Fluorescents

6

Double update😏

"Tie a noose around your mind, loose enough to breathe fine and tie it."

Shortly after Alex had returned to the car and we began to make our way to the buses he began to skim through my  music. He skipped over several songs on the mixtape, that was already in my CD player,but when I realized there was a possibility that he could scratch the tape or brake my Radio I forced him to leave whatever song was playing. He wasn't amused but eventually gave in and kept to himself in his seat.

" Stop!" He yells over dramatically and I quickly pull to the side and stop the car. I'm responsible and wouldn't stop in the middle of the road like some crazy lunatic who doesn't know how to drive.

"What?" I ask, half angry and half worried.

" Go into that shop." He states nonchalantly, pointing at a liquor shop at the corner of the intersection, feet away from where were parked. I huff and cover my face with my hands before laying it on the steering wheel. Did he seriously make me stop all at once just to simply make me go into a liquor shop that I could have easily just turned at? This man is draining me physically and mentally without me even having to know him for a whole day.

I take a deep breath but shortly after go back onto the road. I know that I shouldn't be condoning his drinking habits, but I'm not his mother. He's a grown man and can make his own choices. He doesn't need a 24 year old girl telling him what to do, unless it's on a stage. When I park in the shop he gets off and steps inside. The thought of driving off comes back at full force and I can't seem to shake it off this time. He's obnoxious and absolutely insane. Having to deal with him will be extremely difficult and stressful. I might have grey hairs by the end of this tour. Who knows maybe I'll have to retire early.

" I wasn't sure if you wanted something so I bought you a bag of peanuts." he says as he enters the car, this time holding a brown paper bag instead of a plastic one. He brought me something again? He simply feels guilty. I nod my head as he pulls out the peanuts and throws them on my lap.

" Why didn't you just get a drink from the buses mini bar?" I ask as we sit in the parking lot and I attempt to open the bag of peanuts without using my teeth and making them tumble into the air.

"Did you see the plonk in there?" He asks before letting out a humorous chuckle. This time it's not a cocky one that he uses to intimidate me or showcase how highly he thinks of himself. It's a sarcastic and maybe even disgusted laugh but it in no way is negatively directed towards me so I enjoy it more than his rude chuckle. " absolutely dreadful arrangement of alcohol." He states shaking his head back and forth as if trying to rid his mind of the image of cheap alcohol in the buses fridge.

Shortly after, the sound of my fingers struggling with the bag attracts him and he gazes down at my fumbling hands before reaching for the bag, slightly grazing my fingertips. My body goes warm and I feel an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach but when his touch disappears so does the feeling.

I watch as his hands bring the peanuts to his mouth and he uses his teeth to tear open the small bag. Usually I would cringe and stray away from the bag, that's now covered in his saliva, but for some reason I can't seem to peel myself away from his every move. When he's done he hands me the bag and I take it in my hands. I want to thank him but I decide not to since he has done nothing but be rude to me, well until now.

" You're welcome." He teases me playfully with his thick Scottish accent. I roll my eyes but shortly after I laugh at our childish behavior. I'm relieved that he seems to be acting more polite and less cruel but a part of me is afraid that it'll end any second from now and he'll go back to taunting me.

When my light laughter dies down I finally reach for a peanut from the bag. I haven't eaten since this morning and I can already feel a hollow feeling in my stomach. I continue eating my peanuts and he takes some from my bag and brings them towards his mouth. I turn to look at him as he brings them to his lips but before he can I see him smirk at me. I roll my eyes and I prepare myself to say something but before I can a noise emits from my back pocket. I pull out my phone and slide to answer the call.

" Hello?" I respond to the other person on the line.

" Jocelyn, where are you?" Jack asks on the other side. Oh no, we're going to be late for our departure. How could I be so foolish? I allowed a little bit of enjoyable time to get to me and stray me away from what's important. My job.

" I'm so sorry, we'll be there soon." I say in a rushed and guilty tone.

" We?" He asks as if surprised that I'm with a companion. He must have thought that I was out alone. Is he aware that I'm not the only one that's out? He probably thinks I'm out doing something personal. That would be so unprofessional of me.

" Yes I'm sorry, we're on our way." I say before hanging up on the phone and putting it away. I should have rushed back like I said I would before I left.

" What's wrong?" He asks as I start the ignition. I begin to reverse and ignore his question but he quickly becomes bothered with the fact that I'm not answering him. "What's your problem?" He barks as I reverse roughly and briskly make my way back onto the road.

" We have to get back." I inform him as I continue to drive over the speed limit. He rolls his eyes and I try my best to ignore his reaction to my worried behavior. He obviously doesn't understand what it is to work hard for something you care about. I can tell the kind of guy he is. He's the carefree asshole who literally doesn't give a shit about anyone or anything. A headache pounds against my skull and I try my best to empty my mind. I can't let him get to me. " Can I have one of the pain killers you got?" I ask and he shakes his head before gazing back out the window. What? He was being sweet earlier but now he's back to his cruel ways.

I ignore his new behavior and continue driving. I don't need him to do anything kind for me. I just need to try my best to ignore him. I try my best but soon enough I subconsciously revert my attention to him. I watch from the corner of my eye as he rustles in his seat and reaches into his back pocket before pulling out a box of cigarettes and a lighter. He lights it from inside my car and I watch with wide eyes as he inhales and exhales the fumes only a foot away from me.

" What do you think you're doing?" I ask, deeply agitated. He gazes at me with a devilish grin before removing the stick from his lips and blowing the toxicity into my face. I push him away but am soon interrupted when the person driving behind me honks. The light is green and I quickly accelerate. I question whether I should argue with him anymore but decide against it. I don't need to do anything that'll only fuel my anger and headache.

A/N: before you comment on the scottish accent remark, don't. So much people have commented on it, if i had done it on accident I would have changed it a while ago. Please just continue reading the story. but thanks for making this the most commented on chapter in the book😂