The Imperfect

Chapter Five

Jace's P.O.V.

"Whatcha doing?" Leo asked me, suddenly appearing beside me.

"Uhhh, finishing up my paper," I admitted ashamed. I'd completely forgot that I hadn't finished my own paper until I woke in a panic this morning.

"Shit, I shouldn't have kept you up all night working on mine," Leo said.

"It's not your fault," I assured him. "It completely slipped my mind. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Nothing's wrong with you, Jace. After what happened yesterday, you can't blame yourself for forgetting one silly paper," Leo said.

I sighed and nodded in agreement. Of course Leo was right. But that didn't stop my racing heart. I couldn't stand the idea of a missing assignment. The last time I had a missing assignment I was eight. I had a history project due, but I was scared to ask my dad to buy me supplies. I'll never forget the face Mrs. Raeburn had when I told her I didn't bring in a project. Utter disappointment. But that was nothing compared to my dad's face when I brought home a letter from Mrs. Raeburn and the beating that ensued afterwards was one of the worst. I had a busted lip when I went into school the next day.

Leo tugged my hand away from my collar. "It's one assignment Jace and it's not even a big part of your grade."

"No, I'm almost done. I can finish it," I said, scribbling away.

"Okay, but that might make you late to homeroom," Leo said. "I guess you could always work on it there."

I shrugged. Homeroom was a stupid waste of time anyways. "I'll stay here," I said. "I can't concentrate in there. Mr. Howell turns the morning news on really loud to drown out the superficial chit chat and it just makes them talk louder."

"Ms. Janine's isn't so bad," Leo said with a shrug and slumping into the seat beside me.

"What're you doing? You're going to be late for homeroom," I questioned.

"I said Ms. Janine's isn't bad. That doesn't mean I wouldn't rather be chilling here with you," Leo said.

Leo had Ms. Janine for five of his eight classes throughout the day. She was the remedial and resource room teacher and often worked one on one with Leo to guide him through some of his trickier subjects. On days when I finish my work way in advance compared to the rest of my classmates, my teachers would excuse me to go to Ms. Janine's classroom. I've picked up some of the best ways to help Leo learn during our afterschool study sessions from Ms. Janine, and I get to spend more time with my best friend.

I returned my attention to my paper. Six more sentences and I'd be finished with my essay. With Leo sitting there, right beside me, the right words flowed from my brain onto the page with ease. I finished my essay with the analogy: If home is a sanctuary from the constant stream of chaos that is the world, my best friend is my home, my safety. Then I beamed proudly, capping my pen three times. I gently ripped the pages out of my notebook and pulled a paperclip out of my pencil box to fasten them together.

"All done," I said, tucking the essay into my designated English folder and zipping my backpack shut three times over.

Leo who'd been absentmindedly spinning himself round in the chair, waiting for me to finish, whipped around to face me. "That was quick!" he declared.

"I said I was almost done," I told him. "I guess we'd better head to homeroom after all."

I stood, swinging my backpack over my shoulder to leave when Leo reached out grabbing ahold of my wrist.

"No, wait!" Leo yelped. By the look on his face he'd surprised himself with his outburst.

"Wait for what?" I questioned.

His cheeks reddened and he let go. "I don't know. I just don't want to go to homeroom," he said, bowing his head.

"Is something wrong, Leo? I asked, sitting back down.

"No, I'm just worried about you," he said. "Cuz of your dad."

"Me too," I said. "But Mom said the lawyer has to call if he's let out, so we should know in advance at least. It's not like he can just show up."

"I asked my dad about the restraining order and apparently it's a whole court process. My dad can't grant one, but he said you should still look into it," Leo said. "I can help."

"I'll try to talk to my mom. Though she doesn't really want to talk about anything in relation to dad right now," I said recalling how she shut down on us last night.

"It's going to be okay, Jacee. We'll figure it out," Leo said, taking my hand away from my ear. I hadn't even noticed I'd been pulling on it.

"If my mom can't keep it together, how are the rest of us supposed to be able to?" I said, stating my swirling thoughts aloud.

"No one's expecting you to keep it together, Jace," he said, still holding my hand in his. "It's okay to fall apart sometimes. Look at me, I fall apart all the time and I'm still here."

I held his gaze, knowing how many times he almost wasn't here, how many times I'd almost lost him. Things got dark with Leo in ways I couldn't comprehend when his normal, everyday, bubbly personality was the exact opposite. But he was right, he was still here and lively as ever. If anyone was going to get me through this it was him.

"Promise me then, promise you'll always still be here," I said softly, staring into his greenish-hazel eyes.

He blinked back at me. He knew what I meant, what I was asking him to agree to. His eyes diverted downward, uncomfortably, just as the bell rang ending homeroom, and he saw the loophole out.

"C'mon," he said, pasting on a smile. "I'll walk you to first hour."