Jace

{37}

"You called security on me?!" I yelled at Louis in the car.

"When I came back you were gone and the car was missing! I know how strongly you feel about the whole thing and had to make sure you wouldn't do anything stupid! I made the right choice obviously. You would've murdered him."

"I should've!"

Louis punched me square in the cheek and my face bashed into the leather seat with the blow. "Knock it off already Liam!"

"Boys!!" Paul shouted at us as he drove.

"Li you act like you're the only one who was ever with her! She pieced back together my relationship!! I owe her everything! When we had that movie party in her hotel room, Harry woke her up early and they went on a run where they got mobbed by fans and he says that it was one of the most fun times of his life because she was there. Jace taught Katherine tumbling tricks apparently, Niall said she set him up with one of her friends and even though it didn't work out, it was the best date he'd ever been on. Zayn- well goddamn they nearly took swimming lessons together! Everybody fucking wants her back," he separated his syllables to make more of a point. "The sooner you get that through your head, the sooner we can all work together to find her."

"Liam he's right," Preston said softly. "I miss her too. I tried to pretend like I didn't like her but somewhere in those twenty minutes where she clung to me I actually grew to really like her and it's hard without someone to come tell me a knock knock joke right before she goes on stage."

Louis smirked."Harry can do that-"

"Harry's jokes suck. Jacelyn's were actually funny...sometimes."

I couldn't help but laugh. My cheek still stung, but Louis's words stung more. And the fact that he was right felt like a thousand bees stinging me at one time. I was being selfish, hoarding all the hurt to myself when the others are hurt nearly as bad as I am.

"I....I'm sorry," I took off my hat and ran a hand through my hair. "I've never felt this way about a girl before."

My phone vibrated with an email and I instinctively opened it, assuming it to be something from home or a change in the tour schedule. But instead I found a short sentence from RockNRollTumbling@gmail.com.

I'm sorry. I love you.

~ Jace

"PRESTON TURN THE DAMN CAR AROUND WE'RE GOING TO ROCK N ROLL TUMBLING."

Startled by my sudden change of voice, the tires squealed as he quickly and sharply made a u-turn.

"What the hell Liam we just went over this!" Louis shouted. I showed him the email.

"No no no look! She's there!! She's there!!"

*

"She's not here."

I could see the kids training through the viewing window and some of the parents looked over at me funny.

"Sean c'mon! Please! She'd need a job a-and I just got an email from her!" I showed him.

He squinted his eyes and then leaned back, shaking his head. "Sorry Liam. She did come by. But she said hello, spotted some of our girls on back tucks, used the computer, and left. You missed her by about ten minutes."

"God dammit!" I slammed my hand down on the table and turned away in frustration, taking a deep breath. "Sean you're her brother, you've gotta know where she's staying. Will you please just help me out? I can pay you back! What do you need? Advertising? We can say something in the concerts. Is it money? Do you need money? Name your price-"

"I'm sorry man! I can't say!"

"Sean-"

"I can't say!!"

I bit the inside of my lip as I became increasingly frustrated. "I'm going to ask you again," my voice was low as I struggled not to scream.

Sean's face grew hard and he picked up the phone. "I'll call the cops right now if you don't get off this property."

"Cops are already here!" Parker said cheerily as he entered the building and walked over to the front desk, his hands resting on his belt and a smile on his face.

I bombarded him as soon as he approached, hoping to startle an answer out of him. "Parker do you know where Jace is?"

"Well yeah," he scratched his head. "Isn't she-"

"Parker shut up!" Sean reached over the counter and thumped him on the head. "Remember what Aaron told us?"

He bit his lip, looking between his brother and I. "Yeah but...he deserves to know..."

"Parker I swear."

"I can't just not tell him!"

"You can and you will! Now while you're here will you please escort them out?" Sean pinched the bridge if his nose, looking stressed and antsy.

Paul placed a hand on my shoulder. "That won't be necessary, we'll go. Thank you Mr. Rock."

We left after that, myself looking back at Parker to see him staring at me with a guilty expression.