Following someone is the oppisite of exciting.
Actually, it’s quite boring. Movies prepare you for something exciting and adventurous, but in reality your feet hurt, you sweat more from all the running to catch up, and you become exhausted from trying to hide and maneuver around crowds to avoid being seen.
While I would go up to Jace and ask where on earth he is going, and that I needed his help, I’ve decided to keep quiet.
Why?
Well, why not. Jace is an all around mystery. He doesn’t give anything yet expects everything in return. Maybe it makes what I am doing wrong, following him without his knowledge, but it hardly seems fair that I have to strip myself bare to him while he just stands and watches.
Bringing my arm up, I quickly wipe it across my forehead, exasperated.
So far the only thing Jace has done is walk in and out of growing crowds. Either he will slow down, or walk faster. Sometimes he'll look around and sometimes his focus is purely on his destination.
Wherever he is heading, it must be vastly important. I stop and lay my hand to the side of my rib cage, taking deep breaths to get rid of the pain. I really needed to exercise more. The longer I chased him, the more un-fun it became.
As if he sensed me, he stops too and looks over his shoulder. Cursing under my breath, I duck behind a group of teenagers taking a group photo. Peeking behind some girl with horribly dyed blue hair, I watch as Jace looks to his right and then his left before ducking behind a booth.
Where on earth is he going?
The girl with the blue hair turns and shoots me a hard look, obviously angry over the fact that I’m interrupting their group photo. I smile an apology before darting from behind them.
I catch a bright sign from the booth Jace ducked behind. It advertises ‘homemade’ t-shirts and I ignore the obnoxious advertisement and push myself against makeshift wall. Hopefully it will hide me enough to do my scheming.
Holding my breath, I peek around the corner. The moment I see them, I’m not even surprised. I should be, but for some reason I knew this is what I would find.
Why else would Jace try to act so nonchalant and secretive?
Because his darkest secret is currently leaning against a tree, her arms crossed lightly across her chest. Even from my spot, I notice her position just makes her boobs look more bigger.
If she continued to stand like that, they would probably spill over her low cut shirt.
“What took you so long,” She hisses under her breath impatiently. From the way she says it, you can tell she doesn’t like being kept waiting. Jace raises the left side of his mouth in a half smile, her anger more amusing to him than anything else.
“It’s not funny!” She shouts stubbornly. Realizing her mistake, she quickly glances around to see if anyone heard her and I jerk to the side and press my back against the wall. I only hope she didn’t see me.
A few tense seconds pass, where I start to think of how all the ways she is going to kill me, when she finally talks again.
“Do you know how hard it is to get away from Matt?” she whines, now looking for sympathy. “He doesn’t let me leave his sight.” I turn and look back around the wall. I don’t know if Jace likes what Brittany said or not, because his response is only, “Then leave him.”
She brings her lower lip out in a pout and it just makes her look even more pretty. Seriously, how did girls like her even exist? I don’t even have a chance to prepare myself for what happens next.
One moment Brittany Piece is pouting and the next she’s pushes against the tree and Jace is biting her lower lip seductively, his whole body pressed against hers.
When he pulls back, she giggles, her gaze going from his eyes to his own lips. He smirks and leans a hand against the tree before closing the few inches between them. “Brit,” He breathes, his mouth moving down her neck. “Leave Matt. Be with me.”
He continues his trail of kisses and she arches her head back, giving him more access. I’m about to hightail it away from the racy display when Brittany suddenly pushes on Jace’s chest, disconnecting him from her.
“Honestly Jace?”
She pushes a few pieces of her blonde hair over her shoulder, covering the area Jace just ran his lips over. “You know that’s not ever going to happen.” Jace obviously doesn’t like the answer. He lets out a tense breath, his hands going angrily to his hair.
“Damnit Brittany!” He exclaims. “Why do you do this? You fuck me and yet go back to him. “ He throws his right arm out, indicating I guess the direction Brittany came from. She, herself, freezes.
The look she gives him is pure ice.
“What do you expect Jace? Matt has a future. What do you have? Nothing. That’s all you will ever be. Maybe if you realize that you will stop this little fantasy of yours of us actually becoming a real couple.”
My breath catches at her words. How dare someone be so cruel? I might not know Jace or his choices but I would never be so unnecessarily nasty to someone.
I tell myself not to do anything stupid. Even if I do want to walk around the corner and smack her in the face, I keep my composure. Getting busted will do nothing but hurt my chances of having Jace help me.
Jace locks his jaw, obviously pissed off. Before he can even tell her his side, she reaches into her shorts and pulls out a thing of lip gloss. “And,” She starts absentminded. She dabs a blob of glittery pink goo on her pinky before bringing it to her bottom lip.
“I made it clear earlier we weren’t going to do anything.”
“Seriously Brittany?!” Jace responds, his eyes narrowed on her while she fixes her lipgloss. “You make me look like a fucking fool. Why the hell do I deal with your shit when you obviously don’t give a damn about me.”
It’s more a statement than a question.
Brittany smacks her lips together, straightens her shirt, and runs her fingers through her hair before answering. “Because you love me.” She steps forward, her lips tipping into a menacing smile.
“And you’re not leaving me anytime babe.” She tilts her head to the side, her blonde locks spilling over her shoulder.
“You care about me too much to do that.”
Now I’m pissed. How could Jace love such a disciple, horrible human being? Love is about caring for someone more than you care about yourself. It’s about making their fears yours, their happiness a part of you.
Obviously the only thing Brittany cares about is herself.
Jace let’s out a frustrated breath, clearly annoyed. He brings his hands to the back of his neck, laces his fingers together, before he turns around and stares at the ground.
Brittany stares at his back, a neutral look on her face. She doesn’t care that she’s slowly breaking Jace’s heart.
She brings her hand out, to touch him, and I don’t give her a chance too. I’m not going to sit here and let her talk down and lie to the guy who clearly cares about her.
I bring my hand to the side of the wall and smack my palm hard on against, the sound pieces the silence. I even make a little noise in the back of my throat for more effect.
Brittany freezes and when she turns her gaze to where I am, I don’t jerk around until she get’s a glimpse that I'm there. I hold my breath when my back hits the wall, my heart sputtering erratically in my chest.
“Please be Jace,” I chant quietly under my breath. “Please let it be Jace who turns the corner.”
I’m just about to freak out when I hear footsteps coming my way. Closing my eyes, I cross my fingers. Earlier I hoped it would be a good day. Now I’m just hoping I won’t have to get my ass kicked by Brittany.
Not that I would go down easily. Though what do you expect from a cheerleader? The only exercise I get it from the fridge and back. And even that is horrible.
I still have my eyes closed, contemplating all the ways Brittany could hurt me, when I hear someone clear their throat. I jerk my eyes open and when I see Jace standing in front of me, his arms crossed tightly across his chest, I let out a relieved little breath.
“Thank god,” I breath. “I thought you were going to be Brittany.”
When Jace doesn’t say anything, just continues to stare at me, I give him a small smile. “Uhm, hi?” He brings one hand up and pinches the bridge of his nose in exasperation.
“Ender,” He says my name like he’s saying annoyance instead. “Why am I not surprised to see you?” It’s more a statement than a question. I answer it anyways.
“Jace,” I begin, dropping my voice I need him to understand that what she says means absolutely nothing at all. “She shouldn’t have said those things to you.”
I know it’s not my business, but I want him to know that he doesn’t deserve to be treated like trash. Jace looks up at me from between his dark eyelashes and my heart picks up a little.
He could get any girl he wanted with that look.
When, again, he just continues to stare at me, I stutter on nervously. ‘I-I mean, who is she to pass any judgment? She’s cheating on her boyfriend. I mean, yeah, it’s your fault too, but you're not the one who made the commitment to someone. But, that doesn’t mean it’s not wrong...”
Shut up Ender.
Shutupshutupshutup.
I bite my lip, trying to keep myself from saying anything else. All I’ve done is insulted him more than I have helped him. Great. I really needed to learn to keep my mouth shut. His eyes go to where my teeth are biting my lip and I hold my breath.
“Ender,” he says quietly, his eyes slowly working their way to my face. “Why do you care?”
The way he says it isn’t rude. It’s like he seriously wants to know why I care about someone I barely know.
I’m intrigued myself as to why I do indeed care.
Maybe it’s just who I am. I don’t like seeing people put down, even people who deserve it. I might be sarcastic and sometimes catty, but I’m never nasty. Especially to the people I give a damn about.
Apparently Brittany doesn’t have such hang-ups.
“Do you really love her?” I ask. “And if so, why?”
I want to know why he cares about her so much. I don’t think I could fall someone so selfish. Jace breaks eye contact and instead brings his gaze to the bright sign next to the booth.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, I do.”
“No,” He says, Swinging his bright gaze to me again. “You don’t.”
Frustrated, I decide to drop it. So what if he loves Brittany? It’s not me who has to deal with her. Shaking my head, I look at the sign Jace did not even a second ago. Honestly I don’t even know why I interrupted the whole thing.
“Ender,” When I don’t answer him, he tries again. “Ender,” He prompts, trying to get me to turn look at him. “What is it that you want?”
Sighing, I cross my arms and continue to look at the advertisement. They really needed to not choose such bright colors next time. The longer I stare at it, the closer I am to getting a headache.
“I need your help.” I mutter, angry at myself for not being able to do something so simple. “I-” Defeated, I turn around and meet his eyes.
“I’m hopeless, okay? I’m like a freaking thirteen year old. It pisses me off that I can’t do something as simple as flirting. I want this Jace. I want to fall in love like everyone else. I don’t want my insecurities to come up every second a guy comes up to me.”
Not able to stop, I throw my hands in the air in annoyance.
“I know I’m being ridiculous. But every time a guy talks to me, all I can think is, “What if he’s like your dad? What if he’s like all the guys who have broke your best friends heart?” And then when I do think that, my other faults come up. What if he isn’t like them at all? But instead nice and sweet and perfect. And if he is, how could he like someone like me? And if he does end up liking me, how do I even do it? How do I put all my faith into someone who can easily break me?”
I don’t know why I tell him this, but I do. Deep down, maybe I need to tell someone. Or maybe I need him to understand why this stupid blackmail I have against him, and the reason behind it, is important.
He runs his right hand through his dark hair, making it more messy, before cupping the back of his neck. I’m beginning to think he does it when he is trying to think and figure out a complicated situation.
Though, I have no idea why this would be complicating.
“Ender, I-” He stops short of what he is going to say and instead switches gears and asks me a question. “What do you need my help with?”
Instead of wondering what he was going to say before, I try not to blush when I tell him about Ian and how I needed help in getting him.
When I get done telling him the embarrassing story of what I said to him, I want to die. It sounds worse when spoken. I get the last word out and the right side of Jace’s mouth tips up in a barely concealed half smile.
“You’re laughing at me?!” I ask, insidiously. How we can go from serious to ridiculous in five seconds is beyond me.
“I want to see you try to flirt with a hot girl with a cute accent.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Is that a challenge sunshine?”
I scrunch my nose up in annoyance. “Did you just call me sunshine?” The half smile tips higher and he leans forward, dropping his voice to a whisper.
“And if I did?”
Our gazes lock a few seconds before I decidedly look away. “Then, I’ll think of something ridiculous to call you back. Like Pumpkin or Peachy Pie.”
He straightens and crosses his arms loosely over his chest. “Mind enlightening me on why my new nicknames are based of food? Not that I mind. Peachy Pie is something I could wake up to every morning.”
I cross my arms over my chest, matching his stance.
“Because raging asshole doesn’t have the same ring to it.”
“Ouch,” He comments, deadpan. “No wonder you need my help with flirting. You would probably call them Hunny Bunny and try to seduce them or insult them and try to kill them.”
“You’re right,” I respond. “And let’s just say you’re very close to the last one.”
“I’m insulted, Sunshine. And here I thought we had a sort of friendship going.”
Instead of goading him further, I drop my arms and steer the conversation to important things. Like Ian and our deal. Not stupid friendships and pet names.
“Can we get serious again?” I ask. “Because I seriously think I might have a potential guy for my test subject.” He runs a hand seriously across his chin, his eyebrows drawing together.
“This Ian kid?”
“Yes.”
“Never heard of him,” He drawls, still with that serious look on his face. I try my best to describe what he looks like, all the way down to the slight accent. I’ve never met him before either, but it sure seemed like Adam knew who he was.
“But that’s the thing,” I say, nervously bringing my fingers to the bobby pins in my hair. “I know he was flirting with me. If that’s the case, then that means he’s interested. That makes him the perfect first candidate.”
Jace shakes his head and leans gracefully against another booths makeshift wall. “Explain to me again where this whole thing is going.”
I look around to make sure no one is listening to our conversation, before taking a step forward.
“Once I go on the date, the Checklist will start. I have all the rules memorized here,” I tap my finger against my temple. “If he does something good, he will get a check next to the rule corresponding with what he did. He does something completely wrong? He will get a check next to the rules that no guy should get a check against.”
He searches my face, clearly looking for something. I don’t know if he finds it or not, because he quickly looks away and sighs.
“And depending on how well they do on this date, you’ll decide who you see outside of this Checklist?”
I shake my head. “No. I’m not asking you to do this to find love or even a boyfriend. I’m asking you to do this because, well, to prove my theory. It goes beyond me and my love life.”
“Okay.”
I raise my eyebrow, now confused. “Okay?”
“Okay,” He drawls out slowly, his gaze raking me up and down. “I’ll help you get your first guy right here, right now.”
“Wait-but I don’t-”
He takes a step closer. When he does, my vision fills with Jace. His hardlines, his perfect lips, his dark eyes that show a hint of hazel when you look close enough. I hold my breath as he reaches forward and slides his fingers into my hair.
When he does, my heart races on it’s own accord. I really wish I would stop reacting when it came to him. He slowly pulls out a bobbypin, his eyes on me more than on the task of removing it.
“But first,” he whispers, his voice soft.
“We have to make you presentable.”