The Fate of Our Hearts

Chapter 16 - 1 Page

Ren

I have avoided Cool Beans Cafe ever since going home with Gio earlier this week. I still cringe inside when I think about the disapproving tone in Jace's voice and leaving with Giovanni, so obviously, to hook up. But it's Friday afternoon, and the pull of being with friends instead of at home on a Friday night is stronger than my embarrassment, it seems. 

Well, that and I need a distraction because Gio still hasn't called or paged me yet, and I know I'll just stare at my phone all night.

So, as per my usual routine, I'm now en route to the cafe to spend the rest of the afternoon drinking coffee and spooling out time till we wear Jace down to inviting us all over to his house. As soon as I approach the table, their conversation halts.

Jace arches an eyebrow at me, "Ah, look who's finally back. You have a fun time with What's-his-name?"

"You guys do the no-pants dance?" Colin snikers.

My cheeks immediately flush, and Alexis suppresses a laugh.

I roll my eyes dramatically. "No!"

"Yeah? Well, I'm sure you tested his mattress," Colin grins.

"Nothing really happened, okay?" I lie, dropping my voice low and looking away in a failed attempt to cover the truth in my eyes.

"Suuuure," Colin smirks. "You know, I'm not as dumb as I look, Ren."

Alexis pats Colin's knee. "No darling, how could you be."

Jace busts up laughing immediately, then I think about it for a second and then start laughing, too.

"What?" Colin looks perplexed.

I'm hopeful that has shifted the conversation, but I'm not so lucky.

"You can say whatever you want..." Jace says on an inhale of his cigarette, his eyes intense and locking with mine, then slowly blows it out, "...but I could have cut the sexual tension between you two with a knife." 

My cheeks burn more.

"I can't believe I missed that! Who was it anyway?" I shift my gaze to Alexis, who widens her eyes at me. "That's not like you to hook up with a random." Her sly smile creeps out from behind the coffee cup she has pronged between her long fingers in front of her mouth.

Crap. 

"He's just someone I know," I say, giving her a blank stare, doing my best to hold an even tone.

I'm still not ready to tell Alexis it's Giovanni.

"Mmhm." Alexis narrows her eyes like a cat, letting me know she'll get more information out of me later, then drastically changes course.  "Okay, well, I, for one, am I'm sick of being here. Jace. You're house. Now. Let's go."

"Fine." He shrugs and butts out his cigarette in the ashtray.

We all get up and grab our bags, and I stop at the pay phone to call my dad and let him know I'm spending the night at Alexis'.

...

Jace had stopped on the way to his house at the corner market to buy us beer with his fake ID, and we all chipped in to pay him back. It's now close to ten in the evening and just the four of us. Alexis and Colin are still playing drinking games in the kitchen. I had played a few rounds but bowed out to join Jace in the living room when more questions about Gio surfaced. 

He and I are listening to Suzanne Vega on his stereo—one of our mutual favorites. He's lounging in a faded, grey recliner, writing poems while I doodle in my sketchbook opposite him on the sofa.