Lifelong

Everyone wants to live longer, it's only natural. Until it isn't.

Ben was no different, a twenty-eight year old man with a girlfriend he considered well out of his league. Thirty was coming at him like a runaway train though and like everyone as they approach that milestone it got him thinking about his achievements in life, or lack thereof.

He lay on the sofa, head on the chest of the woman he loved, the sound of her heart rhythmically beating into his ear. He looked at the T.V without watching. It played an episode of "VOID" the sci-fi show he had loved since it first aired, but his mind was elsewhere now. He remembered the convention last year when he and Layla went in full cosplay, him as the lead character and Layla as the shows villain. But it all seemed so long ago and the memory had lost it's wonder, in fact most of the world seemed so bland now.

There was one piece of colour in the grey landscape of Ben's world however. Layla, who laughed at the jokes and parroted the catchphrases along with the main character. He loved the way she did that, her unashamed excitement for all things nerd culture was only rivaled by his own. It's what caught his eye in the first place. What was that four or five years ago now.

The time seemed to have flown by, from awkwardly asking her if she'd like to go to the cinema to their first kiss a few dates later. Before either of them had even noticed they had found themselves house hunting. For both Ben and Layla the years went in the blink of an eye but neither for one second doubted that the other was the one.

The show finished and Layla looked down noticing the empty look on Ben's face.

"I know that look Ben" her tone gentle but demanding a reply.

"I know" his voice was quiet, almost a whisper. "There's been a few things on my mind lately. Nothing for you to worry about though gorgeous."

"No no, we tell each other everything and I hate seeing you like this especially after." She stopped herself and followed only with a solemn "Please."

"That won't happen again I promise, I couldn't do it to you or Dad." He continued, his eyes slowly filling with tears "But I haven't provided the way I should, a crappy job that just about pays rent, isn't exactly the suburban house and a puppy we dreamt of is it? The house hunting lasted what, no more than a quick web search before we realized even so called cheap ones were well above what we can afford. This shit flat three floors up isn't what I'd pictured, not to mention the stairs almost kill me each time and the elevator that's broken down twice!"

Layla sighed, she hated seeing him like this though she couldn't help but agree. Stuck in a call center with people shouting about their car insurance didn't earn much and hardly filled her with job satisfaction.

"I know it isn't the dream yet but we'll get there. I hate my job too but we can keep searching for something better and with us both working we can at least put some savings aside for a deposit." She always knew what to say.

"Yeah I know, It'll take us years at this rate though, I guess I just saw us there already."

He adjusted himself and sat up turning to look into the jade green eyes he loved so much. There was no need for words as each knew what the other was thinking.

They needed years, they just didn't know how many they had left together.

"Right." Layla broke the silence. "We can't sit here and get ourselves upset, you go and have your medicine while I put the kettle on. Tea, biscuits and and your choice of film tonight."

"This is why I love you. Oh that new comedy is on E-films now should cheer us up a bit. Maybe after we can..."

"Tea" giggled Layla "and biscuits, then we'll see."

The next morning they prepared for yet another day. Ben dressed into the company issue red and green shirt with black trousers. Complete with name tag. Ben - Supervisor. Another day in retail awaited. Layla wore a semi formal white blouse and loose black trousers, there was no uniform for the call center but a policy of business-casual was in place. One of the other girls had advised her not to wear anything revealing though as the boss had wandering eyes.

"Well then" announced Ben "we should head off. I'm sorry about last night I know I can bring the mood down some times."

"Stop it, it's good to let it out. If you bottle it up it'll only get worse. Come on that elevator's waiting for us. Maybe it'll break down again and trap us then we can both have the day off."

They laughed as they headed out the flat and down the lift, no such luck today, it worked perfectly.

They walked out the door of the block of flats and shared a quick kiss before turning to walk their separate ways. Layla turned right, past the E-cig store that always smelled of artificial fruits and onward towards the huge glass office building that housed her call center on one floor and those of other companies on the others. It may have been a short walk but it always felt much longer.

Ben had turned left from the flats and caught the X7 bus from the stop just outside. He took a window seat and stared out at the world around him, the trip was only ten minutes but it was more than enough time for one of his favourite hobbies, people watching. A woman in a long tan coat walked her dog passed a homeless man who simply stared up at her hoping for some change, the dog noticed him at least. On the next street a man in a tailored suit tapped his phone with a prosthetic hand. As they got closer to the shopping district it got busier with people crowding around. Most were window shopping eagerly waiting for the stores to open, it never failed to amaze Ben how early people arrived, before opening times and before he did.

Ben got off the bus and walked towards the red and green hell that was work. "Mech 'N' Tech the store for all your mechanical needs" Proudly written in red neon above the door on a green background. As he opened the door a man tried to barge past.

"Oh I'm sorry sir we will open in ten minutes" Ben tried to at least sound polite.

"But I need to come in now kid!" Grunted the old man "Just let me in!"

"Sir I need to boot up the tills and computer so we can trade, it won't take long."

The old man muttered something inaudible and walked off, presumably to come back later, or not at all you could never tell. As Ben locked the door behind him he noticed a billboard that was placed in the centre of the pedestrianised walkway near the cluster of stores. It lit up red with a mechanical lions head roaring above the writing "2.0 beta testers wanted, we pay you!" It seemed too good to be true!