One Day

Part 41 - No Clue

I'm surprised when it only takes me about 20 minutes to clean up the archery range and get everything back in order. I'm winding up the cord on the vacuum cleaner and am surprised when I hear Benson's voice from the front of the store. The archery range and the store front are separated by a small hallway so noises normally don't flow from one part of the building to the other. I quickly put away the vacuum and walk down the hallway to hear another raised voice joining Benson's.

As I make my way through the store, I stop dead in my tracks as I take in the scene in front of me. I quickly glance around the store and am very thankful not to see a single customer.

Benson has his back to me and neither he nor Jacob have realized I'm in the room. They are both dressed very similar in khaki cargo shorts, t-shirts and flip flops. I can barely see the top of Benson's cross tattoo on the back of his neck peaking slightly out of his shirt. The sleeves on his t-shirt are tight against his biceps and I watch as he unconsciously flexes his muscles as he tightens his fist. Jacob stands a few inches taller than Benson but what Benson lacks in height, he makes up for in strength.

"Why do you keep doing this?" Benson snaps trying to hold back his anger and keep his voice down as much as he can and failing.

"Because I love her and we belong together. I'm not doing anything wrong!" Jacob spits just as angry. "You can't stop me from seeing her."

"I'm not going to stop you from seeing her – that's not my choice to make for her. But I can question your motives and do my best to protect her."

"Protect her!" Jacob snaps. "She doesn't need protecting from me. I want what is best for her and what's best for her is to be with me."

Benson's shoulders flex as he shakes his head. "If you want what is best for her, you would leave her alone. She was doing great without you around. When you stopped texting and calling her it was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders that she had been carrying around for far too long. You do realize what you did to her, right? You broke her and that gives you no right to be here begging her to come back to you again and again. Just leave her alone and move on."

"She will want to see me," Jacob brags and smiles smugly.

"You do realize that she is still with Jace, right? And I feel pretty confident that he doesn't want you around, either."

"I don't give a shit about Jace or anything that asshole wants. Lay and I would be together right now if it wasn't for him." Jacob's anger goes up a notch. "And besides, he didn't care that she was with me last night." The hair on the back of my neck stands up as I watch him arrogantly smile.

Benson sighs. "You don't have a clue."

Jacob doesn't respond as they stand there waiting for someone to make the next move.

"If you cared for her at all, you wouldn't put her in this position. You wouldn't make her question her feelings for you or even Jace for that matter. You know she cares about you but I know that she is never coming back to you. And I'll do everything in my power to make sure of that."

Jacob laughs. "She will come back to me. She always does."

I've heard enough. I walk towards them as they keep their stances facing each other, only turning their heads towards me when they hear my footsteps. Their faces couldn't look more different as Benson's is full of apology while Jacob's is complete happiness.

"Hey, Lay," Jacob excitedly says as I make my way to them.

I swallow. "I think you need to leave." His face immediately changes to a look of confusion.

"Why? I just stopped by to see you for a few minutes."

I loop my arm through Benson's for support. "Just leave, Jacob. This isn't the time or place for us to talk about it. I'll text you after I leave work."

Jacob looks at Benson and then back at me. "Okay..." He pauses and doesn't make any move to leave. "Did I do something wrong?"

I feel Benson's arm tighten under my grip. Tears prick the edges of my eyes and I'm angry that I can't seem to hold my emotions in check lately. I lean my head back and close my eyes, forcing the tears away. I pull myself together and look back at him.

"You can't just come to the place I work, talk to Benson like I'm some prize to be won and then act like everything is all perfect. I thought we were getting to some kind of friendship last night but after what I just overheard you saying, I'm not sure that is even possible now. I don't understand how you can be one person when it's just the two of us and then you turn into this cocky guy who thinks you have some kind of control over me the next."

Jacob tries to interrupt but I won't let him. "I just need time to think about everything Jacob but you need to know that whatever mission you have in your mind to win me back isn't going to work. I'm with Jace. I love Jace. I plan to be with Jace the rest of my life. So, you can either chose to go on your merry way and forget all about me or stop being an asshole and we can try to work towards some kind of awkward, messed up friendship."

I let go of Benson's arm and walk behind the counter. Internally I'm smiling to myself at all the courage and confidence I have had to stand up for myself lately.

I hear Jacob blow out a puff of air. "Text me later, Lay. We can talk about this." He turns and walks out the door.

Benson turns towards me as I lean my head on the counter. "Will my life ever be normal?" I whine as I feel his hand gently rubbing my hair. 

Benson sighs. "One day."

Thanks for reading One Day! Don't forget to VOTE :)