White Rabbit

Chapter 64: Of Flames and Love

JACE

I sigh as I breathe out and stare at the sky on the way back to my home to collect my things the next morning. Now that it's finally over, well, the main struggle is finally over, I'm going to live with Clattonia and the others in the hideout. My eyebrows raise slightly in surprise whenever I look back down to find Misa sitting on my porch steps as I approach my house.

"I figured you'd come by sooner or later," Misa says, smiling painfully, "I just didn't know when."

"Misa," I breathe out, my steps slowing down now, "how long have you been waiting here?"

"A while," Misa shrugs, breathing out and adjusting her designer scarf that rests against her white tanktop and compliments her jean shorts and sneakers while her black hair is actually down for once, flowing passed her shoulders, "it doesn't really matter. I just wanted to talk to you."

Her blue eyes meet mine and she stands up from the stairs, stepping off to the side as I approach and walk up the stairs, pausing for a moment to look at her before reaching for my door.

"Well, are you coming in?" I ask, raising a brow.

"Yeah," Misa nods, "I'd like to."

I gently push the door open, stepping inside with Misa following behind me.

"I'm sure you have a lot to say," I start, taking off my shoes and walking towards the kitchen to grab each of us a drink as Misa slips off her shoes.

"You really meant it when you said I'd find out what you were up to, huh?" Misa muses as I walk back over to her and hand her a glass bottle of Coke, "it was pretty hard to miss."

"Yeah, well," I smile at her weakly, "I did say that you'd find out."

"You know that I'm not mad at you, right?" Misa asks as I open my bottle of Coke and take a drink before walking towards my room with my bottle in my hand.

"I know that," I say as I enter my room and place my bottle down on my nightstand, "I just hoped that you wouldn't despise me or be disappointed in me."

"I could never hate you, Jace," Misa sighs as she follows me into my room, "I could never be disappointed in you either. You're like my little brother. Besides, didn't I always tell you to follow your heart? As long as you believe in what you're doing and that it's truly the right thing to do, then I could never be disappointed in you. And it seems to me like you did just that."

"I'm glad you understand," I glance over my shoulder at her to give her a small smile as I gather my clothes from my room, "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Probably be lost," Misa chuckles, "do you need any help? I can go grab some bags from your kitchen to put your stuff in."

"That's okay," I wave a hand, "I can do it later."

"If you say so," Misa says as she sits on my bed and swings her legs back and forth a few times before taking a sip of her drink, "so, where are you going to live now that all this happened? The place where I dropped Larissa off earlier?"

"Yeah," I nod, "you can come visit any time you want, you know."

"I don't know if I'd be exactly welcome there, Jace," Misa laughs nervously.

"They're really great people," I start, "all of them are. Some of them probably would be skeptical and wouldn't warm up to you for a while, but they wouldn't hurt you."

"I know they wouldn't hurt me," Misa explains, "I just feel like I wouldn't feel welcomed there. But, if I get to see you, then I suppose I could visit a few times. After all, it would be worth it. And who knows, maybe I'll become friends with some of them."