The Hopeless Romantic ✔️

Chapter eighteen.

It felt like the kiss was lasting forever when it was only a moment. One moment of pure bliss and it was magical. Jace let go, but I wanted more. I opened my eyes and our eyes locked instantly. It was a peaceful silence that surrounded his bedroom with the music booming in the background. I didn't know what to say and I didn't know what else to do, all I kept picturing was his lips touching mine again.

"Wow." I finally said, realising that it wasn't that hard keeping eye contact with him.

Jace was about to say something when his bedroom door slammed open and Seth was standing in the doorway. He looked worried, but when he saw Jace and I, he also looked pleased. "Dude, the cops are here."

Jace's eyes widened and mine did too. I've never been in trouble with the police before, what if they arrested everyone here? Jace quickly shot up and turned to me. "We'll talk later, okay?" I nodded as he raced out of the room with Seth.

The music stopped and everyone moaned. I went out of his bedroom and closed the door, I saw red and blue flashing lights outside and everyone leaving the party. It was one in the morning, I couldn't blame one of the neighbours for calling the cops. I quickly left and followed the rest of the crowd, searching for Gwen.

I could see Jace talking to one of the police officers as I slipped out. I knew Gwen would come to my house so I left. Jace said he would talk to me later, thinking about that made me nervous but excited. I crossed the road and quietly unlocked my door and walked inside. It was quiet but, the kitchen light was on. I closed the door and got a fright when I saw my mom's shadow in the kitchen.

"Mom, you scared me." I said as I slipped my shoes off and left them by the front door. She didn't say anything, she looked down at a bunch of papers and I was wondering if she was mad at me for coming home this late. "I'm sorry I'm home late, but the party was actually fun until the cops came. Please don't be mad."

Mom looked up at me, looking tired and drained. "I'm not mad at you, Avery." She said blankly.

I was surprised. "Okay, what's wrong?" I walked up to the kitchen counter and sat next to her, looking at a bunch of papers I didn't understand.

"We're having a bit of a financial crisis," she told me, "the rent is going up and it's hard to pay it every week when I only get paid fortnightly."

I groaned. This always happened. Why were things becoming more expensive? We had to live too. "How much is the rent going up?"

She sighed. "One hundred dollars."

I froze. "Well, what are we going to do?"

She looked at me, like she didn't want to say it. "We might have to move, find someplace cheaper."

My whole world stopped in that moment. I didn't want to move, Jace was right across the street from us and we just shared the most incredible kiss I had ever experienced. I liked this neighbourhood, it was quiet and I could bus every day to school with Gwen and Jace. "There has to be something we can do, mom."

She shook her head, yawning. "There isn't, I'm sorry." She kissed me on the cheek, took all of the papers with numbers and figures on it and retreated to her bedroom.

I sat in the kitchen, still in my party outfit and I remembered the kiss that would forever linger on my lips.

*

I didn't get much sleep last night. The fact that we could be moving out scared me. I was finally happy and my mom was too, until we could no longer afford anything. Gwen didn't even crash on my couch last night, I waited until three in the morning but she never showed. I heard a knock at the door which made me leave my room and enter the living room. Mom was out, sorting a few things. I hoped she could find a solution to this.