The Shy Girl Has a Gun

The Shy Girl Has a Gun...Chapter 10

 “So where is your mum?” I ask as I sit on his bed waiting for him to pack a few things. Jace was currently shoving handfuls of clothes in a duffle bag, and I had to resist the urge from pushing him out the way and folding his clothes for him.

“She finishes her shift in about 20 minutes so she should be back soon.” Jace explains while grabbing another handful of clothes and stuffing them in the bag. I wince as the OCD side of me comes out while I watch him. He notices my gaze on him, and looks at me puzzled. I quickly tear my eyes away from the mess that is his packing skills, but it was too late and I can see a smile creeping onto his face.

“What’s the matter Faith?” he asks with mock oblivion, while slowly taking a top and scrunching it together in a messy tight ball. He is smirking at me, and then he shoves the top in the bag roughly. I grit my teeth as I realise he is fully aware of how annoying I find that. Back when we were younger I used to go mental when I walked into his room and find his clothes all thrown on the floor.

“How’s your nose?” I smile up at him innocently.

The smirk fades from his face and he narrows his eyes at me “The bleedings stopped, thanks for asking.” He replies flatly. I resist the urge to laugh, and avert my eyes around the room as he continues to pack, not wanting to see the crash that is his packing skills.

I laugh slightly, but not from the wonderful memory of punching him. He looks up at me again.

“What’s so funny?”

“In 3 years, you have not changed your room at all.” I chuckle as I look around, and realise that everything is exactly the same. The dozens of posters of bands and girls on the wall, along with a desk full of gel, deodorants and anything else a guy might need. The weights are still in the same spot in the corner of the room. The teddy that his grandma got him when he was little was on the side chair, attempting to be hidden by a pile of Razzle magazines. He wasn’t fooling anyone.

He smiles faintly “Why change perfection?” he jokes, and amazingly, I actually find myself laughing.

I get to my feet and walk over to the wall of his room that is plastered with the hundreds of photos. I see the same pictures that I remember looking at those many times I was in this room when we were going out, and even when we were sneaking behind Gina’s back. I see the faces of all the people I used to go to high school with, the football team that Jace played for as well as a few new ones of people that I do not recognise. I notice that not one photo has Gina in it.

I see the faces of Dylan, Chelsea and Holly smiling and laughing back at me. I find myself smiling at the picture of my friends, my chest tightening as I realise I have pushed them to the back of my mind for years now, not wanting to remember the life that I could never have again. As I stare at their faces, I realise how much I miss them. 

Then I see my own face, which causes me to catch my breath a little. The photo was of me and Jace at the carnival that he took me to when we were going out. He was giving me a piggy back while I was laughing hysterically as I shoved the stick of candy floss in his mouth. The memories of that day came flooding back to me, and I feel a lump rise to the back of my throat. As I gaze at the other pictures, I realise that I am actually in the majority of them, whether it was us with our other friends, or just photos of me and Jace.

I bite my bottom lip and shake my head before I find myself breaking down. This is why I pushed these memories to the back of my head, if I through about them I would lose it. I can’t let that happen.

“Everyone missed you like crazy.” Jace’s voice brings me back to reality, and I suddenly realise he is right behind me. I feel my body tense up at just how close he is. I don’t reply to his comment, and just stare at the group picture of us all. Chelsea and Holly are giving the camera toothy smiles while leaning forward, whilst Dylan is looking at them like they were freaks. Jace and I were next to each other, exchanging an amused look. I can still remember to this day what we were so amused about.