BRAIDED BROOD

On a bright, sunny afternoon, Emily rode her motorcycle with her helmet on, smiling generously. She was shouting at the top of her lungs, exhilarated by the beautiful view of nature. She lifted her visor to look at a group of college boys playing basketball on the campus court. She whispered to herself... “Just wait, okay? I’ll be a college student starting next month, too.” Emily pulled over, removed her helmet, and brought out the pizza that the boys had ordered. “Hey, senior! Your pizza delivery is here! ” she shouted. After handing over the pizza to the boys, she took off again to deliver it to another group. On her way, she encountered Kyle Jeffery, a wealthy young man from a powerful family, who was also riding a motorcycle. He came down from his motorcycle, helmet still on, and approached a group of young men who were playing basketball. He demanded they hand over a purse they had forcefully taken from a lady. “Give it back,” he said, his voice deadly calm. One of the boys sneered, tossing the purse onto the pavement like trash, while the other boys came forward to attack him. Within minutes, Jeffery beat the hell out of them, retrieved the purse, and zoomed off. The entire scene unfolded right in front of Emily. She grew fierce with indignation, though she didn’t even know the exact thing that happened, she mistook him for a violent troublemaker who goes around beating up young people. “Just look at that….how dare you commit a crime in front of me?”… She muttered angrily. “Don’t worry, I will get you. You’re dead meat.” She revved her motorcycle and chased after him down the busy road, weaving dangerously between cars and delivery trucks as she yelled after him. Suddenly, her bike sputtered and ran out of gas. She panicked and started pleading with her bike as if it were human. “Please, just a little further! That little brat, I need to catch him… Noooooo!” She panicked. Her bike finally rolled to a dead stop right after a mini "love garden" filled with beautiful trees and colorful flowers. Looking ahead, she managed to spot him talking to a woman in the distance. “Gosh!!! So this is where he is… Finally.” She breathed, watching intently from behind her handlebars. Jeffery handed the purse back to its owner, who beamed with gratitude. “Here is your purse,” he said. “Thank you so much! Thank you!” She replied warmly, her eyes instantly locked onto him. “Please allow me to buy you a coffee, at least. Can I have your number? I’d really like to thank you properly.” While she was still talking, Jeffery clicked his visor down, started his motorbike and rode off. Emily was watching all that happened from afar, then slowly rolled her bike toward the dazed woman. The lady was clearly smitten; she continued to stare in his direction as he disappeared without a trace. Emily interrupted her thought with a sharp question. “Was there something wrong with that guy who just left?” Emily asked bluntly. The woman sighed happily. “I felt like I just met my knight in shining armor.” She clutched her purse to her chest as she continued, “He even got my bag back for me.” “Oh! So that bag was yours?” Emily blinked, her voice tinged with surprise. “This bag is like my glass slipper,” the young lady responded. She checked her wristwatch and suddenly gasped, realizing she was late for work, and ran off immediately. “Glass slippers, my foot…” Emily sneered, rolling her eyes. “But it seems like there are still some decent guys out there…” Just then, her phone buzzed loudly in her pocket. “Oh! Yes, boss? I just finished my delivery… I’m on my way back now. I’ll be there really soon! She snapped her visor down, reversed her bike, and zoomed off. Meanwhile, at a luxury multipurpose hotel, Jasmine stood near the grand reception desk, checking her phone impatiently as if waiting for someone. She watched as Kyle Huxley (a charming flirt known for his prowess with women) walked in with a lady. They were laughing softly, his arm draped casually over the shoulders of a young woman as they passed her. “What do you want?” Huxley asked the woman beside him. “A handbag.” She answered with a playful smile. Jasmine froze as they drew closer, she then realized the woman was her friend, Helen. “Do you know her?” Huxley asked Helen, noticing Jasmine’s stare. “No, I just……” she stammered, her face turning bright red as she tried to pull away. “Did you really have to start dating my friend?” Jasmine asked Helen directly. Huxley smirked. “There are only two types of women in this world: the ones I’ve already dated and the ones I will date. Should I make a special exception just because she’s your friend?” Before Jasmine could respond, Kyle Jeffery walked into the lobby. He stopped right beside Jasmine, his eyes sweeping over Huxley with blatant disdain. “Your taste in men is terrible,” Jeffery said to Jasmine coldly. Huxley’s smile thinned out. "What do you want, Jeffery?" Ignoring him, Jeffery looked at Jasmine.” I kept you waiting, right? Didn’t I?” He said, taking Jasmine’s hand. “Let’s go.” Huxley’s smile thinned out. “So, why do you keep hanging around here? Is it that when you come here, you find yourself wanting this hotel and this company more and more? I hope you’re not having delusions that you’ll inherit all this, are you?” he asked angrily. Jeffery coolly replied, “It’s not that I couldn’t.” Huxley’s eyes darkened, a harsh laugh escaping his throat. “You’re taking the joke a bit too far. Is it because you don’t know your place? Hey! Jeffery. Don’t get the wrong idea. You’re nobody, understand?” Immediately, Jeffery crossed the distance between them, fist clenching as he grabbed Huxley by the collar of his bespoke suit, yanking him forward. “You think it’s a joke?” He smiled with a sharp smirk. “Should I show you what’s really funny?” “How dare you grab your older relative by the collar? You should be respectful to your elders!” Huxley snapped, trying to pry Jeffery's fingers off his lapel. “Relative?” Jeffery shot back. “You are not my family.” He shoved Huxley backward. “Get lost!” Fuming, Huxley straightened his jacket, his chest heaving as he glared at Jeffery. He took a closer step to where Jeffery was standing. “You still have a long way to go.” He shot a final look at Jasmine and walked away angrily. “Huxley! Wait for me!” Helen shouted as she ran along to meet him. The lobby fell quiet again. Jasmine let out a long, weary breath, looking at Jeffery.“Why do you always fight with him?” She asked. He replied. “I don’t like arguing with him either.” “Then don’t.” “Why don’t you take your own advice?” He teased her. “But seriously, you really have a low standard for men. Make sure you get my approval for the guy you’ll marry, okay?” “Again with your nagging?” She questioned with a smile while nudging his shoulder. “But you’re the one who was twenty minutes late for lunch.” “Let's go buy you food then," he smiled, wrapping his fingers around hers as they walked out into the afternoon sun.