Jackson reached for his phone again, scrolling through his contacts until he found Gabriella's number. His thumb hovered over it for a moment, hesitation battling curiosity. "Fuck it," he decided, hitting the call button before he could talk himself out of it. The phone rang once, twice. On the third ring, Gabriella's sultry voice purred through the speaker. "Missing me already, handsome?" "You know, most people start with 'hello.'" "Most people are boring," she countered. "But I'm guessing you didn't call just to critique my phone etiquette. What's on your mind?" "Actually, I called to ask you something," he said, trying to keep his tone casual. "You wouldn't happen to know a guy named William, would you?" There was a pause on the other end of the line, just long enough to kick Jackson's heart rate up a notch. "William?" she repeated, her voice suddenly neutral. "That's a pretty common name. You'll have to be more specific." "He's a pub owner. Tall guy, kinda looks like he co
Jackson leaned against the polished mahogany bar, nursing a whiskey on the rocks. The ice clinked against the glass as he sipped, savoring the smoky flavor. Isabella sat across from him, her legs crossed elegantly as she sipped a brightly colored cocktail. "So," Jackson drawled, "where's your boyfriend? What was his name again? Mike? Mitch?" "Mark. And he's on his way." "Ah, right. Mark." He nodded sagely as if he'd known all along. "The elusive Mark. You know, I'm starting to think he might be imaginary." "Please. As if I'd need to make up a boyfriend." "I don't know," he teased. "Maybe you're just trying to make me jealous." "Oh, you wish." she flicked a cocktail napkin at him. "Trust me, Mark is very real. And very late, apparently." He glanced at his watch. "How long have you been waiting?" "Only about twenty minutes," she sighed. "He texted saying he got held up at work." "Ah, the old 'held up at work' excuse," he said, waggling his eyebrows. "Classic." Isabella smacked
Jackson took another sip of whiskey, savoring the burn. Sometimes, in the quiet moments between Quantum Quill's ridiculous tasks, he wondered if he was dreaming. Maybe he was stuck in some bizarre video game, or there was a glitch in the matrix. Any moment now, he half-expected to wake up in his old life, nine years in the past. The thought made him pause. What if he did wake up? Jackson's mind wandered, imagining the scenario playing out differently. What if he hadn't left the apartment that fateful day? What if he'd walked in on Veronica and that bastard, caught in the act? He pictured himself bursting through the bedroom door, rage coursing through his veins. There was a look of shock on Veronica's face, her legs still wrapped around the stranger's waist. The bastard's smug grin faded as Jackson's fist connected with his jaw. God, it would've felt good to knock that asshole's teeth out. Maybe grab that tacky baseball bat Veronica insisted on keeping by the bed - "for protection,
Jackson struggled to adjust his tie, the smooth fabric eluding his grasp like a defiant serpent. He glanced at his reflection, wincing at the crooked knot that resembled a half-strangled pretzel. Mornings were never his strong suit. At twenty-eight years old, he still struggled with the simple task."Babe, you haven't said anything about the money I asked for." Veronica's voice floated from the bed, a mix of honey and vinegar.He froze, tie dangling forgotten. "Money?" The word tumbled out of his mouth like a stray pebble."For the cocktail dress? Remember? Mia's birthday party?"His brain scrambled to catch up. Right. The party. The dress. The money. He'd hoped she'd forgotten about that particular request."Ah, yeah. About that..." He turned, meeting Veronica's expectant gaze. She lounged on the bed, still in her pajamas, looking like a cat waiting to pounce on an unsuspecting mouse. He was definitely the mouse in this scenario."Well?" She arched an eyebrow, a move that could make
Jackson stood up, straightening his discount suit jacket. It was time to visit IT and sort this out. As he walked towards the tech support desk, a thought struck him. Maybe his manager, Mr. Thompson, would know what was going on. He knocked on Mr. Thompson's door, trying to ignore the knot forming in his stomach. "Come in," a voice called from inside. He entered, finding Mr. Thompson engrossed in his phone. The manager looked up, his face as expressive as a block of wood. "Ah, Jackson. What can I do for you?" "Sir, I'm having trouble logging into my account. It says my username doesn't exist." Mr. Thompson's eyebrows rose slightly, the most emotion Jackson had ever seen on his face. "Haven't you checked your email?" "My email?" He echoed, feeling like he'd walked into the middle of a conversation he didn't know he was having. "Yes, your email. You were fired yesterday." The words hit Jackson like a sledgehammer to the gut. "Fired? But... why? How?" "Due to no work improvemen
As he walked down the street, his mind reeled. Fired and cheated on, all in the span of a few hours. If this was a movie, he'd be demanding a rewrite. The universe had a twisted sense of humor. He wandered aimlessly, his feet carrying him through the city with no real destination. The bustling streets felt surreal as if he were watching a movie about someone else's life. How could the world just keep going when he had come crashing down? He didn't even know where he was walking. The sun beat down on him, but he barely noticed. His feet moved on autopilot, carrying him past bustling cafes and honking taxis. He was so lost in thought that he didn't see the bus until it was too late. One moment, he was stepping off the curb; the next, he was airborne. It was almost comical, really. Fired, cheated on, and now hit by a bus. The universe really had it out for him today. As he sailed through the air, time seemed to slow down. In that brief moment of clarity, Jackson had an epiphany. He'd
He stared at the ceiling, wondering if he'd finally lost his marbles. Maybe the stress of losing his job and catching Veronica cheating had finally pushed him over the edge. Or perhaps the bus had scrambled his brains more than he thought."Oh, stop being so dramatic," the voice chimed in. "You haven't lost your mind. Well, not completely, anyway."He groaned. "Great, now I'm arguing with myself. Fantastic.""I told you, darling, I'm not you. I'm a separate entity. A system, if you will. Now, why don't you suggest a name for me? I'll even give you a small reward for your trouble."He snorted. "What kind of reward? A one-way ticket to the loony bin?"The voice tsked. "So pessimistic. Just try a name and you'll find out."He sighed, deciding to humor his apparent mental breakdown. "Fine. How about... 'A Strange System'?""Oh, honey, you can do better than that," the voice replied, disappointed. "How about 'Life Guide System'? Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?""Whatever," Jackson
A few moments later, the door swung open, and the impossibly glamorous nurse sashayed in. He noticed how her uniform hugged her curves, and his face flushed."You called, Mr. Jackson?" she asked, her voice as smooth as honey."I, uh... yes," he stammered, suddenly forgetting every smooth line he'd ever heard. "I just wanted to thank you for taking such good care of me.""Oh? Well, that's very sweet of you, Mr. Jackson. It's not often patients express gratitude for my... care."Was it his imagination, or did she emphasize that last word? He felt his face grow hot."Well, you know what they say," he blurted out. "Laughter is the best medicine. And your smile... it's definitely working wonders."Quantum Quill groaned in his head. "Oh, darling, that was painful. You can do better than that!"The nurse, however, seemed charmed. Her lips curved into an amused smile. "My, my, Mr. Jackson. Are you flirting with me?"His brain short-circuited. "I... uh... is it working?"She laughed. "Well, ar