Love is Clueless

Chapter 6

"I can help out with everything you need while I stay here," Austin tells me at lunch the next day. He decided to surprise me and show up with Lunch while I was at work.

"Like, I hire you?" I question him

"No," He replies "I will be getting a desk job with the army base that is here in town, and Since you are letting me live with you during this time I can help around the farm so Jack doesn't have to do all the work."

" I would love the help, thank you." I tell him as I pick up my burger and take a bite.

"So, who is the guy that wiggled his eyebrows at you when we were walking away for lunch?" Austin asked while chewing on his fries.

"That's just Tom, you don't have to worry about him, he has become my best friend over the years of me working here."

"Best friend?" Austin asks, trying to fake being offended at the fact that I had made myself a new best friend since he was away.

"Yes" I say with a huge smile and a little giggle.

"What's he like?" Austin questions me

"Well for starters he's gay," I began and watch as Austin slightly tenses up at the word but brushed it off "He is super funny, also for being an adult, he always wants to party. Tom is truly one of a kind, sometimes I think he is still a child." I joke with Austin

He nods, listening to me talk about Tom with a small smile on his face.

Shortly after that, the topic gets jumped to random crazy things as we eat our lunch. Once my break is over, I give Austin a hug and tell him I will see him at home later.

We have no food. Is the first thought that pops into my head as I try to dig through the cupboards trying to find something to make for dinner tonight.

"We havent gone grocery shopping yet," I jump a little startled at the sudden voice that pops up from behind me. Turning around I see Jack standing there. "Let me grab my keys and we can go" he said

I give him a quick nod, before putting on my black boots and head towards his truck, climbing into the passenger seat.

The car ride was fairly quiet the whole way there, but it wasn't awkward. It was a comfortable silence that I could sit in all day. If only..

"Who is Austin exactly?" Jack asks when he pulls into a parking space towards the front of the supermarket.

"Austin is my childhood best friend that I haven't seen in years." I tell him as we climb out of the truck. "He enlisted and got sent away, this is his first time back." I added

"Do you trust him?" Jack asks out of the blue as we are walking past the dairy products.

"With my life" was my very short reply.

"How do you know you can trust him?, you said so yourself, you haven't seen him in years." He says.

"What is your problem with him?" I question "Why do you not like him?"

"I just don't trust the guy, he shows up out of no where and you just let him move in. You didn't even ask me if I was ok with someone else moving in." He starts to raise his voice

"Didn't know I had to check in with you for everything dad" I reply sarcastically not liking where this conversation is going. "My bad for forgetting that I pay the bills to the house, and that I stock it with food, and oh wait! I forgot that I pay you and I let you, a total stranger move into MY house." I finished off.

"If you didn't want me to move in you should have said something last year!" he scoffs

"I didn't say that I didn't want you to move in, you just need to calm down because I don't feel like dealing with your attitude," I reply getting ready to walk away

"My attitude what about yours? This past month your emotions have been a roller-coaster." He yells at me.

I don't know what to say at this point, he doesn't know what I've gone through this past month and I don't feel the need to tell him.

"That man is more of family to me than my actual blood, he even offered to help you out around the farm while I'm at work." He looked as if he didn't know what else to say. "And what i'm feeling is none of your business, you not my boyfriend nor are you my dad."

"You get this half of the list and i'll grab the other and we will meet up at the checkout" I say before walking away to finish up my half of the list.

After checking our groceries out, Jack and I head back to his truck to go home. I climb into the passenger seat while he climbs in to the drivers seat, once were buckled, he backs out of the parking spot swiftly and starts toward home. The car ride was different from before, it was silent but not the good kind. There's obvious tension from the conversation we had just moments ago.

It felt like hours had passed before we pulled into the driveway of the house, and I basically jumped out of the truck to get away from the tension. I left jack to carry in the bags while I went inside to get things ready for dinner.

When jack came threw the front door, we made brief eye contact. He quickly looked away from me then continued to carry the bags into the kitchen. I walked to the counter holding the bags and started putting things away when Austin appeared leaning on the door frame.

It was silent for a few minutes before Austin broke it. "Why are you so tense Ray?" He questioned, but I didn't reply. I didn't want to bring up the argument between us because it felt personal, and I didn't want to make Austin feel as if he's not welcomed.

Once dinner was done and we all ate, I headed upstairs to my room. When I got to my room I walked in and immediately changed into grey shorts and a white tank top, I was so over today and just wanted to sleep so I climbed into the comfort of my bed, pulling the purple blanket up to my chest and drifted into dreams filled with memories of him.