Anti Cupids

Twenty Three

C H A P T E R  T W E N T Y  T H R E E

I sat brooding on my bed with my legs dangling off the side, mindlessly skimming through my physics textbook.

My conscience was well aware of the fact that there was no way I could concentrate on studying right after coming back from school, that too, after an exhausting practice session like the one we had today. Being honest, the physics textbook was just an excuse to let myself believe that I was actually doing something productive when in reality I was second-guessing my decision to ask Julian to come over.

That was a really bad idea...

For some reason, the idea of an angry Jace and a smirking Julian getting into a mega wrestle match in our living room didn't seem very unlikely at this moment...

"Jazzy! Open the door," I heard Mom's voice calling from outside. It made me cringe internally as I braced myself for the lecture that I was bound to hear as punishment for my misbehavior earlier.

"Yes Mom. Wait a sec," I answered, shuffling over to the door that I had locked from inside when I came thrashing here about twenty minutes ago.

"Here are your snacks," she stated impassively after she came into view, handing me a tray with a glass of OJ and chocolate-chip cookies.

"Uh... thanks, Mom," I said, pretty surprised that she hadn't said anything about my tantrum downstairs.

Mom didn't reply to that. She just turned around, shutting the door behind her. I let out a depressed sigh before settling back on my bed with the tray on my lap.

This was one of those worst-of-all times with Mom... When she didn't scold me but gave me the dreaded silent treatment. Pretending like I wasn't even her daughter and just a stranger she had to serve.

Pretty weird, I know, but that was how Mom was. She was the best mother I could ever ask for but I hated it when she did this. She knew it hurt me the most and that it was the most painful punishment of all. And it happened only when she was extremely disappointed in me. That thought made me want to hurl. Today was turning out to be worse and worse with each passing minute.

Now I'd managed to piss Mom off!

I really needed to control my reactions.

What do they teach at our school?

Respond. Not react!

And I had reacted... that too, badly.

Way to go...

I couldn't dwell on my reflective thoughts anymore than that as the sound of the doorbell snapped me out of my reverie. Like a madwoman on crack, I sprang up from the bed and rushed downstairs, determined to stop Jace or Mom from getting the door because I knew exactly who it was.

Less than a minute later I found myself clicking the lock while screaming 'I'll get it!' for Jace's sake, not like he cared though.

"Hey!" I greeted Julian breathlessly the moment he came into view, latching my arm onto the sidewall to keep me from stumbling. That was some drastic exercise for a dead-beat girl who'd ran hundred rounds of the school's court not more than forty minutes ago.

"Hey there, Jazz girl!" He smiled, sitting down at the steps to remove his shoes. Despite my head being in a whirl, I couldn't help but return the smile.

He was clad in a dark blue hoodie and midnight black jeans, with his dishevelled mahogany hair peeking out from under his hood. Dark blue seemed like his favorite color and for some reason, it made his eyes shine brighter.