Not A Small-Town Girl

----

“No, these are plenty.” Xavier shouldn’t have ordered so

much. He usually just had a salad.

Jaden picked up the menu and ordered a dozen more dishes.

“Mr. Johnson, Mr. Darling, what would you like to drink?" the

manager asked respectfully.

“We’re sticking to juice," Xavier said excitedly, remembering

his recent embarrassing moments with alcohol and how he

didn’t want a repeat.

The manager glanced at Jaden.

“We’ll have juice," Jaden said with a smile, his hand against

his lips.

“The restaurant manager said, "Okay, I’ll arrange the dishes

right away." Then he left."

“Go ahead and laugh if you want, | don’t care," Xavier said,

holding his head high.

Just then, a woman in a long white dress walked over.

“Jaden, it’s you. What a coincidence!" The woman’s face lit up

with joy, her voice a bit timid.

----

Xavier looked up at the girl, catching a whiff of her perfume

from afar.

"Um," Jaden responded coldly.

Still searching for a conversation starter, the woman in white

asked, "Jaden, have you been busy? My mother keeps

mentioning that you should come over for dinner when you

have the time."

“I’m not free," Jaden frowned. Tricked by Xavie, he had gone

on a blind date set up by his family. Although he told the

woman he wasn’t interested, she had contacted him every day

since.

----

“Jaden, whenare you free?" She had

always like im, so when she heard

he had agreéd to a blind date a few»

days pride she quickly arranged for

“ parents to set one up with fim.

His.féjection after dinner was)

néxpected. Content belongs to

----

“Xavier was taken aback, realizing they were keeping

something from him, especially since the woman had even

invited Jaden to her house.

“Anything else?" Jaden asked with displeasure in his voice.

“Jaden, can | share a table with you?" The woman gritted her

teeth, unable to believe Jaden was so indifferent to her.

“No." Jaden’s face fell. He’d finally convinced Xavier to go out

to dinner with him.

“Jaden.” Rejected repeatedly, the woman felt too ashamed to

hold her head up in such a public place.