Innocence {{Jaden Hossler}}

⭒ Six ⭒

⋆  Vada ⋆

Anybody could tell you that Vada Delaney was a lightweight.

Maeve and Violet constantly teased her for being a 'two-drink-knock-out' from the number of times she had been absolutely pissed after only a few drinks.

So it was certainly a huge surprise to Vada herself when it was nearly 1 am and she was still only tipsy. The party had gone by so quickly that she seemed to have forgotten the point of a party: to get drunk.

Truthfully, Vada couldn't tell you how she had ended up outside, feet swishing in the swimming pool with a bottle of Vodka in her hand.

She remembered finding Anthony again after the hype of Bryce being crazy and nearly, detoured by an awkward tackle from Griffin involved, peeing off the roof died down.

She could remember giving him more advice, something about what to buy Avani. They had decided on some shoes and a necklace with his name dangling from it; Vada didn't know Avani much but already appreciated her style and Anthony seemed to think that'd be good.

They had also swapped numbers, something Avani must have clocked out of the corner of her eye because she soon came over and dragged Anthony away yet again.

All Vada had heard about Avani was how nice and accepting she was, but it was hard to see her that way when every time she spoke to Vada it was to interrupt an innocent conversation. Admittedly, Maeve might have been a bit biased when talking about Avani, she basically worshipped the ground she walked on, but in all fairness, it seemed like Avani was the same for Maeve.

Vada couldn't imagine being that close to somebody, sure she loved Maeve and Violet but she had a fear that both would leave eventually or that if push came to shove they would have each other's backs before they had Vadas.

She also remembered walking through the kitchen and catching Jaden's eye again. She hated how she had blushed and looked away, she had portrayed herself as such a weak person in the short time they had known each other, and just the thought of his smirk burning into the top of her head irked her.

The bottle of Vodka, however, was a mystery. She definitely hadn't been carrying it around the house but had obviously found it before she went outside. It was half full, Vada was unsure whether or not she had drank all of that or if she'd had some help.

Bryce had come to see if she was okay for a few minutes, perhaps he had drank some. Vada appreciated Bryces' concern, they hadn't talked that night but the fact that he already cared for her wellbeing told her all she needed to know about him.

"What are you doing out here," a voice startled Vada, making her jump and nearly drop the bottle into the pool, "all alone"

Vada twisted her body, looking towards the boy. Everything seemed to be in slow motion.

"Am I not allowed?" She retorted a smirk crept onto his face.

"I didn't say that" He sat next to her, taking the bottle from her hand, unscrewing it then taking a swig. All the while she examined his face; as he swallowed his jawline was prominent, his high cheekbones caught the moonlight. The veins in his neck looked ready to burst, she wanted to run her fingers down them, however, chose against that, as it would probably be extremely weird.

He looked like a God.

"Take a picture" he joked, looking back at her, examining her himself. She only laughed in return, pulling her fingers up to her face into a rectangle shape, she made a clicking sound with her mouth as she pretended to press down on the makeshift 'camera'.

He laughed, pulling his own hands up and under his chin and smiling brightly.

"Lovely" she mused, looking back at the pool, admiring the moonlight rippling on the top.

"Why aren't you inside, Jae?" She asked, it was a surprise to both of them when she called him by the nickname.

"That's funny," he smirked, "I don't remember telling you my name, babygirl" Vada bit her lip.

"I guess your friends like talking about you a bit too much. I'm Vada," she reached out her hand, "by the way" Jaden just looked at her hand then shook his head, looking away whilst laughing slightly.  A blush raised to her cheeks as she put her hand back to her lap, embarrassed.

"I know, I just like babygirl better" He was still looking away from her. He seemed to be able to effortlessly attract her, he had ignored her a lot of the night yet here she was entranced by him.

"Wanna go somewhere?" He asked, randomly after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

"What?"

"The parties dying down a bit, so you wanna go sit on the roof?" He asked again, finally looking towards the small girl, a slight smirk on his lips.

"Yeah, go on then" she twisted her body and pulled her legs out of the pool, drying her feet slightly and slipping her socks and shoes back on.

Jaden stood up too, waiting for her to be ready then reached for her hand, he took it casually and directed her back inside the house and up the stairs.

Vada tried hard not to show the effect he was having on her, all he had done was take her hand yet her heart was beating at a mile a minute.

"Give me a minute," he said letting go of her hand, much to Vadas disappointment and walked into a room.

Only a minute later he walked back out, stuffing something into his pocket then walking down the hallway, this time not taking her hand.

He led her through a door and up some more stairs, before finally opening a door and revealing the still-dark sky.

It was beautiful, the night was calm with no wind. It was so peaceful up there, especially with the stars overhead.

"Want some?" Jaden snapped her out of the small daydream, she hadn't even realised that he had walked away from her and sat down, leaning against a large metal fan.

He held his arm out, a blunt in his hand.

"Um... I've never" she indirectly answered back, walking over to him and sitting down on her knees.

"Really?" He seemed surprised, weed was a big thing in his life and had been for a while, so for her to have never experienced it shocked him.

She stayed quiet, forcing herself to look into his eyes, regretting it instantly and looking away again.

"You don't have to, if you don't want to" He reassured her, lighting the blunt and taking in a big drag.

"And if I do want to?"

"Then I'll teach you"

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Written: 6th June 2020
Published: 21st April 2021
Man whiteyed last night fat rip Quarantine done me dirty