Get Someone You Love?

13.

Jackie.
The day had begun late, since both Ross and Jackie had stayed up 'til dawn. They even showed up to work late, together. Which did raise some suspicion right away from some of the extra workers.
  It was only gossip, so it didn't bother them much.

  Jackie stood with "@SheIsAphrodite" learning the bells and whistles of the camera.
  "So right here, is clearly the mode which I usually use night because most of the photos are in the dark and sometimes I use auto especially when they have the bright flashes of colour."
   Jackie nodded and made mental notes as Mish spoke passionately. All was going incredibly well, she also hardly saw Matty so not much to deal with besides some errands from Jamie, which was just about it.

  By the time they lunch Jackie believed that Matty just hadn't showed up for work, which was understandable maybe he took a break for a couple of hours. Or Ross was just helping her completely avoid him which she was grateful for. Ross would hold her hand if he thought Matty was coming and pull her into another room down the halls or put himself in front of her and start a conversation.
   It was a kind gesture, but Jackie wanted to see him. Especially now that Jackie could hear his voice in the hallway from where she sat with Ross on the floor eating a burger with fries.
  "I didn't think he came today..." Jackie said dipping a fry into ketchup. Eying the snack then popping it into her mouth she sighed.
Ross watched Jackie then softly replied with, "He did, remember?"
Jackie nodded squishing the fry and watching the grease come out, "Yeah, but those were short visits. Is he actually staying?"
"I don't know." Ross pushed his glasses up with his index finger smudging it on accident with the other. He sighed in frustration.
About to wipe his hands with a napkin, Jackie reached over and removed his glasses to clean them with her shirt. Ross observed her, her warm breath fogging up the glass and then her small fingers wiping it with her shirt.
Ross scanned her body looking up and down her chest he never really focused on how small she was, almost like a little sister. His eyes wondered to her curves.
"Here." Jackie said handing him his glasses back. She noticed the slight red on his cheeks, but didn't think it was a big deal.
  Ross fixed up his trash and put it into the bag to presume working, but he looked down and Jackie seeing that she was not done yet, he sat with her. "You eat far too slow."
   She rolled her eyes, "I don't eat everything all at once, you know." She smiled and finished the last couple of fries.
  "Yes, but they're chips you can easily eat them instead of playing with them." Ross referred to her poking at the fries.
  "Oh well, Ross, you see I'm not as tall," Jackie help herself up and looked at Ross, "As you. I'm barely near your chest...therefore cannot eat as quickly as you." She measured herself with her eyes looking straight forward into Ross's chest.
  Jackie shrugged grabbing his wrist and hastily pulling him along with her out the door- walking down the hall trying not to make it obvious that she was avoiding Matty. They headed to the main stage for Ross to start preparing for the show that night.
  "Have you seen my papers?" Jackie looked through a stack beside Ross then over onto a couple of cabinets that were by the pile of cable adapters.
  Ross removed an earphone and looked over to her, "I think you left them in the dressing room."
  Jackie fixed the stack of papers and went to the spare dressing room from where they were.

  The clipboard with things to check off for the show that night was on the coffee table in the spare dressing room, where Ross said it was. Why did Jackie work for someone when she could hardly keep herself together?
  She walked out the room ready to start the night. Then there he was, in all is dumb ass fucking glory, Matty. Funny how he just showed up out of the blue when Jackie spent all day trying not to even look at his direction.
  So that's all Jackie had to do was pretend he wasn't there even if he was just standing alone leaning against the bright white wall with his legs sprawled out. As Jackie kept her head down she saw Matty move then tripped on his foot that he had flat out.
  "Careful, sweetheart." Matty had his cold hand wrapped around Jackie's warm arm to keep her from falling forward.
  She shook her arm free and didn't bother to look at Matty as she began to walk away. He grabbed her again this time pushing her to the wall so she could face him.
   "What's wrong now? I thought you like me." Matty spoke his voice sounding dead and garble.
  Jackie turned her head so Matty wasn't as close to her face, "You reek." She crinkled her nose and kept the clipboard by her side.
  "Like what, babe?" Matty smiled biting is lip, reaching his hand down to hold the one Jackie had holding the clipboard.
   She snatched her hand back, "Like beer, Matthew." Jackie looked at his eyes seeing that they were smaller than usual. He was either high or drunk, but if he was high his hair would smell too.
   Matty took a strand of her hair and twirled it around his fingers, "I love it when you act so fragile." He sighed softly, smelling her hair.
   Jackie quickly smacked his hand away and glared at him, "You have a girlfriend. Go bother her." She glared at him hoping he would just leave her the hell alone.
   "But I don't want her, baby." Matty moved his face to her neck, resting his chin on her shoulder.
  Jerking herself away she smacked Matty with the clipboard, "You're a piece of fucking shit." She stared at Matty as he stood up rubbing the back of his head where he was hit.
  "I know you still love me." Matty reached his hand out to caress Jackie's arm, "And I still love you." He let his hand drop back to his side, his posture slumping, he almost looked sad.
  "You have a girlfriend." Jackie looked passed Matty and to the wall behind him, "God I thought all this drama would've ended in high school." She wanted to lean back against the wall that was behind her, but didn't want to seem comfortable around him.
  "You didn't finish school." He reached from his back pocket and took out a lighter.
  "I did. Now, I need to get to work." Jackie stood up straight and sighed walking away.
  Matty quickly grabbed her arm, dropping the lighter, and pulling her back against his chest, "Why do you hate me?" He laid his head on her shoulder.
  Jackie pulled herself away, "How dare you." She yanked herself away from Matty watching him slightly stumble when she faced him, "How dare you leave me and ask why I hate you. You- you..." Her voice trailed off wanting to say that she loved him.
  "Jackie, I- believe me," Matty tried to grip the wall, "I want to be with you. I have for the past 7 years." He felt slightly sober- wanting to explain everything to her, the girl he's been in love with since he was 20, but his sober thoughts restricting him.
  "No. I won't let you feed me lies." Jackie wanted to scream, she wanted to cry from just being this close to Matty. She wanted him out of her life, nothing more than a business relationship.
  "They're not lies. They never were." Voice cracking, tears dropping, Matty felt his head spinning with emotion, he just wanted to rip out his heart and give it to Jackie. If it meant she'd just listen to him, "I don't want to lose you..." He shook his head vigorously, "Especially to my mate."
  Jackie laughed, "You think I'm with Ross? Really? Is this the only reason you're confronting me because I've actually found someone who makes me happy?" She looked at Matty who had his head down seeing the glower look on his face.
  "No! How can you say that?!" He stood up right looking down at Jackie now, "I would never feel sorry for myself for the fact that I can't get you back." Frustration ran through him now, he didn't know why Jackie didn't believe him, why she didn't trust him? So push her further away. "You know what, I am jealous," words full of sarcasm, " And hey, I hope you have kids together if he makes you so happy." A thin smile spread across Matty's lips.
  "Fuck you." Jackie spat.
"Oh no, what a shame." Matty gripped her wrist tightly looking deeply into her light brown eyes, "I'm glad I'm with someone that makes me happy, hell, I may even marry her. But you, you'll never find someone who would take time out of their pathetic life to even go on a single date with you." His words came out worse than venom seeping it's way into Jackie's skin.
  She wouldn't let him get to her, "You wanted to go out with me, didn't you?" She didn't do much as flinched when Matty slammed her back against the wall.
  "Do you think I'm playing? Is this entertaining?" Matty furrowed his brows together trying to give a stern look, but Jackie saw right through it.
  "Hm, maybe I do. But I'm tired of playing these so-called games with you, I'm not in preschool, so I'm gonna quit." Jackie smiled, feeling proud of herself and just twisting her wrist to get out of Matty's grip.
  His blank expression stayed on his face for a couple of seconds before he quickly remembered about the contract they had, "You can't quit, I can only fire you-!" Matty slowly grew confident.
   Ross came and grabbed Matty by the shoulder moving him easily away from Jackie to face him, "If you fire her, I'll quit the band."
  Matty's blood rushed away from his face looking even paler. He tried to find the right words, but they wouldn't escape his mouth. All he could mutter out was a cracked, "Fi-ne."
  Ross let out a grumble from his chest almost like a growl. Then he sighed and nodded putting his hands in his jacket pockets and started walking away.
  Jackie stood there stunned. "Did he just quit?" She wanted to walk away too, but felt so shocked with Ross just leaving like that so she stayed for a couple of seconds watching Ross slowly move farther.
  She blinked, looking at Matty who seemed just as shocked even with his slightly opened eyes. Jackie patted her shirt then went over to push the clipboard against Matty's chest, nearly knocking him back. Then swiftly walked away to have a less dramatic exit than Ross.