First

Chapter 22

The weekend came and went with me still hiding in my room. Daddy and I barely spoke; I avoided him at all costs. I felt like I was suffocating because even though I was avoiding everyone, they were all watching me. By the time Monday morning rolled around, I was glad to have the excuse of school as a reason to leave the house. It also meant that I would be able to see Jace for the first time since the blow up and I needed to see him now more than ever.

"Straight to school and directly home, no exceptions, Kadence," Daddy said as he stood in the kitchen that morning sipping his coffee. "Is that understood?"

I nodded silently and collected by backpack.

"I said is that understood?" he repeated.

"Yes," I snapped, my blood boiling over at being treated like a prisoner.

"Good, Levi will drop you off and pick you up," he stated.

I was outraged. "Now you're going to have Levi babysit me?" I cried. He had mentioned this the other day but I hadn't thought he was serious.

My father turned and held me with disapproving eyes. "Yes, because apparently I can't trust you to follow my rules as you have proved with your recent behaviour," he snapped, making me flinch when I shouldn't have. I had never directly been warned off Jace and to me that was vital. Apparently I had been expected to figure that out all on my own.

Levi walked into the kitchen, backpack slung over his shoulder. "Ready to go?" he asked, refusing to look me in the eye.

"Whatever," I murmured, pushing past him to the door. As I slammed the front door I heard my dad tell Levi to keep an eye on me. I wanted to scream in frustration. I'd hid my relationship from my father not committed murder, so why was I being treated like I had? I knew my attitude wasn't helping my getting off early for good behaviour but this while situation had been blown out of proportion.

I waited for Levi by his truck, my arms crossed in annoyance and a few minutes later he appeared and unlocked the doors. I hopped in without a word and we were silent for the entire ride; both of us stewing in our own anger. When we approached the school, Levi finally said, "Stay away from him." I snorted. "I'm serious, Kadence," and by the tone of his voice I knew he was but did he honestly think I would stay away from Jace all day? Had he not seen us together? Our school wasn't that big, I couldn't avoid Jace forever, not that I wanted to.

I sighed. "Whether you and Dad like it or not, Jace and I are going to be together. You'll have no say in the matter," I stated before turning back to the window. The snow was coming down harder than it had been a few moments ago and the world was quickly becoming coated in white. And it was cold enough now that it wouldn't melt; it looked like we were going to have a white Christmas after all.

We pulled into the parking lot and only one person was standing outside, everyone else taking refuge from the cold. I smiled when I saw that Jace was standing on the sidewalk waiting for me. The snow was falling down around him, starting to dot his jacket and beanie. Standing alone the way he was, he looked like an angel. My angel.

Levi glared at Jace as he pulled into an empty stall. Spotting us, Jace instantly headed in our direction, a determined look on his face. "What is he doing here?" Levi spat.

I turned in my seat and gave him a withering look as I unbuckled my seatbelt. "Um... he goes to school here." Grabbing my backpack from the backseat I opened the door only to have Levi grab my arm to stop me. By now, Jace had reached us and seeing Levi's hand on my arm, Jace stopped and glared at him; no doubt trying to warn Levi off.

"Problem?" Jace asked, cocking his head. His face was polite but underneath I detected an edge, a hardness. You didn't want to mess with Jace, not today.

Levi blatantly ignored him and looked straight at me, thankfully releasing my arm; it had started to ache. "Just remember what I said."

I hopped to the curb with the help of Jace and slammed the door on Levi. We both watched as he sped out of the parking lot, briefly losing control and then gaining it back. Jace wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me into his side; I was already exhausted and the day had just begun. "Come on, let's get you inside."

The warm air hit my face as soon as the doors opened and I shivered in pleasure. We stopped at my locker first and as I unpacked my things, I was oblivious to the people crowding the halls around me, lost in my own thoughts.

"Kadence?" I turned to Jace and the look on his face told me that I had missed something. He cocked his head and gave me a sympathetic smile. "You didn't hear a word I said, did you?" he asked, running his hands over my arm.

I shook my head. "No, sorry; it's been a long morning," I admitted. Jace gave my waist a gentle squeeze and brushed a stray lock of hair out of my face. "What did you say?"

Jace sighed and moved in closer, caging me in against my locker. "I asked what Levi meant." When he saw my confusion he clarified, "When he told you to remember what he said?"

Oh, that. "Reminding me to stay away from you."

Jace smiled. "Well they can't do anything about that here." He pulled me closer still and pressed a tender kiss to my lips. "It'll be okay," he assured me, deepening the kiss and wrapping us up in our own little bubble like only he could do.

"Awe,look at the two love birds." And just like that our moment was ruined.