The Hopeless Romantic ✔️

Chapter seventeen.

"Excuse me?" I looked at him like he was crazy. "I'm yours, what does that even mean?" I felt a rush of nerves swarm through me. I knew exactly what he meant but, how could I be his? We're not dating, just friends. As far as I was concerned, I could talk to anybody I liked and that wasn't many people.

"It means that nobody else can have you except for me." He said over the music. I only ever heard that in movies or in books but to hear it in person stunned me.

I ran my hands through my hair, confused. "But, why? We're not exactly dating. I can't be yours, that would require a lot of things that I am definitely not ready for."

"I know," he said, "I'm giving you time, but you're still mine."

I didn't know what to say. How do you even respond to that? Yes, Jace, I won't talk to any other guy apart from you because I'm yours. No, that was stupid. I did feel a little bit excited that Jace actually called me his. I didn't think he was into me like that, I really thought he only wanted to be friends.

Before I got the chance to speak, a bunch of people came rushing outside. "Jace!" Seth shouted, drunk out of his mind. "Let's play spin the bottle!"

I could tell Jace wanted to stay and talk more because I was honestly confused and I wanted to know more as well. Did he really like me? After all this time, he liked me? That couldn't be possible. I was a nobody and he was clearly a somebody. His friends dragged him off and he looked into my eyes as Seth was giving Jace a high five for something, Jace returned it and went with his friends.

I needed to breathe. It felt like I was holding my breath for a really long time and I finally let it out. I was shaking, I was seeing my future right in front of me and my stomach was going crazy because a zoo was roaring inside. I needed to find Gwen but, I couldn't seem to move. I held my empty cup in my hand as I watched Jace and his friends play spin the bottle. I couldn't watch him kiss somebody else after what just happened so I finally went inside. I didn't know anybody and I felt a sense of relief when I spotted Gwen dancing on the living room table with her drink splashing all around her.

She spotted me and stumbled down from the table. "Avery!" She cheered. "You actually came to a real life party!"

I knew she wasn't completely drunk and I knew she would understand exactly what I was about to tell her. "I need to talk to you." I said as I grabbed her hand and we went out the front door.

"Please tell me you don't want to go home, it's only eleven." Gwen groaned as she threw her empty cup onto the grass.

"No, I don't," I told her, "it's about Jace."

Her face lit up and she grinned. "You're in love!" She shouted.

I quickly covered my hand over her mouth to shut her up. "No!" I growled. "It's something he said."

"What did he say?" She sounded normal as I took my hand away, like she hadn't been drinking at all.

I sighed and looked around, making sure Jace or any of his friends weren't in sight. "He told me that I couldn't talk to Alex because I was his."

She frowned. "Who the heck is Alex?" She asked. "Damn, Avery. You're getting around."

I shook my head. "He's in my math class but that doesn't matter. Jace told me that I was his, Gwen. Do you know what that means?"

"That he wants to be with you?" She guessed.

I nodded. "Yes! I think. Oh, God. I don't know."

"This is so great! We could go on double dates, go to even more parties, just the four of us!" By this point, I was confused by what she was on about.