In the Hour of Silence

Chapter 16

Same outfits as before.

Let's begin, shall we?

Jace leads me through the park, the only warmth in us the coffee we got from a Java Jones coffee truck. I smile as Jace wraps his arm around my waist, holding me close so I might get some of his warmth. As we walk slowly down the path, I start to hear the soft tune of music.

Soon enough, the music is loud as can be and I see a string quartet playing in a gazebo. A few other couples stand by watching, two of them dancing slightly, swaying more like, to the music. Is this where we're stopping?

Jace nods and takes the coffee from my hand, putting both of them on the ground. He then takes my hand and pulls me towards the area where the two couples are dancing slightly. As realization spreads through me my eyes widen and I start shaking my head, trying to pull away slightly. Jace chuckles and pulls me into his chest and wraps his arms around my waist as he starts to sway to the slow, steady beat of the music.

Reluctantly, I start "dance" with him, wrapping my arms around his neck. As I start to get more comfortable I rest my head on his chest and let my eyes flutter closed. I sigh in contempt as Jace's chin rests lightly on the top of my head.

Right now, in this moment, there's nothing else but me and him and the soft music made by the four string instruments. There's nothing I want more than to just stay like this forever. What I would give to just stay like this forever...it's astounding. The world could end right here, right now, and I wouldn't care because I'd be in the arms of someone I...

Like?

Love?

Yes, Jace makes me feel beautiful and just different to how anyone has ever made me feel, but I feel like it's too soon to call this love. We haven't even been dating a week. I do like him a lot. And after what happened to the last people I ever loved, I just feel that I, personally, am not ready to love someone.

Not yet anyway.

So, for now, I'll stay like this. In utter bliss while Jace holds me close and we sway in tune to the music. Feeling like we're the only two people in existence--like we're the only two people that matter.

Once the song ends, I open my eyes and look up to Jace who's looking back down at me. I stare into his tawny eyes for a moment before I start to raise myself on my toes to meet his in a sweet kiss. One of Jace's hands winds itself loosely into my hair and then moves so it's cupping my cheek while the other remains on my waist, pulling me closer.

His lips move slowly over mine while his thumb runs across my cheek. When I pull away from the kiss, he connects our foreheads and continues to slowly run his thumb across my cheek. We stay like that for a few moments before Jace guides me back to the bench where we sit together, my head resting on Jace's shoulder while he rubs small circles into my sides.

While the string quartet continues to play, Jace and I start talking about random things. "So what do you want for Christmas?" Jace asks as he plays with one of my curls.

Nothing I respond right away.

"You can't be serious," Jace fires back.

I laugh slightly as I type. Unless you can make My Chemical Romance get back together, I got nothing.

Jace shakes his head. "Hard, but doable."

Don't you play with me boy.

Jace chuckles and kisses my temple. We sit in comfortable silence once more before Jace asks, "Do you have a valid passport?"