A/N Own Nothing

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I was genuinely surprised when Jareth was the one to break the silence after fifteen minutes of me sitting there with my arms across my chest and not looking at him. Usually he liked silence. "How did you like the restaurant?"

"Fine," I lied. Looking back, the place itself was very nice and if circumstances were different I probably could have honestly enjoyed myself.

"Did you enjoy your dinner?" It was obvious he knew I was angry at something. I was still surprised he cared enough to try to talk to me about it.

"I didn't taste it." I really hate wasting food so I started to feel guilty about that. That was the last straw. The tears didn't hold. One escaped, maybe two but I tried to keep the rest in.

We sat in silence for another fifteen minutes while some stray tears fell down my face. I tried my best not to look at Jareth; it did not do well for my resolve to not cry. However, when I did glance at his face I could see that he looked concerned. I shook my head. He was not concerned for me, I was sure of that. The ride continued in more silence.

"Valerie had mentioned that I should invite you back to my house after the dinner had ended. Would you..?"

"No!" I did not let him finish his sentence. I did not mean to say it so loud or angrily either. I wanted to stay calm. I wanted to keep a calm front. I wasn't doing well, but I was going to keep trying.

I could see another look of confusion cross his face, but he continued, "You mentioned wanting to know where I lived. Perhaps someday I can even show you the gardens around my castle."

I tried so hard not to snap there. I wanted to yell. He gave me the perfect opportunity to really hurt him and I clenched my teeth to keep my mouth shut. Jareth shocked look at me trying to not speak would have made me laugh if I wasn't so pissed. "I don't give a shit about your house or your labyrinth."

Jareth did not say anything for the rest of the ride. He got out of the limo quickly to open my door for me. He held his hand out again for me to take. Instead I put the necklace he gave me into his hand, stood up, and smack him across the face as hard as I could. I hadn't planned on doing it. My hand just went. Jareth did not look at me again. He looked straight at the ground. He waited until I was in my apartment building to leave.

I took off the clothes immediately and thought about burning them. I decided I had my pride. I would give everything back and what I couldn't give back I would pay for. I looked for my tips and quickly counted them up. I was a little short but it was enough to make the point. I tried to sleep but I was too angry and I barely slept at all before I knew it, it was 9:00am and I needed to get my ass in gear to get ready for work. My eyes were red and bloodshot from a night full of tears.

While I showered I wrestled with the idea of calling out sick, but I decided against that. I refused to not at least put up a brave front. Sometimes I was too damn stubborn for my own good. I looked for clothes that would piss him off the most. Then I decided I would wear clothes that would make him sorry he hurt me. I realized again that we were not together in any sense of the word other than the fact that we took the same car there, but I still was his date and figured that meant I shouldn't have been ignored for some bitch that hurt him so deeply years ago.

I chose my nice jeans that are really tight around my ass, yet sat nicely on my hips. I would pay for that while I working but it was worth it. I wore a shirt that was at the bottom of my drawer, it was a tank top with push up padding for a bra. It showed a lot of cleavage and was tight around my wait. I wondered if I should worry about the men I was going to be serving, but I didn't care. I knew how this job worked. I was going to get a lot of tips today.

I checked my mail on the way out the main door. There were a couple pieces of junk mail and an envelope with no writing on it. I tossed the junk mail in the recycle bin and opened the envelope. Inside was the necklace Jareth gave me the night before and a note with only two words, "What's wrong?"

I walked into work with the dress box, the shoe box and the envelope I found in the mail this morning. I put all the hair pins and the cash in the envelope and left the necklace in there. I leaned into his office like everyone else to find that he was not in there. Where the hell was he? I rarely have even seen him leave it. I put the boxes on his desk and the envelope on his chair.

I started my day and tried to work as hard as possible. I kept my attention everywhere but the office. I was a little upset and relieved that Jareth did not come in today. I was upset that all my effort in looking good was wasted and relieved that I did not have to deal with that. Valerie tried to get my attention a few times until I snapped at her. I immediately apologized and she gave me a hug and said she would go buy me a cookie. I was really starting to like Valerie. The lunch hour started to go down when guess who should appear. I was not a happy camper.