Back in the day, after my mom left my dad, he would get sudden fits of anger and he would burst out screaming for no particular reason. Jason's mother would go calm my father down when his temper was at its peak, and if he didn't calm down for a while, she'd let me stay with her for the night.
This was before my dad had married my step-mom, of course.
"Is Jace upstairs?" I asked her, pulling away from the hug.
"He's upstairs," she answered shortly, frown-lines creasing on her forehead. Her eyebrows were pulled together in a worried expression, which made my heart skip a beat in slight fear.
What was wrong?
"I'll be there." I rushed up the stairs, taking two at a time. Jason's mom's expression made me feel a little more nervous than I already was, butterflies swarming my stomach.
My heart beat faster as I reached for the door angle and pushed it forcefully. I peeped inside, looking around for Jason's bed.
When I saw him, I almost let out a huge sigh of relief. The breath I'd been holding came out in full force, but I soon sucked it in, again.
Jason was sprawled across his bed, seemingly alright. However, it was his face which convinced me that he was not okay.
His brown curls were hanging loosely over his face, almost covering his eyes. The part of his eyes which I could see was dull as if all the color was sucked away from it. He was staring mindlessly at the ceiling, fidgeting with a blue-colored pen.
I cleared my throat loudly, to announce that I was alive and well. Also, that I was standing right in front of him.
He looked up slowly, and when he spotted me, he jumped up on the bed and sat up straight.
He pushed his hair away from his eyes and stared at me, the word 'Confusion' written all over his face. Beneath the confusion, however, I could see the thick layer of guilt and sadness floating around his eyes.
"Cat," he said, his voice almost a whisper.
Like a mightly landfall, my resolutions began to crumble and the words I'd memorized began to fall apart.
"You lied to me, Jace," I told him, my voice quieter than his. "More than once. That's what hurts me the most."
He nodded, biting his inner lip. His head was hung low in guilt as he studied me from the corner of his eyes.
"But I'm going to listen to you anyway. You owe me an explanation, and I'm going to let you give it."
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as if he was nervous. When he set both his hands down and looked at me, I knew he was serious.
"When I danced with you," he began, "It was to take my mind off you. I wanted to move on from something I knew would never happen, and for that, I danced with the first pretty girl I saw across the floor."
His words left me frustrated, having not understood what he was saying. "What?" I asked, frowning.
"I liked -- like you," he stated simply. "But I was always afraid that if I said anything, it would jeopardize the friendship we already have."
When I opened my mouth to interrupt, he held out a hand, signaling me to stop. "When you showed me your face that day . . . " He swallowed deeply, a flash of fear swiping through his face. "I was scared. I was afraid of my feelings and I acted rashly, forgetting about everyone else."
I got his unspoken message without him saying it, or so I thought. Before I could loose my sudden spurt of forgiveness, I asked my next question. "Why did you tell Zach to cover for you? That was not a good move."
"I didn't tell him to do anything, I swear!" He raised his hands, and his eyes turned wide with horror. "He did it of his own accord, but I didn't stop him. I know I should have, but I didn't. And I'm really, really sorry for that."
"Why?" I asked again, my question still not answered. My eyes darted across the room before coming to a rest on his face. "Why did he cover for you, Jace?"
"He realized something I was yet to discover." His eyes focused towards the ground again, he shuffled his feet nervously.
"And that is?" I asked, frustration seeping through my speech. I couldn't help but grind my teeth impatiently and stare at him expectantly. "What is it, Jace?"
"I'm slowly falling for you, Cath." This time, he met my gaze, his eyes showing signs of hesitation. He folded his legs and leaned back as if he was preparing for an attack.
My heart pounded in my chest, striving to break free. I did not say anything for a long time, having been stunned into silence. I took a deep breath and exhaled in flutters.
Then, I pressed my lips into his, because in that moment, I just did not care.
• • • • • • • • •
The end.
Well, not really. I'll be writing two more chapters, one in Zach's POV and the other in Jason's. Hopefully, your unanswered questions will be answered then.
Meanwhile, I'll be rewriting my book Sisters By Choice do be sure to check it out!
I'm planning to do a Q&A chapter. So if you guys have ANY questions about um, things you want to be answered, make sure to leave an inline comment.
Did you enjoy this book? I really loved writing it, and I hoped you liked reading it, too!
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See y'all VERY soon!
Untitled Part 12
Beginne am Anfang
