invasion ↠ jackson avery ✓

11

[BELLA LEDFORD]
Seattle, Washington

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚

Bella felt sick to her stomach. She genuinely almost threw her lungs up. All the while Jackson thought that was hilarious, Bella couldn't have been more serious about how joining him on morning runs was the worst decision she has ever made. It put her body through such a sudden change that her brain malfunctioned.

After his mother's visit, Jackson was clear that he didn't want to move to Boston, but that didn't stop Catherine's contacts from reaching out to him. He had been on the phone with them to try and explain that he was fine where he was, but it didn't seem to work, leaving him more than annoyed. This led him to working out intensely so as to find some steady ground beneath his feet. Once he found out that Bella could barely make it up two flights of stairs, he forced her to buy some workout clothes and join him on his continued health journey.

He didn't take no for an answer. Even though Bella made sure to let him know that she was not equipped for something like this and she never would be. Instead of blabbering away, only to find deaf ears attached to his friend's head, Jackson went out of his way to buy her clothes because Bella refused to spend money on something she knew she wouldn't wear. When that was done, he told her he'd be there the next morning since they both weren't working the weekend, so she better be ready to go.

Thinking that he was making empty threats—they were threats, Bella would've testified in court if she had to—she didn't bother setting an alarm. So, naturally, Jackson became her alarm. Quite literally. He stood outside of her door and banged on it until she got up and they left. To be more specific, he drove them to the park he usually visited and made her run with him.

Around.

Around.

And around.

Jackson only stopped when his mother had called him away, and since he was Bella's ride, she was forced to sit there and wait for him. He left her in a hotel car park while he strutted inside. Thankfully, she didn't even need to come up with an excuse as to why she won't be joining him inside because even he realised she was practically dead.

Some time had to have passed by but it happened in complete blur. Bella didn't realise she had fallen asleep until a sudden pull tugged one of the car doors open, shaking her from the comfort of her dreams.

"Oh, god—don't tell me you actually died on me," she could hear him mumble as he got in the car. When he slammed it shut, she was definitely awake again. Hazy but awake. "Good. You're not dead."

"Technically, anyway," she yawned. Fitting her elbow against the window, she leaned her head to the side, held up by her fisted hand. "So? When is she shipping you back home?"

"She's not."

"Did you get a slap on the neck, then?"

"No."