Stay

04

The sunlight broke through the bedroom curtains in the most relaxing way. It poured itself across the shagged floor and thick comforter lain across my body. I yawned silently, stretching my arms and legs out as far as i could to really feel a nice pull. I was a still quite sore. The past few weeks i had been going to the gym and training with Harry.

Though I know Jackson wouldn't be happy I was training alone with a man, I knew i couldn't hide the soreness in my body for much longer. So i told him about my weekly visits to the gym. He approved, deeming it to the fact that loosing a few pounds never hurt anyone.

My time spent was Harry was pleasant. He joked with me, I laughed. He'd often compliment me in bizarre ways like, saying I have a nice smile or laugh. It was a sweet gesture but I made sure he understood that it would never go farther. For Jackson to find out I was working out with him and having a good time, well his head might explode.

Even if I did like to be around Harry more than I'll admit, it will never happen for me.

I rolled over into my side to face him. He slept soundly, light snores moving past his lips. I traced my hand along his upper arm then leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to cheek.

"I'm awake you know?" His voice was gruff and laced with sleep.

"I know" I couldn't help but smile at him.

Continuing on with my morning I got up to have a shower, longing for the hot water to release the tension in my muscles. Usually my showers were quick but on this particular morning I felt the need to take a while longer. I had finished washing up ages ago and was now left with my thoughts

My mind travelled everywhere from what food i needed to pick up from the grocers to what I was going to do with the rest of my day.

Inevitably so, my mind wandered to Jackson. More specifically what he had done a few nights prior. But you see this was the way my Jackson behaved. In the light of day, and around other people, he was sweet. He cared about me and acted as though chivalry was the first word he spoke. He opened doors, held my hand, even acted shy at times. He bought me flowers and cooked my favourite foods. But when he drank, he turned ugly.

He became over protective, over powering. A few drinks got into his system and he had no trust for me, he acted as though I was a stranger to him. When he drank he hit me, he yelled at me, he touched me. He was never the same person. And he never remembered either.

Alcohol brought out many sides of him, one of them being forgetful. His actions and what events played out were always lost on him the morning after. And this is why I never blamed him for anything he said or did. I knew he hadn't truly meant it. I knew he loved me.

Without even realizing it I had shut off the water and was now standing in front of the mirror wrapped in a towel. Too consumed in my own thoughts to be accountable for my actions.

Now dressed, I stood in the kitchen drinking coffee. My whole body perked up when Jackson entered the room.

"So I was thinking love.." he trailed off, leaning against the counter pulling me to stand between his legs "how about we to this gym of yours. you always talk about how good it feels to workout so i figured why not do it together yeah?"

I knew this was a bad idea. I knew it. He would find out about the private lessons I tried so desperately to hide. He'd scare away Harry, which I was taking a liking to. I wasn't developing feelings for him or anything of that nature but he was friend. He took his job as seriously as I took my self protection. But most importantly, flashing in my eyes like a bright neon sign, Jackson would be mad.

"Sure why not?"

Though this was probably the worst idea he could have had, I wasn't able to turn it down. If I had said no he'd be suspicious. It was too risky. I just had to hope and pray that Harry would not be there, or at least not talk to me.

++

The car ride was ridiculously nerve racking. I kept playing out all the bad scenarios in my head, finding a way to escape from all of them.

"Nell?" Jackson's voice broke my nervous thoughts .

"hmm?" I questioned.

"I've talking to you, are you alright?" He looked at me with worry scribbled over his features.

"yeah yeah fine let's go in"

He didn't put up much of a fight and instead reached into the back seat for our gym bags. We made our way inside and I lead the way to the change rooms.
We parted and went to put our bags down, but not before Jackson gave me a stern direction to take no longer than 2 minutes.

I placed my bag down into its usual spot, far side of the room on the last hook. I stopped to look at my reflection in the mirror, making sure my hair was in its place and hadn't moved. Quickly, I made my back out into the hall not wanted to keep Jackson waiting at all.

But he wasn't there. I had assumed he needed to use the restroom but around 5 mins later there was an eruption of yelling and banging coming from the men's change rooms.

Numerous people had gathered round, several other guys had gone into the room to see what was going on.

Soon enough a rather buff blonde guy dragged Jackson out of the room but the back of his shirt.

"Fuck off! Piece of shit!" Jackson yelled back into the open air behind him. Clearly directing his anger towards whoever was left behind in the change room.

I rushed towards him, completely shocked. I didn't know who he fought with or why. He was in there less than 10 minutes and managed to get into a pretty big disagreement. His face was red with anger, i'd seen him mad before but never like this. This was different but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

Harry emerged from the change rooms next, looking equally as mad. But Harry's anger did something to me that Jackson's had not. It terrified me.

To my very core it petrified me. He was extremely muscular, broad shoulders and all. His usual soft demeanour, that I became quite accustomed to, was now overpowering. He looked wicked.

I was scared of Jackson when he was mad with me, well not so much of him but more so what he was going to do. But looking now at Harry, comparing him to Jackson in this moment, made me believe that Jackson stood no chance if Harry decided to start throwing punches.

"What the hell is going on?" I stood by Jackson trying to focus his attention on me instead of the fuming Harry in front of him.

Clearly my methods weren't working so I was forced to come between the two men. My hands came up to Jackson's chest in another attempt to get his attention.

"hey" i spoke quieter this time

"Nellie you know this guy?" Harry said from behind me.

"What the fuck is he talking about Nell?!" Jackson boomed down at me.

note: :/ is it bad bad? or?