The Night We Met

Chapter 36: Aspen

After class Kahlid and I made our way to the dining hall and devoured a turkey sandwich. The sandwiches in the dining hall were always spectacular as for the other food,..not so much. "I'm going to go get an Ice cream you want one," Kahlid stood up from his seat walking backward. I shook my head no if I ate anything else I was scared that my stomach would explode. I wondered how could he be so skinny and eat that much where was all that food going? As I was sitting at the table by myself I saw Jace making his way to my table, I didn't know what to do should I get up and leave or just sit there? Right before I could make my decision he pulled out the chair in front of me. 

"We need to talk," He said looking at me in my eyes. I shook my head no I was not going to argue with him in the middle of the dining hall if he wanted to talk we could do it later.  

"No, Jace I'm not arguing with you in the middle of the dining hall, we can talk about whatever it it is you want to talk about later." I looked around nervously hoping Kahlid wasn't around or even on his way back to the table because if Jace sees him with me this can go bad very fast. 

Just my luck here Kahlid comes with two cups of ice cream in his hands. "Look I know you said that you didn't want anything but how can someone pass up ice cream" he laughed and placed the cup in front of me. Jace looked at him and then looked at me. 

"So is this why we couldn't talk" he pointed at Kahlid and Kahlid looked at me and then back at Jace. 

"Hey look man I don't want any problems nor do I want your girl I'm gay" I looked at Kahlid very surprised. I had no clue that he was gay I mean some of the things that he would say had me thinking but I mean I didn't want to assume. 

"I'm pretty sure Aspen knew that, right Aspen?" he sat down eating his ice cream. I did not. 

"Yeah,...yes of course yes I knew" I giggled nervously and he smiled at me. Jace looked at me with his eyes squinted nodding his head. "Yeah, I bet she did."  

"Well, girl I'm gonna go, see you next Thursday" Kahlid walked off and Jace and I were left at the table. I was still trying to wrap my head around what happened but I also wanted to get away from Jace. I gathered all of my stuff and made my way to the bus stop, I needed to get home. Jace followed me. 

"Jace I just want to go home, please I don't want to argue"   I looked at him in his eyes. Hopefully, he can see how drained I was. All of this continued fighting was exhausting. 

"Go to Oceanside with me?" he hoped in front of me looking down at his feet. Oceanside I couldn't just up and go to Oceanside without letting Stacey know since my mom was out of town for a business trip. What was he thinking?

"Jace, Oceanside in the winter doesn't sound like a great time."  I looked past him looking down the street hoping to see the bus riding up the street. 

"Ok yeah but I have a place there that's right by the water and this nice bookstore and Cafe" he looked at me waiting for an answer. I wanted to decline his offer. But when I was looking at his face it looked like he needed this get away and I was willing to do anything to ensure that he was happy. Yes, I was mad at him for being stupid but that didn't change the fact that I cared about him. 

"Ok I will go but just to make this clear you're not trying to kill me or anything right ?" Jace looked at me and laughed. I don't know what was so funny because I was serious. I mean come on we were not really in a good space. 

"No, I'm not really into" he took my bag off my shoulder and carried it. "My cars over there come on."