Eight.5

"Matilda Dahl?"

"Aha," Kaden nodded.

"She actually said her name was Matilda Dahl? Dahl as in the GREAT storyteller of all times, Dahl?" Jax was walking backward, his expression one of amusement and confusion. 

"Yup," Kaden nodded again. 

"Is she, you know, cuckoo?" Jax swirled his index finger against his temple.

Kaden was about to shake his head when a voice said from behind himself, "I'm not crazy, I just happened to be able to choose my name."

Kaden was mortified. The girl had overheard them. She had heard them calling her nuts. What else had she heard?

"Why?" Jax asked, making Kaden want to strangle him. Did he not get it? They had insulted the girl, and she had heard. 

"I'm an orphan."

Kaden stared at the girl. She was an orphan? And she'd said it as if she was just stating a fact. Like, I'm tall, I'm Irish, I'm Jewish. 

"Even orphans have names," Jax pushed. Kaden turned to glare at him. It was useless, Jax's eyes were focused on the girl.

"Yeah, but why should I keep the name I was given when those who gave it to me couldn't bother staying around?" the girl shrugged. 

Normally, that is a sensitive subject. People do not talk about personal stuff like that on their first meeting. This girl was different. 

"Why the weird name, though?" Jax was grinning like a loon and Kaden wanted nothing but to scrape it off his face if that were the only way he could shut him up. 

"I love Dahl; grew up with his stories. I love Matilda; she was my idol," she shrugged. "That's good enough for me."

"I like you," Jax said, stepping toward the girl and stretching a hand toward her for a handshake.

She looked down at his hand. "Naah," she moved past Jax and Kaden, who was standing there in the background witnessing it all in shock. "You're too nosy. I don't like nosy."

Jax laughed.

Kaden stared after the girl, wondering how it would feel like to hold her hand and walk beside her.