Daisies

1.9

"the sun always seems to wash our fears away, and it's always shining somewhere; I just gotta get there."

• • •

"I'm sure there is a reason he hasn't called you. No one goes silent for three days for no reason." Says Adam, Mya's cousin, over the men shouting at the college football game playing on the TV from the bar.

"Yeah I'm sure when he's resolved whatever it is that happened, he'll reach out. I mean it's not like you don't already know what happened and he never does this, right?" Mya adds, dipping her fries into ketchup.

"Yes." I groan laying my forehead on the booth table. My anxiety has been getting worse every day I don't hear from Jacob, but since we aren't even 'together' I'm trying not to smother him. I mean if something bad happened I would know, wouldn't I?

I'm sure there is some kind of psychological reason that I need constant reassurance. If I could afford a therapist they'd probably say something about my dad and blah, blah, blah. Regardless, need a solution before I lose my mind.

"Look, if you're this upset about it maybe you should try calling him." Mya says seemingly tired of my dramatic antics.

"Or pop up at his place." Adam suggests with a mischievous tone in his voice. I slowly look up at the both of them, considering Adam's approach.

"Don't listen to him, he's messy. That sounds like a bad idea." Mya argues, making Adam roll his eyes.

"No that might be the only thing that makes him answer."

It feels like something deep inside me knows this isn't a good idea but I don't know what else to do. I've been worried sick for the past few days, hoping he's not in a ditch somewhere. I'm sure I'm overthinking it but you never know. Especially in his line of work.

"I'm going over there." I finally decide.

"I wouldn't, but I mean...," Mya suggests once again. I stand and put a $20 bill on the table for my food. Grabbing my jacket, it's been windy lately.

"If you're right I'll be sure to call you and tell you." I say to Mya and wave bye to both of them.

"Wait!" Adam shouts and I turn around. "Can I have the rest of your food."

I smile, playfully rolling my eyes at his request. "I don't care." He smiles back. With that I walk out of the restaurant, unsure of my decisions but refusing to turn back.

Once I reach the familiar building I scan the parking lot to see if one of his cars is here. I don't see one but that doesn't mean anything, I remember him saying something about him and his friends switching cars often because of 'work'.

I open the glass door and walk into the complex, pressing 2 once I reach the elevator. The numbers above the steel doors light up, which means he didn't turn it off. He's definitely home.

I step onto the elevator and take the short ride up to his apartment, anxiety starts to build in my stomach. What if he hasn't called me for a reason? Mya was probably right. I don't have anymore time to overthink because the elevator stops and the doors slide open.

Jacob is standing up with his black suit shirt untucked, the first few buttons open. His hair disheveled, the three men around him mirror his exhausted appearance. His eyes shoot to mine when the door opens, first confusion then anger takes over his expression. If there were a time to be invisible this would be it. As if they didn't hear the elevator, the men in the living room finally look over at me once they realize Jacob is. Fuck.

"Uh sorry, I'm gonna go." I say nervously and reach for the elevator close button.

"No, no, no. Stay. We're heading out anyway." An older man says with a foreign accent that I don't recognize. Somehow it sounds like a demand more than him being polite. The other two men follow behind him as if they were his bodyguards.