It Rains on Weekends

Chapter 7 (somewhere in-between)

You are sweeter than any candy I could ever taste

Jace and me walked side by side, past buildings and over a small wooden bridge that Jace spit in, to get downtown. It's not like we held hands or anything, but when we passed people, they would eye us.Girls would look at Jace and giggle, their cheeks a soft crimson.Old couples would smile and whisper about how we are such a "lovely young couple."

I laughed underneath my breath, as a daring girl stopped us on the street, and asked outright for Jace's phone number, then asked if I was his girlfriend.He shook his head and walked off, me trailing after him.Ten minutes later, another girl was very straightforward and just asked him out right then and there.Jace shook his head, and said sorry, leaving her with tears in her eyes.Then came the last straw, and I couldn't hold in my laughter any longer, as a large group of girls circled us and asked us if we were going out.I cracked up as he grabbed my hand and pushed through the crowd.Maybe it was the look in Jace's eyes or the grimace on his lips, but nobody stopped him.He pulled me into an empty alleyway, where he stood against a wall and waited for me to stop laughing.When I was able to get my hands off of my knees and finally calmed down, Jace just stood there, his eyebrows knitted together.

"What?' I said, brushing tears from my eyes.

"What's so funny?"

I thought about the don't-answer-a-question-with-a-question thing, but I decided against using it.

"It's just that there are all of these girls asking you out, pretty ones too, and people keep thinking that we're going out when in reality.."I laughed a little before continuing. "You're gay as hell."

His cheeks turned a very ,very light shade of pale pink.He folded his elbows over his chest self consciously, "I am not totally gay."

"Then what are you?'

"Bi."

I eyed him apprehendingly. "Bullshit.And you've only dated guys?Weirdo."

He bit his lip."I'ts just..People are just.. always making stupid assumptions."

"Wait.." I stood up to my full height and rested on the wall next to him."Am I one of those people?"

His eyes widened. "No! Of course not!" He looked down at his shoes. "What I mean is..that all of these people expect me to be a picture of perfection, something they want me to be.. but I'm just, not..Y'know?"

"Cause you're gay?"

He looked over at me. "I told you.I'm not all gay."

"Oh?" I put my hands on my hips."Then how come you didn't say yes to those girls?" I made a wide arc in the air with my arms."They were hot! I mean.. some of them are a bit questionable, but most of them had big boobs AND butts!What's not to like?"

He laughed. "And you called me gay.You sound more in denial than I do."

"Hey!I'm not in denial and neither are you! You're totally sure of your anus and its issues and I am too!I m happily straight," I rested my hand over my hearts as I proclaimed "Thank you very much!"

Then and there we both started laughing, and the matter was immediately dropped, forgotten.For several long seconds we just stood there, laughing, and I forgot what had just happened yesterday.

Your mother's dead.

I suddenly remember this, and my laughter died down, the force of the issue dropping a lead weight into my stomach, it felt like hundreds of sucker punches.I was quiet for about 8 seconds, until Jace registered the look on my face.He shook his head, and grabbed onto my hand.He pulled me deeper into the alleyway.

"C'mon." He said, starting to skip." Let's go get some candy."

I grasped onto his hand and smiled.

"Why are we going down the alley then?" I started to skip too.

"Oh, believe me we are not going back down the street again.I will have an asthma attack if I get hit on one more time."

"What if its a guy?" I joked.

"Hmm.." He said to humor me. "Maybe I'll consider it.It won't be so bad...Still, this way is faster so, let's go this way." He frowned at my worried expresssion."Don't worry, I'll protect you from any rapacious street thugs or druggies.Anyone who tries to hurt you-" He shadowboxed at the air."Will catch these hands."

I laughed and continued following him.I trusted Jace with all of my heart.