Falling Apart

Chapter 17

                I flashed Jace a shaky smile, nodding quickly to avoid any further questioning from him. “Yup, I’m totally fine.”

                Jace frowned, not believing me for a second. “What were you doing facing the wall a few minutes ago?” he asked suspiciously.

                I blinked, trying to muster up a lie in my mind as quickly as I could. I forced a smile as words startled to ramble out of my mouth without any control. “I was praying!”

                “Praying?” Jace repeated slowly as I nodded. “Praying for what?”

                “I was praying that I get a hundred on the next calculus test, of course!”

I wanted to smack myself upside the head. Praying that I got a hundred on the next calculus test? Oh my God, how pathetic could I get?

                “It’s the first day of a week long break.” Jace stated. “Why are you worried when our next calculus test isn’t until a week after the break is over?”

                I finally understand now what Julianne meant when she always tells me how horrible of a liar I am.

                “So, what are we going to do today?” I attempted to change the subject.

                “Everly, are you sure you’re-.”

                “I was thinking we should go to the mall.” I cut him off. “I know the mall is always crowded and just completely terrible in general, but I haven’t started my Christmas shopping yet and it’s only a few days away.”

                Jace looked defeated, realizing that there was no point in arguing with me because there was no way in hell that I was going to give in to him and tell him that I had saw him shirtless. “Alright, let’s go.”

                I released a breath of relief, feeling the heavy load that was previously on my shoulders being lifted away. I turned to Jace before we headed down the stairs and asked, “You’re finished getting dressed now, right?”

                I hadn’t even realized what I’d said.

                Shit.

                A slow and devious smirk spread across Jace’s lips, a glint of hilarity sparking in his eyes. “Everly,” he paused, “how did you know that I was changing before?”

                Busted.

*

                “Why are you being so quiet?” Jace asked teasingly as I scanned through a table of knitted scarves at the mall later that afternoon.