working with jace {jace norman}

Chapter 9

After an hour of arguing in the parking lot, Jace got Maeve to drop me to his house. But her attitude lingered in the car ride.

When we pulled up at his house, I stepped out of the car instantly to avoid the attitude.

"Thanks for the ride Maeve." Jace got out of the car and closes it on her small voice of,
"Yeah, whatever"

I followed him up to his front door.

He twists his keys through the lock and pushes the door open.

I walk in and look around, slipping off my shoes,

"Nice place"

"Thanks" He shuts the door.

"You know, I live just down the street?"

"I remember" he chuckles

"Where's your parents?"

"Canada. I have family up there, they're visiting for a week"

He leads me to the couch and turns on the tv.

"So youre here by yourself for a week?"

"Yeah"

"Must be nice. My parents barely trust to leave me home for an hour"

"Sort of. It's gets quiet though, itd be nice to have someone around every now and then"

I sit next to him, "Well, you've got me"

I take his hand and play with his fingers, he smiles, gluing his brown eyes on me.

"Yeah"

I readjust myself on the couch, pulling on my tight dress.

"You want to change?"

"What?"

"You'd rather be in sweatpants"

I nod.

"Come on" he stands, holding out his hand.

I take it as he pulls me upstairs.

"Where are we going?"

"Up to my room so you can change"

"I didn't bring any other clothes to change into"

"Obviously"

We walk into his room, flooding with his warm scent.

I sit on the edge of his bed as he dissapears into his closet, coming back out with a pair of sweatpants and a white t-shirt. He hands me the clothes.

"I'll be downstairs" He leaves.

I shed my dress to the floor and fold it on his bed. I tie the sweatpants tighter and tuck a small part of the tshirt in.

I let my straightened hair out of a pony tail and run my fingers through it. Walking downstairs.

I sit back down on the couch next to him as his arm wraps behind me around my waist.

The music of Star Wars plays through the speakers of the tv.

"Seriously?" I laugh

"Its a good movie"

I shake my head, my eyes on the screen, his eyes on me.

For over a half an hour.

"Youre missing the movie" I speak with my eyes not moving away.

He smiles and pulls me onto him. I swing my leg on the other side of his legs and rest my forehead on his.

He intertwines our fingers.

"I'm in love with you" He whispered.

The words carelessly roll off his tongue, I shake my head. It was where we were much too different. I had a hard time moving so quickly. And he spoke what he felt when he felt it.

"No" is whispered through my lips.

"Im serious"

I respond by pushing my lips onto his. It was the only way I knew how to respond.

How do you respond to such a meaningful phrase when you couldn't quite give it back?

His hands travel up my warm skin under my shirt, causing his cooled fingers to clash aginst my back.

The echo of a knock at the door causes me to pull away.

He rolls his eyes as I get off of him. I follow behind him.

He pushes back the curtains and looks though the window next to the door.

"Who is it?"

"Maeve" he sighs

"Oh"

He opened the door, I stand behind him. Watching her.

"Hey Maeve" He smiles.

Her eyes pass him and onto me, glaring in disgust.

"You left your wallet In my car" She tossed it at him.

He catches it and raised his eyebrows,
"Thanks"

"Yeah, sure." She pauses, looking at me then back at Jace. "Oh, and I got your text. I'd like to try again" She grins, touching her lips to his cheek. "I'll text you later"

She leaves. I wait until she backs out the driveway to look at Jace.

"You- why?"

He closes the door quietly
"Emily-"

"No-no. I don't need this right now."

I push my shoes on my feet and open the door.

He grips onto my arm dispite the amout of times I tell him to let me go.

"Just let me explain" He yells.

"Explain what? That you've been playing me this whole time for Maeve?"

I pull myself from him and head out the door. Down the sidewalk.

At that time I thanked every part of myself that I hadn't said it back.