What Once Was

Begin Again; Chapter 2

A/N:  I know that this is my story but holy balls Ryan is an adorable goof

Chapter 2 - Begin Again;

I quickly typed my text as I walked up the familiar porch steps, my suitcase being dragged behind me. I slipped my phone in my back pocket as soon as I saw the text had sent to Max. I had let her know that I was coming home today and so she was meeting me here. I let out a nervous breath that I didn’t even know I was holding. I had spent all summer at my cousin’s preparing myself for this day, the day when I would finally face Jace after my embarrassing flee.

I had gone to my cousin’s Bethany in tears, Jace had been cold-hearted before but never this harsh, and it made me realise, he’s not worth chasing after. So Bethany, being the girly girl she is – gave me a makeover, to prove to Jace that I’ve moved on.

My fingers reached for the doorbell, pressing it and smiling at the familiar ding that sounded through the house. I braced myself as the door swung open and there he stood with his recognizable smirk as he leaned against the door frame.

“Hey…” he flashed me his toothy grin he normally used to charm girls; I had to bite my lip to contain the laughter. My own brother didn’t even recognize me! Did I really look that different? So maybe my clothes are tighter and more fashionable, my short hair was now long and curvy and I actually had makeup on.

“How you doin’?” he mimicked the famous Joey Triviani line.

“Ryan-yo-“ my sentence was cut off by a loud scream and elephant stomps as Max came running down the foyer stairs and straight at me. “BELLS! HOLY CHEESEBALLS LOOK AT YOU!” she yelled as she wrapped her arms around me.

Over Max’s shoulder I watched Ryan’s jaw hit the floor. “Ryan, can you grab Bell’s stuff?” Max asked before returning to squeezing the life out of me. I chuckled into Max’s chestnut hair as Ryan dragged himself to my suitcase and heaved it inside the house. I could hear a faint mumble of, “I can’t believe I just hit on my sister…” from him before he disappeared.

Max slowly let go but her hands were now grasping my shoulder, “He’s at the back with the others…”

My eyes met hers, I loved my crazy, sarcastic and slightly perverted best friend, she always had my back. A smile grew on my lips as I linked my arm through hers, “Let’s go see the others then!” I was ready to confront him.

Max flashed me her pearly whites, “Let’s show that twat what he’s missing!”

-

I could feel the blush rise to my cheeks while Max was chuckling in amusement as Ryan went around closing his friend’s jaws that had hit the floor. “She’s hot!” one of the boys murmured which resulted with Ryan pushing him in the pool. “Dude its Bells! My sister!” Ryan did not like this one bit at all.

Ryan huffed before shoving me back towards the house, “Go change, I can see your belly button!” he was still pushing me when we reached the glass door. I looked back at the boys lounging around the pool, he wasn’t there. I hadn’t seen those familiar bluish green eyes and brown mop of hair that I could normally spot immediately.

“It’s a crop top! That’s the whole point of it!” Max argued back, my brother rolled his eyes, “And they’re horny teenage boys!” Ryan bit back.

I bit my lip, I really didn’t want these two to start bickering like they always do. Because once they start you better clear the room. “Hey Ry-… oh…” his deep voice the one who had broken my heart, I cringed as everything quickly flashed through my head. From when we met, to the day I left for Beth’s.

I slowly turned around, I could already picture his handsome face but when my eyes fell on him my heart started to race, and my eyes hungrily ate up every little detail of him from his swimming trunks to his loose white shirt.

Ryan broke away from his heated argument with Max to now sling his arm around my shoulder, “Isn’t it great Jace, our little Bells is back!”

Jace’s eyes widened in surprise for the quickest second before he quickly covered his surprise with a cough. “You look different…” he simply stated before turning to my brother, “Yeah do you mind if I make some drinks?”

That was all I got, I look different. Not even a “nice” or “pretty”. I could feel my anger bubbling up inside me, how could I like this arrogant arsehole, let alone have such strong feelings! My curled my hand into a fist to control my anger but it didn’t seem to help.

“Go for it man, oi Max, office now!” he boomed before ushering Max into my dad’s old office, no doubt to finish their earlier argument. I shot Max a warning look, I hadn’t plan to face Jace alone yet! Max quickly glanced around before mouthing, “I’ll think of something!”

Just as the office door was about to close, Ryan popped his head back out, “Oh and Jace bring her with you, don’t trust her by herself or with those hornbags outside.” From behind I could see Max give me a secretive wink. THIS IS NOT WHAT I MEAN MAXINE! I yelled inside my head.

Jace just nodded before walking into the kitchen, leaving me awkwardly shuffling behind him. I sat up on the kitchen stool as I watched Jace walk around the kitchen, grabbing things from the cupboards with ease. Well this was like his second home anyway, he knew where everything was. 

He grabbed out some vodka from the cupboard and began adding it to his drinks, “Hey Bells, can you grab the big jug?” he didn’t even look up at me, scoffing I got off the stool and went over to the overhead cupboard.

I stretched to grab the handle but these stupid tight clothes definitely restrained me from much movement. I tried again to reach the handle but I was about a centimetre short. That’s when I felt a warm presence behind me, a hand slowly reaching beside mine to open the cupboard with ease and pull out the jug.

His warm breath tickled my ear as he whispered, “Is your heart beating fast Bells? I can practically hear it, beside I'm the only guy for you aren’t i?” his voiced was laced with sarcasm and torment. I froze in my spot, how dare he!

I quickly whirled around only to find he had placed both hands on either side of me and trapped me against the counter. Summing up all the anger and courage I had, everything Bethany had prepped me for.

“Listen here Jace, once upon a time I liked you okay, but you need to get your big arrogant egoistic head out of your arse and realised that was in the past. I’ve moved on, and I sure as hell won’t be chasing after you anymore.” I felt a weight being lifted off my shoulders; it finally felt good to get angry at Jace.

“Whatever you say Princess, but we all know you could never get over me,” I wanted to wipe that bloody smirk from his face. I pushed past him just as Max and Ryan entered the kitchen.

Jace’s P.O.V

She pushed me away in anger before brushing past to leave the kitchen when Ryan and Max entered. Ryan’s eyes immediately went to Bells; he was always so protective over her. “Come on, go put on some baggy and very unrevealing clothes!” he ushered Max and Bells out of the kitchen.

I watched their retreating backs until they disappeared up the stairs, for once since I had met Bella, she did not turn around to look at me. Without fail, every time I would catch her looking behind her back to look at me, so it came as a shock when she didn’t even glance back. Maybe she was telling the truth, maybe she was really over me. For good.

I shook the thought off and went back to making the drinks, ignoring that stupid pounding in my chest.