Jayden chuckled. "Consider wowed... this is more than impressive. It’s heavenly."
Penelope smirked. "I know. It’s my favourite place in the entire city."
Jayden looked around again, taking in the crystalline wine glasses, the swaying lights, the shifting colors of the walls like the aurora. Every inch of the space pulsed with the subtle arrogance of wealth—but it wasn’t just about money. It was about power. A place only the exceptional could touch.
Then a thought struck him.
"...Why’d you reveal yourself to the waiter downstairs?" he asked.
Penelope paused.
Her eyes.. purple and mischievous, glinted in the candlelight.
"I didn’t," she said. "I simply reminded him."
Jayden raised an eyebrow, about to press further, but she was already moving toward a table set near the center. It was elegant, minimal, with two chairs positioned beneath a hanging crystal light shaped like a falling star.
"Co on," she said over her shoulder. "Let’s make this date sothing the stars themselves will envy."
They took their seats beneath the soft, falling glow of the chandelier shaped like a falling star. A perfect little universe ford between them—two chairs angled just enough to invite closeness, a table clothed in velvet midnight, and a flickering candle dancing at the center like a heartbeat made of fla.
Jayden sat back, trying not to look too fascinated. He failed spectacularly.
"Y’know i was expecting pizza," he said, half-smirking. "Maybe sushi in a parking lot."
Penelope lifted one brow, lips curving. "Oh... for a second, i forgot you’re still a boy in his teens. Things like this might not excite you much. You prefer parking lots, arcades and clubs." she let out a slight chortle.
Jayden shook his head. "No, this excites very much. I’m not a fan of clubs, it’s too noisy. I just like sothing... simple."
Penelope stared in amusent. "You really are mature for your age... maybe even too mature." she chuckled. "But do I look like a woman who does takeout in a parking lot?"
Jayden chuckled. "Honestly? You look like soone who owns the parking lot."
Penolope smiled. A genuine laugh left her lips, soft and lodic.
Jayden caught himself staring again. The candlelight kissed her skin with honey warmth, and her curls shimred like halos made from sumr. There was a gravity around her—not just beauty, but sothing lived-in. Sothing dangerous and divine.
A mont later, a server arrived, bowing low without a word. He presented two platters beneath polished silver dos.
With a dramatic clink, he lifted them.
On Jayden’s plate: smoked beast flank, grilled to perfection, dripping with juices, seared with rare forest herbs and glowing faintly from energy-rich marinade, at ant for evolved tabolism. It was no doubt a dish made from beast at.
On Penelope’s: a glowing salad of luminous fruits, darkroot petals, and sothing that looked suspiciously like moonflower. Delicate. Exquisite. Otherworldly.
Jayden blinked at it. Even as good as he was in cooking, Jayden knew the al was next level just by looking.
"Do those... glow naturally?"
Penelope grinned as she picked up her crystal fork. "They do when you water them with stardust."
"...Seriously?" he asked in surprise.
She winked. "Wouldn’t you like to know?"
Jayden smiled wrly. "Actually, I’m bit of a cook myself." he admitted.
Penelope raised a brow in amusent. "Really? That’s impressive... but of course i can’t decide that until I’ve tasted your food." she giggled.
"Well.. it’s might not be as good as this. But I’m willing to try." Jayden muttered.
Penolope smiled. "Such an adorable thing." she thought. "Even after losing a lot, he’s still composed. It’s as if he’s a man in a teenager’s body... Heck, most n aren’t even mature. Vile creatures."
"Um.. Miss Isley."
Jayden’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Oh, sorry." she smiled. "I was just fantasizing how good your cooking would taste."
Jayden shook his head, grinning to himself as he carved into the at. One bite in and his eyes widened.
"Okay, this is... amazing." he said. "It’s definitely better than my cooking. Infact, it might just be the best thing I’ve tasted in a long ti."
"I don’t serve diocrity to people I like," Penelope said simply. "But.. do you know that food tastes better depending on the person that cooked it?"
Jayden glanced up at that. The weight in her voice. The subtle hum beneath those words.
Penelope smiled. "If soone you love cooks for you, it tastes a lot better. That goes for soone you’re attracted to as well." she winked.
The air between them shimred. Jayden simply smiled, not saying a word as Penelope stared at him. He liked that she did, but.. he didn’t have the courage to stare back.
"Cute." Penelope thought.
A few sips of wine later.. Penelope leaned back and tilted her head, eyes glinting like knives dipped in silk.
"So," she said. "Why did you co?"
Jayden smirked. "To eat. I was starving." he said, making a playful expression.
"I’m serious." she chuckled.
"I figured you might want a little company." he shrugged.
"Don’t flatter yourself," she said, smiling. "You showed up because sothing about intrigues you. Admit it."
Jayden t her gaze without flinching. "Yeah. You do. Just like i intrigue you too." he smiled.
Penelope went still. For just a breath. Her eyes softened. She didn’t expect that. Her feelings were stuck between surprise, attraction and amusent.
She wanted to say: "Mind your tongue, boy. I’m still old enough to be your mother."
But instead, she went along.
"Why?"
He shrugged lightly. "Because no matter what mask you wear... no matter how perfect your posture or elegant your speech... I can tell you’ve seen pain. Real pain. And you carry it like an armor."
She blinked slowly. The air grew still.
"...You don’t know anything about ," she whispered.
"I’d like to," he said simply.
Penelope turned her wine glass between her fingers, lips parting—torn between silence and confession.
"How is he suddenly bold? I could’ve sworn this wine wasn’t alcoholic. Did Kate lie to ?" she pondered inwardly. "No, I’m the hot mom here. I’m suppose to dominate this date."
Then she shifted tactics. "Alright, my turn."
Jayden nodded with a smile. He had acted bold earlier.. too bold. His heart was beating fast. Everything he had said to her were rely thoughts, and they were supposed to stay thoughts. But sohow, he blurted them out.
And now, he was terrified of what she might do to him.
"What was growing up like?" Penolope asked.
Jayden chuckled. "You’re pulling the interrogation card already?"
"Consider it an audit. You’ve piqued my interest, Jayden. You claim to have no ability, yet, sohow your aura is almost... if not even the sa level as my daughter. How?"
Jayden’s eyes widened. Cassandra was currently at level 17, and she’s considered the strongest in the school after Jessica, which puts her in fourth place. And that was quite impressive in a year of about 120 students.
He knew he had gotten stronger, but this was terrifying. His system level was still below 10, but his aura was already like that of a level 17 evolved human. And it had only been about two weeks since he began using the system.
This was incredible.
Jayden looked into his wine glass, then into her eyes. "I’m... still trying to figure that out myself."
Penelope smiled faintly at that.. sothing more real now, tinged with ache. "You remind of soone I knew. Once."
Jayden leaned in a bit, voice softer. "Who?"
She looked away. Just briefly. "Soone I failed to save. Soone who is just like you." she muttered, staring at Jayden’s silver hair.
"Soone who was the only friend i had in a long ti." she added, tears welling up. "Soone whose dying wish was that i find her children."
The candle flickered between them, casting twin shadows against the glass walls.
Jayden watched her carefully now. Her poise. Her beauty. The pain under all that control. He wasn’t a fool, he knew exactly who she was talking about.
He arched a brow. "You knew my mum?"
User Comments
0 comments from readers