Green Hearts

Chapter 30

I twirl my drink with the straw that's been deposited in the cup as I stare out the café's french windows, wanting to be anywhere but here right now

Getting tired of my twentieth posture, I flip my hair over my shoulder and lean back in my seat

Her eyes have been watching me rhythmically ever since I sat at the table and now they hold my stare

"I swear Autumn, I didn't know. I never had any intention of hurting you" she begins explaining her gibberish

"Why are you telling me this? It's not as if you're going to break up with him for me or something" I say and her mouth immediately clamps shut

Expected

"So why am I actually here?" I ask her after a moment "There are a million other places I would love to be right now than sit here with you"

"I just want to apologize Autumn. Are we not friends? Why are you acting this way? I'm just trying to be nice and...." My subtle laughter cuts her off

I lean forward till I prop my elbows on the table and waggle my index finger in her face

"I'm not a hospital November, go play victim somewhere else and with that being said I'll also like to add that you and I are not friends" I stand from the table and slip a dollar under the cup

I blow her a kiss and walk out of the cafe. My fists ball at my side and I feel my nails making crested moons in my palm but I can't stop myself because I feel the urge to punch something

That bitch....

I feel a hand grab my shoulder and spin my around. I'm ready to punch whoever it is that interrupted by rant until I see his face

"Oh great! Look, it's more people I don't want to see" I roll my eyes and begin to walk away from him but he just falls in step beside me in silence

I walk on, waiting for him to say something but he doesn't and it's unnerving me so I stop short and he mirrors the action, turning to face me

"What do you want, Dieter?" I groan

"To talk" is all he says besides the pretty smile that spreads out on his face

No no no no no

No more pretty smiles for you, Autumn. You're done with this Archer family

"No" I respond and begin to walk away again while I internally begin to realize that I'm going to have to take a bus back to the dorms

"I came to get you" he calls out behind me. My brows scrunch in confusion as I turn to regard him in question

"Muna told Jace who told me to come pick you up since you don't drive" he explains "She wasn't going to come back here"

Sounds typical of Munachi

"You've got the wrong girl, I think it's the girlfriend he wants picked up" I comment

He looks back towards the way we'd come and he waves off the idea "Yeah, I don't care about that one, she can navigate her way herself"

I consider it for a minute before walking towards him as he begins to lead the way to his car

"I'm only coming with you cause other options are too stressful" I mumble and he chuckles heartedly to that like I'd said something funny

"Okay, you're weird" I conclude as I lower myself into the passenger seat "Why are you even here?"

"To pick you up, I said that before. Do you have dementia?" He looks at me weirdly while twisting the key in the ignition to turn on the engine

"No, you idiot. I mean in Berkeley Uni" I retort

"Ohhhh. To see Jace" is all he replies

"Don't you have school to attend?" I ask as I watch the images that flit past the window

"Nope, I don't do college" I turn in time to see him smile proudly at himself

The car then falls into silence and I gladly let it

"He's been telling me about you" I hear him say and I immediately want to throw myself out of the moving car

Maybe, I could finally tick that off my bucket list

"Please don't" I groan and massage my temple

He laughs "I'm serious. I came down here to see who has my brother strapped to her and instead of seeing blonde, I'm blinded with red"

Against my better judgement, I laugh at the statement and from the way he smirks in my direction for a second, I'm sure he's proud he got me to smile

"I know I shouldn't butt in but" he glances sideways at me as we begin to near the dorms "Is there ever a chance for both of you again?"

I stay silent

Not because I don't know what to say but because I don't know how to deny an affirmation so strong as the thing between Jace and I

I sigh and look away from him. I see the subtlest of smiles on his kind face as a reflection on the car window, my mind drifting off to things that could have happened and situations that we could have handled better

Well, there's no use sulking over spilt milk now. What's done is done

Not too long later, we arrive in front of my dorm and I step out of the car

I'm about to walk away when I deem it too rude considering how nice he has been to me so I bend to the level of the car window and stick my head in

His eyes are eagerly watching me like he'd been waiting for me to turn back and leave a closing remark or rating for his Uber services

"You're not so bad a person, so I can tolerate your presence but your brother can kiss my ass" I say seriously but he just bursts into fits of laughter

What the hell goes on in this guy's head?

I stare at him incredulously

He manages to sweep his weird laugh under the carpet and wipes the stray tears at the corner of his eyes before looking back at me

"I'm pretty sure he'd love to do that" he responds finally and I narrow my gaze at what he's implying before rolling my eyes and walking away from the car

Behind me, I hear him howling in laughter

People around the lot give me funny looks since I'm coming from his direction

"I don't know him!" I announce and turn back to glare at the meat head who is now standing beside his car, still watching me in laughter

Lunatic