The Medallion

Nilla: Surprise

I wanted to chase after her. Allison meant so much to me that I couldn't just leave it like this. I wanted to understand her side of things, that maybe I was too close to the situation to see the danger, but I truly felt like it was Allison putting herself between our friendship, not Jace.

I wrestled with the logical part of my mind and started talking to myself. It's not like she wasn't telling me anything bad about him like she caught him with another woman or anything like that. All she was telling me was be careful around him. I have to just consider her words if only for the sake of our friendship. It's the least I could do. Maybe I really am in too deep. I would have to ask an objective third party just to be sure.

I went back to the group and caught Steven watching me. Something about his eyes made me feel uneasy. Jace was sitting in the sand looking out at the ocean talking with Halo and a few random girls who had wandered over. From the distance, it almost looked as if he had his hand around the cute, busty brunette who sat in the next to him. I started to make a beeline for him, but Steven stood in my way.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Nothing," I snapped.

"You look seriously pissed, Nilla. I don't like seeing you this way."

"I'm fine. Your sister's a real bitch, you know that?"

He smiled. "So she told you. She's been anxious about that guy since he saw him in the hallway."

"She's done nothing but tell me the same stupid schlock over and over."

"And?" He looked at me expectantly.

"And I think I can take care of myself."

I pushed by him. I really didn't want to talk to him, not after that fight. And then to see the man I loved with his arms around some other woman.... All I felt was rage at the sight of them together.

I stood over them glaring and tapping my foot. Halo turned around first.

"Hey, Nee-lo! Whoa, you look super pissed. What did Ali say to you?"

Jace turned next. He was in mid-laugh from a joke one of the bimbos told him. He simply looked up at me and then turned his attention back to the girls and their slutty giggling. Halo looked back and forth between my anger and his nonchalance and slowly got up to leave.

"What are you doing?" My voice sounded shrill and unfamiliar.

Jace put a finger in his ear. "Please, my love. That pitch is far too high." He stood and placed his hands on mine.

"Who are your new little friends?"

I stressed the word in the hopes the girls would understand that this one belonged to me and me alone. They glanced at me and started giggling. One of the girls, a leggy blonde, put her hand on his shoulder. There she was, rubbing him like she was allowed to touch him. She looked me directly in my eyes, rubbed my man's shoulder, and smiled at me like it was all perfectly fine. I don't know what came over me. I snapped.

I reached out and grabbed that girl's bony hand with speed I didn't even know I had. I twisted her entire arm until the girl had to turn around to keep me from breaking it off. I shoved her down into the sand still twisting her stupid arm and pushed my knee into the small of the girl's back pulling her hair with her free hand.

"If you ever touch her man again, I'll kill you," I whispered in her ear.

It was like an out-of-body experience, like I was watching myself do it. I had never in her life been so aggressive with anyone about anything. Jace sure did bring out the oddest emotions. Was this part of what it was like being so much in love? I thought true love was different from this. All those stories portrayed it so beautiful and lovely.