Alex's P.O.V

The next morning at work, was something I didn’t to face. I was really confused about Jack’s text and I don’t want to make it any worse then what it was so I will do as he asks.

I arrived and parked in my car space before walking up to the office. I said good morning to everyone as I walked in, having to get to know a few of them over these past couple weeks.

I reached Jacks office and opened the door and sat at my desk, setting up for the day. As I am pulling the paperwork I took home out my bag, I heard a quiet grunt coming from Jacks office. I stood up and quietly walked to the curtained windows between Jack’s main office and mine.

I pulled the curtain away from the window ever so slightly and looked through the gap. I never in my life would I ever see this. Jack was starting to walk away from Vic, holding his hand on his face. Vic looked angry and mental as he walked after Jack.

I closed the curtain and quickly moving to my desk, grabbing some papers and scribbling on one before walking to the door of Jacks office. I knocked on it and I heard bickering before Jack mentioned for me to come in.

Opening the door, Vic was making his way to the door.

‘Morning Alex. Lovely day isn’t it. Alright babe, I will see you tonight okay. Love you.’ Vic said as he walked out the office.

‘How may I help you Alex?’ Jack questioned, ignoring Vic as he left.

‘I have these messages that came for you this morning.’ I said, handing him the messages.

‘Thank you Alex. Do you mind getting me coffee?’ He asked. I nodded my head and walked out. I couldn’t help but look upon Jack’s face and seeing a light shade of blue growing on his cheek.

I did as Jack asked and went to the little coffee shop. I walked down the hallway and noticed that Vic was sitting there. I considered going to another shop but decided against it as I continued walking. Vic looked at me as I walked past him and I ordered the drink.

I stood away a little bit and avoided Vic at any costs. I could feel him staring and it was becoming uncomfortable. I had just worked up the courage to say something to him but I was stopped by my name being called.

In a sigh of relief, I collected the coffees and started walking out. I felt someone following me as I walked down the alley. I turned and saw Vic following me.

‘Hey Alex, you need to find a new job. I can’t have you near my boyfriend anymore.’ Vic said, making me stop in my tracks.

‘For your information Vic, Jack and I are only work colleagues and nothing else. Not friends. We only talk business. You can come every morning to see that I will be collecting his coffee this time each day.’ I replied. Vic smiled in accomplishment before walking past me and bumping me forcefully.

The bump was that powerful that I had dropped my coffee down my leg. It burnt but I played it off as if it did. I watched as he walked out the alley with tears growing in my eyes. He turned the opposite way to the office. I continued walking and trying to shake off the pain.

I returned to the office and walked in to give Jack his coffee. He was sitting at his desk going over paper work.

‘Here you are. One coffee.’ I said as I placed it on his desk. He looked up and smiled softly at me.

‘Thanks Alex. So on your desk is some papers that need to be scanned and put onto the system. If you could just do that for me. Oh, and can you please return this phone call for me, just mention that I am out of town or something. I don’t really want to talk to anyone today.’ Jack said, handing me one of the piece of papers back.

I returned to my desk, plopping down in my chair. I pulled my trouser leg up to reveal my leg that was red. It was going to be fine, I decided. The first thing on my agenda was to return this phone call. I opened the folded paper and realised it was a reply from my message.

Jack, are you okay? Is Vic hurting you. I saw it, you can’t lie.
Yes Alex, he is. It’s happening again. I am scared. I need you to keep it a secret though. I take back my message from yesterday. I need you to be my friend. But secretly, like this. On phone papers. You need to shred them at the end of the day. I can’t have Vic finding out. Not with how angry he has been lately. Alex, I am so scared. He could be watching my every move.

I sighed to myself and put the piece of paper in the shredding machine. It shredded the paper, leaving it in strips.

What was I meant to do now? If we had secretly talk, how was I meant to keep Jack safe. He is such a fragile person and Vic know this. He is just doing what he did in high school. He is trying to scare Jack to the point where he isn’t okay anymore.

*Jacks’ P.O.V*

At the end of the day, I left before Alex today because now that Vic has these ways on me and I know what he is capable of, I need to obey his rules. I needed to be home by 5, every day.

Alex and I had been talking throughout the day, I told him that I read his letter and that I didn’t love him anymore. Not like I used to. He completely understood and mentioned to me that he was drunk when he wrote it. He told me that he was going to do everything in his power to help me. I am grateful that he is going to but Vic will serious hurt him if he does.

Vic has told me to fire Alex from his job because he is working with me. I told him I couldn’t do that and that we weren’t friends anymore. Even when Alex bumped into him at the coffee shop, that he had mentioned to Vic that we weren’t friends and if Vic thinks that we aren’t, then I think we should be okay.

As I was leaving, Alex was shredding our letters. He was going to put them in the trash with a bunch of other papers. We can’t have any evidence, just in case.

I politely said good night to Alex before walking out the office door. I didn’t drive today so Vic was going to pick me up. When I got downstairs and out the door, Vic was waiting for me. I opened the door and got into this beat up work truck. It smelt dusty and dirty.

‘Thanks again for picking me up.’ I said, starting the conversation.

‘it’s alright babe. So how was your day?’ He asked as he pulled out of the carpark.

‘Long and tiring. I feel like I could sleep for days.’ I replied ‘how was your day?’

‘It was long too. I got most of this house done so that was great. Do you just want some take out for dinner?’ He questioned.

‘Sounds lovely.’

The conversation died after that. We decided on McDonalds as it was near home. Once we got home though, Vic’s attitude changed.

‘Do you want to watch a movie?’ I asked as I sat down on the couch.

‘No. I don’t want to.’ He said bluntly as he walked to the kitchen. He returned with a beer in his hand.

‘You didn’t get me one?’ I said watching him sit on the couch next to me.

‘Nope. You don’t get one. I brought the beers with my money so they are mine.’ He replied.

‘And I brought this house. So it’s mine.’ I replied. Vic didn’t enjoy my reply. He placed his beer on the table and then he just stood in front of me. I had decided that this wasn’t going to end well but why was I taking this shit anymore.

I have come so fair from this that this is why it has become an issue again. I wasn’t going to take this again so I stood up in front of Vic and pushed him back a little bit.

‘You can’t do this again Vic. You can’t. I went into this relationship thinking you generally cared and you did until Alex returned. You were the love of my life and you are pushing me away. Is this what you wanted?’ I said as I looked at vic.

Vic stared at me in total shock. ‘You are sticking up for yourself?’

‘Yes Vic. I am. I have had enough of your bullshit. I swear getting engaged to you was what made you go mad.’ I replied.

‘Alex made me go mad.’ Vic replied.

‘No, he didn’t because you know you can’t be as good as he ever was.’ I said.

‘Jack. Shut up right now.’ Vic said defensively.

‘I think you need to go away for a little while. To figure out what in your mind is causing you to snap. It could be the drinking; it could be your jealousy. But either way, you need to figure it out. Because you are just hurting the one person who you love. And plus, you were dating Jaime the same time I was dating Alex, so why is it an issue if I befriend Alex when all this time you have been friends with Jaime.’ I replied.

‘Jack, please.’ Vic begged.

‘Vic, I think for the time being, you and I need to break up. This relationship is taking a toll on both of us. Maybe we aren’t ready to get married. Maybe we were never meant to be getting married but you really need to sort out your priorities.’ I stated.

‘Please Jack. I love you.’ Vic said. He was sitting on the other couch now, head in his hands.
‘Vic, if you loved me, you would let me go and you would do this for me.’ I said.

‘Fine. I will do it. For you. My life wouldn’t be the same.’ Vic said. He stood up and walked over to me with tears in his eyes.

He stood in front of me and looked into my eyes as his had tears falling from it. He lifted his hand and I flinched away, afraid of what was happening. His hand lightly touched my face, making me calm down a little.

‘I am so sorry that I caused this. I am such a douche.’ Vic admitted. I nodded my head.
Vic leant in for a kiss but I rejected it and moved away. His face dropped as he walked upstairs to pack his bags.

I sat down on the couch and watched the stairs, waiting for Vic to return. He returned after about 10 minutes with a suitcase and backpack.

‘I love you Jack. I will call you once I am better.’ Vic said as he stood near the door. He placed his key for the house on the ledge near the door. I nodded my head and didn’t reply. He opened the door and pulled the door shut behind him without another word.

I felt happy with myself with how I handled things but I was a bit shocked at how easy it was to convince Vic into doing this. He was always a strong person, pushing it away as a joke or not believing you but when I had compared him to Alex, he really hated it.

But I wasn’t totally referring him to Alex, I was thinking a lot about Tyler as I spoke. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about him. He really was an amazing person. But within this time away from Vic, I will be doing a lot for myself too. I will be finding who I am and what I want out of this and the world.

I am going to become a completely different person once I figure out who I want to be.

Notes

I am offically back for good.