working with jace {jace norman}

Chapter 38

"Look Jace, there's not an easy way to say this..."

"You're not pregnant, are you?" His body grows tense on the couch, eyes wide.

I stop pacing around in my living room,
"What? No"

"Then what is it?"

I begin to pace again.

"Stop, hey..." He grabs my hand pulling my onto him, I sit on his legs, facing him.
"What's the matter?"

"You're not going to want me here" I climb off him, sitting next to him on the couch, leaving a gap.

"What's wrong?" His eyebrows furrow.

I watch his worried expression, soft with concern. It causes my guilt to come up like vomit. My tears spilling out, I start to cry into my hands,
"I'm sorry" I choke.

"Emily..." He sits there silently for a moment, his hand rubbing my back
"Did somebody hurt you?"

My head shakes vigorously in my hands.
"You'll hate me"

"I'm always going to love you" He chuckles, attempting to lighten the mood,
"Tell me"

I settle down, breathing deeply in order to control my tears. I wipe them away, leaving my cheeks hot and red.
"While you were gone, I met a guy named Tyler"

His soft expression turns to hurt, everything on his face sinking as if he already knew what it meant.
"You, slept with him?"

I nod silently, crying once more, staring down at the ground.

He sits looking at me, silently, expressionless.
"Why would you do that?" His voice remains calm.

"I-messed up. But, I love you Jace. I'm sorry"

"You love me?"

"Yes- of course" .

"You know" his voice starts to rise,
"Saying you love me, doesn't fucking fix the fact that you cheated on me, Emily"

"I know but I-"

"Jesus, you know, I leave for a few months and you can't keep it in your pants?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" My voice grows defensive.

"You never seem to be crazed for sex when I'm here but then all of the sudden you're acting like an idiot once I leave? Where you waiting for me to leave to do it?"

"No of course n-"

"No, right. So then why are you acting like some kind of whore when I'm not here to babysit you."

"I don't need you to babysit me"

"Obviously you do, otherwise you open your legs to anyone that's desperate enough to get with you"

My mouth parts lightly, my insides stinging like someone had stabbed a knife right through them. My eyes sink, my body lightly trembling,
"Ouch..."

"And you know what" He continues to talk with anger, "shockingly, none of this surprises me, I knew right from the day that I met you you'd pull some type of shit like this."

"Jace I-"

"And still I can't believe that I let myself be with somebody as childish as you. Just in case you don't understand by now, this is why people don't love you. You're unneeded to society and yet you still cry that you don't understand why you can't fit in here or get affection like everyone else. Because you're you. The asshole must of been desperate."

I sit shocked silently, tears rim my eyes like water in a full glass, waiting to over spill. He stops himself, guilt spreading across his face at his past words. But he says nothing. I swallow harshly, nodding as I grab my things from beside me.