PAPER VOWS Novel Chapter 25

Today, Giselle and I made a friend. Dante had to take care of something at work, so Giselle and I decided to go shopping. While shopping, that’s when we ran into Aria. We just vibed and decided to invite her for lunch. I think she is a lovely person, not just online but in person too. I know her from social media – she comes from a rich family.

She is one of those people who are famous, and you never think you would ever run into, but here I am having lunch with Aria Willow. I cannot wait to post the pictures we took with her earlier. She said she doesn’t mind me posting her and permitted me to tag her if I want to. We have exchanged phone numbers with Aria and promised to keep in touch.

“So how old are you, Jade?” Aria asks. We are now having our food. We all ordered salads and wine. It seems everyone is trying to watch their weight.

“I’m thirty-six, how old do I look?” I respond to Aria. I already know she is thirty-eight; she always mentions it on her Instagram.

“Thirty-six, I guess that means I am your big sister,” she says, wearing a smile. She has a very lovely smile.

“I am the big sister amongst us since I am turning forty soon,” says Giselle. My birthday comes before hers. I wonder what she will get me this year. Giselle doesn’t know how to gift people – she buys the most random gifts – I hate it.

“Forty?” Aria sounds shocked. “I guess you guys have good genes in the Marshal family.”

“You should see our mother. She doesn’t look a day over sixty,” I say to Aria. If I age like my mother, it would be a blessing – I know I will look good at fifty.

“Any man in your life?” Giselle asks Aria, and I pinch her under the table. That’s not something to ask a stranger. We barely know this woman to be asking something so personal.

Aria smiles, “I am single. Waiting for Prince Charming to come sweep me off my feet.”

“Me and you girl. That is, if Prince Charming still exists. Men are liars these days,” says Giselle. She better not start talking about James.

“Amen on men being liars. Maybe a person should just play for the other team and get herself a woman. Men don’t like us,” Aria sips on her wine.

Giselle says, “Why does it seem like there is a story there? What did they do to you?”

“Giselle, that’s too personal,” I whisper, but not low enough for Aria not to hear it.

Aria says, “It’s fine, isn’t we are friends now. This is a safe space, right?”

“Sure,” Giselle answers her.

Aria looks at me, as if waiting for me to also admit that it’s a safe space. I nod and say, “Yes, you can talk about anything.”

Aria shakes her headfirst, as if thinking about something. “He was the best man I ever met, but also the most horrible man I ever met. He was breadcrumbing me, knowing that he would never love me. He was never there for me and made it seem like I was begging for his love. After two years of hoping a man would act right, I walked away. Only for him to move on and treat a woman way better than me.”

“I’m so sorry. It hurts to beg a man to act right only for him to move on and do those things effortlessly for another woman,” Giselle says, reaching for Aria’s hand and squeezing it.

“It really hurts to beg a grown man to act right,” says Aria.

“At least he didn’t cheat. I found mine with another woman – in the middle of the act,” says Giselle, shaking her head.

“I don’t know why men lie and pretend when they know their true intentions,” says Aria.

Giselle looks at me and says, “You are our last hope, Jade. Your relationship with Dante is promising. I see wedding bells.”

Aria chokes on wine. I reach for the water on the table and hand it to her. “Are you okay?”

She nods, “I’m fine, I must have swallowed too fast.”

“Have some water,” I say. We don’t want to get in trouble with the Willow family when we harm their daughter.

“Let me go to the bathroom,” Aria pushes her chair back, gets her bag, and goes in the direction of the bathrooms.

When it’s just us, Giselle, she leans and says, “I don’t like that girl.”

“You were just smiling with her and even telling her your business.”

Giselle answers, “I’m just being polite. She sounds fake to me. We should keep away from her after this.”

“Don’t be like, she sounds like a lovely person. Give her a chance.”

“When have I ever been wrong about a person? My gut feeling never lies,” says Giselle.

“You were wrong about James,” I say, and she gives me the look. I know that was a low blow, but she could be wrong about Aria. I think she should give her a chance. I believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt.

“You can be her friend; I am not interested. Plus, I don’t have money like the two of you. I don’t want to be a burden to anyone and always being paid for.”

“Come on, you know I don’t mind paying for you. But if you want a job, we can ask my one million followers to help us. I’m sure we can get something,” I say. Might as well take advantage of this popularity.

“Your one million followers, huh? It must be nice,” she says, chuckling. “But I hear you, little sister. I need to get a job.”

“What is taking Aria so long?” I say, looking behind me to see if she is coming.”

“She is probably taking mirror selfies in there,” Giselle says. Aria loves mirror selfies – I have seen many of them on her Instagram.

“Sorry about that ladies, I was talking to my girl. You know how it is when we girls start talking,” says Aria, sitting down.

“No worries,” Giselle answers.

My phone rings, so I excuse myself to answer Dante’s call.

Me: Hey love!

Dante: Hey sweetheart! Are you girls good there?

Me: Yes, we are good. We are now having lunch. Are you good there? Did you eat?

Dante: I’m about to get something to eat. Listen, don’t wait up tonight. I will be home late.

Me: How late? You will come back at the same time as last night.

Dante: Yes.

Me: Are you going to be coming that late every night?

Dante: Some nights, but not all nights.

Me: Okay then.

Dante: I will try to adjust my working hours. There is a lot that needs me at the moment.

Me: I understand.

Dante: Take care of yourself, Jade Marshal.

Me: You too, Dante Lyon.

I join the ladies after talking to Dante. “Sorry about that, it was Dante.”

“Don’t tell us you have to go, we are still having a lovely time,” says Aria.

“No, Dante was just checking on me.”

“Dante seems like a busy man. How do you two make it work?” Aria asks.

“We…” I pause when Giselle pinches me under the table. I clear my throat and say, “It doesn’t feel like he is a busy man. We talk almost throughout the day.”

“Do you now stay with him?” Aria presses. She sure is curious.

“Do you know that James hasn’t even tried to check what happened to me after I left his house?” says Giselle, probably changing the subject.

“Who is James?” Aria asks that when the topic goes to James’s cheating on Giselle.

I understand that Giselle is looking out for me, but I don’t think we have anything to be worried about with Aria. I have been following this woman for years. She is a lovely human being. Now that I have met her in person, she is an angel. After eating, Aria offers to cover the bill. I tried to get her to split it, but she refused.

Aria says, “You will get the next one. We will be hanging out more, right?”

Giselle responds, “Count me out, I am going to be busy in the coming months.”

“We can hang out. I am available.” I am not working, and I still haven’t talked to Dante about that. I wouldn’t mind staying at home, and I wouldn’t mind working either.

“Can you post our selfies and tag me?” says Aria. I tell her that I will do it when I get home. She says, “Please do it now, people need to see that I am with Jade Marshal.”