Holding Back [COMPLETED]

Chapter 12 - "Now you're the one flirting with me."

"Yeah, do the left one first."

Haley settled onto the ground, wrapping her arms around her legs. Jace's character did as she instructed and a secret door was open. In silence, they watched the figure walk through.

"Left or right?" he asked.

"Right, then duck as you're coming out of the tunnel, there are mummies with spears waiting on the other end."

Jace nodded. As they continued on, Haley found her annoyance ebbing away. The same could be said for Jace, his shoulders relaxing.

"How do you know how to play this?" he asked, after a long stretch where neither of them had said anything.

"Matt and I used to play before he got his job. I would watch him and help him find his way out. This one took us about half an hour to figure out."

"You don't play much now?"

"I don't see him much now."

At that, Jace paused the game and looked at her. There was something in his eyes that Haley didn't want to acknowledge so she spat out the first thing that came to her head.

"What does flirting look like?"

He raised his eyebrows.

"Are you trying to flirt with me, Haley Day?"

Without knowing why Haley felt something in her lighten at the nickname. It was Lettie's nickname her. Or was.

She frowned at him.

"No."

Completely forgetting about the game, Jace pivoted on his bed, facing her.

"Why do you ask then?"

"Because if anyone was to know it would be you. And I probably would have asked Lettie about this but she's well...not here."

"Lettie Rodriguez? You two were friends, right? Where did she go?"

Haley smothered a surge of emotions.

"Advanced mathematics program in Seattle. Now are you going to tell me or do I have to Google it?"

Jace laughed, the sound seeming to revert him back to his carefree self.

"Don't do that, I'm not sure it will turn out well."

"So..." Haley leaned forward, her expression expectant.

Suddenly needing to explain something so simple, Jace couldn't find words. He ran a hand through his hair, this time it was in search of thoughts instead of a display of annoyance.

"I don't know," he said. "Flirting is something you do naturally."

"No, it's what you do naturally. The rest of the world is not like you."

A smirk slipped onto his face. "Well, that's true, but that can't be helped."

"Jace!"

"Fine, I don't know, it's not about what you say exactly...it's more...I don't know...intentions or what you want to say but aren't."

Haley gave him a flat look. "Wow, way to be so clear in your definition."

"Give me a break, Haley Day I've never tried to explain flirting to someone. I've never had to." The smirk returned. "As you said it's natural with me."

"I'm going to throw something at you," she said.

"Now you're the one flirting with me."

"Seriously! Just tell me."