Meet your hatred

The music was pleasant upon his ears, eyes closed as he listened to the melodic tune. Nothing was happening today; no work, a day off, leaving Jax with time to relax for once, which was indeed a rare occurrence. On the couch in his living room he was sat back, arms draped over the back of the seat, head resting upon it to look at the ceiling. The Persian he owned was napping next to him, soundly sleeping with a gentle snore. What more could he want?

For now he just wanted to chill, have some time to himself, to listen to music and think about absolutely nothing. And it made him happy that he could. Crossing his legs he finally opened his eyes, pressing the button on his phone for the next tune. If he hadn't been looking at his phone he wouldn't have noticed the incoming call as the music was so loud. He frowned, pressing pause.

Unknown number.

He sighed, knowing better to answer it than ignore it. With a slide of the finger, he accepted the call and put it to his ear.

"Hello?" he questioned into the receiver, only to hear silence. He waited a moment, thinking maybe it was a mistaken call, but he was sure he could hear background noise, like cars passing by. "Hellooo?" he asked again, huffing through his nose. He wasn't one to get angry, but this was just annoying. Until finally came a voice.

"Jason?"

His blood ran cold. Nobody had called him that in way over ten years.

"... Who is this?"

"It's Rita. From High school." the woman on the other end breathed, her voice nervous and shaky. Rita... Oh, now he remembered... and wanted to forget instantly. He took a moment to think on what the hell to say, frowning.

"Ah, yes... ... How did you get my number?" That was the question indeed. He had not heard from this woman since he was young. They were not friends, so why was she calling? He swapped the phone to his other ear, standing up and walking to the window, gazing out at the streets below as he awaited an answer.

"Listen, Jason. We... need to talk. Meet me tomorrow, lunch time. Cafe on fifth."

Click.

Odd, he thought, as the call abruptly ended. He brought up his call list to try and return the call, only for it to be dead. He sighed, putting the phone into his pocket and looking to his Persian in thought. Of all people to call him, why her? Why now? Why... why? He didn't know, but he found himself a little agitated and unsettled. He despised the thought of High school. He didn't hate it per say, but he would just rather move on from his past, and how could he now if people from then were going to be calling him up at random? He was annoyed ever so slightly.

He sat back down and ran a hand through the Persian's fur, thinking.

He could just... not turn up. But that would be rude, and he had been raised to be polite. Damn it all, he thought, cursing his own upbringing for ensuring her was all too pleasant. He would just have to go and see what she wanted.

He didn't sleep well that night, either from the thoughts swirling around his mind about what was to come, or from the absurd amount of coffee he drank before heading to bed. Either way he woke up on the wrong side of the bed and had to get ready for work early, changing into his uniform before heading out.

"I need an hour for lunch today." he said to his partner for the day as they idled at the hospital. It was a rather nice day if a bit chilly, but he preferred it like that, puffing away on a cigarette to ease the stress. "Got a, uh-"

"Date, again?" his friend mused.

"Ah, no, not this time. Important meeting, is all."

Just how important was it, anyway, he thought? It probably wasn't very important but he was still stressing that little bit. If he was a normal person his stress would probably be through the roof. The benefits to little emotions, he thought, or so his shrink had once said.

Several long, awkward hours later, Jax found himself approaching the designated cafe, hoping very well that this Rita wouldn't turn up and it had all been a hoax. But as he opened the door and wandered in, hands in his pockets, he saw her sat near the back and couldn't help but exhale deep. So she had turned up. Just his luck.

He so very slowly approached and watched her face for a reaction. She looked worried. That wasn't good, he thought, forcing a slight smile as he took a seat opposite her. He couldn't help but glance over to the side, noticing he was being watched by a young girl on the table next to them. Odd, he thought, she looked familiar, but he couldn't place where. Perhaps he had helped her in the past or something. Maybe.

He neatly placed his hands on the table, fingers entwined, keeping his gaze away from Rita.

"Glad you came, Jason."

"Call me Jax." he almost snapped, having to force a smile to hide his frown of discontent at his real name. "I... prefer that, mm? A nickname so to say."

The woman nodded. She had aged well, he thought, but still would rather not be here. They were the same age and she was rather attractive, but... he just didn't like her. At all. He would rather be anywhere else but here talking to her. And why was he here? What did she want? A date? To rekindle an old friendship? Hah, how amusing, he thought, adjusting his position a little for more comfort. Their encounter in High School was enough for him and he was hating every moment of being in her presence so far.

"Why did you call me here, Rita?" he questioned, leaning forwards slightly, lowering his head, hair trailing forwards to half cover his face. He looked at her for a moment, noting her expression as... conflicted? Perhaps. Something like that anyway. Perhaps he was acting too cold to her. Perhaps she was still as nice as she was back then. Yes, she was nice, but still... He wanted to leave.

"Jason-"

"Jax."

"... Jax. I... brought you here because..." she said, trailing off.

He hated it when people trailed off and found himself staring at her face. She looked extremely worried now and that unsettled him. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something was utterly wrong here.

"Because?" he questioned, noticing Rita glancing to the side. He followed her brief gaze to the girl sat on the other table who was still watching them. She looked angry herself, but also worried and sad somehow. "Rita, what is it you want? You drag me here and seem to just be idling with the conversation." he started, exhaling through his nose in irritation. "I have work to get to soon, you know. So I rather you just get on with whatever you wish to say so I can leave."

Now he knew he was being rather mean. But he didn't care. He was agitated. His fingers tensed and he found himself tracing the random names carved into the table. Of all places, she had to pick the crappiest cafe in the whole city. Great.

"You never were too great with worried people, Jason."

"It's Jax."

"Fine, whatever. Jax, then."

He huffed. She was probably getting a bit irritated too, but with his attitude rather than actually being here.

"What is it you want, Rita?" He was getting fed up now as the moments drew out so slowly, painfully so. He caught her looking to the girl again.

"Is it something to do with that girl?" he asked, perking a brow, only to be met with a slight, unsure nod. "Well, what is it? Why is she sat over there instead of with us if it is something to do with her?"

"Jas- Jax... Remember when we were young?"

"No." he snapped, blank faced, sitting back in the chair and folding his arms.

"Yes you do. Stop being a dick. Ugh, why am I even bothering?"

"I do not know, Rita, why are you?"

Now he really was being harsh. But this was just stupid.

"Jason."

"Oh for fuck's sake. What?!" he said, planting his hands flat against the table with an audible thud. He never got angry, but this was bordering on such emotion. To bring up the past was one thing, but to dawdle on was really testing his patience.

"Fuckin' hell!" the girl on the other table suddenly yelled to the dismay of the whole cafe. "Are you really that stupid? Can't you just put two and two together?!"

Jax stared at the girl with the coldest gaze he's possibly ever given someone, only for her to retort with a glare of her own, which then turned to Rita, pulling a face as though to say she better hurry up with what she was going to say.

"Jason." she started again and Jax ended up almost walking out there and then, just about refraining from standing up and leaving. "She's fifteen. That's... your daughter. Hailey."

Jax paused, then smiled, then laughed, then turned blank.

"Is... this a joke?" he questioned with disbelief, voice rising slightly. No way in hell he had a daughter. Though, if she was fifteen... It did add up. And she did look such an age. With no replying coming from either of the women, he glanced around the cafe as his mind tried to comprehend what had just been said. He frowned, he laughed, he sighed, putting a hand to his chin in thought, elbow upon the table. He had to take a minute to process it all again.

"So, you are saying... I..." he couldn't even begin to think on what to actually say, frowning and looking around more, leaning back again, once more folding his arms. How could he escape this, he wondered? "Wait, wait. Are you fucking with me?"

"I did that sixteen years ago."

He was not amused with that statement, even though it was true. The glare he sent Rita could have killed someone with how sharp it was, staring right into her eyes as she looked away and at his apparent 'daughter'.

"Go fuck yourself." he suddenly exclaimed while shaking his head, pushing the chair out and standing up, heading for the door. Rita just sat there, lowering her head into her hands. Hailey, on the other hand, wasn't too impressed.

"Oi! -Dad-!"

Jax spun back around at that, staring at Hailey who almost ran into him. She looked rather sad, but all he felt was actual anger. In all his life he had never felt such an emotion, and he wanted to just crawl into a hole and die. Or kill someone.

"Do not call me that, girl." he snapped, lingering over Hailey slightly. She was tall for her age, probably taking after him, and that thought sank to his stomach like bad food. He looked back to Rita for one second before turning away again and striding out the door.

Hailey was close behind but kept her distance.

"She said you would be like this." Hailey called after Jax who slowed his quick pace a little until he stopped, arms hanging at his side in defeat. "Mom said you would run like you did back then..."

With nothing more to say, Jax just walked off, leaving the pair staring at his back. He would not be ever seeing them again, he knew that much.

He would have to change his number.