Jace's silver eyes shot up at the person knocking on the window. I turned, and my heart sank for a moment, or maybe two. Why did I feel like a cheater caught in a lie? Perhaps Jace and I being alone together was too cursed for our own good. I stepped out of the car to face the heart-wrenching conviction, but he walked right through me, a repulsed glimmer in his eyes as he moved towards Jace.
Andrew's eyes darkened as he looked at me, "Are you cheating on me Lucy?"
"Andrew, you know I have a girlfriend. It's nonsensical to become upset at Lucy and me for merely speaking," Jace attempted to reason with Andrew, his voice soothing and low in an attempt to calm him down.
"I can answer for myself." I snap at Jace and his eyes widen in shock.
"Andrew, I would never. I had a headache, and Jace came over in the morning to check up on my eye..." I trailed off, realizing my mistake.
"Am I such a horrible boyfriend that you couldn't call me, I try so damn hard to be enough for you and instead you go for a dr*g addict loser?" Andrew grunted at Jace.
"Fuck off," Jace said, irritation evident across his face. "I'm not that person, so don't pretend like you still have a clue about who the hell I am."
I sighed, my brows furrowing as I noticed people gathering around, whispering and staring.
"Okay, stop, Andrew. Seriously," I said, tired of their fighting.
"Listen to your girlfriend, Andrew. You only end up hurting her anyway," Jace said bluntly, a hint of disdain visible on his normally soft features, now hardened with emotion. His brows narrowed at Andrew, and his pupils contracted rapidly.
Andrew shakes his head at Jace, "Come Lucy." He calls me and I begin to walk up to him.l
"Fuck this," Jace said, and with a swift movement, he swung a left hook at Andrew, sending him to the floor of the parking lot. "Stay down because you know I did that for Lucy," Jace pronounced with repugnance. The crowd that had gathered behind us started hollering and laughing. My heart tightened with sympathy as I kneeled down to lift Andrew up, but he pushed my hand away and gave me a hateful glare that caused me to lose my balance.
"Andrew," I half-pleaded.
He stood up and angrily walked away through the crowd that was laughing at him.
"Lucy," Jace offered me his hand.
But I brushed it away, realizing my initial mistake. Associating with an ex—how did everything blow out of proportion to this extent? It was not tasteful of me to get in the car in the first place, let alone be alone with him. I had made a grave error.
I stood up and dusted myself off. "Could I have the keys?" I asked Jace, my hand holding up, as I looked away from him.
"Lucy, look at me," Jace replied. I could hear a hint of desperation and regret in his voice.
I shook my head and gestured for him to hand over the car keys.
But he didn't want to; he knew that once he did, I would go.
"I just got a little upset. Have some understanding with me. He hit you," Jace remarked.
"It was an accident. You didn't have to rub salt in the wound, Jace," I snapped at him, my brown eyes fiercely locking with his silver ones, which shook in shock at my sudden outburst.
Jace nodded. "I won't apologize. He deserved it," he pleaded his case.
"No," I shook my head. "Don't you see, you'll never change if your first resort is violence," I stated. He listened, and I could tell I struck a chord in him as his eyes searched mine.
"You're right," he said,
lifting my hand and closing the keys in it. "I won't do that again." He promised, then turned around and stalked away through the crowd that had been watching our interaction. What's wrong with these nosy people? I shook my head in disgust and walked away, preferably to the nurse's office given the migraine I had.
When I entered the school, I was greeted by Melody with a hard slap to my cheek. I frowned, turning back to her.
"Why did you do that?" I asked her.
"Why did you cheat on my brother?" She reached her hand to slap me again, but Jace caught her hand and threw it back, causing her to stumble.
He took a deep breath. "Move along," he ordered. "Or I'll inform the teacher," he threatened.
"Then I'll tell the teacher how you punched my brother," Melody retorted.
"I'll tell them myself. You do know my grandfather built and funded the library, the auditorium, and a lot of this school because he's a founding partner. Why else do you think I'm at this school, you stupid girl?" Jace rolled his eyes. "Perks of coming from old money, something you'd never experience. Now, fuck off before I get you expelled, you so-called wannabe fake-ass friend," Jace insulted. Melody's jaw dropped. "Oh, and for your punishment, forget about the parties. From today, you're blacklisted."
She scoffed and then turned around, but she didn't leave without mouthing the word "bitch" to me.
I frowned at her. "She is a fake friend, isn't she?" I shook my head. "Good sister, but a horrible friend."
Jace looked at me. "You can be friends with Mirae," he offered.
"Thanks, but I'd rather stick a needle in my eye," I said without thinking.
He frowned. "Why? What's wrong with her?" he questioned.
I let out a nervous laugh as I leaned on the lockers, holding my cheek. I had been bruised and battered. I was beyond exhausted, and the school day hadn't even started. I just wanted to curl into my bed and sleep until I felt better.
I let out a sigh. "I admit I felt jealous when I saw you two together. Maybe that's the reason none of us can be friends," I admitted.
Jace let out a playful smirk. "Oh, is that so? Does Miss Lucy Stone regret ever letting a rich, handsome model go?" Jace teased. "You know, I would have never guessed."
I shook my head. "I know you're joking but you shouldn't play like that especially when we're both seeing someone, hopefully I can still fix things with Drew but I don't think I'll mend my relationship with his sister, and maybe I shouldn't. She's self-absorbed and thinks she the only one with problems in her life, never mind the fact that she only talks to me when she wants something or is having boy drama. It's never genuine." I shook my head, finally coming out of the Melody daze and realizing that she was actually the worst.
"Yeah, no, fuck her. She sounds like a bitch," Jace instantly agreed.
I laughed, and he smiled. "What? What is it?" he asked, the silver in his eyes gleaming.
I shook my head. "Nothing, it's just that you're really different, Jace Harrison." I smiled.
He stopped smiling and let out a faded breath as he watched my eyes, then my lips. He gulped. I owed Andrew an apology, because did I desperately want Jace to lean in so our lips could collide? He tilted his head closer, and it felt like a magnetic force was pulling us together, as if I had no control over my own limbs or mind. His scent was intoxicating, and I hungered for it to engulf my entire being. My heart began to race as he brushed the loose curls that fell beside my cheek. It stung as his cold fingers traced against my red bruised cheek, I flinched as I watched his eyes wander and study every inch of my facial features. We were only mere inches away from something that we'd both regret, but something I could tell we both so desperately wanted.
"Jace," a girl called, and he broke away from me. I was relieved he did. I wouldn't want us both to become cheaters. That's not who I wanted to be. So why did all my morals fall apart when I was near him?
"Lucy, hi," the girl said, her eyes widening. "What happened to you?" she asked.
"Just a little slap, nothing too serious," I awkwardly joked. She then took me by the hand. "Let's go to the nurse's office," she offered, and I had no time to say no as she was already walking me there.
She held onto me tightly, arm in arm. She turned to me and gave me a tight squeeze, pinching my arm.
She took a breath and whispered, "Leave Jace alone," in my ear, and I suddenly became terrified at this actress performance.