The Fate of Our Hearts

Chapter 35 - What I Got

Ren

"I can't believe it!!" Sydney says in shock. "Jace kissed you?"

"Yeah. I know! Just lips though, and I stopped him right away... but it was so weird," still barely believing it myself.

I've been trying to forget what happened like Jace told me to, but my mind won't stop replaying the events in my head, and I still feel so iky about everything that happened on Saturday night. So when I got home to my dad's, I called Sydney right away to help me talk through it and hopefully make the iterations stop.

"So... what happened then?"

"He freaked out just as much as me! He was so sorry after it happened and begged me not to tell anyone. But of course, I tell you everything. It's not like you see any of them anymore." 

"Yeah, I won't say a word, but that doesn't seem like Jace. He must have been pretty wasted." 

"Sydney, I've never seen him so stumbling drunk before. He probably paid the price big time today." I really was worried about him still. I hope he didn't pass out in the backyard.

"So, are you going to tell Gio?"

This question keeps hitting me in the chest like rolling waves, and this time, I literally fall dramatically back on the bed. "I don't know! It was a two-second kiss. I want to, but he's always been so insecure about Jace—and what Ryder said and did, I—"

"Well, I don't know if you should tell him what Ryder said about him; that was pretty harsh. What do you think he meant about the photos?"

"I'm not sure, and Eddie said something similar a while ago when we first got together. It's totally bugging me now. But it doesn't make sense. Gio's not like that, and he hates photos."

"Eddie and Ryder are friends and talk shit. They're probably just being dickheads," Sydney concludes.

"Maybe," but my gut still feels unsettled. "I think I'll  just tell him that Ryder showed up and was a dick to me, so I left, and then not mention anything else."

"And about Jace?" 

"I don't know. I promised Jace I wouldn't, but I feel so icky about it. I mean, I don't want to hide things from Gio, but he won't understand the relationship Jace and I have. That kiss didn't mean anything, and it's not going to change anything between Gio and me. I feel like it's just going to make things... complicated. Gio will never let me hang out with Jace again!"

"Well, that's hard, but if you still feel guilty after a few days, or if it comes up somehow, I think you should tell him."

My stomach burned and bubbled like a steamy black cauldron of anxiety. 

"What if he doesn't believe me, Sydney?" my voice squeaks through my tight throat. "I'm just so scared it'll ruin everything... even if it wasn't my fault."

♡♡♡

"Ren! What happened!"

My head whips in the direction of my name, and I'm shocked to see Alexis gliding toward me down the busy hall after second period.

She leans against the locker next to me. "What happened to you Saturday night? You left without even saying goodbye!"

My heart jumps, and my mind races. "Ummmm."

"Well, I figured it was because of Ryder," she smirks. "He stormed out of the house like a cranky child up past his bedtime. Told us, 'These parties always suck,' and took off. Such a drama king," she rolls her eyes. "But, I thought something like that might happen."