Louisa returned to the diner, the scent of frying onions and coffee hitting her with a familiar, almost comforting wave. But beneath the surface, a subtle shift had occurred. The lightness she had felt during her brief escape to the park had been replaced by a quiet sense of disappointment.
Scarlett, ever perceptive, noticed the change as Louisa slipped back behind the counter. "Everything alright, Lou? You seem a little… deflated."
Louisa forced a small smile. "Yeah, fine. Just… the break was nice, but too short." She busied herself wiping down the already clean counter, avoiding Scarlett's knowing gaze.
Ellie, however, wasn't so easily deterred. "Too short because Prince Charming's company was so enthralling?" she teased, a playful glint in her eyes. "Or because he tried to pull a move and got shut down by dear old Papa Walton's untimely phone call?"
Louisa sighed, finally meeting their gazes. "It was… nice. He was actually… normal. And then, yeah, his dad called. The mood kind of… shifted."
She didn't elaborate on the almost-kiss, still processing the confusing mix of longing and the constant interruptions from Jayden's other life.
"See?" Ellie said, her tone shifting to a more serious note. "That's what I'm talking about, Lou. He's got all this baggage, all this drama. Is it really worth getting tangled up in?"
Scarlett, ever the romantic, offered a different perspective. "But he came to see her, Ellie. During his precious fall break. That has to count for something, right? And she said he was normal. Maybe he's actually trying."
Louisa listened to her friends' differing opinions, her own thoughts a jumbled mess.
She couldn't deny the connection she felt with Jayden during their walk in the park, the ease of their conversation, the genuine interest he seemed to show in her.
But the constant intrusion of his family life, the reminder of their vastly different worlds, kept her grounded in a healthy dose of skepticism.
As she served a grumpy-looking truck driver a slice of apple pie, Louisa couldn't help but wonder what Jayden was saying to his father on the phone. Was he being reprimanded for spending time with her?
Was he being reminded of his "duties" and his expected future with Stephanie? The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth, a stark contrast to the sweetness of the pie.
The escape to the park had been a pleasant interlude, but the reality of their complicated situation lingered, a shadow over the possibility of something more.
Jayden leaned back against the plush leather of his father's study, the scent of old money and expensive mahogany doing little to soothe his frayed nerves. The phone call in the park had been exactly as he'd expected: a thinly veiled reprimand for his unscheduled absence from the family's planned weekend getaway to their upstate estate.
His father hadn't explicitly mentioned Louisa, but the disapproval had been palpable in his tone, the emphasis on his "responsibilities" and the "importance of appearances."
Now, two days into fall break, Jayden found himself trapped in the very scenario he'd been trying to avoid: a forced afternoon tea with Stephanie Michaelson and both sets of their parents.
The setting was the impeccably manicured gardens of the Walton estate, the air thick with the polite, yet strained, conversation of adults discussing business mergers and social engagements.
Stephanie was sitting across from him, her blonde hair all shiny and perfect, while her mom went on and on about some charity thing.
Jayden just nodded, his brain totally checked out, still replaying his chill walk with Louisa in the park. Talking to her was like actually breathing, unlike this forced, stuffy scene.
"Jayden, sweetie," Mrs. Michaelson chirped, "Stephanie was just telling us about how amazing she is at riding horses! So talented!"
Jayden faked a smile. "Cool, Stephanie." Seriously, he had no clue what she'd even said.
Stephanie gave him this sugary-sweet smile, but her eyes kind of glinted. "Maybe we could go riding sometime during break, Jayden? Our stables are, like, huge."
Before Jayden could come up with a lame excuse, his dad jumped in, all bossy. "That's a great idea, Stephanie. Jayden's been slacking on his riding. Good exercise for him." His dad's stare was a total warning: Don't even think about saying no.
Jayden gritted his teeth. He looked at Stephanie, and all he saw was this picture of the fancy life his dad wanted him to have.
Meanwhile, all he could think about was Louisa and how real she was. The thought of pretending to care about horses with Stephanie while his head was full of Louisa felt like torture.
He plastered on a tight smile. "Yeah, maybe, Stephanie. Let me, uh, check my schedule." Total lie, obviously.
The grown-ups went back to their boring talk, but Jayden was totally checked out. He kept sneaking peeks at his phone, dying to text Louisa, just to hear her laugh and escape this whole awkwardness.
This whole perfect Stephanie act was so fake compared to how easy things were with Louisa. He knew, deep down, he couldn't keep living his life the way his dad wanted. Those few hours with Louisa had shown him there was another way, a way that actually made him happy.
The afternoon crawled by at a snail's pace. Jayden felt like he was starring in some cheesy movie about rich people doing boring rich people things. He nodded at the right times, offered bland compliments, and sipped lukewarm tea, all while his mind was a million miles away.
He kept picturing Louisa's easy smile as they'd walked through the park, the way she'd teased him about his terrible memes. That felt real. This felt like a bad dream.
Every time Stephanie directed a comment his way, batting her eyelashes and talking about polo matches and charity auctions, Jayden had to fight the urge to roll his eyes.
He caught his dad's sharp gaze a couple of times, a silent reminder to play along. It made him feel like a puppet on a string, and he hated it.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the Michaelson family began to gather their things. Jayden offered a polite goodbye, his smile feeling stiff and unnatural. As their car pulled away, he let out a silent sigh of relief that could probably be heard in the next county.
"Well, Jayden," his father said, turning to him with a satisfied look, "that went rather well, don't you think? Stephanie is a lovely girl."
Jayden just shrugged, unable to muster any enthusiasm. "Sure, Dad. Lovely."
His father's smile faltered slightly. "You don't seem very enthusiastic."
"Maybe because I'd rather be, I don't know, playing basketball or something?" Jayden retorted, the frustration finally bubbling to the surface.
His father's eyes narrowed. "Don't be ridiculous. This is important, Jayden. Your future is important."
"My future?" Jayden scoffed. "Or your future for me?"
Before his father could launch into another lecture, Jayden turned and walked away, needing to escape the suffocating atmosphere of expectation. He grabbed his keys and headed out of the mansion, the image of Louisa's genuine smile a stark contrast to the forced pleasantries he'd just endured.
He needed to hear her voice, to reconnect with something real. He pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts, his thumb hovering over her name.
Jayden sat in his Bentley, parked overlooking the city lights, the remnants of the awkward tea party still clinging to him like a bad aftertaste. He stared at Louisa's contact on his phone, a conflict warring within him.
He wanted to hear her voice, to feel that sense of normalcy he experienced whenever they talked. But a part of him hesitated. He didn't want to drag her into his family drama, and he wasn't even sure what he wanted to say.
He finally pressed the call button, the phone ringing a few times before Louisa's familiar voice answered.
"Hey, King," she said, a hint of weariness in her tone. He could almost picture her, probably wiping down tables after a long shift.
"Hey, Wren," he replied, trying to keep his voice light. "Just… checking in. Surviving the fall break?"
"Barely," she chuckled softly. "The tourists are out in full force. Smells like fried everything in here."
"Sounds… appealing," Jayden said dryly, the contrast between her reality and his privileged afternoon hitting him. "Listen, I… I just had the most incredibly boring afternoon. Forced tea party with Stephanie and the parents. You were definitely missed." He hadn't intended to be so blunt, but the words just tumbled out.
There was a brief pause on the other end. "Oh," Louisa said, her tone neutral.
Jayden instantly regretted his honesty. He didn't want her to think he was complaining or trying to make her feel sorry for him.
"Anyway," he rushed on, "it just made me realize how much… saner it is talking to you."
Another pause. "Sane?" she repeated, a hint of amusement in her voice this time. "Is that your new term of endearment?"
Jayden smiled, a genuine smile this time.
"Maybe. Look, I was wondering… are you free at all tomorrow? Maybe we could actually do something… sane?" He held his breath, waiting for her answer.
"Tomorrow…" Louisa said slowly. "I have work until late afternoon."
A wave of disappointment washed over Jayden. "Right, of course. The glamorous life of a waitress."
"Hey," Louisa retorted playfully, "glamorous in its own way. Pays the bills." There was another brief silence. "But… what time were you thinking?"
Hope flickered within Jayden. "Whenever you're free. Even if it's just for an hour. I just… I need a break from the forced smiles and polite conversations."
"Hmm," Louisa mused. "Let me see what my schedule looks like. Text you later?"
"Sounds good, Wren," Jayden said, a lightness returning to his voice. "Talk soon."
He hung up, a small seed of anticipation planted. It wasn't a definite yes, but it wasn't a no either. The thought of seeing Louisa again, away from the scrutiny of school and his family's expectations, offered a welcome glimmer of hope in the otherwise dreary landscape of his fall break.
He started the car, the city lights reflecting in the polished hood, a renewed sense of purpose guiding his drive.