First

Chapter 5

Over the next few weeks, Jace and I established a routine. Every day that he had to work, Jace would come over early before his shift and we'd do our homework together. We'd help each other if one of us was stuck or had a huge project due the next day.

And the more time we spent together, the more I got to know him as a person.

I learned that Jace loved sports, and I mean loved sports. He played anything he could weasel his way into. I laughed, listening to him tell me stories of his sport fails. When he told me about his unsuccessful attempt at bowling, I almost fell off my stool in laughter. I offered to teach him and he said he'd love that. It made me smile.

Jace was an only child but not for long as his mom was pregnant with twins. His life was about to change in a big way. We talked a lot about his upcoming siblings and he told me how nervous he was. Yes, Jace was excited to be a big brother but at the same time he was scared that his relationship with his parents would deteriorate.

I could empathize with him because I had been worried that my parents would forget about me once Reagan was born. I'm sure it was something every older sibling went through at one point or another.

Jace told me so much that I felt I knew him better and on a deeper level than anyone else. It was as if when we did our homework together we were in our own little world. School... his job; it all didn't seem real or to matter. It made me forget that at school Jason ignored me.

But with each day that we spent together, it became increasingly clear that I was almost like his dirty little secret.

We'd been spending nearly every day after school together doing homework or simply talking. I could tell that Levi and Daddy weren't happy about it—both of them would make little comments here and there.

I was starting to realize they were right with each day at school that went by. Jace and I passed one another in the halls all the time but nothing was ever said. And I was fully aware that I could have approached him but I didn't want to make things awkward between us. I didn't want to see his reaction and watch all my fantasies crumble before my eyes. I didn't think I would be able to survive that.

So Iwas going to take whatever Jace decided to give me; that's how pathetic I was.I was that greedy for his attention. He made me feel special! And he was thefirst boy to do that.