Intimate

Part 2

"What was that about?" Marissa asked, running to catch up to me, well more like shuffled, Marissa doesn’t run. "Slow down Riles, I can’t keep up!" She complained, out of breath while I strutted to my next class.

"What was what about?" I shorten my stride so the black haired girl could walk beside me. I peered over to examine Marissa's outfit, which consisted of a white tank and a teal cardigan and light jeans. She was all about fashion; she was the one to go to if there was ever a fashion emergency. She wore a bit too much makeup, considering she was even more gorgeous without. She had many guys chase after her, but she always rambled whenever the guy she liked talked to her. 

"Jace! I saw you guys in the hallway! How did you not faint? He was so incredibly close to you!" Marissa drooled, "What does he smell like!?" 

"Marissa you're crazy. He was just talking about English, where I have to go right now."

"Riley you are hiding something" Marissa called out behind me as I sped to class. The less Marissa knew the better. 

I slipped inside the English room at the very same time the bell rang. I was the first one in the classroom and pulled out my books and got a head start on the reading. The room quickly started to fill up and the noise level rose. My book suddenly got slammed out of my hands and on to my desk; I shot my head up and froze. Jace stared hard at me; his thin lips drew a thin line. 

"Riley." He simply stated, releasing his hand from my book and walked towards his desk. I sat there in shock trying so slow my heart rate back down, Jace Winter knew my name. 

I rushed out of the class as fast as I could once the bell screamed, escaping Jace's territory. I praised that it was the end of the day so I could go home. I met Kat in the hallway; she already pulled her hair back for her basketball practice. 

"Good luck kiddo!" I encouraged, giggling at her reaction to 'kiddo'. 

"Thanks babe! Try not to get in too much trouble with Jace!" She winked as we broke apart; she headed into the gym while I stayed straight towards the main doors. The cold wind caught me off guard as I opened the doors; the blowing wind flew my hair back. I quickly gathered it up in my hands and pulled it into a pony tail so it could stay out of the way on my walk home. 

Autumn in Branford has always been bipolar, one day it'll be short weather, and then minus thirteen the next. I struggled to zip up my jacket in the harsh wind; i shivered as I exited the schools parking lot. It was deep into autumn, so the trees were starting to become the ugly, naked stage. The bare trees represented Branford perfectly; this whole town had no beauty what so ever. It was a scary town, robberies happened every night, and Jace was usually part of them. I shook the thought of Jace away from my mind and continued my silent walk. 

I slipped inside my house quietly, not wanting to let my mother know I was home. My mother and I haven’t had a really good history, and now I cannot stand that woman. Ever since April 20th of last year I never said a word to her, and it was for the better. Whenever I'd say anything it'd be the start of a fight, and we both just got tired of it. I tip toed up stairs and opened my sister Sam's door, she sat on her bed on video chat to one of her friends when I interrupted her. 

"Sam? Do you have my ear phones?" I asked kindly, not wanting to cause any chaos. 

"I'm using them Ri." She snapped. She dangled the wire in front of her face. 

"Oh, sorry." I apologized leaving the room. 

"It’s amazing actually, she's such a push over I can honestly do anything!" I heard my fourteen year old sister cheer to her friend through the door. I pressed my teeth onto my tongue biting back my words. 

Sam was the complete opposite of me, even her looks. Her hair was light blonde and she had bright blue eyes while I was stuck with boring brown hair and brown eyes. She was a social butterfly, any drama that has happened in her middle school, she was the first to know. She's been to more parties and drank more alcohol than I ever had, and she was only in grade eight while I was in eleven. All the boys, even some my age are in love with her, she had my mother’s looks and was incredibly gorgeous. I wouldn't insist that I'm ugly; i mean I'm not too hard on the eyes with clear skin, but nothing too extravagant. I sighed and headed back to my room, pulling out my phone where a text message popped up:

Katttt :* : practice is over at five tonight, thinking of pizza! Call M up and invite her also! :*

I tapped my thumbs over the touch screen of my IPhone and replied with a positive answer. I gravitated my thumbs over to Marissa’s contact and texted her details. I glanced over to the clock which read 4:35; I quickly approached the mirror where my reflection welcomed me. I pulled my hair from the pony tail and ran my fingers through my wind knotted hair. I looked disappointedly at my reflection, why was I stuck with myself? Why am I the one who is left with an average face and body? Why me? I felt tears rise in my dark brownish reddish eyes and immediately began to discipline myself. There’s not reason to hate yourself, you're stuck with you for your life. 

I heated my hair with a curler for a few quick seconds creating loose waves. I applied some extra mascara to my eyelids and popped into Sam's room, "going for pizza! Let mum know if she's wondering!" Not like she would wonder, I could run away and she wouldn’t notice. 

"Kay!" Sam exclaimed, checking her body out in her full body length mirror. "You like?" She turned her body to face me, a sparkly dress stuck to her skin showing off her slight curves and way too much cleavage. 

"Pull it up." I noted, "where are you going!?" Sam rolled her eyes and lifted the V neck of her dress a tad bit. 

"A party!" She sung, stripping off her dress and switched back to her sweats, "its later tonight, don’t wanna wear it out!" 

"A party!? Sam you're fourteen." 

"Yeah, but a fourteen year old who has more of a social life than you ever will." I couldn’t help but agree to the comment, she was right, but I hated people and would rather not be stuck in a house full of sweaty and drunk bodies. "I'll let mom know." She repeated, signally the conversation was now over. 

"Just be careful." I said before i closed the door behind me as I left. At five o'clock sharp, Marissa arrived in my driveway in her white Mercedes to pick me up. 

"Sorry I’m late!!!" Kat cried running in the pizza parlor at 5:45 instead of 5:30. She sat next to Marissa across the table from me and indulged a piece of pepperoni pizza. 

"No worries Kat!" I assured her, raising my hand for a waiter to come to our booth. A middle aged woman with bleach blonde hair approached us, and asked Kat what she would prefer for a drink. Once the lady left Kat leaned into the table,

"Two words. Jace. Winter." I stared at her confused, urging her to go on. 

"Oh my god I know!!!" Marissa exclaimed, covering her hands over her mouth to prevent a screech. I sat silent, completely confused. 

"I can’t believe it...." Kat's mood dropped from 100-0 within seconds, "he seems decent at school..." 

"What!?" I question, pushing my hair away from my face. 

"I know right!? If you never knew his back story you'd never guess it!" 

"WHAT!?" I yell, irritated that i was blocked out of the conversation. 

"You didn’t hear..?" Kat's expression drew a blank as i shook my head, "The cops think he's the culprit of the multiple robberies in town." 

My heart sank. Why did i feel so shamed? I didn’t even like the kid so why did i care? I realized my mouth was hanging open and quickly shut it before I spoke, "for sure?" 

Marissa shook her head, "they can’t find him to question. He's gone off the map." 

"What do you mean? He's gone?" 

"Jace Winters is hiding."