She Rises

Chapter 18

Dedicating this chapter to @AshleyFulk. She actually gave me a little bit of an idea for this chapter! Thanks so much! Now, on to the chapter.

Jace P.O.V.

I woke up in the morning, remembering last night. I wish I knew what to do for her. "Jace, Jace, Jace!" my little sister yells, coming into my room. "Yes, baby girl?" I say, as she runs up onto my bed. "You have to go to school today, don't you?" she gives me a small pout. "Yes, but I will call Jodi and she will be here, because dad won't be here. He will be at work. As soon as school is done, I will come straight home. And if I'm lucky, I have someone I want you to meet." I tell her. "Really?" she squeals. "Yes baby. Now, go downstairs and I'll make you some breakfast before I leave." With that, she runs downstairs while I get dressed for school. As I go downstairs, Lily is sitting on a stool, in front of the island. "What do you want for breakfast?" I ask her. "Pancakes!" she says, with a big grin on her face. So, I make her some pancakes, and as we're eating, Jodi walks in. "Hey y'all!" she greets us with a smile. "Hey Jodi, you won't have to stay too long tonight, I'm coming home right after school." "Ok, just let me know! You have a good day at school!" she yells, while helping Lily clean up her mess. "Bye, I will see you all after school today!" I give them a wave and head to my bike.

As I arrive at school, I head straight to Haseya's locker. Ashlyn is next to her, talking. I can't help myself. I go up behind her and put my hands over her eyes. "Guess who?" I ask her. "Let me think, is it lover boy?" she starts laughing. Ashlyn gives me a huge grin. "Well, I think I'm going to go, I will see you guys at lunch!" I turn her around, and pull her close to me. "I want you to come and meet my sister after school." I tell her. "Really?" she asks me. Her eyes light up. "Yes, please?" I give her my charming smile. "Ok, I'll have to go home first. I'll text you when I'm on my way!" she says, giving me a hug. "I'll see you in class!" she waves, walking off. I head to my locker, get my stuff, and head to class. Lunch time rolls around and I go and sit with the guys. I can't keep my eyes off her. "Jace, Jace!" I hear Andrew yell. "What?" I say. All the guys look at me. "You have been staring at her for a while now." Carlos says. "Why don't you just ask her out?" Ryder says. "I don't know how to. I'm not one for relationships, but I can't help it with her." I tell them. I watch her, laughing with her friends. Seeing her smile, especially after last night, it's a beautiful sight to see. The bell rings and the rest of the day goes by fairly fast. I go find Haseya. "Hey, text me when you're about to leave." "I will," she says. With that, I head off home.

As I get home, I hear some yelling. Oh God! This can't be happening. I walk in and I see Jodi running up the stairs with Lily. My dad is home, drunk, with a bottle in his hand. "You know, she looks just like your mom. Such a reminder of what she did." He says to me. "What the hell are you doing?" I ask him. "Well, what can I say, I had to take my anger out on someone, and you weren't here. And like I said, she looks so much like Natalie, I just can't help myself." He gives me a smirk, evil written all over it. "What did you do?" I yell at him. If he touched Lily in any way, I swear to God I'm going to kill him. "Oh, I haven't done anything. Yet, that is." He says. With that, he walks off to his den, probably to drink away the night. I can't believe it. I'm just reminded of that night, the night my mother left, and the way he reacted when he woke up.

*Flashback*

I woke up to my dad yelling through the house. "Where is she? Where the fuck did they go?" "Where did who go?" I ask, though I know who he was talking about. "Your mother! She is gone, and I think she took Brandon with her. That fucking bitch! She thinks that she can just walk out like that? Ha, like she will survive without me. She has no way to support that boy. I wonder why she left you two here. Ha, I bet she didn't want you guys," he says. My anger is boiling. "Jace, what's going on?" Lily comes walking down the stairs, her teddy bear in her arms, rubbing her eyes. "Nothing Lily, just go back upstairs and wait for me. Ok?" I tell her. "Oh, no, no, no. Lily, come here, my dear daughter." She starts to walk towards him. I grab her. "Lily, please listen to me. Dad isn't like he used to be. He's not in his right mind. I need you to trust me on this one. Please? I can't have anything happen to you." I plead with her. "Ok, Jace." She tells me, heading back upstairs. "Now why the fuck did you do that? All I wanted was to see my daughter." He glares at me. "I don't trust you around her." I tell him. Holding my ground. He starts to head towards me. "You're going to pay for that smart mouth of yours. I know you know where they went. You better tell me right now." No." I tell him. "Boy, you don't know what you're doing." Coming closer. As soon as he tries to swing at me, I block it. Not wanting to punch him, I had to, anyway. He fell to the floor, passed out. That's when I decided I needed to hire a babysitter. I can't be with Lily all the time. I needed someone there with her, when I can't. I run upstairs to check on Lily. "Baby, since I can't be here all the time, and daddy is not acting like himself, I'm going to hire a babysitter to watch you; even if daddy is here. Ok?" I hug her, like it's the last time I'm going to see her. Tears gather in my eyes, as she hugs me back. I can't lose her." "Ok Jace, just make sure she's nice." She says to me. "I promise baby girl. I'll hire the nicest one they have." Hugging her tighter than I have ever before. "Jace, where's mommy and Brandon?" she asks me. Fuck! I didn't want to answer that yet. What am I supposed to say? "They went on a trip for a while. I'll tell you more about it later, ok? I'm going to have someone come over, then I will leave for school." I tell her. I see tears in her eyes, and I'm about to start crying again. "I love you, Jace." She pecks me on the cheek and goes back into her room. This is going to be harder than I thought."