Flee

Chapter 9: We Will Find a Way Through the Dark

Jason's POV

I never can sleep at night because I can never stop thinking. I can't stop thinking about my dad. I miss him more than I let on. I am sure Jace feels the same way, but we don't talk as much as we used to. All because of one girl. 

My eyes drift over to Arden. Her long brown hair is fanning over the pillow she is laying on. Her lips are parted and her whole face is relaxed. 

She is beautiful. 

But she isn't the stereotypic type of beautiful. This is going to be the most cliche and cringe worthy thing I will ever say, but she is her own type of beautiful. Just who she is as a person makes her beautiful. Not her looks, but she is gorgeous don't get me wrong, but who she is and how she makes me feel when I am around her makes me feel like I need her.

I don't even know why I said what I said the other day. Something is wrong with me. I push everyone away for no reason. I wish she would talk to me. I need her to talk to me. I feel like I am going to lose my mind if she doesn't. 

 Arden's eyes slowly open. 

"Jason." she whispers. "Why are you awake?" 

"The question is how did you know I was awake?" 

She looks at me weirdly.  "I couldn't sleep and I saw you couldn't sleep and I wasn't going to lay here and pretend I didn't notice you staring at me. Just so you know that is really really creepy and I would really appreciate it if you wouldn't stare at me." 

"Okay." I say. She doesn't respond she just looks at me. 

"Why can't you sleep?" I ask her. 

"I don't know." 

"You know."

"I told you I don't." 

"Arden... I am just going to say this and you don't have to forgive me and if you want these can be the last words I will ever speak to you. I can take the bus back home and I promise I won't tell anyone where you and Jace are going. Just tell me what you want, but I really just want you to know that I'm sorry for barging in on your life when you obviously didn't want me in it and I knew that and stayed in it anyway. Jace told me this the night I said all those things to you. It made me realize how much you really don't like me. I'm sorry." 

"Jason," she breathes. She hesitates a moment before she speaks again. "You're right. I think you should go." 

Even though I knew what she was going to say, I still opened my mouth in shock. 

I grab the little belongings I brought with me and leave without looking at Arden. I walk all the way to the bus stop to leave the two people I feel the happiest with.