Tattoos: COMPLETED ✔

Chapter 52

Jace said he would see me tomorrow, but he doesn't. He doesn't see me for the next five days. After the incident on Sunday, Jace has barely talked to me at all, he didn't even call, he has only sent me two texts. One saying that my car has been dropped off and then the next one was in the middle of the night claiming he had a work emergency and was going to be out of town for a few days. I asked if everything was okay and he said sent back an ominous everything is fine text. Everything must not have been that fine or he wouldn't be leaving. Or maybe it was a lame excuse not to see me?

It's fine though. If he wants to push me away for no apparent reason, then I'll stand by and let him. Those were my thoughts on the first day.

On the second day my thoughts are about the same, except with a lot more name calling: child, jackass, baby, idiot, the list goes on and on.

Even Asher notices I've been around the apartment quite a lot in the past few days. He asked where Jace was and I told him he's out of town for a couple days for work; he looked a little too happy when I said that, but I didn't read that much into it.

Day three I busy myself with work and school trying to distract myself from thinking of Jace; that plan fails miserably.

On day four I call him, twice. He doesn't answer either time. I debate on whether or not I should leave a voicemail, but what would I say; I turn my phone off instead.

It isn't until day five that my mood lifts. Asher tells me someone wants to talk to me and hands me his phone. My first thought was: is it Jace? But how would Jace have Asher's number and even if he did, I know Jace would never call him.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Jas! The girls and I are going out for drinks tomorrow. Are you coming?" Meghan asks.

I smile my first real smile since Sunday. "Yeah, I'll be there. Same place?"

"No, we're going to try out this new bar."

"Ok, text me the adress," I tell her.

"I will. See you tomorrow," she says.

"Wait, how did you get this number?" I ask before she hangs up.

"I told Angela your phone must be dead because it was going straight to voicemail, and then she told me to call this number. She said it was your roommate's number."

"Oh, okay, well bye, and don't forget to text me the address."

"I will," she assures and says bye before hanging up, leaving me to wonder how Angela got Asher's number?
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Saturday morning I wake up regenerated, excited to actually do something today, even if it is just going to a bar with my friends. I turn on my phone to see if Meghan has texted me the adress yet, or at least that's what I'm telling myself. My brain subconsciously looks for Jace's name in the missed notifications, but his name isn't there. The fact that he hasn't texted me or called me back makes me a little depressed, so I quickly find Meghan's name in the missed texts and see that she sent me the adress before tossing my phone back on my bed.

Around seven o'clock my phone vibrates on the kitchen counter, and I set my fork down on my plate of half eaten chicken that Asher made, to see who it is. My heart beat picks up when I see it's Jace, and I mentally scold myself for getting excited.

Jace: Sorry I didn't answer yesterday, I was in the middle of a meeting. Is everything okay? And I won't be back until late tonight, so I'll I see you tomorrow?

After five days with just three texts, he suddenly wants to see me tomorrow? Like everything is fine?

My response to him is curt.

Me: Everything is fine.

I press send and not a minute later he's calling me, but I let it go to voicemail. He calls me again, and I press ignore before turning my phone off.

Heading to my bedroom to get ready for the night, I keep it simple with a pair of ripped skinny jeans and a long sleeve shirt.

I call a cab instead of driving there because I know I'm going to get shit faced tonight, and I won't be able to drive home.

The bar that I'm going to tonight is not that far away from the one we usually go to, but it is a lot nicer. I order two shots right when I get there and bring them over to where Angela, Meghan, and Christian sit. They all greet me with the raise of their glass, and I lift up my shot glass and drink it down before doing the same with the next one.

I see them give eachother weird looks when I order two more shots. "What's got you in the drinking mood?" Christian asks.

"People," I tell them vaguely.

"Jace?" Angela guesses.

I nod and ask her, "How do you have Asher's number?"

"Jace gave it to me," she explains, but then snaps her mouth shut as if she said too much.

I tip back the next shot glass. "And how do you have his number?" I can feel my jealousy rising even though I know it shouldn't be; this is Angela I'm talking about.

"Well," she says, taking a sip of her beer, "the last time you guys got in a fight, I took you to that party remember?" I nod slowly. "And Jace called me, looking for you, and I didn't want to tell him where you were, but he sounded so panicked, and he said he only wanted to talk to you, so he could apologize, so I told him where we were. You're not mad are you?" she asks after her ramble.

I sigh. "No, I'm not mad at you. I'm honestly glad you told him where I was."

She smiles. Wait... "But if you asked him for Asher's number does he know I'm here right now?"

She cringes. "I may have mentioned it," she says.

I drink my last shot before standing. "I need to leave."

"You're mad at me aren't you?"

"I'm not mad at you, I'm..." mad at myself. "I just need to leave. I'll see you guys sometime next week," I promise them.

I order two more shots before I hail a taxi; I feel a little more than buzzed as I sit in the back seat. "Where to?" the taxi driver asks in a bored voice. I start to rattle off my adress, but I change my mind at the last second and tell him Jace's instead. He said he won't be home until late tonight, but I don't care; I'll wait up all night if I have to.

We arrive at his building only twenty minutes later, but it felt like a lifetime to me. I pay the taxi driver before stumbling out of the cab. My stomache is tight as I ride up the elevator, but I don't know why since I know he won't be there. Maybe it's just the thought of being in his space after not seeing him for five days, but whatever it is, I don't like it.

The elevator finally comes to a stop at the top floor. I walk through the kitchen but stop when I hear two voices. One is clearly Jace's but the other is female; they're both laughing. This cannot be happening again. No. Jace wouldn't do that to me.

Would he?

Zombie-like, I walk to the living room, and the tension that has been in my shoulders for the past five days is suddenly released when I see Jace sitting on the couch, smiling.

But then I feel bile rise in my throat when I see a tall brunette girl sitting next to him. The women is turned away from him, her long silky hair thrown over her shoulder, exposing her neck while Jace's hand tugs down the zipper to her expensive dress. I'm going to be sick.

I must have made a noise because Jace's head snaps over to me. He looks beyond suprised to see me standing there in his house, but most of all he looks heart-breakingly guilty as he looks back and forth between his hand on the women's zipper and me; I'm not lying when I say I'm going to vomit.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry for the cliff hanger but plz vote and comment and I'll try to update again before I leave tomorrow! I don't think I'll be able to update until I get back from my trip.