ten years apart - b.a

-5

"morning." jade smiled as brandon opened the front door.
"hey, you." the two hugged and smiled, jade looked around and it was awfully quiet.
"no emma?"

brandon let go of her and walked over to the kitchen, "nope just took her to school."
jade nodded and admired brandon's features, even looking like a mess brandon still looked good to her.
"you alright?" she sat on the counter and rubbed brandon's shoulder.

"no." he mumbled.
"what's wrong?"
"my wife left me because i fell in love with a nineteen year old." he said.

jade was taken aback and shook her head,
"that was your choice. not mine."
"no jade wai-"
"no, you have work to get to. i'm going to go home. goodbye mr. arreaga."
she was trembling, eyes watering.
running over to her house and breaking down on the ground by herself.
having no one to hold, no one to help her ease.
she wiped away her tears and grabbed her car keys, walking back out of her house.

after going to the bank and depositing all the checks she's been given, jade decided she needed a pick me up.
she made her way to rodeo, which was very popular for shopping.

jade had only wanted a break from things, not wanting to make any choices out of what she was feeling in the moment.
parking her car and getting out, letting the breeze hit her softly.
not knowing where to go, going to any store.
walking into gucci and buying herself a purse that she'd been eyeing for a while, deciding that she should buy it since it is well deserved.

"thank you." she smiled at the cashier.
jade checked her phone to see if brandon has at least texted her, or called.
"holy shit." someone said catching her in his arms.
jade caught her balance and looked at the man who she rudely bumped into.
"hi." jade said with a sigh.

"didn't get cha there, well i did but-"
"jade." she smiled, shaking his hand.
"i'm caleb but you can call me zion."
he said as they were still exchanging glances.

jade felt as if she should lay back and get to know this guy, it'd be better than overcompensating about forgetting that brandon existed.
letting him in wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

"do you want to grab lunch with me?"
zion looked at her as her smile was contagious and caused him to smile back.
"of course."
they walked to her car as they got to know each other, learning who the other person was.
jade started her car as zion continued to speak about where he was from and a little bit about his siblings.
"anything about you?" he then asked, curious to learn about jade.

"my parents passed away when i was 17 and 18, it was really rough since i was an only child. growing from that i learned a lot that i didn't know, such as my parents aren't who i really thought they were. i was on my own, didn't get into the colleges i wanted to so i take an online college. i'm home a lot and i babysit on the side."
she said with her eyes still on the road.
"are you from here?"

"nope, i came from montana. i came to la for the dream and such. i didn't have any high hopes in montana."
he hummed in response, since jade was focused on driving.
she parked and took off her seatbelt.
zion asked, "where are we?"
"my favorite italian place, i just thought since.."
"no! you don't have to explain why or anything, i'll eat whatever you choose but thank you."
he smiled.

they walked inside and sat down at a table,
"you seem like an open book. very readable."
zion chuckled.
"no, i'm really not."
"i was an open book, until someone broke my trust. they were lying, lying straight to my face right when i was asking them if they told anything to anyone."

"i'm sorry." jade said softly.
their sever came over and spoke to them briefly about drinks. after ordering their drinks they hopped right back into a conversation.

"you know i think montana girls are pretty."
zion snickered.
"canada has a few."
jade replied.

zion's mouth opened to say something but was interrupted by jade's cell phone going off.
"i'm so sorry, do you mind if i take this?"
he shook his head and jade picked it up for it to be the one and only.

"hey jade, you free? i need you to watch emma."
"no im-"
"c'mon, i have to go to a meeting."
"fine, i'll be there in 15." she sighed.

"duty calls?" zion asked and she nodded.
"i'm sorry, let me make it up to you."
"no, i'll come with you. i don't mind."
they got up and left a couple dollars on the table.

they pulled up to the arreaga house and zion was astonished.
"you babysit here? this house is hella nice."

"i live right next door." she chuckled.
opening the front door, jade came upon a dressed up brandon who looked very ticked off.
"we need to talk." he said, jade wasn't afraid of him as she followed leaving zion at the entrance of the house.

"about this morning-"
"there's nothing to talk about b." she raised her voice a little bit.
"stop that, i don't like it when you do that."
brandon pulled around his hair.
"i don't like it when you control me over the stupidest things ever."

"i hate it when you're with other guys."
brandon admitted.
"i have a boyfriend so that shouldn't be a problem."
"you guys aren't together anymore."
brandon said.

jade rolled her eyes and left brandon standing in the kitchen, going to the living room.
hearing little laughs erupt from emma who was playing with zion.
she smiled to herself and joined the two, which cooled her off after her tense conversation with brandon.

"you okay?" he asked, putting his hand on her thigh.
"i'm great, don't worry." she whispered as she played with emma.

★·.·'¯'·.·★authors note★·.·'¯'·.·★
i've been a little ia bc of school but i'm good dw
:)