
I hummed, mulling over the options in my head. I had a somewhat long list of clientele but... "My favorite has to be Ed. He's a seventy year old man with four cats and his wife died years ago. He doesn't have a special request but just liked the bed warm because it felt like she was still there." I said, smiling softly as I remember how happy Ed was, he smiled so widely, no teeth but he smile so brightly. And he always makes me tea when I was done, he'd place it on the bedside table before slipping into bed.
I looked over at Jaden and finds him staring at me. "What?" I asked.
"Nothing. You just looked... soft." He said with a shrug and I covered my mouth with my hand so I could hide my shy smile. Soon after that, the pancakes were done and all that was left was my latte and his milky tea.
"We should go and see a movie."
"Which one do you want to see?" I asked. "I'm thinking we go to a drive in."
"I have never been to a drive in."
"Well, then, I have to take you now. There's one a couple minutes away." I said, picking up my phone. I paused when I noticed there was no message from Nate there. I pushed that aside and was just about to tap on the browser when the door to the diner was pushed open.
I didn't look up though and just pulled up the movie list at the closest drive in.
"They're playing rush hour."
"I haven't seen that." Jaden said and I stared at him with wide eyes.
"You haven't seen what? Seriously?"
"Never."
"Oh my god."
"You don't have to be dramatic about it." Jaden said, rolling his eyes at me. I was just about to reply when I heard it, a very familiar laugh. I turned in my seat, looking around with wide eyes. The amount of people here had dwindle over time. There was a table a little bit away, there was a dark haired woman sitting there in a red hoodie and there was a man facing her, his back to me.
Oh my god.
Oh my god.
Oh my god.
It the rings I noticed first and the way the man's hand was holding onto a cup of dark liquid. It couldn't be. That's just crazy. I was hearing things. You can't possibly recognize someone by the way they hold things and by their laughter.
"Anita, you know I can take a break if I want to. What you're talking about is a move plot."
Oh.
Oh.
Oh my god!
It's the voice. It's the same voice too.
I was so caught up in looking over at the man that I didn't hear Jaden saying my name until...
"CILLIAN!"
It. Was like everything stopped, like the entire diner was silent. It felt like I was watching in slow motion as the man stops talking and turns, looking right at me. It felt like I had swallowed my tongue as I looked at the man who I have been talking to for weeks, the man who I have been texting for weeks.
"Cil!" Jaden said again, this time touching my hand.
Nate... Nate's eyes widened and it felt like I had swallowed my tongue.
Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. What do I do? What do I fucking do?
—
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