Only Fools

Chapter Forty Nine

It's rather disgusting how a sprained ankle is what finally manages to provide me with a more positive outlook on life. Since I haven't been able to participate in cheer practices, I've been tasked with the job of giving corrections to help clean our routines. It's oddly therapeutic being assigned a job that basically allows me to publicly humiliate Ashley every day and suffer no repercussions. And I wouldn't even call that taking advantage of my injury. I would call it justice to be completely honest.

On top of that, I got a very sweet text from Nick once she heard about my injury through the grapevine, not that Nick's ever been anything other than sweet of course. She even offered me a coupon from the ice cream shop she works at which I'm already itching to redeem.

And if all of that wasn't enough, slacking off at work has been easier than ever. Since I arrived a couple hours ago, George has been insistant that I just sit at the cash register and not even attempt to help with any other task. And given that it's a random ass Thursday evening in the very beginning of March, the shop hasn't exactly been packed from wall to wall.

Of course, as soon as I begin to find the positives in life, in strolls a negative.

"What are you doing here," I snap as soon as I register who just entered the building.

"Be careful or I'll tell Marian how you're greeting customers nowadays," Jax admonishes as he approaches me. I narrow my eyes at him.

"I was supposed to be free of you today. What is this?" I continue on, ignoring his empty threat.

"George texted me that we finally got a book I've been waiting for," Jax shrugs before he walks off to presumably find the book, not even allowing me a response.

Not being able to quickly follow after him, I huff out a sigh and make the honorable decision to not shout at him from across the store. I can hear him strike up a friendly conversation with George, likely to question where the book is, before his footsteps begin to resound louder with his reappearance. By the time he returns to the front of the cash register, all I supply him with is a bored glare. He just offers me a goofy smile in response as he sets the book down in front of me, which to my surprise is not his usual comic style selection.

"This is for Ivy?" I ask, though it's honestly meant to be more of a statement. Historical romance books line Ivy's book shelf at home, only to be briefly interrupted by inspirational football biographies and the occasional nostalgic children's book.

He chuckles nervously in response, "She's been talking about it for a while now. Something about how it's the last one in the series she's been reading since forever?"

I take another glance at the book, only to find that I do in fact recognize the author's name. In fact, I remember her raving about the first book in the series once she finished it, and the second, and the third, and the fourth. A pit swells in my stomach as my brain can't help but torture me with the idea that I might not be there when she wants to rave about the fifth and final book.

"Cool," I finally respond.

"Yeah. I'm hoping to surprise her with it tonight," he says, his smiling growing as he speaks.

Then, the most shocking thing happens. The pit in my stomach doesn't seem as all consuming anymore. Ivy and I may not be on great terms at the moment, but she has Jax. She has this boy who genuinely listens and cares and goes out of his way to show it. I was there for books one through four and didn't even think about buying the next editions for her when they were released.

I'm happy for her. I'm happy for them.

It's like a breath of relief.

"Huh," is all I say before I quickly scan the book and read him his total. The rest of the transaction is wordless. After the receipt finally prints and I slide it in between the pages of the book, I finally look up to meet his eyes. He opens his mouth but then closes it again, opting to instead look down and pick the book up from the counter. He shifts the book back and forth between his hands before shaking his head.