Forbidden Law (An Alien Love #1)

Chapter Five

"Where did you come from?" my mom asked. She dipped a piece of french toast in syrup, popping it in her mouth followed by bacon. Jace watched this intently, seeming to catalogue the mannerism for future reference.

"I came from Denver."

My parents were predictable a majority of the time, so I'd scripted Jace on details of a fake past. The standard questions parents asked of teenage boys they should be suspicious of around their daughter would most likely be brought up, along with a few odd-balls from my mom. She carried the thinking brains of the couple. My dad was smart, but not when it came to common sense to ask the correct questions.

"Mm-hhmm,"Dad mumbled through a large bite. This sudden observance from my mom had me second guessing any stutter or catch to Jace's replies.

"Do you have any siblings?" my mom continued.

"No. I am an only child. My mom died when I was young, so it is only my dad and I."

One of Mom's eyebrows rose as she muttered "Sorry" under her breath. My father paused in mid-chew, but otherwise didn't seem to care.

Relentless questions slewed Jace for the next twenty minutes, my dad periodically providing ease with obvious notice of my mother. His questions were simple, but my mothers required detail. When Jace failed to answer for a certain time, I stepped in and glared pointedly. My dad glanced questioningly from my mother to Jace and I. But at last, we finished.

I helped clean up the table, then quickly ushered Jace to the front door as I threw my goodbyes over my shoulder. My parents followed, faces haggard and attempting smiles that didn't quite seem to reach the eyes.

"Have a good day. It was nice meeting you, Jace. We hope you love Dallas just as much as Denver," my mom said as we made a clumsy exit. Jace waved and thanked them as we climbed into my car. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

"How did I perform?" Jace asked quietly. I looked over at him as I pulled out of the driveway.

"Good. Really. My mom is just...detail oriented I guess. Just more this morning than usual. But you followed everything I told you to, so there's nothing to worry about."

He was thinking hard the rest of the way to teenage prison, the only sound my blinker as I traversed the crowded suburban streets.

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At school, it was time for football tryouts. And Jace was going to try out.

It started with the flying ball. We had been in the hall in front of the gym before class started, me introducing Jace to a couple of my friends who had been too intimidated before to meet him. Karen, her dark complexion darkening further with a deep blush, shyly smiled and shook his hand while Tommy nodded and grunted in normal guy fashion. They chattered in introduction, and suddenly, I caught a flash of brown and white. My mouth opened in warning, but Jace was no longer in a vulnerable position. A football suddenly appeared in his left hand, the lace perfectly aligned with his four fingers.

The back of Michael's letterman was quickly receding down the hall, his curly blond head glancing back every few seconds. And what dumb luck it was, Coach Garett was coming out of the gym at that point.

"Whoa, there!" he boomed. He was a stout man, with a portly build and graying beard. His eyes were bulging amidst a rosy face, his whistle resting on his stomach.

"Where'd you learn how to catch a ball like that, boy? I haven't seen that kind of speed since college. And I have to admit, that was a long time ago," he said, scratching his balding head.