badnews { jace norman }

thirty-one

My foot leans on the cement as I stand behind the opened car door. I watch Jace run up to the complicated mess of cop cars.

Several cops leaning aginst their car reach for their guns. Eyes dead set on Jace.

He notices, backing up slightly, "My moms in there" He speaks "Whats going on?"

"You're the son of Vanessa Norman?" A voice is heard, hard to tell which similar staring face it came from.

Jace nods.

"We're placing your mother under arrest."

He stares at the opened house door, loosening the tension within his body.
"Under what charges?"

"Disorderly Conduct. Unruly drinking last night"

"Thats a minor conviction! You're just arresting her to arrest her."

"We had an anonymous tip last night. She was disturbing the public"

"Thats bullsh-" He stops, I follow his eye sight to his mom, squirming and carrying on as she's brought across the yard in hand cuffs.

I close the car door behind me and walk up behind him. He reaches out to touch his mom but I stop him, shaking my head.
A "Dont" rolling off my lips.

They shut the door behind her, the arresting cop walking up to Jace.

I hang onto his gripped hand, warm and tense, he stands eyelevel with the slender man.

"We'll have your mom give us your information. We'll call you when we have everything settled. As of right now, she'll be held twenty four hours at the station. You'll get a chance to see her before her hearing"

Jace doesn't say anything, barely acknowledging the man there.

"Thank you, officer" I force a grin at him, he nods his head once as he leaves.

Just like that, they back out around Jaces car, and are gone. Leaving it empty. And silent.

He rips away from my grip, walking into the house without a word. I follow. 

I shut the front door and watch him, he stands there, unsure what to do with himself.

I comfortingly wrap my arms around him, breathing in the room full of anger as I stand on my toes.

He hugs me back so tightly, afraid to let go of what little he had left. It was one thing after another with him and he hadnt broken down yet.

"Its okay to cry, you know?"

"I know" His voice leaks out into a whisper.

His body feels weak, as if it could crumble at any second and leave me with nothing. So I hold on tighter, hoping that this wouldnt effect him too much.

"Everything is going to be fine with your mom. It'll get figured out."

"Just don't leave me. Please. You're the only thing that's left for me to love."

"Im not going anywhere okay?" I pull away from him. "I'll figure something out, try and stay with you for a while until your moms back"

"Theyre going to make me live with my dad, Margo"

"They can't do that, he doesn't have custody"

"I'm a minor, and I have no other family."

"But he abused you. Look, im sure your mom will be home in a couple days. It's going to be fine."

He runs his hands through his hair, frustrated at the thought spinning through his mind.

"Theyre going to charge her for a class A misdemeanor. It could be up to a year in jail time. Not to mention the $2000 fine. Which I'll have to shell out money for"

"Your mom will cover that"

"How Margo? We're broke. We can barely afford this shithole." He breaks off a piece of wood on the stairs, showing me, and tossing it over the railing.

"Well... I can help you out? I've been working quite a bit-"

"Im not a charity. I don't need your help"

"I didnt mean it like that-"

"I know you didnt" He sighs, dropping himself on the stairs step.

"Im gonna call Brit. Tell her I'm not going to make it. I'll meet you in your room"

I walk off before he answers. My phone attached to my ear. It rings twice, when I then get to explain that I am, yet again, ditching our plans. Her disappointed tone rang through my ears, and I hang up at the feel of guilt.

I pull my feet up each step as I look around the open stair case. Their house was small, a little run down, but neat, and warm. It hadn't even crossed my mind that they weren't able to pay their bills without working multiple jobs. But the story framed the sleepless look that was always plastered on Jaces face.

I sit myself on the edge of his bed. His bedroom air circulating by the ceiling fan.

The room is empty, but light shines through the room from under the closet door.

So I wait patiently. Nervous of what to say, do I ask him to stay with me? He won't. Do I ask to stay with him? He wouldn't say no, but my parents would. Or maybe now that everythings shitty, itd be a good chance to add what I've been meaning to talk to him about for a month now, knowing that if I save it, it will just ruin a good moment.

So when he comes out, khakis replaced with basketball shorts, I sit silently, not uttering a word, because none of the other options seemed good.

He lays on the other side of the bed, the blankets consuming him as they bunch over his body. His back is turned towards me.

"Youre just gonna mope all day?"

"Mope with me. Or not, I'm not moving either way."

I hesitate, grinning at his words. My fingers pull back the covers, I lay down, staring at the ceiling. How did our life positions chance so dramatically from the first time we laid eyes on each other.

His arm reaches behind him. Landing on my stomach first, searching his way to my hand. He finds it, pulling it around him to his chest.

I move closer so that it's comfortable as he puts his hand in mine.

The rooms silent with our breathing, the air under the blankets collect more heat around us by the minute.

This was how I wanted to spend every minute, of every hour, of every day, for the rest of my life. Staring at the painted wall.

And being loved.