Chapter 4: Where have you been?
After Jax had left me at the diner I made my way back to my apartment, I had been spending my time unpacking, wondering around, and looking for a job it had been 2 weeks since I last saw Jax and I was starting to believe I was never going to see him again. I was going to spend my 18th at a nice little bar right near my apartment, I may have not made any friends yet but that isn't going to stop me from celebrating my birthday tomorrow.
While I was unpacking I started to notice I hated everything I owned and most of my clothes didn't even match the weather here in California, all my sweaters and jogging pants are not going to do me any good in this heat, and since it's my birthday I think the perfect present to myself would be some shopping for some new stuff, I was looking for a job but it wasn't something I was in dire need of right at the moment, if anything it was just to get the extra cash, my parents had saved up money for me while I was growing up to do whatever I wanted with and we can say that I wasn't worried about money for now.
By now I know my way around the town well and I am really starting to like it here it seems to be a real nice town. I stop and get some breakfast and I make my way over to the mall to get my shop on, I never really went shopping for a new wardrobe before, I never even cared about what I wore but being here in Charming it's giving me this sense of happiness I am not sure I have felt since I was a child. I am loving pampering and spoiling myself without the stress of my parents or even Miles always just being there all the time, sometimes it was like he was a brother when he came out with me and my parents it used to drive me insane but I never ever spoke up about it.
I am just about done with my shopping when I am making my way to the exit when I bump into someone who is coming into the mall, I immediately put my hands on the man's arm to apologize "Oh! Mister! I am so sorry; this has been happening to me way too much lately" and I looked up when I heard the familiar laugh "Darlin', we can not keep bumping into each other like this, one of us is bound to get hurt" when I realize it's Jax I automatically get butterflies, I don't know why it's not like I have been thinking about him, I mean the first couple days I had my eye out for him but after a while I just gave up
"Hey Jax! It's been a while, how have you been?" I ask him I notice that he isn't alone, he is with a woman she's older but I can't tell if she's his mom she has dark brown hair and blond high lights which I find is an interesting hair choice but everyone's different some would call my curly blond hair boring so who I am to judge right, the woman gives me a dirty look like I am wasting her time by talking to Jax but he seems to be ignoring her completely and answers me
"Oh, I've been good just hanging out, you know? I told you not to disappear on me, what happened I haven't seen that beautiful face around"
"Well, I thought that it might be best if I took the chance to get to know the area better so I don't have to keep bumping into strangers to help me with directions and I have also been unpacking trying to get settled in, I'm ready to start feeling like I am at home, so in other words, Jax I have been around maybe you just weren't looking?"
The woman he's with sighs making it clear she is impatient and would like to continue with whatever her and Jax had planned. Jax looks back at the woman and then looks back to me and says "Cali, this is my mom, Mom this is Cali, remember I told you I met a nice girl; come to think of it Mom I think Cali could be the perfect person to come help you out at the garage" the woman smiles but I can tell it is forced "Hi sweetheart, I'm Gemma it's nice to meet you, why don't you come on by sometime for test shift I will give Jax all the inf and he will let you know, but we should really get going isn't that right, baby?"
I smile because I can clearly tell that Jax is no doubt a mama's boy and that woman loves her son, she loves him fiercely. "Gemma, that sounds amazing, thank you so much for the opportunity! It was so nice to meet you, have a good day!" Jax steps closer to me and tells me to put my number in his phone, which I notice is a disposable, but I don't say anything "There, now I got your number I wont be losing track of you this time babe, I'll talk to you soon, and don't think I forgot about your birthday, I know it's tomorrow" and he kisses me on my cheek and begins to follow his mom and again he walks away from me without letting me have the chance to say bye, I cant help but smile like a fool, Jax makes me want to just push him up against any wall and passionately kiss those lips.