Bound to You

Chapter 69: The Gift

Friday

Jace went to sit on a bench at the gym, a white towel around his neck, his boxing gloves still on his hands. He just had a pretty ruthless training with his physical education teacher, Maxim. Apparently he had hit the man too hard and the latter took a break. He hated how every time he wasn't doing anything, she popped up in his mind. He needed a distraction and a good one. 

Quincy and Elena broke from their cheerleading group and rushed to him, sitting at his sides. "Oh Jace, that was awesome!" Quincy put her pompom aside and held his arm, touching his bicep. Elena handed to him a bottle of water and asked, pressing her hand against his shoulder, "Aren't you hot in that?" 

Jace hissed, shoving her hand away, "Don't touch me here. I've got stitches."

They both collectively gasped, "Ooh, really? Can we see?" 

Steve teased mockingly, flexing his own arms to get their attention, "It's probably just a little scratch, girls!" 

Drake smirked, rotating the basketball on a finger, "Yeah...we need your cheering right now!" 

Jace stood abruptly, not looking amused the least. Drake took a step back, "Er, whatever girls. We'll play without your cheers!" 

Sam shook his head, wondering why the cheerleaders were always onto Jace. They barely gave him space to breathe.

He removed his punching gloves and walked out of the gym, towards his locker. Quincy hassled to stop before him, resting her hands lightly on his chest, "Baby, did you get in a fight again?" 

Elena said, reaching up behind, "It must hurt, right?" 

Jace chuckled, gently disentangling himself from them, "I'm okay. It's nearly healed. Just a little scratch as Steve said." He removed the towel around his neck, reached behind his back and yanked his shirt off, not bothering himself about the other kids who were walking down the hallway.

Quincy gazed at his ripped muscles, flushing red, "Oh my God. You're even hotter than last time I saw you!" 

Elena tentatively pressed her hands on his back and gulped, "Wow..." 

He smirked, "I thought you wanted to take a look at my stitches?" 

Quincy's gaze dropped down to his shoulder and she held her breath, pressing her hand above his wound, caressing his chest as she drew herself to him, whispering against his lips, "Oh babe, I know you're a badass but don't get into fights. I get scared for you." 

Elena instantly pushed Quincy away to have her own place in his arms, "Let's go on a date, baby. Just like the other day!" 

Quincy agitated, trying to shove Elena away, "Shut up. He's taking me." 

Jace's eyes darkened as he held their waist firmly and brought them even closer, "Got only one more seat on my bike, girls. You're both so hot I can't even decide." They giggled, blushing as they leaned into him.

Ileana saw it all. She froze, clenching her books tightly to her chest. How could he be so shamelessly flirting with two girls? Charlotte called out to her but she didn't even hear her. She felt frustrated, seeing how those cheerleaders were running their hands on his chest, pleading with him to take them with him. They were arguing about who had the most rights to go with him.

He grinned, pulling them even closer to him, "Eff the bike. I'll bring my Porsche and we'll go partying."

They were dazed. He merely chuckled as he released them, reaching for his shirt to wear it again and then he stiffened, seeing Ileana standing right there, Charlotte and Nelly trying to pull her away but she was adamantly refusing to move as she did nothing but gaze at him with hurt and disgust on her face.