Jessica
"Jessica?" A voice says in surprise. I spin around from the filing cabinet and freeze. Mike is standing at the entrance to the office with a confused look on his face.
"What are you doing here?" I ask.
"I have the check from my mom for last weeks landscaping." He waves the piece of paper in the air and steps more into the office. "What are you doing here?"
"I work here." I cross my arms in annoyance.
"You gave up Amazon to come to this shit-hole?" Mike asks, eyebrows raised. I feel my blood begin to boil.
"Maybe Amazon was Lauren's dream." I suggest, trying to keep my calm. "And maybe I like my job here." Mike gives the office a once over, not looking very impressed. "How is Lauren by the way?"
"Things are casual." Mike says stiffly.
"Ohhhh." I shut the filing cabinet drawer and stalk towards him. "So you spent a couple weeks with her and got sick of her. Is the relationship not as fun when you aren't sneaking around behind my back?"
"Just something to pass the time until you decide to forgive me." He says. I freeze in front of him.
"Are you delusional?" I ask. "Do you really think we are ever getting back together?"
"Come on, Jess." He soothes, rolling his eyes as if I'm being dramatic. "You know we're meant to be together. We're meant to get married at that church on Main Street and move into one of those big houses on the outskirts of town with our two-point-five children. We're endgame."
"Let me make this very clear." I state, staring into his eyes so I can be sure he is paying attention. "I am never getting back together with you. I do not like you. I am not attracted to you. And you were a bad boyfriend. I had no idea what I was missing out on being tied down to you and I wish we had never been together through college. I never want to see you again."
"You're going to get sick of that landscaper real quick and maybe I won't want you back when you do." Mike says, clenching his teeth in anger.
"Actually, I'm pretty confident I won't get sick of Seth. And even if I didn't have him, I still wouldn't want you." I respond.
"You're going to regret this moment for the rest of your life." He says. His cheeks are red and I suspect he is embarrassed. I still can't believe he really thought we would be getting back together. He really thought I had no self respect. Mike turns to leave.
"Wait, Mike." I say. He turns back around, his embarrassed expression already turning into one of smugness. "The check?" I ask, holding out my hand. He slams the piece of paper on the counter and storms out of the office.
I'm practically shaking from exhilaration by the time he's out. I didn't have a problem with confrontation, not in the slightest, but with Mike it was different. The conversation with Mike right after I caught him and Lauren had gone anything like how I planned. He said the exact opposite of everything I thought he would and he had been so cruel. It made me never want to have a conversation with him again. But this conversation had gone in my favor and I really did feel better about it. I ignore the check from Mrs. Newton and head outside to find Seth. I know he must be somewhere around back unloading one of the trucks but I want to tell him what happened and how I stood up for myself. I come to a halt outside the door. Both Seth and Mike are arguing in the parking lot. I can't hear what they're saying but it's definitely a heated conversation.
And then Seth punches Mike. Right in the face.
"Shit." I gasp, rushing towards the two of them. Chris is the only other person in the front parking lot and he's gaping at the two of them like he can't believe Seth just punched Mike. "Can you get Embry?" I call. He nods and runs off around the side of the building. I was pretty sure if this got worse, Embry would be the only guy strong enough to hold Seth back.
"You fucking asshole!" Mike is screaming and I quickly insert myself between the two of them.
"Are you okay?" I ask, trying to reach for Seth's hand to see if it's fine. It looked like a hard punch.
"Why are you asking him if he's okay?" Mike yells. "I'm the one who he punched in the face."
"Well I don't care if you're okay!" I spin back to face him. He's clutching his nose and I can see blood seeping through his fingers.
"You're such a bitch!" He growls and Seth goes to take another step towards him. I spin back towards Seth and place my hands against his chest as if I could hold him in place.
"Stop, stop, please." I beg, pushing on his chest. "You're going to get fired. I don't want to work here without you."
"I don't care if I get fired." Seth seeths. His whole body is shaking now.
"I care." I continue pushing on his chest. For a second I think Seth is going to back off and let me take him inside but then I realize Mike really is delusional. He seems to charge at Seth as if he thinks he can cause damage. In a quick second, Seth pulls me behind him as if I weigh nothing, proving I would never have been able to stop this fight. Seth blocks Mike's hit easily but then I can't see anything else from my position. Chris and Embry come running from around from the back garages, a couple of the other guys following them. Oh thank god.
"Seth." Embry barks like it's an order. "Cut it out." I've never heard anyone's voice sound like that. But then Embry has grabbed ahold of Seth and Chris has grabbed ahold of Mike.
"She will never love you." Mike hisses, spitting out a mouthful of blood. I turn back towards him and I understand completely what Seth feels right now, because I really want to slap Mike.
"Don't come anywhere near either of us ever again." I snap. "And tell your mother she can pay over the phone with a god damn credit card like everyone else!"
"Come on." I hear Chris say, half dragging Mike towards his car.
"Are you okay?" I ask softly, coming around to look up at Seth's face. He still looks angry and Embry keeps his hold on him until Mike is in his car and driving away.
"I'm sorry." Seth says once Embry releases him.
"You are?" I ask.
"I'm not sorry for hitting him, I'm sorry you're upset." He clarifies.
"I just don't want you to get in trouble." I explain, reaching out to touch his waist and stepping closer to him. He does seem to relax slightly at my touch and Embry takes a step back as if he believes Seth's completely calm now. "You're on work property and he's a client's son so—"
"Seth." Chuck's voice interrupts. He's standing in the entrance to the main office with his arms crossed and he looks anything but happy. Oh no, oh no. My entire body sinks. I'm not sure how much Chuck saw but someone obviously punched Mike and that person is obviously Seth. Chuck waves his hand as if to call Seth into the office.
"Seth." I say, feeling helpless.
"It's okay." He gives me a tight smile. "Just stay with Embry, okay?" He removes my hands from his waist and starts to head towards Chuck.
"It's gonna be alright, Jess, everything's going to be—" Embry starts, reaching out a hand to comfort me. I rush after Seth who has almost reached Chuck now.
"Please don't fire Seth. It's my fault." I quickly say.
"Jessica." Seth holds a hand out as if to silent me. "It's my fault, I'm sorry, Chuck."
"No, it's my fault, really." I can feel my eyes welling up with tears and I wonder if that makes Chuck uncomfortable because his angry expression softens slightly. "It's all my fault. If anyone is getting in trouble, it should be me."
"We can speak after if you would like." Chuck compromises, then turns away to head back into his office. It's very obvious that Seth is expected to follow.
"Please don't cry." Seth says, placing his hands on either side of my arms. "Everything will be fine, I'll be back in a couple minutes." I nod my head and let him leave.
"It's okay, Jess." Embry says, tentatively wrapping an arm around me. "Seth is Chuck's favorite of all of us. I don't think he'll fire him."
"Fuck." I mutter. "I hate Mike. Do you think his parents are going to call and sue or something?"
"I don't know." Embry says. "Did you hear what they were arguing about?"
"No." I shake my head. "When I came outside, they were already fighting."
"Well it was obviously about you." Embry reasons.
"No shit." I snap, then sigh. "I'm sorry, I'm just so mad at Mike and I don't want Seth to get in trouble over something that's my fault."
"I mean, you didn't punch Mike." Embry says. "It's not your fault that Seth punched him and — honestly — he probably deserved it."
"Oh, he one hundred percent deserved it." I agree. "Mike just says such horrible things to Seth and I know that upsets him. Even saying I would never love him...you don't think Seth believes that, do you?"
"I honestly don't know." Embry sighs. "Seth doesn't let me into his mind enough for me to know how he feels about what Mike's said."
"Okay, let's go." Seth says, coming out of the front door and wrapping an arm around me, pulling me in the direction of the car.
"Wait, what?" I trip over my own feet. "That's it?"
"Yup, let's go." He says. I can tell he is not okay.
"Seth, stop." I say, ducking under his arm. "I'll be right back." I jog back to the main building and head right through to Chuck's office.
"Are you going to tell me what really happened?" Chuck asks when I shut the office door behind me.
"Mike is my ex-boyfriend." I admit. "And...he was really horrible to me at the end of our relationship so Seth doesn't have any patience for him."
"Well that makes more sense." Chuck sighs.
"Huh?" I collapse into the same chair I sat in during my interview. "What did Seth tell you happened?"
"He just kept apologizing and saying it wouldn't happen again." He explains. "Couldn't give me any explanation as to why it happened."
"Mike is really rude to Seth every time we see him." I say. "He's always telling him things about me that aren't true and saying I don't actually want to be with Seth. I didn't hear what Mike said but I know it wasn't nice. It's really, really not Seth's fault. If anyone is going to get in trouble, it should be me. You know Seth would never get in a fight under normal circumstances."
"Okay, okay, I understand." Chuck soothes. "No need to get upset again."
"Just please don't fire Seth." I beg. "He loves working here."
"I won't fire him." Chuck promises. "But if something like this happens again, I will have to do something. I can't have the other guys think I'm okay with this behavior."
"It won't happen again." I say. "Promise."
"Anything else?" Chuck asks, raising his eyebrows.
"Oh, um, yes." I answer. "Since I'm here already and we're having a discussion...can I paint the office?"
"Can you...what?" He repeats back.
"Can I paint the main office like blue or yellow or something else bright?" I ask. "I'll get the paint and come in on my day off."
"You want to paint the front office?" He clarifies. I nod my head and he sighs, seeming to relax and look more like the Chuck I know who doesn't yell at Seth. "Sure, Jessica."
"Thanks!" I jump up from the chair in his office and head back into the main office. Seth has left so I grab my bag and head outside. He's leaning against the side of my SUV and looking miserable.
"What'd he say to you?" Seth asks when I approach.
"That I can paint the office!" I explain.
"What?" Embry asks.
"The office is so blah. I'm going to have Collin and Brady help me paint and then make Chuck love them and then hire them." I say.
"But did he say anything about me?" Seth asks.
"Yeah, he promised not to fire you." I explain, wrapping my arms around his waist.
"Well at least there's that." Seth mumbles but wraps his arms around me too.
"Thank you for punching Mike in the face. Like, seriously, he one hundred percent deserved it, but please don't do it again." I say.
"I know." Seth sighs dramatically. "I'm sorry." I want to talk to him more about what Mike said and find out what prompted the fight but I figure that's a better conversation to have not in front of Embry.
"You good if I go?" Embry asks. "You promise not to punch anyone else?"
"Of course I'm not going to punch anyone else." Seth scowls.
"Hey, don't get mad at me." Embry says. "You're lucky I was here to stop you from hurting him more seriously. Jake is going to be pissed regardless."
"Oh come on, Embry, please don't tell Jake." Seth begs, his arms tightening around me momentarily.
"I keep plenty of your secrets but you know I don't have a choice on this." Embry says but he does look apologetic. "I'll see you guys tomorrow?"
"Yeah, Embry, thanks." I say when it becomes clear Seth isn't going to answer. I wait until he is in his car and driving away before I turn my attention back to Seth. "You're worried about Embry telling Jake?" I ask in surprise. Jacob Black had not even been a slight concern on my mind during any of this. "You guys really do have a hierarchy on the Rez, huh?"
"You have no idea." Seth mutters.
