HERO SYNDROME

❝You're Home For Me❞

Jace and I didn't speak to each other as he drove me home. We didn't even turn on the radio. We just sat in silence with only the hum of passing traffic as our anchor to reality. I could feel his eyes glance at me every once in a while but I chose to ignore it.

I knew he was going to ask something before the ride was over. I was just waiting at this point. It was all I could do.

At the last red light before we turned onto my neighborhood, Jace finally broke the silence. "He likes you."

He didn't say it angrily, or jealousy. He said it matter of factly. Jace could off the bat read Colton and I wasn't surprised he did. Jace was intuitive like that.

"No." I said in a thick voice, trying not to let my voice crack. Jace looked ready to retort when I stopped him short. "He loved me...once. Not anymore of course."

Jace stared at me intently as if trying to solve a problem. Trying to unhinge my inner thoughts. "You don't sound surprised." he noted.

I stared at the traffic light and watched as it turned from red to green. "Go." I commanded softly. Jace turned away from me and stared at the light a second longer when a car behind us honked impatiently. He put the car in drive and parked it in front of my house five minutes later. He turned off the car and we sat there, not really sure what to do next. Jace just stared ahead, unable to look me in the eye.

I didn't feel anything, not even dread.

"Did you love him back?" he asked, his voice void of anything I could decipher.

I stared down at my hands and rubbed my thumb in small circles in my palms. "What does it matter?"

"So that's a yes." Jace sighed. "Is that why you and Stella are upset he's back? Did it cause a rift between you and Stella? Your relationship, I mean."

"She doesn't know, the only one who does is my mom and Dr.Reed...now I guess you do too." I said a little annoyed. "God, how did you even see that? You don't even know him." I grumbled. Jace let out a small chuckle and shook his head.

"I don't have to know him because I know you. I think I've become fluent in Phoenix." He said attempting to break the tension. But I could see the cracks in his mask. Jace was uncomfortable and to be honest, trying to make light of this made me uneasy as well.

"I don't love him Jace. I want you to know that." I said honestly. I don't know whether he believed me or not because I grabbed my stuff and left the car right after I said it, and Jace didn't run after me. Not like I expected him to.

__________

That night I laid in bed and stared at my ceiling. Mom was already asleep, she had a long day at work and opted for sleep instead of dinner. Max was exhausted from football practice but instead of coming home he took Stella out. He wanted to ease her mind so they went to go see a movie.

I didn't hear from Jace. Usually he would send me a text at night of something he found funny. Or if a movie was on TV that I liked, he'd text me so that we could watch it together via messenger.

Tonight however, my phone was as dead as the 27 Club. No texts, no calls, nothing.

I sighed loudly and turned over to finally sleep. I was halfway gone when I heard tapping. Covering my face with the covers I ignored it hoping it was all in my head. The tapping continued but still ignored it. As I always believed, when in danger just act asleep they'll eventually leave.

But then I heard him speak.

"Birdy!" He hissed tapping on my window. I quickly sat up and found Colton at my window. Stalking over to my window, I threw it open angrily.