Jaida
The doorbell rang.
That wasn't two minutes! Lying son of a bitch!
I got off the couch and ran to the door, practically gliding my socks against the wooden floors. I see Rose waving through the glass framing. I opened the door prepared for her most likely lengthy scolding.
"Hey- wait- what the fuck are you wearing?" she asked frowning. I swear I saw her eye twitch in obsessive anger.
"I'm sorry I forgot to cancel on Bess's dinner tonight. Something happened at the restaurant and I-I-I just didn't feel like going and Xavier said he'd keep me company and so I didn't bother asking you to drop out on Luke and Bess too. And I know I'm being cryptic as hell but we still haven't talked about club night and so we need to schedule some time for us to talk through it and Reds and whatever else I've missed or you have. I'm really sorry hon!" I rambled without so much as a pause for inhaling oxygen.
She shook her head. "Hey, don't worry about it. I'm not mad you're cancelling. Also, did you say Xavier? Isn't that mechanic hottie? Anyway, tomorrow's Sunday. I'm coming over for lunch so we can talk then, yes?" she smiled. I could see the worry on her face, she must have heard about the events at Reds from Pops or maybe she could see my unease.
"Yes, bring Luke over. I think it's high time that I become better friends with my best friend's second best friend. And yes, Xavier. We'll talk more about him tomorrow. Thank you hon for y'know," I told her.
She blushed at the mention of Luke and nodded a sure. Something had definitely happened on her end. "Did you just wake up or partake in any sexual activities with a certain mechanic hottie?" she asked.
Bewildered, I questioned her. "How could you possibly know that?" I swear, this woman knew everything.
She combed her hands through her hair and pointed at her lips.
Shit. My lipstick must be smudged and my hair needs fixing after- well, Xavier.
I watched her walk down my doorstep wiggling her eyebrows with a wide grin across her face. Once she drove off, I closed the front door.
Returning back to the couch, I saw Xavier laying there. He patted the space next to him. I laid down with my back against his chest and he covered us both with the blanket placing a heavy arm around my waist.
It felt wrong and right spooning but it's what I wanted. I allowed it this one time.
"Mechanic hottie, huh?"
Xavier
I checked my watch, it was seven in the morning. Jaida was fast asleep on the couch. I placed a kiss on her forehead and muttered a goodbye. Waking from her sleep, she opened one eye at me. "Bye? No, stay!" she said in a raspy low voice.
"I'm sorry love but Eric called in sick so today, I have to go," I explained.
"Noobinine," I hear her reply. I chuckled at the insult that her sleep induced brain formed.
"Sorry love," I apologised again smiling. She didn't reply. I heard a slight hum in response.
I left her house and started the car. I turned off the radio and let yesterday's events replay in my head.
I was the manager on duty yesterday, I wasn't exactly meant to have abandoned Eric, at least not for that long. When I texted Eric to close the shop up, I saw numerous messages from Cherie. She wasn't angry but worried why I left when I barely allow myself to leave for a lunch break. Her last message made me laugh.
Eric just dropped by with the shop keys. He tells me that you left with a girl? Now, imagine my surprise, my son ditching his beloved job for a girl? This girl must mean something or at least is starting to. But on to the more important aspect of this all, what kind of son did I raise? Bring her over next Saturday you secretive fucking shit. Love you xx.
I wouldn't mind her meeting Cherie and even, Calista. We had both shared something on our families. However, hers seemed to be a lot more complicated.
Jaida was the first girl to grab my attention in a long while. I wanted her. I wanted to see where this would go.
When I was sitting in the booth waiting for her, that blonde headed girl had walked over. Her whiny voice was causing an ache in my head. I wasn't paying attention to a word she said. I didn't even hear her introducing herself. No, I was watching Jaida. She was standing next to -who I assumed was- Pops. Smiling and talking.
I watched her mouth move, her pink lips and heart-shaped tongue form the words. Her brown-almost-black eyes were shining with unfathomable colours. She really was beautiful.
Once she started to approach the booth, I turned my head to the teenage blonde standing in front of me twirling a strand of her hair in her fingers. I opened my mouth to apologise to her and mutter an excuse for her to leave when she abruptly turned. Facing Jaida, she answered her rudely.
I watched Jaida. Her fists were clamped tight. She was trying to hold in her irritation. She replied to the girl politely. I suppose she had to since we were in a public place that she works at.
I gritted my teeth and gripped the table tightly trying to hold my fucking anger when the blonde brat started spouting nonsense at Jaida. Jaida didn't fare any better. Her knuckles were growing paler and paler from the force of her fist. When she threw a punch at the more than deserving girl, I released a breath I didn't know I was holding in, in the first place. After screaming and digging herself a deeper hole, I watched Jaida release her fists. She stepped closer to the girl cradling her almost purple eye. She lowered her face till her eyes were levelled with the little shit.
"I'll show you bonkers! Hon, you say one more fucking word and I'll make sure the blood from your first period is the last of your worries. This is a small town, I know where you live," the tone of her voice was sharp enough to cut through rock. She was livid, I could tell.When I'd pried her hands open in the car, I saw the dried blood on the nail marks dug into her palm. My jaw tightened.
As for last night, I didn't regret kissing her when she ever so politely demanded me to. But I did regret the aftermath. Last night was definitely not the time or place.
I almost passed the auto shop as I analyzed everything from last night. I pressed on the brakes a little too harshly. Gaining control, I manoeuvred the car on to the drive. I could see Cherie pacing around in the office. I got out of the car and grabbed a new uniform from the hangers near the desk in the garage. Placing it on my left arm, I opened the door to the office.
She stopped pacing. Her black rimmed glasses were sitting on the tip of her nose. Her head tipped down to read the documents in her hand. She flipped the page and placed her glasses back properly then lifted her eyes to mine. Her grin was slow and knowing.
"Nothing happened. I didn't come home last night because a friend of mine needed me to be there for her," I explained before she made everything ten times dirtier than reality.
"Oh, so I was right? There is a girl? What's her name?" She asked, her grin growing wider.
"Jaida," I replied.
"I'd loved to meet her," she said with a huge smile on her face. I nodded in response and went into the bathrooms to get changed.
Two hours passed by since I'd punched in for work. Cherie was still in the office in case I needed help with Eric absent. She informed me that Calista was going to be at her friend's house for most of the day. I thought I'd pick up some lunch, knowing Cherie, she'd forget to eat something. I picked my keys off the desk and tied my overall's sleeves at the waist when I heard footsteps on the drive. Smiling, I walked out to approach the possible customer.
It was Jaida, here, again.
She looked amazing. She was smiling brightly at me and her face was naturally glowing. I have a twelve-year-old sister that is obsessed with highlighting, I would know the difference. To face the chillier than usual weather, she was wearing a grey jacket over a black shirt. Her legs were clad in tight-fitting denim jeans and cased with her beloved Doc Martens.
"You left your phone at mine," she said beaming at me. She grabbed it out of her jacket pockets and offered it palm up.
She seemed as happy to see me as I was to see her.
I smiled sheepishly. "Thank you. You didn't have to make the trip," I said and grabbed my phone.
"No, that's fine. I'm on my way to do some shopping for lunch," she explained.
I looked at the drive to see no car. How did she get here?
My eyebrows furrowed. "Where's Rose? Did you walk here? You should have called me. Did you catch public transport or-" my questioning was interrupted when I felt Cherie's hand ruffle my hair.
Standing beside me, my mother looked as excited as a seven-year-old child at Disney Land.
"Jaida!" she exclaimed and pulled a shocked Jaida into a tight hug. I mouthed a sorry at her and she smiled, returning the hug.
"Mrs Kingsley?" she said unsurely.
"Oh love, call me Cherie or just mother-in-law!"
Jesus Christ.
a/n: I'm craving cookies and creme ice cream.