The Strings Attached

Chapter 46 - Loni

Loni

For the entire week, I've been keeping up on all things Sienna Ray. Checking her Twitter, Instagram, and even her Facebook. I've entered full-on stalker mode. She's the kind of person who likes to post her entire life on social media.

Each time I check, nothing. No new pictures or status updates, I'm completely in the dark. Anxiety consumes me. Did they go on a date yet? Have they kissed? Had sex? Has Jace forgotten all about me because he fell head over heels for her?

The latter isn't really possible at the moment because for the entire week Jace has been texting me. It's been just a single good morning or goodnight text, or even a hey how are you. He's probably hoping I'll ask to meet up.

But I've been staying strong. Until tonight.

The first image on my Instagram when I open the app for the fifth time this hour is Sienna.

I sit up in my bed, holding the phone close to my face and examining every molecule of the photo.

She's wearing a little black dress, her hair curled to perfection. And the caption: Date Night.

My stomach clenches. Why am I such a jealous mess right now? I told him to go. But the words that came out of my mouth were not the ones in my heart. It takes everything in me not to text Jace right now and beg him not to go. But he's probably already out.

Sienna's picture was posted twenty minutes ago.

Where are they?

I go to her Facebook and she posted her current location, Shakers.

Maybe she's not there with him. Yeah. Maybe he turned her down and she's going out with someone else. Right? I hope that's the case. I can't take this anymore.

"Loni?" Hadley's voice echoes through my apartment.

"In here," I answer.

My own heartbeat is drowning out the sound of her footsteps approaching my door. The door swings open and Hadley is dressed in sweats and a light blue crew neck. Her long black hair is tied up in a top knot and there's not a lick of makeup on her face.

She kind of looks like me right now. Though she's not nursing a broken heart or stalking anyone, that I know of, so why is she dressed like that?

"Did you find us a movie to watch? Because you know I hate scrolling for one for hours on end."

My nose scrunches. Movie?

"Ugh," she groans. "Did you forget? We made these plans literally two days ago." She crosses her arms over her chest.

"Right, no yeah, I remember."

"Great, now get your butt out of bed, and let's make some popcorn."

I step out of bed but immediately dive back onto it to grab my phone when it dings. Damn, just a stupid email. Throwing the phone back on the bed I run my fingers across my scalp.

Hadley is looking at me with deep concern. Her lips are pulled in a frown and wrinkles line her forehead. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm going crazy. I'm seriously going fucking crazy." I'm pacing now, but I can't control myself. If I sit still I will be tempted to look at my phone again.

"Loni, relax, you're scaring me now."

"Am I? Am I scaring you? I'm scaring myself. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Take a breath," Hadley says as calmly as possible, grabbing my wrists, freeing my fingers from my tangled mess of hair. "Tell me what's going on."

"Jace. Jace and Sienna. I think they are out on a date tonight."

"Jace? Your Jace?"

I sigh, shaking my head. "He's not my Jace. He's... You know I don't even know what the hell he is. What we are."

"Hold on," Hadley grabs me tighter so I stop moving. "Why is Jace on a date with Sienna? He totally had eyes for you the last time I saw him."

"Because I told him to."

She scoffs, "I'm sorry what? You told him to?" She drops my arms.

"Yes. It was stupid. I'm stupid. God, I'm an idiot."

"You are not an idiot. You are in love."

I snap my head up to look in her eyes and she shrugs. For a moment, I don't say anything. I can't say anything. Am I really in love with Jace? I mean it's coming so clearly to Hadley. So why can't I just admit it? Dammit, just admit it I lo—

"Sienna is at Shakers tonight," I say instead of professing my love for Jace Maxwell.

"Ty is at Shakers tonight—" Hadley sucks in her lips like it was the biggest mistake she ever made by letting those words slip out.

"He is?" My eyes grow wide. I feel like a feral cat right now. What the hell is wrong with me? "Is he with Jace? Have you talked to him?"

"Loni, I don't know—"

"Call him."

"Okay, you need to relax," she says, pointing her finger at me, eyeing me up and down. "You are losing your mind a little bit."

"Please Hads," I beg. I can't believe I'm begging. I'm pathetic. "Please. Can you just call Tyler and see if Jace is there?"

She looks at me for a moment. Judging me with those blue eyes of hers. But she melts in my hands when I give her the puppy dog eyes.

"Fine," she grunts, pulling her phone out of her sweatpant's pocket.

She dials Tyler and puts the phone on speaker.

"Yeah?" Tyler answers.

"Hey, Ty," she says excitedly.

"What's up, Hadley?"

I keep my mouth shut.

"What are you doing tonight?"

"I'm out with the guys at Shakers."

"The guys?" She questions.

Tyler huffs and swallows something before speaking again. "Yeah, the guys. Kaden, Asher." There's a pause and my heart drops into my stomach. "Jace."

"Oh, how lovely!" Hadley coos.

Before she can say anything else, the line goes dead.

"Ugh, he never says goodbye to me on the phone. Isn't that so rude? I'm his sister, you know?"

I ignore her comment. Jace is at Shakers. Sienna is at Shakers. There are two different scenarios here. Either Jace and Sienna just happened to be at the same bar at the same time, not hanging out with each other. Or there's scenario number two in which they went there together.

"Can we please watch a movie now? I'll let you pick anything you want. Horror, gore, you name it."

"No." I march over to my closet and swing open the door. "We are going out."