Falling Apart

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

A bright ray of light peeking through the curtains woke up from my deep slumber. Rolling over, I couldn't help but notice how the softness of the white blankets brushed against my skin. I slowly sat up, feeling small aches of pain at my feet from wearing four-inch heels last night. Glancing over, I noticed that my emerald green prom dress was sitting on a hanger. I stared down at myself, almost forgetting how I ended up changing into Jace's white t-shirt the previous evening.

Glancing down at the floor, I saw Jace's sleeping figure. Somehow, his blanket was tossed to the side, and his pillow had become his personal teddy bear, rather than a cushion for his head. I chuckled quietly, but secretly admired the way he looked so calm and serene in his sleep- like everything would be okay from this very moment on.

It gave me hope.

I slowly crawled out of Jace's bed, making my way toward his bathroom. I closed the door behind me as quietly as possible, not wanting to wake him up. I turned on the faucet of the sink, splashing my face as I gently wiped away any remains of yesterday night's makeup. I found some spare toothbrushes and towels in Jace's cabinets, and took it upon myself to freshen up. After coming back to Jace's house last night, I was too tired to do anything but change out of my dress and head straight to bed.

When I finished, I stepped out of Jace's bathroom. I shrieked with surprise when I saw him standing in the center of his bedroom, running a towel through his wet hair, wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants that sat dangerously low on his hips.

My reflexes reacted quickly as I shielded my eyes with the towel. "Dude!" I screeched, hiding the fact that my cheeks were turning hot and red. "Cover up!"

I heard Jace chuckling with amusement as he snatched the towel from my hands. Standing in front of me, I couldn't help but stare at the droplets of water that slowly cascaded down his defined chest.

Brushing a wet strand of hair behind my ear, Jace held my cheek while giving me a teasing smirk. "Says the one who isn't wearing any pants." He whispered.

Snapping out of trance, I stepped away from him as I slapped him across the chest with the back of my hand. "Y-Your shirt nearly reaches my knees!" I defended myself.

"I wish it didn't." Jace winked before turning to his drawers and pulling out a fresh, clean t-shirt.

I crossed my arms over my chest, sticking my tongue out at him childishly. "You're annoying."

"You love me, though." Jace said.

Silence and tension came in between us, and just like that, it felt as if we were thousands of miles away, once again.

Memories from last night, at prom, flooded my mind. I remember Jace holding me close, finally confessing his love for me. Words, actions, and emotions couldn't describe exactly how I felt at that moment. Pure happiness- pure bliss.

However, memories of that night on New Year's came rushing back, as well. Shivers shot down my spine as I recalled myself stupidly blurting out my love for Jace, just moments after feeling my heart shatter into small fragments of glass. Months later, and it still brought an ache in my chest. Will it ever go away?

"Everly," Jace mumbled, suddenly appearing in front of me as he held my hands gently, "you remember what I said last night, don't you?"