x. THE HALL OF FAME.

Jayden cocked a brow as she stated that her best friend was a lawyer, young, and at the top of their game all in one sentence. He found himself chuckling, suddenly aware that this conversation could take an entirely different turn here in a few seconds. "Is that right?" He hummed, "Well, before you give me a number, I'ma need a name. Because if we're on the same page with who this is that you speak of -- we're about to switch gears. So, who is this top of their game lawyer you speak of?"

Jayden was aware that he had already made Soren's life more difficult when he decided to return and unleash the truth of the night he ghosted her. Or-- what he thought had been the truth. It was turning out that nothing he thought he knew was, in fact, true. "No." He replied, his answer straight forward, honest. He wasn't okay, he wasn't all that sure if he would be ever again. If he thought the 'truth' was hard to believe before it, it was now entirely impossible. "I found something out tonight and I -- I don't know what to do with that information." He stated after a moment, "I-I honestly don't know anything anymore. Turns out it was all a lie." He looked over her shoulder into her home, "You got anything to drink?"

Jayden couldn't help but agree with her question. Because how exactly did someone make someone believe something like that? Yet, here he was. "Well -- they blackmail one of your friends and that friend drugs you, and you sorta kind of blackout and recall next to nothing about the moment." He replied, "All you really have is the facts before you and well -- that makes it a little difficult to challenge." Sighing, he chuckled and shook his head, "About that drink? Triple shot?"

MICHAEL EVANS BEHLING as Jordan Baker “Got Your Money” — All American (4.09)

"Would you really have a job if they weren't?" He asked, wiggling his brows at her, more than aware that this wasn't apart of the job she signed up for most times. "Well, thank ya for that vote of confidence. It's always appreciated." He meant that, most people enjoyed to see if they could tear him down, but truth was -- he was much stronger than one thought. "Yes, ma'am." He replied, nodding, "Whatever you need." He pulled out his phone, opening up the messages he had received early. "Kayla Nelson." He began, "The date was March of last year. The kid is a couple of months old." Then holding over his phone to the thread of messages from this Kayla woman. "The guys were Michael Jones and Issac Harrison. They're also on the team."

Jayden shrugged, "Yeah, been my motto for as long as I can remember." From the moment Jayden realized his father liked things done his way and his way only. "Sounds like this just keeps working out for me, then." At least something did. It often felt like he wasn't in control of much, the little things he could -- he was always appreciative of. He arched a brow at the man's confession. "Oh? So, this is a regular thing for you then. Hate that for you." He replied, "But when parents got that whole 'best interest' thing in the head, it's a hard one to rewire." He went silent for a moment as his question ran through his mind. Truthfully, he wasn't all that sure. If anything, he was sure that had a large part to do with it. "I guess? And also the fact that I was willing to give up things for her? I don't really know." He chuckled and shook his head, "Oh? That's a possibility?" He asked, "Didn't think that would be possible. But uh, I kinda ghosted her back in the day and the reasons behind why are a little... unethical."

Feyza gave Jayden a curious and marginally worried look. A rage room? It sounded like something out of a movie. “I’ve heard about those places, but I’ve never actually been to one. You really think it’ll help?” As she thought about it, she pictured herself going crazy with a baseball bat, smashing furniture like a maniac. It made her smile to imagine it. “You know what? Let’s do it. I need a change of scenery, anyways. And you know what, if I accidentally set something on fire, at least it won’t be my security deposit going up in flames.” She grabbed her jacket and keys, then stopped. “Wait, should I change? I feel like I should dress differently for the rage room." She went to get changed before coming back. “Ready to go?”

"If you got pin up anger and frustration? Absolutely." Jayden replied honestly, "It's good for those things, and the best part is it's none of your stuff and there's no clean up." It was definitely one of his first picks as far as therapy went. He chuckled at her remark, "Exactly. Glad you're seeing the light here." It never did anyone any good to set fire to their life. Figuratively and literally. Before he could reply, she disappeared to get changed, once she reappeared, he nodded, and headed towards the door. "You wanna catch something to eat before or after?"

Michael Evans Behling

Michael Evans Behling

Miles was certainly a risk taker, an adrenaline chasing junkie that couldn't sit still for long. But even he could see the increased emotion radiating off of Jayden. Though they were new friends, perhaps he wasn't close enough to venture into the root cause of what was happening with the other. "Alright. I want one of your football trophies. And if you win, you get one of mine. How's that?" He wasn't sure about Jayden, but his trophies were his prized possessions. Just the thought of betting them was surely due to his Miles' confidence he'd be winning–besides, how was this game even won? A question formed on his mind. "Childhood memory–what's the worst one you've got. Go ahead."

Jayden wasn't sure what he was expecting, but Miles taking this and running with it as he did was not on that list. His eyes widen slightly as the man began to lay out the rules, even he had to admit he was quite impressed. "Alright -- deal." He agreed, nodding his head, "But is this going to be about who had it worse? Because I don't know man, I'm feeling like we might need to have a tie breaker here." He might've been stalling, just a little, but if he was honest, suddenly he was nervous. "Is this going to be like one of those candy bowl trauma dump things they do on that one app?"

"That you are, my friend." Jayden responded, a kind smile on his face. "Makes you one of the better people I got around. Thank you for that, by the way." He truly did admire honesty. He liked honest people, and unfortunately, he found it was questionable for some. "Reading my mind, Nina. Reading my mind. Almost makes me want to ask you what I'm thinking next." He joked, then bringing into a laugh, "Oh man... how badly are you going to judge me if I say hot cheetos?"

Jayden wasn't expecting anything really from this. If anything, he assumed one of them would fall out or change the subject before it got anywhere half good. To his surprise, when she asked the question, only one answer came to mind, "Hmm... probably killing my best friend in a car accident and then refusing to face the consequences of those actions. Oh -- right..." He chuckle his head and shook his head, "I didn't do that, did I? I was only made to believe I did. Well, shit -- I'm going to have to really think about this answer now. Tell me, what's yours?"

Jayden wasn't sure exactly what game he was trying to play here. He had no idea if anything good would really even come from it. At this point, it felt as though not much good came from him and his family to begin with. He arched a brow at her, softy chuckling at the remark, "Shit -- you know any good lawyers, by chance?" He asked, "I might need help trying to sue someone my damn self."