First Love, Worst Love

Chapter 18 - B-Words

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Today's picture is pizza! Mmm, hope you're enjoying it Ash. You may as well make the most of it while you can :S

Just wanted to say thank you so much to everyone who has been reading my side-story of Taylor/Benji flash fiction, hope you're all enjoying it :D

Let me know what you think of today's chappy, big hugs!!

Becky xx

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Chapter 18

B-Words

"Madam, may I get you something to drink?"

A waiter with perfect hair and a spotless uniform is hovering over the table where I'm sitting with Jaxon. We've decided to grab some lunch in a posh Italian restaurant along the high street. It's the kind of place with fancy lampshades where people actually call you "Madam".

"I'll just have water please," I answer politely.

"Water?!" Jaxon repeats incredulously. "Surely you want something a little stronger than that?"

I laugh awkwardly as the waiter passes me a wine list. "Erm thanks, but I can't. I'm working tonight."

Jaxon reaches over the table and grabs the wine list off me. He points to the choice at the top of the paper. "We'll have the house red, please. One bottle."

The waiter nods and disappears to the other side of the room. Obviously he only cares about making a sale, not about my impending work schedule. Jaxon catches the nervous look on my face and laughs out loud. "Oh come on Minx, one glass isn't going to hurt. Your family won't even notice."

"I know, I know," I say, trying to sound like I don't care as much as I do. "It's just they can be a bit funny about drinking on the job. And I'm trying to go a bit easy on the old purse strings..."

I hate bringing up money. I really don't want Jaxon to think that I'm stingy, or worse, poor. But the truth is that I am getting a bit skint. All these train rides and nights out are adding up. Plus the new outfit I just bought wasn't exactly cheap, despite the fact it's just a single scrap of material.

I mean, not that I regret buying it. Anything that makes Jaxon happy is totally worth it. But I really have to keep an eye on the spending from now on. Working behind a bar doesn't exactly leave me rolling in disposable income every month.

Jaxon grins at me, making my heart race. "Don't worry, I've got it covered."

I smile shyly in response, savouring the burning connection which is pulsing between us. I can hardly believe that we shared such an intense moment just now in the shop's changing room. Jaxon touched me in a way I've never been touched by anyone before. And now I feel closer to him than ever.

Then there was what he said outside the curtain. Was I just dreaming? Or did he really give me that special label I've been craving since I first laid eyes on him?

"Jaxon..." I can't stop myself. I have to say something. It's falling out of me before I have a chance to catch it. "I heard what you said to the shop assistant earlier."

He raises an eyebrow at me. Does he remember? Or is he challenging me to bring it up first? I take a shaky breath and just say it.

"You called me your girlfriend. Does that mean..." I take another hitched breath, willing the words out. "Are we official now?"

For endless seconds, Jaxon just looks at me, his eyes burning and his mouth a straight line. I can't tell what he's thinking at all. I feel my palms begin to sweat and I clench them to my lap underneath the table. Have I just said the wrong thing? Maybe I've misread the situation completely, just like I did with Kieran. Oh God. Why do I keep making the same mistakes over and over?