The Perfect Storm 2

Chapter 152

"Madison." I hear a whisper and I can't help but smile at the sweet voice, it's Miles and I know it. I open my eyes to see a sunset right above me. 

The colors of the sky are darker than I remember and my mind starts to piece together the information my eyes are seeing but yet my mouth somehow gets excluded, "I need you, Miles—Jace." I stop as soon as I see his confused eyes looking down on me. 

I quickly get up, realizing that I fell asleep on his lap. Jace acts as if he didn't hear the 'Miles' part, but I know he did, his eyes are always so telling. He runs his finger through his light brown hair before licking his lips and offering me a kind smile.

"Here." He says handing me a light pink-colored crunchie.

"It fell out of your jacket." He informs me kindly before stepping out of the car. I haven't worn this light pink jacket since before I left for Washington. 

I grabbed whatever I could find out of my closet before leaving for Jace's house last night for dinner. 

I look at the scrunchie in my hand before tying it into my dark brown hair and leaving two strands of thin hair in the front. Jace has now walked toward my door and he opens it up softly for me.

"Thank you," I tell him before stepping out. He closes the door firmly and we both walk toward the college in front of us. It's a completely different environment than I'm used to and I can't imagine having gone here instead of Washington. 

The tall building in front of us welcomes Jace but not me. All of this time I felt like I didn't belong in Washington when in reality, Washington really is my second home now. Texas doesn't feel nearly as homey as Washington does, and it doesn't have the memories that I both adore and am crushed by.

"Are you coming, Madison?" Jace asks. It feels odd to hear him say my name so often, it's a completely different tone than I'm used to. 

When Miles said my name, it always rolled off his tongue so easily and it went out through his raspy voice, it was firm and it compelled me somehow, the electricity spike I got from his tone alone filled every part of my being. 

But with Jace it's different, it's soft, and that's all it is—soft. I nod before following him, my shoes hit the ground and before I know it, we're inside the college. 

Floods of students walk past all with different books, bags, and outfits. I feel so out of place, so lost. The building seemed so big on the outside but so small and clustered inside.

"isn't this place great?" Jace raves, watching his surroundings as if he's at a museum. But I don't answer him, instead, I look at the small inside with stairs and students that don't seem to want to have anything to do with me.

"How about we go somewhere quieter?" I suggest and he nods.

"Of course." He smiles before taking my hand in his.

"Oh, I'm sorry—" He lets go but I keep holding his fingers between mine.

"No, it's okay." I smile at him softly. I need his warmth and the comfort his hands give me right now, I need everything that's not Miles. 

Jace smiles at me and holds my hand again, this time his grip is firm as if he knows I need his comforting touch.

"This is the library." He lets me know, pointing at the big place in front of us. I smile at him before he drags me slowly and firmly inside. Tall shelves stare back at us, full of books and the library looks to be huge. There's no cash register to buy coffee like in WSU and there aren't nearly as many comfortable looking places to sit. The windows are large and they face the outside perfectly but it's not WSU.

"Oh, this is amazing." Jace lets go of my hand to go inside further and I stand there, numb that I've lost the feeling of his touch, the comfort, the protection I have against the outside world is now gone. I take a deep breath before stepping foot inside slowly. 

Jace is ahead of me, noticing my presence with a smile before turning back around at my smile and enjoying the place. I take another deep breath, feeling my phone vibrate suddenly. 

I quickly take it out of my pocket to see Miles's name flashing on the screen. 

My eyes go wide and my fingers start to shake, I've been trying to avoid him for so long that somehow having confirmation that he still exists makes my whole body shake. 

My fingers hover over the two buttons, unsure of what to do. The last time I talked to him was that day in the rain when he gave me the key to his Lamborghini and we both said goodbye.

"Madison are you coming?" Jace shouts kindly and I nod at him before pressing the red button and swallowing the pain that comes along with knowing that I can't talk to Miles no matter how much I'd want to, it would only take us back—it would take me back and I can't take the secrets lingering around him.

"Do you not want to be here?" He asks me and I shake my head.

"Of course I do." I lie, resorting back to the thing I constantly want to swear to stop. Jace walks down the stairs and I trail behind, unsure of how to feel about this place.

"Oh, man, they even have a gym," Jace says and I give him a small smile. 

It's odd to see this different part of Jace, the Jace that has changed into someone who liked exercising and cared about the way he looks instead of the Jace who naturally got fit from helping with chores back in Ohio. 

Jace starts to lift up one dumbbell with his arm, showing off his muscles while he gives me a small smile.

"Isn't this cool?" He smiles.

"Mhm." I smile kindly even through the cloudiness in my head.