When I'm holding you tight, I'm so alive

“Yeah... I feel bad for all of them, but especially for the kids. Nate always tries to seem like he doesn’t care about anything, but I think it affects him more than he lets on. I think he wants to be strong for his sisters,” Jade sighed. She knew the kids so well by now, both being close with their parents, and spending time with them after school. “I thought that they would be able to make it work again, but Sophia was chatting away with me the other day and mentioned that Derek was seeing someone. I really thought that if anyone could make it work, it would have been those two... It definitely makes me wonder if anyone can make it, if those two can’t,” Jade said, hoping she was wrong about that. Or maybe all anyone needed was a second shot at love... Derek and Emmeline could still come back from this, and Brandon and herself could have a second chance of making something happen between them. “Yeah, that’s still my number!” Jade smiled, glad to see that he still had it (though, if he did, why hadn’t he contacted her again? But then again... why hadn’t she contacted him either?). “I would really like that,” Jade grinned, truly hoping that Derek and Em’s rocky relationship didn’t spell disaster for other relationships as well.

“I guess I shouldn’t worry, you would have been the one that looked crazy.” He joked with a little wiggle of his eyebrow and a smirk on his lips. His smirk only grew further too as she smiled, forgetting just how pretty she looked, and wondering how he had ever forgotten something like that. Forgetting that he had somewhere to be, he just wanted to know more about her and what she was up to now. “That’s great, and how are the kids doing at their dancing and art and what not? Running the center yet?” He had always admired her desire to give back, to good with her work. It was something the both of them could agree on. He wanted to help people too. He was going to protect the innocent, do the right thing with his law degree. Her asking him, and him remembering he was really ready to kick himself. Looking at his cell phone in his hand, the time just seemed to keep ticking away. “Yep, big time lawyer, defending the world one person at a time. Except when said lawyer is already a half hour late to the office.” He let out a small chuckle, and looked as the line started to get longer. He wanted so badly to know more about her, to see her longer. “Which, what are you up to later? Did you want to get together and catch up maybe? I could probably spare about five more minutes with you now, and that’s just not enough time for me.” He smirked at her, hoping to get some time with her.

“Well if it’s any consolation, I wouldn’t have yelled for long. At least not once I realized it was you,” she laughed, knowing just how horrible she would have felt had it actually happened. “Thank you, you’re looking great yourself” Jade smiled, trying not to come off too strong with any flirting - but who would blame her, especially having Brandon standing in front of her again and looking so nice in what she suspected were his work clothes. “I’ve been good, the same as before really. Still just teaching my classes at the art center, that sort of thing,” she said. It was nothing compared to what Brandon was doing, she was sure. “Are you a big lawyer now, I’m guessing?” Jade asked, knowing that he had to be. She always knew he was going to go places, do great things with his life - and apparently she hadn’t been meant to be there with him for it all. He’d probably found a gorgeous girlfriend by now - who wouldn’t jump at the chance to be with him - and Jade was still exactly where she was before. Not that she minded, but when she had Brandon in front of her, it made her heart wrench knowing what she was missing and what she could have had. Instead, she was left being stood up for coffee.

There’s been one guy that she thought could have been the one. Jade had really liked him, they got along well and had been on a couple of dates, but they both got busy and lost contact. Now, she felt like she was doomed to find shitty guys that either weren’t ready for what she was, or didn’t have the decency to show up for coffee, or even let her know they couldn’t or wouldn’t be there. But instead of leaving, Jade stayed and ordered another latte as she perused Pinterest for ideas for art projects for the kids Spring break art classes that would be held in just a month and a half, not even paying attention to the other patrons at the cafe.

They had gone on a few dates back when, but it had been a couple years now at least. The two had hit it off, but then things seemed to fizzle out. No hard feelings or ill intent, just two people losing contact over time. To him though, she had matured some, and even back when he had found her beautiful, there was something now that drew him even further to her. Not wanting to be even later, but not being able to just walk away, he cautiously approached the table, seeing the girl looking down on her phone, he didn’t want to startle her any, and announced himself before stepping any closer. “Jade?” He questioned, hoping he had gotten her name right. Though he was fairly confident, it would be just his luck to have gotten it wrong in this moment. A goofy grin plastered on his face for her to look up and see when she did. 

Naturally, being fought in her thoughts, Jade jumped slightly when she heard her name mentioned. Expecting it to be her date that finally had the decency to show up, she was ready to make some quip to him about not even bothering and to just leave again - but instead she looked up to see someone she wasn't sure she'd ever see again. "Brandon, hi!" She said, standing up to give him a hug. "I was almost ready to yell at you, I thought you were going to be someone else," she laughed. "It's been ages, how have you been?"