Page 13 of Jace

Aurora

I lift my phone about to text Zac when there is a knock on my door. I sigh in relief my mouth already watering at the thought of ice cream. Drowning my sorrows in calories is exactly how I want to spend my evening.

Forget the tears, I’ve shed enough of those.

Tossing my phone onto the couch I move across the living room of my small apartment and without looking I slide the lock and jerk open the door. “It’s about damn ti?—”

My chest grows tight and I swear it feels like my heart hits the floor at my feet.

“You put in an order for chocolate?” Jace holds up a bag and I continue to stare at him, not once following his movements. “Apparently there are three different flavors of ice cream too.”

“What are you doing here Jace?”

“I thought we should talk,” he says in response and maybe its childish of me but I can’t help but laugh, rolling my eyes at his words.

I’m hurting, exhausted, and over it all.

“Oh, I tried to talk and you couldn’t even give me the courtesy of listening. So forgive me if I don’t feel like wasting any more of my time.” I turn and start to walk away when I hear my front door close and I glance over my shoulder to see Jace closing it. Only instead of leaving he moves inside, following me.

“You can leave the ice cream and chocolate and then go.”

“I had my earbuds in,” he says in a rush. “I had no idea you or anyone was in the shop with me until the moment something collided with my head.”

“It was a small plastic bottle of ink.” Rolling my eyes, I cross my arms over my chest. “Don’t be a baby.”

He holds up his hands in surrender and I reach out yanking the bag from his hands. Walking with it toward the kitchen I pull out the three containers and smile inwardly at just how well Zac knows me.

Chunky Monkey, Half Baked and Salted Caramel Almond, he got all three instead of only choosing one. Knowing that I’d end up eating a little of each, and in the bottom of the sack a bag of Hershey kisses and mini peanut butter cups.

“It’s like diabetes in a bag.” Jace chuckles and part of me wants to laugh but there’s still too much anger and irritation to allow me to go there with him.

“It’s perfect,” I confess and pop off the lid of all three and only grab one spoon. Moving from one to the other I take a bite of each and though the source of my mood is standing only a few feet away I still feel slightly better. “Ice cream makes everything better,” I say more to myself than to him but I know he hears me.

“Can we talk now?”

Closing my eyes I take a slow deep breath before gently releasing it.

“I don’t think I have it in me to do it all over again.”

“That was a one-sided conversation that I wish I’d been a part of, but I can’t change that. But I’m here now, ears open.”

This Jace, the sweet, mischievous smile, it’s the Jace I can’t seem to resist. I never should have let him in, being in small spaces, when’s it’s only the two of us, it’s dangerous.

“Please,” Jace steps in closer to my side and when he drags his finger along my arm, chills cover my skin. “I want to hear what you have to say.”

“Did you hit Zac?” His finger freezes on my arm, before he lets his hand drop away. Turning my body to face his completely I find Jace looking down at the floor. “For hanging out with me?”

“It was a mistake.” He wastes no time confessing and the shame he still feels cannot be hidden.

“So you did it,” I repeat and he nods. “Why would you do that? Why would you hurt Zac for spending time with me? He has been nothing more than a great friend.”

“I know that now,” he confesses. “It’s,” he pauses and doesn’t finish the sentence.

“What I don’t understand is why you even care.” Months and months I held on to the idea that he and I could be something. Then when I finally give up here he is, digging away at old wounds.

“I didn’t know until…” He lifts his hand combing his fingers through his hair then tugging on the ends. “Damn it, Ror.” The sound of him saying his nickname for me tugs at something deep within me.

“Until what?”

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