Emma stepped into the car gallery, and almost instantly her nose picked up a familiar scent.
Jayden.
She knew it anywhere, and it told her he was already here.
"Emma!"
She turned to her left and saw him standing at the far end of the gallery. Her lips curved into a shy smile as she walked over.
"Hey," she said softly.
"Hiii," he replied, returning the smile.
"I don't have much time to spend here, so we'll have to make this quick," Jayden said.
Emma's smile faded. "I didn't ask to come here, so you're going to give me a substantial amount of your time."
That earned a small grin from him. "Yes, ma'am."
"So... what are we getting?" she asked, glancing around at the gleaming cars.
"A Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster," Jayden replied casually.
"Ouuuu... a Lambo!" Emma lit up instantly.
"There's gold and black available right now," he told her, pointing to the two cars parked side by side.
Emma studied them. The black looked sleek and powerful, but the gold glowed with a kind of boldness she couldn't resist. Her choice was instant.
"Gold," she said confidently.
Jayden sighed, giving her an approving look. "You definitely know ball."
She smiled at his words.
An attendant approached them and began listing out the car's specifications, horsepower, engine details, top speed. Neither Emma nor Jayden were paying much attention.
"How much is it?" Emma whispered as they circled the car.
"A little above eight hundred thousand," Jayden replied.
"Wowwww." She stared at him, still stunned. The fact that he was willing to spend that much on her... it said everything she needed to know about how much she meant to him.
As though he had read her thoughts, Jayden leaned in and said, "You deserve it. I'm just glad you're finally old enough."
Her chest warmed, and she smiled at him.
Jayden pulled out his phone to snap a few pictures of the car. Just then, the attendant finished his little presentation.
"Sir, you can follow me to the office to finalize payment and delivery details," the man said politely.
"I'll help you take your pictures," Emma offered.
Jayden smiled and handed his phone to her without hesitation before heading off with the attendant.
Emma crouched, angling the phone as she took several shots of the Lamborghini's rear, making sure to get the perfect frame. When she was done, she opened the gallery to admire her work.
She started with the last photo she had just taken and swiped back through them, praising her own photographic skills. The pictures looked amazing.
Swiping further, she stumbled onto shots Jayden had taken earlier of the car's interior; sleek dashboards, glossy details. She kept swiping absentmindedly until suddenly, she froze.
Her breath caught as her eyes locked on a photo that didn't belong with the rest. Curiosity surged through her veins as she stared at the screen.
Her heart skipped a beat, her thumb hovering over the screen.
Whatever it was, she knew this wasn't something she was supposed to see.
Jayden opened the car door as it instantly lifted upward. He slid into the passenger seat, instinctively picking up his phone from the seat before sitting down.
Emma was in the driver's seat, her fingers curling tightly around the steering wheel.
"I love the car," she said, glancing at him with a small smile.
"I'm super glad you do," he replied, watching her take in the interior.
"Gosh the leather feels so soft..." She told him bouncing up and done the car while seating down and Jayden just gave a smile.
"It just feels so surreal sitting in a car that costs more than some people's houses" She lamented
"Good thing we don't know broke people" Jayden joked and Emma just laughed, but the sound faded quickly.
A short silence followed.
"Jayden," Emma said quietly.
He hummed without looking up. "Yeah?"
She shifted in her seat, heart hammering. "What are we?"
That got his attention. He turned toward her, brows knitting. "What do you mean?"
Emma let out a frustrated laugh. "Exactly what I asked. What are we? Friends? Something more? Because right now, I don't know where I stand."
Jayden put his phone down and leaned back, running a hand through his hair. "Emma..."
"No, don't 'Emma' me," she cut in, her voice trembling but firm. "I've been patient. I've put up with the silence, the mixed signals, all of it. And I really like you, I wouldn't be sitting here if I didn't. But I can't keep guessing. If this is nothing, just say it. If it's something, then tell me that too. But stop leaving me in between."
For a moment, Jayden said nothing. He stared out through the windshield at the distant field, his jaw tight. Then finally, his voice came low,
"I don't want to lose you. But I also don't want a label that'll break us apart when it gets too heavy. What I want is something real. A partnership."
Emma frowned, shock flickering across her face... Maybe Mandy was right all along.
"So... not a relationship?"
"Not in the way people expect. I want someone who's here no matter what, who I can win with, lose with, build with. That's what I see in you. Not a temporary thing, Emma. Something bigger."
Emma sat back, biting her lip. "You make it sound nice. But it still feels like you're scared to just call it what it is."
Jayden looked at her then, eyes steady. "Maybe I am. But scared or not... I want you."
"So you don't want to call it a relationship?" she pressed.
"No. Not like that. Relationships sound like labels, restrictions, expectations. I don't want that. I want a bond. Something real. Like ours."
"That's just wordplay, Jayden. You're dodging. If it walks like a relationship, talks like one, feels like one... then why isn't it really one?" Emma asked, tears slipping down her cheeks.
"Is it cause partnership is so convenient and you get all the benefits without admitting you're in a relationship?" she added, voice cracking.
"It's not convenience, Emma. It's more than that. Relationships fade, they get messy. I don't want something fragile. I want something solid. You and me, no tag, no expiry date, just us."
"Then why does it sound like a loophole?"
"Because you're trying to fit us into the usual box, and I don't want a box. I want us to build our own thing."
Silence hung for a bit, heavy and sharp. Emma looked away, visibly torn.
"So... partnership?" She asked
"Exactly."
"Jayden, I need to know you're not using it as an escape hatch. No back doors, no excuses."
Jayden's lips quirked into a faint smirk, then softened. "No excuses. No escape hatch. Just us."
"Alright. Call it whatever you want. But if I ever feel like I'm the only one building, then your 'partnership' dies right there." She said giving an air quote while saying the word 'partnership'
"Fair enough. I won't let you down, I promise."