The Hopeless Romantic ✔️

Chapter twenty seven.

I didn't really know how my day was going to start. I had my whole future planned out, but, it was all taken away with the click of Jace's fingers and with his actions. His actions caused my grief and my heartbreak. How could I believe that he loved me if he only wanted to protect his reputation? I couldn't believe in anything anymore. The only thing I believed was the shooting that he went through. I believed his emotions were real and I believed that he really meant it. But, did I trust him? No.

I stayed in my room the entire day, not wanting to emerge for the rest of my life, but, I had to face the world because school started soon. I wasn't going to let my heartbreak ruin my chances at going to a good college. I would meet someone new, I would move on.

Did I want to? Not yet.

The next day, I walked out of my bedroom. I had a headache from crying too much and I needed fresh air. I didn't want to go outside because there was a chance Jace would come out of his house and try to talk to me.

I saw my mom in the living room, it was her day off so I knew she'd be around, but honestly, I just wanted to be alone. "Hey, sweetie." She smiled at me acting like nothing was wrong.

"Hi." I said, walking into the kitchen to get a snack.

"Avery," mom got up from the couch, "please tell me what happened. I know it has something to do with Jace. I've spoken to Linda and she tells me that Jace hasn't been himself either."

I sighed, got out a packet of chips and began eating them. "Jace and I broke up." I told her and saying those words made me sad because I thought we had something special.

My mom looked shocked. "What happened, Avery? You know you can tell me anything."

I sat down on the stool and mom joined me. I tried not to cry, I ate my chips and looked down. I felt ashamed and embarrassed because I fell for it. "Jace was playing me this entire time. What we had was a lie, it was never real."

Mom looked concerned. "How did he play you?"

"He and his friends made a bet." I told her everything about how much Jace was getting for each task.

She gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. "And he was going to have sex with you for fifty bucks?"

"Yes," I whispered, "but you know me. I wouldn't have done it. Even if I was madly in love with him, even if he threatened to break up with me, I still wouldn't have done it."

Mom pulled me into a hug. "I know and I'm sorry for what happened. He made you so happy, I just can't see him doing that to you."

I shrugged, putting another chip into my mouth. "Well, he did. But, it's over now and I'm going to try and move on."

Mom rubbed my back, comforting me. "That's my girl," mom smiled, "but you shouldn't bottle it in. You should talk to someone about it. Gwen or another friend. It's a big deal, he broke your heart. Don't lock yourself away."

"I won't." I promised. Although, I wasn't sure I would keep that promise.

I was the type of person to not want to talk to anybody about my life. Jace was the only person who I really connected with and who wasn't Gwen. I trusted him, I believed he cared but I guess that was what I got for trusting someone who broke hearts more than he could fix cars.

*

I finally turned my phone back on. I still hadn't opened the messages Jace sent me the night of the party so I finally did.