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⧫Jackson Young

King's Caravan, Cluoshire

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"I want to die..."

I believe this would mark the third? Maybe fourth time, those words passed my lips. This week could not have been more stressful even if I wished for it.  From tv interviews to radio interviews. Each rehearsed speech to the next, the extreme invasive questions that borderline on harassment. If I thought that before I had it bad, this time around was so much worst. Fortunately, any copies of the video have since been erased from the internet and discredited. Nowadays everyone is just amped up to know when the 'Famed Prince of Food' is going to finally enter the family business. Ugh, kill me now...

"Hey man, just relax a bit. You've been doing interviews after interviews and I think you are just burnt out." Jacob said as he slid me a drink.

We were at the bar of our join owned club King's Caravan. The slick and stylish layout was Hayden's idea, his day job as an architect show true in all his work. However, I will never admit this to him since he would literally never.. ever shut up about it. Jacob runs the bar if you need a drink that just for you, he's your man. He calls it "people skills" which is half bull anyway but he still runs it. Then there's me, the business component of the club and showman of sorts. 

Basically, I know how to throw a damn good party.

I took a small sip of my drink, it was stronger than I realized so I winced as it burns a path down. It has a slightly fruity taste but is smooth and heavy.

"Trying to get me drunk Jac?" I said taking another sip of my drink.

He scoffs and shakes his head. 

"I'm trying to stop you from going into a panic attack. You've been pacing like crazy since you got here man.." He said dryly, looking at me with a frown.

Just remembering the unfortunate position I'm in just made another loud and drawn-out groan erupt from my mouth as I flopped over the bar like a child.

"Jackson, will you quit it  with the dramatics already Jesus."

"What's going on with you two fools?" 

Both Jacob and I turned to the new but familiar voice. Hayden walks down the entrance stairs with a package in his arms. He was looking between the two of us both confused and a bit concerned.

"I'm suffering/He's being a baby" Jacob and I spoke at the same time, our words overlapping in a jumbled mess.

We both stopped and stared at each other.

"You jerk." I said in a rather offended tone.

"You are acting like a baby though!"

As we began to bicker, Hayden just lets out a deep sigh and walks up to the second floor of the club where the VIP's usually are. He set down the box before returning back.

"-This is your own fault you know!"

"My fault?! What the hell did I do?"

Hayden doesn't even hesitate as he lets out a loud clap with his hands near our faces. Our argument paused abruptly as we both turn to him and his less than happy facial expression.

"...Okay, now what the hell are you two talking about?"

"He's been whining like a kid for the last hour since yesterday. Overreacting in my opinion." Jacob said quickly over me.

"Traitor." I grumbled.

"Hmm, I see. Well I mean isn't the worst of it over now though Jack?"

"Uhh well about that.."

I quickly explained what was going to be happening from now on since this was the first time since this whole mess that I've gotten to speak with them. Both Jacob and Hayden were looking at me with equal looks of shock and pity.

"Damn, that sucks man."

"Hey well think of it like this! Gram never said you couldn't come back though right? She just wanted you to get this restaurant started up?" Hayden said after a quick pause in thought.

Huh, now that he mentioned that she didn't say that I couldn't return...

"Huh, now that you mention it Hayden, your right! She just said I had to start it up!"

"Yeah, you see! No big deal!" He said with a smile.

"Yeah, I can easily let it fall, I mean honestly me cooking is probably never gonna happen. Then boom, I'm back baby." I said with a proud smile.

"Uh... no." Hayden said dryly giving me a rather peeved look.

I could hear Jacob snickering the background like the hyena he was.

"No?"

"Yes, 'no' Jackson! Are you trying to get skinned alive? Gram's isn't stupid, she knows when you actually put effort into something rather than just being lazy."

"He's right ya know." Said the unhelpful peanut gallery Jacob.

I threw him a glare to which he just smirked back at me. I turned back to Hayden who had a look similar to one my grandmother would give me. It had just the right about of disappointment mixed with annoyance and anger. To be honest, it was kind of creeping me out.

"You know when you stand like that, you remind me of Grams. I'm getting PTSD over here Hayden."

He let out a deep sigh and just shakes his head. He then just walks off, like he just couldn't be bothered. Jacob was now full-on laughing his ass off, still as unhelpful as before.

"Oh shut up asshole!"

"Oh man, Jackson. Ahh, thanks for the laughs man." Jacob said as he actually wipes away a tear.

"I'll show you something even more funny ass-"

My words were cut short as I hear the sound of my phone going off. I had placed it down next to me since I knew sooner or later Grams was gonna call. And now seems to have been that moment. I was frozen however just watching the phone ring and ring.

"Are you gonna answer that today or in your grave when she comes to kill you?"

"Oh yeah, I'll uhh get it." I said still just eyeing my phone

When I finally do reach out, it's too late as just as my hand covers the phone, it stops ringing. My heart instantly sinks into my stomach as I turn the phone over to see that, yes my grandmother just called and no, I fucking didn't answer it like an idiot so now the panic is seeping in quicker than I can think. Suddenly the phone rings again.

Now my next choice of action could have been due to all the stress I've been under these past few days but my next brilliant idea was to toss my phone at Jacob, who like a dumbass catches the phone....into a cup that was full of water.

I think the world slowed to a stop as I watch my phone sink to the bottom of the cup and every internal voice in my head starts to scream.

"Jacob..you."

He just slowly looks back up to me with a look of pure shock. And then he almost jumps out of his own skin as his phone starts to go off. The next few moments in hindsight were pure gold but at the moment in time, I wasn't fucking laughing. We both scrambled to get my phone out of the cup of water, almost breaking that glass in the process. My phone was clearly waterlogged as it glitched out as soon as I try to open it. While I was trying to pray to whatever god I could to save my phone, Jacob stared down at his phone like it killed his dog and tried to murder him. I didn't have to guess that it was my grandmother who was calling.

"Answer it, you idiot!"

"What?! Hell Nah, you answer it. She's your grandmother!" He said shoving his phone at me.

"Jacob, stop being a little baby and-"

"Who are you to be calling me a baby?!"

"Jacob I swear to-"

Jacob's phone goes silent and both of us lose color in our faces. By now it had been at least 5 to 10 minutes since she had tried to call my phone. Maybe she would give up?

"Ma-maybe she gave up?"

The withering look Jacob throws me is more than enough of an answer to that stupid statement.

"You put my phone in a cup of water!"

"You threw it at me Jackson like what the fuck man!"

"I panicked!"

"Yeah, no shit!"

Jacob and I both suddenly turned at hearing a loud thud against the bar on the other end. There stood Hayden with a look that could put us both 6 feet under. His phone pressed up against his ear.

"Hm-hm, yeah I'm looking at them right now. Yeah, hold on just one second." Hayden said before pressing something on his phone before turning it at us. "Okay go ahead Grams."

"....What the fuck are you two idiots doing?"

Ah, the blessed anger in my grandmother's voice over the phone was actually not as scary as I imagined.

"Oh hey there Grams." I said trying to go for casual.

I could clearly hear her taking in a breath, her breathing technics have always helped her when dealing with anger so I've been told. Or that could just be what she normally does when she deals with me.

"Jackson.where.is.your.phone." She punctured each word with a dagger-like precision.

"Uhhh.."

Clearly, I didn't think of a good excuse at the moment. I clearly was off my game. Hayden was looking directly at the phone in question which looks like it had been through a lake. The deep sigh she left out is more than enough to tell me was bordering on stage two, so I quickly jumped to damage control.

"Oh uh, sorry grams I dropped my phone while helping Jacob with something! I think the screen is cracked."

A weak lie but more or less the truth. It was silent for a second before she continued.

"Fine, just forget the phone. Do you remember what today is?"

Panic quickly rose up as my brain started to rapidly scan over every important date that I know she has told me numerous times before but came up with absolutely nothing.

"..Um, Thursday??" I answered in the single stupidest way possible.

It silent all but for two minutes before her voice came through in crystal clear yelling volume.

"YOUR DATE Jackon! It starts in 30 minutes and so gods help me if you are not in that goddamn restaurant-"

"Oh!"

Shit, she's right...

In all my whining and complaining I had completely forgotten about the stupid blind date thing. My internal dreed was mounting once again.

"Ah, grams about that-"

"The next words better be you saying you're on your way or so help me I will sell that club of yours in the next breath."

Oh shit.

"Oh, shit.." Both Hayden and Jacob whispered as the color drained from their faces.

I could feel my heart in my throat as my eyes seemed to drift off into space. She was serious, more than usual, and I was effectively terrified. Sure, Grams has gotten upset before but never to this point.

"...I'm on my way." I said in a defeated tone.

"Good"

Click! And that was the sound of my pride and also freedom flying away. Hayden and Jacob were eyeing me rather nervously as it was obvious from my face that I had lost all hope. 

"Jackson..."

I wasn't even listening as I wordlessly walked past the both of them and then out of the club. It didn't take long for me to find myself at the location of this ..date. Even if I barely even remember how I even got here. It has already been 20 minutes, I had ordered something small to start off as I waited. Though it may not be Jubilee's, Charlen's makes some very good blooming onions.  As I continued to sit there, hoping and praying that this date wouldn't be an absolute disaster I felt my phone buzzing away. Taking it out and looking down, a small smile came to my face. Both Hayden and Jacob had taken a completely ridiculous picture with the caption "Fighting Spirit" under it. Both of them were giving me thumbs up with stupid emojis all over the image. 

Ah, my dear brothers. Though we may not be blood-related, they still know how to bring a smile to my face.

As I was scrolling through my phone however something did seem strange to me. A message from an unknown number has popped up with just the simple message of "I see you :)". I was just about to dismiss it before suddenly I heard the sound of someone seating themselves across from me. I instantly perked up with my awards winning a smile.

"Wow, haven't seen that smile in a long time..."

Time slowed as I took in the woman who sat opposite to me, my face falling flat. There was a small smile on her face, an unforgettable twinkle in her dark-brown eyes. Her brown hair was longer than I remember, it now brushed against her shoulders. There were ash brown highlights there was seemed to brighten in the light. Her bronze skin was also a bit darker, maybe she had gone home at some point since I saw her? But everything else was the same, she was just as beautiful as the first time I spoke to her. The first I love you, our first argument, our first kiss. Everything was just the same as I remember.

"Jasmine..." I said in a breathless voice.

There she was, the woman whom none of my close friends were ever deemed to talk about. The woman who I loved with all my heart, and the same woman who I wanted to marry.

The same woman who also shattered any hope of me ever loving someone ever again.

"Hello, Jackson." She responded, her smile growing ever so fondly.

It was at the moment that everything from back in college came rushing back in bitter and vivid clarity.