Enough

Jade-

For some reason, doing his normal routine didn't feel quite as fulfilling as usual. He liked his day in and day out practices. Had them down to a T. Waking up, shower, breakfast, work. Everything at his office was set up perfectly. People didn't bother him unnecessarily. He got things done and he did them well. He ran a very tight ship, but that's why he was paid so much. Jade was a leader, not a follower.

So then why do I feel like leaving early and following Jake straight to his job.

He paused after the thought for a moment, then leaned back in his office chair and ran his hand down his face.

That didn't sound like a stalker at all. He noted in sarcasm.

"Sir, are you ready for your next meeting?" Came his assistant's voice.

He wasn't that high up in the company, but he was doing well enough to be getting meetings and important projects. Leaning forward, he reached over and pressed the button on the microphone device. "Actually, could you redirect that to Scott, I have something I need to tend to. If that wouldn't be an issue for him, of course."

They were both on the same project, so he hoped that he would take it. After two minutes of sitting in tense silence, the speaker on his desk flashed red and his assistants voice came through.

"Sir, Scott has agreed to take the meeting. He said he will send you an overview email and that you can give him a call later if you have any questions about it."

Grinning, Jade turned on his microphone and thanked her, then hurried to clean up his work area and get his things together. Once he was ready, he clocked out, noting that the time was a quarter till eight. He would normally stay till around ten on his later days, but he just couldn't stop himself.

Just check on him, then go home and get some sleep. You've been staying up too late these past few days.

He nodded at his thoughts as he made his way to his car. Before heading toward onto the road, he sent a quick text to Adam explaining that he was just going to check on Jake at his new job, then head home. He got a response before he'd even pulled out of his park space.

Alright. I'm picking him up in an hour and a half.

Frowning at the message, Jade replied with a simple Okay, then tucked his phone back into his pocket. He read what wasn't said loud and clear. Don't pick Jake up.

Grumbling under his breath, Jade drove over to the bowling alley and parked, taking a few moments to remove his suit-jacket and muss up his hair a little. He didn't want to look like he worked for some big company, but there really was no hiding the nice clothing and styled hair, even if he tried to mess it up.

Giving up on his hair, Jade stepped out of his car and awkwardly walked inside of the bowling alley. He hadn't been to one in years. Probably close to ten, to be exact. It was quite dim inside and the faint smell of sweat made his nose wrinkle. The loud music that was pumping over his head didn't do any favors for his ears, but he did his best to ignore the horrible sounds coming from the speakers as he scanned the rows upon rows of bowling lanes.

He began walking toward the further lanes as he continued to look about. He could feel eyes on him every few moments, but he dismissed them as curious teenagers. There were certainly enough of them present. Almost all of the lanes were busy and it seemed like while the music was uncomfortably loud, the kids were even more-so.

I don't regret not coming here anymore. He thought in frustration as he pushed through a group of kids that were too busy texting to watch where they were going. If you go to a damn place with your friends, get your head out of your phones and hang out with your friends.

When he finally stopped at the far end and got a chance to really look at each individual lane, Jade noticed someone heading toward the player area on one of the small raised walkways between lanes. They guy had probably been getting a ball unstuck in the guttered lane to his left.

Jake.

Without thinking, Jade stepped down into the player area for the closest lane and hurried past the surprised teens. Jake saw him coming a moment before he stopped in front of him. He had his own look of surprise on his face, and Jade couldn't blame him.

"Um... hey, Jake."

Jade swallowed, his throat and tongue suddenly dry from embarrassment. Or nerves. Probably both. His eyes dropped for a brief second before they darted back up to meet Jake's confused ones.

You aren't a nervous person. And you never get embarrassed!

"I got off work a bit early and thought I'd come by and see how your first day on the job is going." He said in a more sure voice, adding a small smile at the end of the sentence.

Jake seemed to relax a little as Jade did and mirrored his smile with one of his own. "Great! Everyone who works here has been really nice so far, and the work in easy but keeps me busy."

The guy's genuine happiness at such a simple job was cute. "I'm glad that you're enjoying yourself. Maybe we can play a game some time." He offered, though it had been a while since he'd bowled. He had been good at it though, so he wasn't worried about looking bad or anything.

"Sure! Actually, I might be on break right now. We can use the lanes during our breaks if there are at least three open, so let me go check."

Wait, right now?

Jade followed after an excited Jake as he headed for the snack bar area. After a quick chat with whom he explained was the manager, Jade was handed a pair of bowling shoes. Jake was already wearing a pair, so he lead the way to one of the free lanes. As Jake got the computer stuff set up, Jade slipped off his expensive shoes and slid into the smelly red and blue bowling ones.

"All set?" Jake asked when Jade finished tying the laces, then stood.

"Yeah, let's give it a go." He said as he found a dark purple ball that fit his fingers perfectly.

Jake stepped in front of him and took a light green ball that Jade bet would glow in the dark if the lights were any dimmer. "I'm first, see the screen?" Jake said, sticking his tongue out for a second before Jade glanced up at the television screen broadcasting their game.

"You little brat. Alright, you're up." Jade said, a bit of sarcasm in his voice as he reached over and rustled the guy's hair a bit.

Jake chuckled and ducked away after a moment, though Jade could tell that he would have rather leaned into the attention considering the slight look of longing in his eyes. It vanished after only a moment, however, as Jake turned and bowled his first ball. Jade wasn't really expecting much, but then again, he didn't really know the guy or what he'd done before he'd met him, besides the negatives.

When the ball slammed into the pins just right, knocking all of them down in one go, his mouth dropped open. He applauded Jake as he spun around and took a dramatic bow, then stepped aside so that Jade could walk past for his turn. He remembered a lot of what he'd learned when he was a kid and wound up, then rolled the ball with a good bit of speed toward the pins. It looked like it would be a strike, too, but when the ball veered off to the right and only clipped two pins, Jade narrowed his eyes.

"Just a little rusty." He mumbled as he waited to retrieve his ball when it returned.

Jake was sitting in the seat next to him and smiled when Jade glanced sideways at him. Jade returned the smile hesitantly, then took his ball and tried again. The roll had a similar effect, managing to clip one pin before dipping into the gutter.

He took a seat as Jake vacated his and went to take his turn. It wasn't another strike, but Jake easily managed a spare, knocking down six pins on his first shot, then the other remaining ones on the second.

Shaking his head, Jade walked over and gave Jake's shoulder a squeeze. "Darn good, kid. I'm impressed."

Yeah, he was sour about about not being that good anymore, but he wasn't going to be a sore loser. He didn't want to pout when around Jake. The guy had already been around enough negativity, he didn't need it coming from him, again, too.

You're an idiot.

Grinning to himself, Jade took his turn, unsurprisingly only hitting five in his two tries.

"Already doing better!" Jake chimed as he walked up, hugging his bowling ball to his chest.

Jade turned around and eyed him for a moment before clicking his tongue at him. "Soon, you're gonna be the one needing to catch up." He said as he took his seat so that Jake could take his turn.

He would have been lying if he said he wasn't watching the young man's backside a bit more than his ball as it rolled down the lane. Jake was one short of a spare when he turned back to Jade so that he could have another turn.

They continued to play quickly until they were down to their last turn each. Jade had managed to keep his head above water, but there was no way he could possibly come close to catching Jake, but for once, he was content with being second. When Jake stepped up to take his last turn, Jade straightened from his chair and walked up next to him. He knew that only one person, the one who was bowling, should be near the lane, but he wanted to ask something before Jake had to go back to work.

"Could you show me what I'm doing wrong? You seem to still be getting much more consistent scores." He said.

A warm smile lit Jake's face as the lights began to dim, likely for an atmospheric change as it got dark out. "You aren't really doing anything wrong, but I'll show you how I do it and you can see if it helps?" He said as he closed the short distance between them and then turned toward the lane.

He held his ball a little closer to Jade, showing him how he swung back in slow motion, then forward, twisting his hand just slightly with the action. Jade watched carefully, analyzing the simple motions. After Jake had finished showing him, he reached forward, gently setting his hands over Jake's.

"One more time? Please." He asked.

Jake obliged after a slight pause. Their hands moved together as he went over the motions he used. Jade was having trouble focusing on just the ball. Jake was just too cute right then... Right before Jake finished demonstrating the lights above their heads flickered as a muffled boom of thunder sounded from outside. Another boom followed a few moments later, leaving the bowling alley in darkness.

Several of the teenagers in the area decided to be dramatic and start screaming, while others began taking out their phone flashlights to try and find their way outside. Jade wasn't worried. The lights would be back on in a few moments, or they'd just follow the exit signs, but his sense of logic was a bit skewed by the warmth he felt beneath his fingers.

When he felt soft puffs of breath against his nose he could tell that his face was dangerously close to Jake's. He had to have moved, but he didn't remember doing so. The sound of the bowling ball being tossed aside and banging on the wooden floor made him jump slightly, but when he felt the faintest brush from Jake's lips against his own, he knew that the ball didn't matter at all.

He leaned closer, even though he could feel that Jake was nervous considering he backed off a little, but only for a moment. When Jade leaned further forward so that their lips met again, he did his best to make the most of the contact. Unfortunately, the second he felt Jake's hands grasp small fistfuls of his shirt, his head snapped back and he grabbed Jake's wrists. The second he shoved Jake away, some of the lights flickered back on. Just enough of them, in fact, to illuminate how much of a fuck up he suddenly realized he was.

"Jake..."

His whispered words were likely inaudible, but the tears Jake was desperately trying to blink back as he pushed himself up to sitting position on the waxed floor rang loud and clear in his head. And, like the idiot that he was, Jade took a step back, then another. When Jake sniffled and ducked his head so that his hair shaded his eyes, Jade turned and ran. He left his shoes like an idiot. Still had on the ugly clown ones, like an idiot.

You left him on the fucking floor, you absolute idiot! Go back! He didn't deserve any of that shit you just pulled!

Even yelling at himself, Jade couldn't make himself go back inside. He slid into his car and drove back to his house as fast as possible, then scrambled through his routine sloppily. By the time he dropped down into his bed and checked his phone, it was quite late. The text message from Adam that came up when he did so, though, only solidified exactly how he felt right then.

Do not go near Jake again.

I agree. I don't deserve to, and I'm an absolute asshole for what I did.