"Jayla!"
Hunter L.J saw his fireteam leaded as he came around the corner from the Bazaar, and entered the courtyard.
Jayla saw him, quickly turned around and ran down the staircase to the hanger. "Jayla!" L.J called again after her.
He ran and shadestepped forward, grabbing her shoulders. "What's your hurry? I have a question for you…"
Jayla wouldn't look at him. "Nothing, nothing, no time right now, gotta go-"
She ducked under his arm, out of his grasp and started walking in the opposite direction, back towards the courtyard again.
L.J looked after her and shook his head. The Striker titan could be a bit eccentric.
"Okay… i guess. I just wanted to know-" He raised his voice as she got farther away. "If you had a chance to talk to you-know-who…!"
"No you don't!" Jayla yelled over her shoulder as she rounded the corner.
L.J shrugged as she disappeared. "What a weirdo."
He walked back after her and finally cornered her in the ramen shop.
"So, was that a yes, or a no on...you know." He tried again, sliding up to the bar and standing next to her.
"Go fuck a duck." Jayla didn't bat an eye. She chugged a glass of something that looked like it was far too early in the day to be served.
L.J rolled his eyes. "Seriously, if you haven't talked to her, just say so!"
"Actually," Jayla sucked her breath in and set the glass down. "I have talked to her, what do you think of that?" She tapped her glass on the counter for another. "Hit me again."
L.J took the glass away and held it back over his shoulder. "And?"
Jayla glared at him. "Give that back...and then we'll talk."
L.J set the glass back on the counter. "What's your issue?" He asked finally.
"Nothing except i don't feel like talking; you're taking valuable time away from my self loathing and drunkenness, so lets make this short." Jayla answered.
I did talk to her. Observed her a bit, talked to Tess...She's nice. Really. Good at her job…" Her voice trailed off, and she took a drink, sighed and set it down.
"However, she's got the personality of a shoe!"
L.J stared at her.
"Meaning…?"
"Meaning, she's not very smart." Jayla went on loudly.
"Keep your voice down! Gosh…" L.J snapped, looking around the shop to make sure no one was listening to their conversation.
"She never says what she means, when all else fails, she'll just start staring at you or giggling…She asks super awkward questions too; like, i don't know what to say to some of the things-"
"She could just be shy." L.J answered, irritated.
Jayla sighed and shook her head. She set her glass down and looking up at him. "I don't know man. Maybe it was just the way she looked. She doesn't seem much like the Lyssia-4 you described to me. She's not my type that's for sure."
"Well, good thing i'm not you. And she doesn't have to be exactly like Lyssia. Nobody's exactly like Lyssia." L.J turned away from her and headed to the door. "Thanks so much. I'll take it from here." He walked out of the shop.
"You're still going to ask her out? Seriously?!" Jayla called after him.
He ignored her.
"Weirdo." She shrugged, and tapped her glass on the counter again. "Once more, good man."