Always You/ A Jordan Knight FanFic (Mature Content 18+)✔️

27

Natalia

Donnie slept on the couch after his argument with Jordan. Sadie asked me what was going on, but when she saw my face, she knew. She had a few choice words for Donnie, who told her to fuck off before he took off down the street. Once he was out of sight, she asked if I wanted to take a ride with her and Caleb to get ice cream. I apologized for Donnie and told her I was too exhausted to move. Once I was upstairs, I rushed to my phone and sent Jordan a text message. I'd had the same number for ten years, and he was still stored in there as Nicole.

Me: Thank you.

It was the only thing I could say.

He didn't respond. I was positive his number was still the same, as I'd compared it to Donnie's phone many times in the past. It wasn't until the following day I heard from him.

I woke up to a painfully bruised cheek. Well, a re-bruised cheek as the purple and blue marks from the previous blow were only beginning to fade away. Donnie snored peacefully on the couch while I got ready for work.

It had rained most of the morning and gray skies lingered above. My mood worsened when I screwed up a regular's order. Bart had been coming to the diner for lunch for the past fifteen years. Every Monday he ordered the meatloaf special, but my mind was lost in the fight between Donnie and Jordan and I switched his order with someone else's.

Most nothern men were polite. Bart wasn't.

"How stupid do you have to be?" He shoved his plate in front of him. "For fifteen years I've been coming to this damn joint."

"I'm so very sorry." I reached for the plate. "I'll get your meatloaf right out."

"I've been waiting for the past twenty minutes. Do you think it will be right out? Do you? How stupid are you?"

I bowed my head, embarrassed that most of the other customers were staring in my direction. "I'm very sorry, sir." I cleared my throat. "Your lunch will be on me." I hoped that offered him some solace.

"I don't understand." He pushed off the chair and stood. "I've been ordering the same thing since God knows when. Your job is so mindless an imbecile could do it."

Tears began to drip out of my eyes. I had nothing left in me to fight anyone else.

"Enough!" Jordan's voice was stern and loud behind me. "She's apologized, sir, and it was an accident. Now either wait the twenty minutes for a new one or get out."

The diner was silent. All eyes were on us. Bart muttered a few more words before he sat back down.

"Are you okay?" Jordan asked.

I shook my head and ran toward the back exit. Star Diner backed up to a small stream and wooded area. It was the place most employees used for a quick break.

I'd wanted something different when I came here. A chance for Donnie to get the help he needed. I wanted to be happy. Instead, I was screwing everything up. And Jordan always seemed to come to my rescue, which only made it more painful. Kneeling on the grass, I let a soft sob escape me. Black drops appeared on my skirt from my mascara. I scooped a bit of water from the stream and ran my fingers under my eyes. I heard footsteps approaching.

"Are you okay?" Jordan asked.

I cleared my throat before I answered. "Yes."

He sat beside me. He didn't seem to care that the grass would ruin his navy suit. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really." I shook my head.

"Natalia." He said my name softly.

"Jordan," I retorted.