SAPPHIRE (Book #1 Of Fire Series)

XXII

It's been about a week since the chat with Leigh, and I have to say Enzo really has been trying to prove to her that she can trust him. However, it has only been a week so it goes without saying that she is still extremely skeptical and difficult about their whole situation.

"Hi, baby." I coo before sitting next to Leigh and kissing her forehead.

She grunts and rests her head on my shoulder while hugging my arm.

"Aww, what's wrong KayKay?" I frown, while brushing her cheek with my free hand.

She sighs and hugs my arm tighter. After a moment she says, "I don't know where I'll go after this. I can't go back home because my father will probably, quite literally, kill me. I can't just stay here forever either. I'm just so confused. I want to do right by these two, but I'm only a kid myself. A kid who has made many, many bad decisions."

"I can't even begin to fathom the amount of confusion and fear you are experiencing right now. It really breaks my heart though because you never know what decision to make. On one end you might carry a deep dread and on the other is the unknown, but you know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think you and Ethan need to chat. Maybe his guidance will be beneficial to you. I mean yall are basically mirror images of each other. Your situation is very similar to his really and I trust his judgement. I mean he's a great dad to Lani."

"You think?" she mumbles.

"Uh huh." I respond, squeezing her cheek.

She giggles lightly and looks at me with a teary smile, then goes into full giggle-crying mode.

"Aww come here." I smile at her as I pull her into a hug. Just then Jayden walks in with some soup.

"Soup." he states while holding the soup up with both hands.

Leigh and I look at each other and share a laugh. Jayden looks at us with a confused smile. He places the soup on the dresser and just as he's about to leave I tell him to stay with us and keep us company.

"Uhm.. Well, I kind of... You know..." He stumbles trying to find an excuse not to.

"Come on, please? Just 10 minutes." Leigh pleads with her puppy eyes.

"10 minutes." he repeats loudly then sits on the chair near the door.

"Oh no, no, no. Come over here terminator." I command, getting up and pulling him to sit with us on the bed.

He rolls his eyes and smiles briefly as I do this.

"Okay, mister. Start talking. Full name, girlfriend, age, aspirations, ethnicity, favourite fast food, how does it feel to be a senior, body count, all of the details!" Leigh shoots at him quickly.

Jay sighs and mumbles, "My name is Jayden Henry van Tonder. I don't have a girlfriend. Err- age, I'm 22 turning 23 in a week and a few days. Uhm what's next?"

"Aspirations, ethnicity, favourite fast food, how does it feel to be in your final year and also where you plan on going to work next year?" Leigh responds.

"In a few days? And you haven't said anything?" I ask in a whiny voice.

"It isn't that big of a deal, Nandi and really, aspirations? What is this? The Pretty Hurts music video?" he chuckles.

Leigh pinches him and he lets out a small 'ow' before continuing, "Uhm my aspirations are to be the best man I can be, an example to all the men around me I guess. I am white. My mother is afrikaans and my father was english. "