My name is Jace Montgomery. I am seventeen, I have lived in Salem all my life." Annie laughed. I raised my eyebrows and paused. "Is something funny?" I asked. She laughed again and tried to pull a straight face but couldn't contain her smile.
"No it's just how you started was kind of funny. It's like you're in an interview." She laughed again then stopped and looked at me. "Damn I'm sorry if your more comfortable that way then that's fine. Maybe I could ask questions and we could make it into a kind of game."
I cocked my head to the side. "Like a game?" I asked. She nodded. "Yeah so we can have some fun." I nodded. "Okay that's fine with me. She just looked at me then slapped her hands on her thighs. She started her questions in a business like voice.
"Okay Jace Montgomery what is your favorite color?" I shook my head with a grin and she laughed. "Blue." I answered. She nodded. "Nice choice of color. In the spiritual world its considered a calming color." I raised my eyebrows again. "Or a sad color." She laughed again. I liked her laugh a lot. It was breezy and light weight. It made you want to join in on the happiness.
"Okay the next question. What do your parents do?" I stiffened and she noticed. "I'm sorry we don't have to talk on that." I waved her apology off. "Hey it was bound to come up one way or another. Oh jeez." I said and took a deep breath. "My mother died when I was born." I said.
Then took another deep breath and braced myself for the pain. "My father died almost two years ago from a bear attack." I didn't look at her. I heard her chair move and then I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up and she was right there, so close I could smell her shampoo.
Her eyes were sad. "I'm really sorry." She said. She stared into my eyes searching. I don't know for what but she I think she found it because she sat back down. Just like that I talked I swear I was talking her ear off but she said nothing. I told her everything, from the moment my left that day all the way until now. I told her my memories of him. When I found the strength to stop talking it was when I saw she was crying.
"Shit I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you cry." I said. Then she was laughing. Laughing so hard I felt like a man not in on a joke. "What?" I asked chagrined. She shook her head and kept laughing. When finally she stopped she looked at me and burst right back into laughter.
I scowled. "Are you laughing at me?" I finally asked. She shook her head. "No, I'm not laughing at you." I'm laughing at how many times you and I have apologized to each other since we've met." She continued to shake with silent laughter. I grinned. "We have apologized to each other a lot haven't we?" She nodded. Then the mood was broken when Annie's phone went off. Her faced darkened real fast. "Shit what time is is?" She asked.
She answered the phone. "Hey mom, yeah i'm sorry, I have an English project i'm doing so I'm at the library. Yeah I'll be home in ten." She sighed. "No I'm not with anyone I'm not supposed to be with. Mom! You always have to think the negative don't you? See this is why I never talk to you or dad. I'll do whatever the hell I please. Okay? Bye."
She hung up the phone and looked at me then blushed. "Sorry about that. My mom is nosy. Now I won't go home in ten." I looked at her confused. She sighed. "I think its my turn to talk." I nodded. "Okay, but will your mom be okay with you staying out? Annie looked at me like I had four heads. "No, I always do this. Now just listen and I'm pretty sure afterwards you won't talk to me again." I gave her a look. "Just start talking." I said. And talk she did.
Chapter two beginning:
I talked to Jace like I was talking to Felix. Starting with the reason I had moved from Malibu to Salem. "There is a reason why I moved to Salem." I said. "I don't have the greatest track history for a teenager." Jace raised an eyebrow. "What teenager does?" He asked. I smiled but it didn't stay on my lips. "Well lets just say that my friends liked to party. Like twenty-four seven. I have gotten drunk so many times that the hangovers I got made it so I missed a lot of school."
I watched his face to catch his reaction. There wasn't one so I continued. Put at ease I told him everything. I told him how I had been arrested three times and how I had gotten charged with vandalism and property destruction.
I also told him about how I had suffered from depression because my boyfriend had beaten me a few times and threatened me a bunch of times. "I know it may not look it, but I'm a mess. So if you want to switch partners I totally understand." I finally looked at him and waited. I held my breath when he didn't say anything.
He just stared at me. I forced myself not to fidget as the silence continued. After a minute I let out a breath and got up. I grabbed my stuff and turned to leave. "I said nothing about changing partners." Jace's voice made me stop and turn around. I looked at him and waited for him to say more. "Just because that stuff happened in Malibu doesn't mean it has to happen here."
I stared at him. As I looked at him I began to really see him. "What happened in Malibu stays in Malibu. That can be your new motto." I smiled and shook my head at him. "Doesn't that motto only apply to Vegas?" I asked. Jace just grinned and shrugged. I laughed and pulled my phone out to check the time. "I guess we should probably get going. I have to get home. I'm sure to be grounded." I quickly began to feel negative. Nodding Jace gathered his things. I headed towards the stairs and he quickly followed. I felt his eyes on me the whole way to the car.