Baffled, but in no position to argue with her ride home, Beth obediently waited and watched as Jason went up to the counter and leaned forward to talk to the sales manager behind it. He was in his mid forties, maybe, with short blonde hair, a thin beard along his jawline, and brown eyes. His uniform was yellow with white stripes here and there, and only his upper body was visible over the counter. He darted his gaze over to Beth which made her feel like they were talking about her. Especially when Jason looked back over his shoulder at her briefly, and then continued their private conversation. Minutes ticked by as she waited obediently for Jason to ‘let’ her approach. Finally the moment came with no more than a jerk of his head as he turned to lean with his backside against the class counter. Beth shuffled over, really uncomfortable by this point, and counting down the seconds until she was home. “So which one do you need?” Beth blinked and shuffled up to the glass. She smiled up at the manager who was looking at her with a kind smile of his own. This made her relax a bit and remember her manners.
“Good morning sir.”
“Good morning Beth. How can I help you today?”
Lead fell into her stomach. He knew her name. They had been talking about her. Her smile faltered, but her desire to get home as fast as possible rocketed.
“W-well I was wondering if-” Jason turned to brace his hip against the counter and she felt his presence acutely. “-erm-”
“Yes?” The manager tried to coax from her, and darted his eyes over at Jason as if trying to signal his concern.
“I was w-wondering if you might stock Cannon or Nikon cameras?”
“I do, yes.” He walked a few steps to the left and away from them to the section of the display with that brand. “Here we are. Take a look and let me know if you have any questions about how they work.”
“Thank you.” Beth ignored the well-meant patronisation and hurried over to look at them, glad for the breathing space…for the solid 10 seconds she it. Jason followed her, hands in his jacket pockets and looking very bored. Her timid smile dropped with her vision as she scanned the models. Her excitement got the better of her when she spotted the same model she had. “That’s the one I…” Beth spotted the price tag and retracted her hands from the glass. “Oh.”
“Oh?” Jason asked her with mild annoyance. “What? You found the camera or what?”
“W-well yes, but I bought it a year ago and I thought it’s price might have come down some.” Beth held her elbows and chewed the corner of her bottom lip. I can’t ask Jason to by me a $500.00 camera. “Erm…sir? Can I ask if any of the other have at least 16 frames per second, mechanical shutter, and 20 for electrical? It needs to be 4K, have motion sensing capture, night vision, and I’d prefer 40 megapixels, but I’d settle for 30.” Jason’s eyes widened, and the manager seemed to realise he wasn’t talking to a novice. “I’m a photography student, and erm, I specialise in nature shots so I need the higher fps.”
“…well I have a few models that would be perfect for you, but they are all in the same price range.” The manager realised why she looked uncomfortable as he turned to look at Jason.
“What’s the big deal?” Jason folded his arms and seemed to be getting more annoyed the longer they were here. “Just pick the camera so I can buy the damn thing and we get back.” He pulled his brown leather wallet from his jacket pocket to hurry this along. When Beth didn’t do as she was told he groaned and glowered at her. “What?”
“…I really thought the price would have come down in a year, but the camera is still $499.99.” Beth timidly raised one shoulder as his eyes widened in shock.
“For a camera?!”
“It’s a high end professional piece of kit.” The manager ‘helpfully’ added. “And that’s just for the camera. Not the stand or accessories. You have those already?”
“Yeah.” Beth nodded to the manager and then continued to look up at a very bitterly frustrated Jason. “You-I really thought the price would have come down by now, or I wouldn’t have agreed to you replacing it. I’m sure everyone will understand if-”
“I’m under orders to replace the damn camera.” Jason seethed and slammed his card down onto the glass counter. He glared at her for a long minute, before tearing his glare away from her and to the manager. “We’ll take the same one she had before.” He ground through his teeth like it was physically painful to part with his money.
“Sure. I’ll go out back and get it.” The manager charged his card and then disappeared into the stock room. Jason palmed his face, not believing his bad luck. His mistake was now a $500 mistake. Not only that, but his embarrassment was now going to be popular amusement for them too.
“You know you could have warned me it was going to be so damn expensive before we-” He snapped at her, only to stop in shock. Beth was stood looking down at the glass counter, brown eyes watery and looking anxious. She held her elbows and seemed to have drawn her shoulders in and up subconsciously. Like she was a turtle bracing for impact. All Beth could think over and over is how she just wanted to go home. Forgiving Jason was one thing, but this was a whole new hell. He was a stranger, an angry one at that, and she’d stupidly gotten on a motorbike with him. Driven all the way out to Portland, and allowed him to walk her around like a second class citizen. Marching her around from her shoulder. Go there, not there, wait here, come here. Jason looked so mad, it was taking all she had to not cry. “…” He leaned over and sniffed, which she would have found odd if she wasn’t too scared to care. “…hey now, I’ve said I’ll buy the damn thing, haven’t I?” His voice was softer as he reached for her, possibly to comfort her, but Beth didn’t want him to take hold of her again.
“Y-you know what? I, erm, I’ll m-meet you back at Glen Valley.” She forced a big smile to her face, but wasn’t fooling anyone. “Thanks for the lift J-Jason, and I really don’t mind about the camera.” Beth absolved him of any and all responsibility and wouldn’t meet his eyes. She walked as fast as she could before it became a jog out of the store. In that moment Beth wished her ballsy, over protective and untrusting sister was around to protect her. To kick ass, scoop her up and take her home. But there was no Emma. Mo Ma. No Ben. She was on her own.
She hoped she didn’t look like she was panicked or fleeing anyone as she walked at pace through the mall. I’ll find a pay phone. I don’t have my wallet, but I can call home and charge the call to Ben. He won’t mind. I’ll ask for him and Ma to come and get me. Maybe send Emma? I’ll wait in a café or something, as long as they don’t mind me not buying anything... Her heart fluttered and her fingers trembled as she made her way to the payphone outside the mall. Suddenly the city was too loud and there were too many strange people for her to breath. She began to hyperventilate and fumbled her fingers over the buttons to dial the operator. Come on, I’ll be home soon enough. In my new dark room basement with my family between me and everything else. Everyone else. Beth squeezed her eyes shut tight and focused on he breathing as she waited for the operator to pick up. Her left hand held the phone to her face and the right fingers tapped anxiously on the bottom of the mouth piece speaker.
“Hello this is-” Click. Beth opened her eyes to investigate why the call suddenly cut out, to see a finger pressed against the receiver. She felt her heart sink as she slowly turned to see Jason stood in the open phone booth with her. He had his lips pressed into an unreadable line and he had a brow raised. He didn’t look amused, but didn’t speak either. His smouldering dark eyes watched her, sizing her up and mulling over what to do or say next. Crap, he chased me down! What do I do now?! She couldn’t see herself getting away from the big strong guy a second time. Not with him towering over her so closely he blocked her from chill of the breeze.
Beth didn’t know this, but she looked quite a state. She looked pale from fear which made her freckles stand out even more. Her brown eyes shimmered with tears, and she resembled a deer in the headlights. Unblinking and hypnotised by the danger she perceived herself to be in. He imagined her knees would be knocking together, if they could.
“I am…an intense guy.” He spoke slowly down at her. “Take a deep breath and calm down.” He ordered her evenly and reached for her, only to freeze his hand when she flinched. “Easy now.” He coaxed her and tentatively pried her away from the payphone. She was deposited against his chest and he stroked her back with both hands. One focused on her mid back to shoulder blades, and the other back of her neck. “I’ve got you.”
That’s the problem. This guy was so dominating and hands on it was overwhelming. This wasn’t even any kind of hug she recognised. What is he doing to my neck? He was rubbing the pad and heel of his thumb in circles up and down her neck. It reminded her more of a massage than anything. Certainly not something one stranger should be doing to another. “Please don’t run from me again.” Beth tensed even more at what sounded like a gruff order. “I know I’m not a social creature, but I’ve never scared anyone into running away before. Please don’t be scared…and if you could not tell my Gran that I made you cry and run, I’d appreciate that.” He took his left hand off her back and Beth’s chin was lifted without warning to look up into his dark gaze. “I’m sure she’d ground me until next summer if she knew I’d upset you. So…for snapping at you back there…I’m sorry?”
Beth blinked once, slowly, and was in a little bit of a stupor. He still rubbed his thumb in circles at the back of her neck, the left hand holding her chin, and his minty breath told her they were way too close. Truthfully she wasn’t in any position to do anything but agree. She could forgive yesterday’s manhandling as a mistake in the heat of the moment, sure, but today he was definitely fully aware of his actions. Walking her around by her shoulder, ordering her to wait until he gave her permission to come over, and now he held her prone in his hands and personal space. “…Beth?” He narrowed his eyes and inclined his head. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She pushed a smile up to her face, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m feeling a bit peaky actually.” Beth adlibbed a lie to get home as fast as possible. She itched to get Jason’s hands off her and go home. “I didn’t eat much for breakfast and I get a pit ditsy when my blood sugar get’s low.”
“You diabetic?” He didn’t let her go, or stop rubbing the back of her neck, but he lifted his head up with alarm.
“No-” Beth stammered. “-but I’d feel better if I had some food.” She tried to nod, but didn’t have much wriggle room to do more than a quick bob. “So we should head back and-”
“I can’t have you getting ‘ditsy’ or peaky or whatever on the back of my Harley. You could pass out and fall off. Then I’d have Ben to answer to.” He finally released her back and neck, but her respite was short lived. He swung his hand down to take hold of hers and started marching her down the high street. “Not that I couldn’t take him, soft old geezer.” He muttered under his breath, but Beth heard him and felt a jolt of fear go right up her spine. She stumbled and wished she could click her heels together and like Dorothy wish herself home. “You need sugar, right? I got you.” Beth was dragged across a busy road and round the corner to a food truck with a massive Spanish flag spray painted onto the side of it. She skidded to a stop when he spooned her to his side in front of it. When will this nightmare be over? “Una bolsa grande de churros por favor.” Beth’s inner panic took a back bench as her attention was grabbed. Is that Spanish? Jason is speaking Spanish? He seemed fluent too, with a soft accent he didn’t have when he spoke English.
“Aqui tiene Senõr. Serán $3.49.” The food truck proprietor grinned happily and filled a paper cone with something that smelt delicious. Long brown fat sticks of sugary goodness was exchanged with a few crisp bills and pleasantries.
“Gracias. Quédese con el cambio.” He nodded his thanks and then walked Beth away from the truck. “Here, this should get your sugar levels up.” Jason thrust the paper cone under her face like a peace offering she couldn’t refuse.
“…thank you.” They did smell really good, so Beth graciously took one and nipped the end of warily. “Mmmm, these are really good. What are they?” She took a hearty chomp and Jason seemed to take that as her forgiveness being earned. He grinned and marched them back towards the shopping mall.
“Churros. You’ve never had them before?”
“No, never.” She happily chewed her way half way down the fried dough treat before she noticed Jason wasn’t eating any himself. He just held the paper cone in his left hand with another four churros just waiting to be snapped up. “Don’t you want one?”
“My sugar levels are fine, and I don’t have a sweet tooth. If I eat them, it’s only for nostalgia.” He shrugged. “Even then, they never not match up so what’s the point.”
“Oh? Did you eat a lot of these growing up then?” Jason’s jaw tightened and he looked straight ahead with cold brow eyes.
“Yeah.” His tone killed any thought Beth had of engaging him in conversation any further. Not that it mattered. He was walking them to the ground floor elevator in the mall entrance, and therefore the parking lot and his Harley. Her nice safe home awaited after that, so she didn’t want to linger or upset her ride home by pressing on a sore spot for him. Once inside the elevator he thrust the paper cone at her to take. “Eat so you are safe to drive back.”
“Y-yes, right.” She pounced to obey his order and shoved half a churro into her mouth in one go. Her cheeks bulged and she chewed as quickly as she could. He stared at her with morbid fascination as she finished off the churros so fast, he was surprised when she didn’t start choking. Beth gasped when she was done, and the second later the door opened to the parking lot. She took his moment of shock as an opportunity to escape his hold. “Right, better get back then. Wouldn’t want to hit rush hour traffic.” She scurried over to his Harley and hovered close to his panniers.
“…it’s not even noon yet?” Jason, not as eager to set of as her, took a more leisurely pace over to his bike. She wasn’t going anywhere without him, after all. “You got somewhere you need to be already? On day three in town, without your camera?” His dark brown eyes narrowed and Beth gulped. He was getting cross again, suspecting her desire to get home and away from him, so she flustered to cover herself.
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