Jace texted Blake asking about the trip he promised her. He said for Thanksgiving break he would rent a cabin for them just to get away.
It was the day after and they only had three days left of vacation before school was back in. He groaned from the lack of response and grabbed his keys before driving to her house.
He had knocked on her door along with ringing her doorbell before she answered with a scowl on her face. He winced slightly. He now knew why she wasn't answering, it was because she was sleeping.
"Sorry to wake you" he mumbled.
"Why must you wake me up at ten thirty you stupid fuck."
He winced once more and she rubbed her tired eyes. She only was able to get two hours of sleep. She was not a morning person.
"I was wondering if you still wanted to do that little getaway trip like I promised."
"I'm good."
"But why not?"
"I have plans tomorrow."
He frowned and casted his eyes down onto his shoes. He put his foot over a little pebble that was on her porch as he moved it around.
"What kind of plans?" he questioned.
"Plans Jace."
He sighed and looked up at the beautiful girl.
"Alright, well I'll text you later."
He jogged off towards his car as he banged his head on the steering wheel.
§
The following day, Blake recorded her song. It took a few hours to finish the whole thing but it was done. She fist bumped Drew and she left after that.
She drove around in her car before stopping at a gas station to fill up her tank.
When she began on her journey once again, she parked by the abounded railroad tracks. She walked to them and laid on the tracks as she scrolled through her dad's no longer in use Instagram account.
For hours she watched videos and pictures of him laughing, smiling and doing interviews. Her eyes would water and she would smile when the interviewer would ask about his secret wife or daughter.
"You know I won't say" he chuckled softly.
"I know that, but how are they doing?" the woman asked.
"Amazing" he said with a smile.
"What's your favorite thing about each of them?" the woman asked.
His eyes twinkled as he thought back to his perfect angel's back at home.
"My favorite thing about my little princess is that she is always upfront with her answers. I would always tell her that sometimes her answers could hurt other people and she always told me 'daddy people need to know the truth.' I just think that's one of my favorite things about her, even though there are just so many" he said with a smile.
"And your wife?"
"I love how strong she is. She is one of the strongest women I have ever met, she is so caring and loving towards other people. You don't even have to ask and she is already by your side helping you."
The lady smiled and continued asking him about his work.
"Why'd you have to go?" Blake whispered out.
She held her phone tightly to her ear as a video of his laugh began playing. She squeezed her eyes shut and scrunched her shirt up into a ball right by her heart.
As much as she wishes she was the one in his place she couldn't. She knew that if she was the one who had died, her mother would still be hurt but her dad would be so lost. He would be hurting and she didn't want him hurting. She wanted him always happy and smiling. Blake didn't want to wish she was in his place, because if that was the case, her dad would be the one hurting, the one in her place right now.
She could never do that to him. She always wanted him smiling the smile she loved on him. She always wanted him to have that goofy laugh that she loved hearing so much.
So Blake was willing to feel this pain. The pain of heartbreak, the pain of losing her dad, the pain of losing her best friend. Because if it was her in his place, she knew he would never be the same.
And she never wanted her hero to ever hurt because of her.
———
12-6-20