First

Chapter 14

As soon as we walked through the front doors, I felt all eyes turn to us; I could hear the whispers and feel the stares. My anxiety instantly soared through the roof.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, I thought. My mind was spinning with the possibilities of what people were saying; none of it good no doubt. I knew by first period that news of the latest coupling would make its way around the school.

But it wasn't until I walked into the school and saw the looks and the whispers that it occurred to me that I needed to be scared to face Maddie.

I knew Jace's ex wouldn't be able to keep quiet as soon as she found out seeing as Jace was the one who dumped her. She and Jace had been really close but in the months leading up to summer, something had changed. Jace said it had something to do with her thinking he was keeping secrets and me. I wanted to know what she thought he was keeping and what he was actually keeping.

I knew that Jace would tell me when he was ready so I didn't push the subject. But toward the end of their relationship Jace had told me things about Maddie and what I had heard made me hate her even more.

In short, she'd been a complete bitch to him and treated him like he was nothing. She was always complaining about Jace and secrets whenever I heard her in the halls. I had a feeling there was more to that story but it wasn't my place to ask so I didn't pester Jace. In time he would tell me if he wanted to.

But after everything I heard and knew about Maddie, she scared me. I didn't know how she'd react once she found out.

Ever since Jace had first introduced me to Maddie she'd hated me and resented my relationship with Jason; Maddie had wanted him all to herself. So I'd backed off until they had broken up; I didn't want to make him have to choose her or me. Not that I expected him to ever pick me.

And yet in the end he had now that we were together. And Maddie was bound to be bitter about that. I guess I'd just have to suffer through her wrath.

Just like before, as if sensing my anxiety, Jace pulled me closer to his side and pressed a kiss to the side of my head. "Okay, spill. What's got you so worried, baby girl?"

I sighed; nothing got past Jace. He knew me better than I thought. I squeezed him a little tighter.

I was scared to tell him what I had been thinking about but I knew Jason well enough to know he was going to push and push until I told him. Especially because he could see that it was bothering me and because of everything that had already happened today.

Turning to him, I ducked out from under his arm as we reached my locker.

All I needed to say was one word and he understood. "Maddie," I said, looking over Jace's shoulder both to watch for Maddie and to avoid looking him in the eye.

Jace turned my face so that I was forced to look at him. "Don't worry about her, Kadence. She means nothing to me; I don't want her," he assured me.

Jace ghosted a kiss over my lips but no amount of comfort was going to ease my fears.

"I know that Jace. But Maddie hated me before we got together. How do you think she's going to react when she finds out we're dating? You're the one who broke up with her, remember?"

Jace sighed and spun open my locker. I started shoving books into my locker and grabbing my science books in the silence that followed.

"Listen," Jace said after a moment, "I'll take care of her, okay?"

I started to argue but the bell rang, cutting me off.

"Don't worry; she won't bother you. I'll see you at lunch." Jace pressed a quick kiss to my lips. "I love you," he called, walking backwards down the hall.

If we weren't the center of attention before, we definitely were now. Heads swiveled in our direction as he sprinted off to his locker. I silently cursed him for leaving me alone after basically announcing that to the entire hallway.

ButJace's reassuring words and confidence in no way calmed my racing heart. I hada feeling that Jace's idea of taking careof it would just make things a whole lot worse.