jaiden

(This is based off of Victor Quartermaine's defeat in Wallace and Gromit)

I had just walked away when Cameron approached us in the park AGAIN, trying to win me over. I said nothing, hoping he would have gotten the hint. After all, he already knows that I'm dating Luna.

Standing tall, hands on his hips, I hear Cameron's screechy laugh from way behind us. Luna and I turn around, slowly approaching him.

"AHAHAHAHA!! No one beats Cameron Vega!"

All of a sudden, Luna's face lights up. "The carrot..."

Before we went to the park, we'd gone to a farmer's market where the winner of the Biggest Vegetable Competition, Mr. Daniel Lavine, was selling his 4-foot carrot.

Luna and I bought it, somehow getting the feeling it would be useful, and we were right.

She takes the giant carrot and picks it up from the grass.

"Is that so?" Luna asks as we approach him.

I see Cameron jump a little, but before he says anything, Luna swings at his head. Cameron topples over like a dead tree.

"Consider yourself officially dumped," I say. "Hmph!"

Grabbing the carrot, we walk away from Cameron and decide to go back home.

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/42287270

It's a spring day. Everything is green out, and outside is warm with just enough breeze. All in all, a perfect May day.

One thing in particular, though, makes May an even more perfect day. Today, May 12, 2026, marks the ten-month anniversary of my relationship with my girlfriend Luna Maxwell-Flores.

And today, I'm walking with my special woman, hand-in-hand with her. I thought I loved everything about her when she was a freshman, I a sophomore, but that love only grew stronger once I got to know her. I love the way the sunlight reflects off her black hair, the way her blue streak is situated perfectly on her bangs, the way her round glasses seem to perfectly frame her chocolate eyes, her entire face. The way her hand fits with mine like a puzzle piece.

I stare at her, trying to fit her entire image in my mind, all the way down to her black tank top, her light, comfortable black shorts, and the white Nikes she's been wearing since I saw her again when she walked into Java Delight, the café I work at.

We walk uphill, stopping to sit down at a cedar bench, our fingers still intertwined.

Luna rests her head on my shoulder, moving her free hand to my knee. "Isn't the view wonderful?"

I look over the hill and nod. Green all around me. People walking and talking, having fun. People are at peace here.

"You're my favorite person, Jaiden," says Luna.

And I can't help but smile. "You are, too, Luna."

Over the hill, a blurry figure with curly black hair, dark skin, a black leather jacket, and jean shorts approaches.

"Looks like someone else wants to join us," Luna comments.

As he gets closer, I notice his face is... familiar. But who is it? Oh... that's right! Cameron.

Cameron, now twenty, was a guy I dated, and later broke up with last year. Before Luna came around.

"Is this...?" she mouths. I nod.

"Cameron," I say.

"Jaiden! I wanted to speak to you, if you don't mind."

Silence for a bit.

"Go ahead." I stand up.

"Look." He sighs. "I was wrong. Wrong... about a lot of things."

"Damn right you were!" Luna chimes in. "You hurt Jaiden. You said you didn't want her."

Cameron chuckles. "Oh, that's so like Jaiden to tell you that. I was nineteen. A teenager. As a twenty year old, I can tell you that I was an insecure teenager, not in the right headspace."

"I'm sure you haven't changed since last year." She crosses her arms.

Cameron ignores her. "If we can get past this without your little friend chiming in, then maybe we can get down to business. I've been thinking about you, Jaiden, a lot. Especially those beautiful blue eyes I used to look at so frequently, your kissable pink lips and your rosy cheeks."

I felt a bit nauseous. "Yeah, we haven't seen each other in over a year and we're not even dating. Please don't talk like that."

"But... we will be dating. Hopefully." He smiles sheepishly in a way that almost makes me feel sorry for the guy.

"Yeah, no." Luna steps in again, grabbing my hand. "She's mine."

I find my voice and nod. "That's right, Cameron. We will not be getting to know each other again, not like that. I'm taken."

Cameron shakes his head. "Wha...her...noooo. I didn't think it was like you to like girls."

"What does that even mean?" Luna whispers to me. I shrug.

He starts laughing. At first, just a soft chuckle. Then, it gets louder. "Of course. Jaiden has another partner now."

"One that loves her," says Luna.

"One that wants me," I reply.

The laughter subsides and he walks off. Luna and I are left to hold hands and enjoy the weather while the flowers and our love blossom.

It's a spring day. Everything is green out, and outside is warm with just enough breeze. All in all, a perfect May day.

One thing in particular, though, makes May an even more perfect day. Today, May 12, 2026, marks the ten-month anniversary of my relationship with my girlfriend Luna Maxwell-Flores.

And today, I'm walking with my special woman, hand-in-hand with her. I thought I loved everything about her when she was a freshman, I a sophomore, but that love only grew stronger once I got to know her. I love the way the sunlight reflects off her black hair, the way her blue streak is situated perfectly on her bangs, the way her round glasses seem to perfectly frame her chocolate eyes, her entire face. The way her hand fits with mine like a puzzle piece.

I stare at her, trying to fit her entire image in my mind, all the way down to her black tank top, her light, comfortable black shorts, and the white Nikes she's been wearing since I saw her again when she walked into Java Delight, the café I work at.

We walk uphill, stopping to sit down at a cedar bench, our fingers still intertwined.

Luna rests her head on my shoulder, moving her free hand to my knee. "Isn't the view wonderful?"

I look over the hill and nod. Green all around me. People walking and talking, having fun. People are at peace here.

"You're my favorite person, Jaiden," says Luna.

And I can't help but smile. "You are, too, Luna."

Over the hill, a blurry figure with curly black hair, dark skin, a black leather jacket, and jean shorts approaches.

"Looks like someone else wants to join us," Luna comments.

As he gets closer, I notice his face is... familiar. But who is it? Oh... that's right! Cameron.

Cameron, now twenty, was a guy I dated, and later broke up with last year. Before Luna came around.

"Is this...?" she mouths. I nod.

"Cameron," I say.

"Jaiden! I wanted to speak to you, if you don't mind."

Silence for a bit.

"Go ahead." I stand up.

"Look." He sighs. "I was wrong. Wrong... about a lot of things."

"Damn right you were!" Luna chimes in. "You hurt Jaiden. You said you didn't want her."

Cameron chuckles. "Oh, that's so like Jaiden to tell you that. I was nineteen. A teenager. As a twenty year old, I can tell you that I was an insecure teenager, not in the right headspace."

"I'm sure you haven't changed since last year." She crosses her arms.

Cameron ignores her. "If we can get past this without your little friend chiming in, then maybe we can get down to business. I've been thinking about you, Jaiden, a lot. Especially those beautiful blue eyes I used to look at so frequently, your kissable pink lips and your rosy cheeks."

I felt a bit nauseous. "Yeah, we haven't seen each other in over a year and we're not even dating. Please don't talk like that."

"But... we will be dating. Hopefully." He smiles sheepishly in a way that almost makes me feel sorry for the guy.

"Yeah, no." Luna steps in again, grabbing my hand. "She's mine."

I find my voice and nod. "That's right, Cameron. We will not be getting to know each other again, not like that. I'm taken."

Cameron shakes his head. "Wha...her...noooo. I didn't think it was like you to like girls."

"What does that even mean?" Luna whispers to me. I shrug.

He starts laughing. At first, just a soft chuckle. Then, it gets louder. "Of course. Jaiden has another partner now."

"One that loves her," says Luna.

"One that wants me," I reply.

The laughter subsides and he walks off. Luna and I are left to hold hands and enjoy the weather while the flowers and our love blossom.

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/42214816

(I’m not too good at writing)

Here I stand behind the counter of Java Delight, the local café in my town, Oakburn. It’s my first, and so far, only job. I started working at age 16 and all my friends thought it an honor to work there.

I pull out my phone to look presentable even when I’m getting tired. It is midnight already, after all, and the store’s about to close in 45 minutes.

I run my fingers through my hazelnut-colored hair, the blue-gray eyes of my reflection staring back at me. I pinch my pale skin a little to give less of an impression that I’m really tired and to give some color to my cheeks.

Suddenly, I hear the bell ring, as it does each time a new customer enters. A young woman, or girl, around my age comes through the door. She has tan skin, waist-length, straight black hair with a blue streak in her bangs, and round glasses that sort of give her a cute nerdy vibe. She also wears a blue hoodie, black leggings, and white Nikes that give her a comfortable sort of look. I don’t think I’ve seen her in Oakburn before.

“Just a mocha, please.”

“One mocha coming right up.”

I turn around to prepare the drink.

“…Jaiden.”

I whip around again. “Yes?”

“It really is you.”

I squint my eyes at her. “…What?”

“We went to school together.”

I turn around to finish adding all the stuff. “I don’t remember you, though.”

She sighs, walking over to the end of the counter. “Ah, I thought you wouldn’t. I’m Luna. Luna Maxwell-Flores.”

“Luna Maxwell-Flores??”

I walk over to the end of the counter and give her the drink, feeling stupid. How could I forget my sophomore crush?

Luna looked different back then, but I suppose a lot could change in three years. Her hair was shorter, pure black, and she didn’t wear glasses. I’ve always been faceblind, so I suppose even those changes threw me off. She was cute then, and I must say, even cuter now.

I wonder if she’s just as nerdy… I clear my throat. No. Stay focused. She’s not your nerdy high school crush. She was your customer.

Rather than leave, Luna decides to stay and talk, I suppose until someone comes in again.

“I haven’t seen you in Oakburn.”

She shrugs. “I moved to the neighboring town, Pineview.”

“Ahhh. How is it?” I can’t find anything good to talk about or respond with.

“It’s good.” She fidgets a little. “A lot of trees and stuff. Pine trees.”

“Ah.” My face gets a little warm. She seems just as awkward as I am, maybe slightly less, but obviously cuter than I remember.

Silence.

Luna looks away, playing with her hands and tapping her foot.

I look away, too, a slight warm feeling rising in my chest.

“I, uh…” She starts to speak. “I should get going now. It’s already 12:30.”

She digs in her pocket, handing me a folded strip of paper. “Here.”

I wave. “Bye.”

She leaves, I get ready for closing time, and I unfold the paper.

“555-6789”.

I would definitely text her in the morning. Or well, in several hours.

(I’m not too good at writing)

Here I stand behind the counter of Java Delight, the local café in my town, Oakburn. It’s my first, and so far, only job. I started working at age 16 and all my friends thought it an honor to work there.

I pull out my phone to look presentable even when I’m getting tired. It is midnight already, after all, and the store’s about to close in 45 minutes.

I run my fingers through my hazelnut-colored hair, the blue-gray eyes of my reflection staring back at me. I pinch my pale skin a little to give less of an impression that I’m really tired and to give some color to my cheeks.

Suddenly, I hear the bell ring, as it does each time a new customer enters. A young woman, or girl, around my age comes through the door. She has tan skin, waist-length, straight black hair with a blue streak in her bangs, and round glasses that sort of give her a cute nerdy vibe. She also wears a blue hoodie, black leggings, and white Nikes that give her a comfortable sort of look. I don’t think I’ve seen her in Oakburn before.

“Just a mocha, please.”

“One mocha coming right up.”

I turn around to prepare the drink.

“…Jaiden.”

I whip around again. “Yes?”

“It really is you.”

I squint my eyes at her. “…What?”

“We went to school together.”

I turn around to finish adding all the stuff. “I don’t remember you, though.”

She sighs, walking over to the end of the counter. “Ah, I thought you wouldn’t. I’m Luna. Luna Maxwell-Flores.”

“Luna Maxwell-Flores??”

I walk over to the end of the counter and give her the drink, feeling stupid. How could I forget my sophomore crush?

Luna looked different back then, but I suppose a lot could change in three years. Her hair was shorter, pure black, and she didn’t wear glasses. I’ve always been faceblind, so I suppose even those changes threw me off. She was cute then, and I must say, even cuter now.

I wonder if she’s just as nerdy… I clear my throat. No. Stay focused. She’s not your nerdy high school crush. She was your customer.

Rather than leave, Luna decides to stay and talk, I suppose until someone comes in again.

“I haven’t seen you in Oakburn.”

She shrugs. “I moved to the neighboring town, Pineview.”

“Ahhh. How is it?” I can’t find anything good to talk about or respond with.

“It’s good.” She fidgets a little. “A lot of trees and stuff. Pine trees.”

“Ah.” My face gets a little warm. She seems just as awkward as I am, maybe slightly less, but obviously cuter than I remember.

Silence.

Luna looks away, playing with her hands and tapping her foot.

I look away, too, a slight warm feeling rising in my chest.

“I, uh…” She starts to speak. “I should get going now. It’s already 12:30.”

She digs in her pocket, handing me a folded strip of paper. “Here.”

I wave. “Bye.”

She leaves, I get ready for closing time, and I unfold the paper.

“555-6789”.

I would definitely text her in the morning. Or well, in several hours.