The sleek Bentley pulled away from the curb, the smooth ride a stark contrast to the knot of unease tightening in Louisa's stomach. She sat stiffly in the passenger seat, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery, the familiar streets of their neighborhood blurring by. The scent of expensive leather and Jayden's subtle cologne filled the air, a reminder of the vast difference in their worlds.
Jayden glanced at her, a thoughtful expression on his face. He seemed aware of her reticence. "So," he began, his voice calm, "that was... Cassia. You seemed a little... concerned?"
Louisa finally turned her head, her gaze direct. "Concerned? Maybe. You seemed pretty worried about her. Holding her hand, checking her temperature..."
A hint of jealousy laced her tone, despite her attempts to remain indifferent. "What's going on with you two?"
Jayden's grip tightened slightly on the steering wheel. He hesitated for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Cassia and I... we have a history, as you know. We were together for a long time. Even though we're not anymore, we still care about each other. When I saw she wasn't herself in the cafeteria, I was worried. She hasn't seemed like her usual bubbly self lately."
He glanced at Louisa again, his blue eyes earnest. "It wasn't... romantic, Louisa. It was concern for a friend. Someone I used to be very close to."
Louisa studied his expression, trying to gauge his sincerity. The pang of jealousy hadn't completely subsided, but his explanation sounded plausible.
"So, there's nothing... still there?" she asked, the question hanging in the air.
Jayden's gaze returned to the road, a small, almost sad smile touching his lips. "No, Louisa. That chapter is closed. What I felt for Cassia... it's different now. It's a sense of shared history, a concern for her well-being. But it's not the same as... how I feel when I'm around you."
He glanced at her again, his eyes holding a warmth that made her heart flutter despite her reservations. "Which is why I wanted to talk to you, away from everything else."
The silence that followed was less tense than before, filled with Louisa's thoughtful consideration of his words. The jealousy hadn't vanished entirely, but a small seed of trust, or at least a willingness to believe him, had been planted.
Jayden navigated the city streets with a practiced ease, turning onto less-trafficked roads, away from the usual bustle of their affluent neighborhood. Louisa watched the scenery change, the familiar high-end boutiques and manicured lawns giving way to a more understated, almost hidden charm.
He eventually turned down a winding lane, the trees on either side forming a leafy canopy overhead. The air grew noticeably quieter, the sounds of the city fading into a gentle rustling of leaves and birdsong.
He pulled the Bentley to a stop in front of a discreet gate, almost hidden by ivy.
"Welcome to another of my… escape hatch," Jayden said, cutting the engine. He hopped out and opened the gate, gesturing for Louisa to follow.
Beyond the gate lay a small, secluded garden. Lush greenery surrounded a tranquil pond, where water lilies floated serenely. A weathered stone bench sat beneath the shade of an old oak tree.
It felt like a world away from the pressures of Charterhouse and the glittering superficiality that often surrounded Jayden.
Louisa stepped into the garden, a sense of peace washing over her. It was unexpected, a hidden oasis in the middle of the city. She looked at Jayden, a newfound curiosity in her eyes.
"Wow," she said softly. "I didn't know places like this existed around here."
Jayden leaned against the gate, a rare vulnerability in his expression. "Most people don't. It's… kind of my sanctuary. When things get too crazy." He pushed off the gate and walked towards the bench, gesturing for her to join him.
They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, the only sounds the gentle lapping of water against the pond's edge and the chirping of unseen birds. Then, Jayden turned to her, his gaze earnest.
"So," he began, his voice softer now, "ask me anything. No pretense. No King-of-Charterhouse act. Just… me."
Louisa took a slow breath, the peacefulness of the garden a stark contrast to the turmoil of her thoughts. She looked at Jayden, who was watching her with an earnest expression.
"So," she began, her voice soft, "this place… you said it's your escape hatch. Why?"
Jayden leaned back against the weathered stone of the bench, his gaze drifting towards the tranquil pond. "Charterhouse… and well, my life in general… it can get pretty suffocating. Lots of expectations, lots of… noise. This place… it's quiet. It's just… nature. No one here cares who my last name is or what my father expects of me." A hint of sadness flickered in his eyes.
Louisa absorbed this, a small piece of the puzzle of Jayden King Walton clicking into place. "So, you don't always like being… Jayden King Walton?"
He chuckled, a genuine, self-deprecating sound. "Let's just say it comes with a lot of baggage I didn't ask for."
He turned back to her, his gaze direct. "What about you, Louisa Wren? What do you do to escape the noise?"
She thought for a moment. "Scarlett, Ellie… and my work, sometimes. When it's really busy, I don't have time to think about anything else."
A comfortable silence fell between them again, the gentle sounds of the garden filling the space.
"So," Jayden continued, with a genuine interest in his eyes, the tension from his previous explanation having eased slightly.
"Tell me about Louisa Wren, beyond the hardworking waitress and the focused student I see at school. What makes you tick?"
He leaned back on the stone bench, giving her his full attention. "What do you do when you're not juggling classes and the diner? What are you passionate about?"
Louisa considered his question, a small, thoughtful frown creasing her brow. It was strange to have Jayden King Walton genuinely interested in her life, beyond the surface level.
"Well," she said slowly, "I love to read. Mostly fantasy stuff, actually, and some of those really twisty thrillers. And I draw sometimes, mostly character sketches and little scenes that pop into my head. It helps me zone out."
She shrugged slightly. "Nothing too exciting."
Jayden's eyes lit up. "Fantasy and thrillers? Seriously? What authors are you into? I'm always looking for new recommendations."
He grinned, a hint of his usual charm returning, but tempered with a genuine enthusiasm.
Louisa found herself smiling back. "Maybe I'll quiz you later. What about you, Jayden? You said this garden is your escape. What else do you like? What do you do when you're not… well, being the King of Charterhouse?"
Jayden hesitated for a moment, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face. "It's not always a thrill ride, being 'King'," he admitted with a wry smile.
"I play a lot of basketball with my friends – it's the one place I can just be 'Jayden' without all the extra baggage. And I'm kind of obsessed with street photography. Capturing real moments, you know? The raw stuff." He paused.
"And I used to come here a lot with my younger sister, Lily. She… she really loved this garden. We'd spend hours just talking or reading here." A soft smile touched his lips at the memory.
Louisa felt a warmth spread through her. It was a sweet glimpse into his family life. "You have a younger sister?"
"Yeah," Jayden replied, his gaze softening. "Lily. She's… five years younger than me. She's pretty awesome, actually. A total opposite of me in some ways – super artistic, really laid-back."
They continued to talk, the initial awkwardness replaced by a growing sense of ease. They discovered unexpected shared interests and a surprising willingness to be open with each other in the quiet sanctuary of the garden.
The late afternoon sun dappled through the leaves, casting a warm glow on their faces as they began to see each other not just as the scholarship girl and the wealthy heir, but as two individuals finding common ground in a world that often tried to keep them apart.