After

Chapter 86.

When we get to the room I plop down on the bed. I am still angry with Hardin but not as angry as I was. I don't want any more attention from Jace than necessary, but I still don't like that Hardin seems to want to hide our relationship. Meeting Jace has raised more questions that I know Hardin doesn't want me to ask.

"I really am sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." He says. I don't look at him because I know I will turn to mush. He needs to know that I won't put up with him doing things like this.

"Do.. you, do you still want me?" He asks. His voice shaky.

When I look at him, he looks vulnerable. I sigh, knowing I am not able to hold onto my anger when his eyes are so full of worry.

"Yea, of course I do. Come here." I tell him and pat the bed next to me. I have no willpower when it comes to Hardin.

"Do you consider me your girlfriend?" I ask as he sits down.

"Yea, I mean it seems a little silly to call you that." He says.

"Silly?" I pick at my fingernails, a bad habit I have yet to kick.

"You are more to me than some adolescent title." He puts his large hands on both sides of my face. His answer makes my stomach flip in the best way. I can't help the grin that is plastered on my face. His shoulders immediately relax.

"I don't like that you don't want people to know about us, how would we live together if you won't even tell your friends about us?"

"It's not like that, do you want me to call Zed right now and tell him? If anything you should be embarrassed to be with me, I see the way people look at us when we are together." He says. So he does notice.

"You had me worried that you were going to give up on me." He breathes.

"Give up on you?" I repeat.

"You're the only constant in my life, you know that don't you? I don't know what I would do if that wasn't the case, if you left me." He clarifies.

"I won't leave you if you don't give me a reason to." I assure him. I can't think of a single thing he could do to make me leave him. I'm in too deep. Thinking of leaving him sends a pain through my body that I couldn't bear. It would break me. Even if we fight every single day, I love him.

"I won't." He says. He looks away from me for a second then meets my eyes again.

"I like who I am with you." He says and I turn my cheek into his hand further.

"I do too." I simply reply. I love him, every part of him. All versions of him. Mostly, I like who I have become with him, we have both been changed for the better by each other. I have somehow gotten him to open up and brought happiness to him and he has taught me how to live and not worry about every detail.

"I know I piss you off sometimes.. well a lot of the time and god knows you drive me fucking insane." He says.

"Thanks?"

"I'm just saying, just because we fight doesn't mean we shouldn't be together. Everyone fights, we just fight more than normal people." He smiles.

"We are very different people so we just have to figure out how to navigate each other, it will get easier." He assures me.

I return his smile and run my fingers through his hair.

"We still didn't get anything to wear to the wedding." I point out.

"Oh darn, looks like we can't go." He turns his face into the most insincere frown I have ever seen and kisses my nose.

"You wish. It's only Tuesday, we will get something later this week."