Counting Stars | ✔

Chapter Twenty

Dedicated to LiduBerhe for being so amazing to me. I appreciate all the support love! Thank You.



I ignore his phone call once again, and after a moment, a text comes through.

I open it.

Why are you doing this? You are not going to spend the night with him, Jess. I mean it! Now pick up.

Excuse me! He can do whatever he wants, and I can't even spend a night with a friend? I don't think so.

I decide to reply because I am beyond irritated by his attitude.

Stop calling me. I'm busy. Just focus on entertaining Red for the night.

A reply comes almost instantly.

What do you mean?

I roll my eyes and put my phone on silent, shoving it back in my pocket.

"Who keeps texting you?" Jayden asks, looking at me for a brief second before returning his gaze back to the road.

"No one important."

We had to go by my house so I could drop my car and get a few things. I am already dreading the conversation I am going to have with my mother tomorrow. She did not like the idea of me spending a night at Jayden's house at all, but I convinced her Steff and Jeremy would be there too. If only she knew what her daughter has been up to for the past couple of weeks.

When we get to Jayden's house, I'm surprised by the modern simplicity of it. It has a glass front and is very spacious. It is decorated in a sleek, minimalist manner with neutrals and gives off a feeling of calmness. Jayden gives me a quick tour, and I admire every corner. I guess when he said he was staying with his grandmother I assumed the house would be somewhat traditional.

"I love your house," I tell him as we walk down a corridor to his room.

"Most people can't stand living in a glasshouse. They feel too exposed."

"You don't feel that way?"

"No. I'm claustrophobic, so this makes me feel like I can breathe." He tells me, opening the door to his bedroom.

In comparison to Liam's overly organized room, Jayden's bedroom is a bit cluttered. It is painted dark grey and black, and there's a large poster of guns and roses on the right side of his wall. I walk further inside to invade his privacy, eyeing everything curiously. Above his bed frame, there is a floating shelf stacked with DVDs along with some trophies. And there is an empty fish tank on his nightstand.

I look up at him with question.

"Steve used to live there before I forgot to feed him. He was a great fish, that Steve. Never said much. He just communicated through silence. I felt so guilty when he passed. So I kept his home." He says, and even though it's tragic, I can't help but laugh.

"You starved your fish to death and then kept his tank as a memoir?"

"Hey! I am not proud of it, okay? And I'm planning to get Steve Junior," He says defensively, and my eyes go wide.

I dramatically shake my head.

"Please don't! You will kill him too. I can't be friends with a serial killer." I say, and he laughs.

I smile, returning to my exploration. My eyes land on a framed picture of a beautiful blonde on the shelf. I step closer so I can admire her. She has deep green eyes similar to Jade's, and something about her is very familiar.