Holding Back [COMPLETED]

Chapter 27 - "It's a bit of a cliché, right?"

A soft tap made Haley pause, her shirt halfway pulled onto her head. When the noise came again, she yanked her t-shirt down and stepped out of her closet. Her bed was still in a state of disarray and a stack of books had given way to gravity and toppled over. Another tap came and Haley moved to her balcony. Jace stood in his doorway, throwing M&Ms at the glass.

"What are you doing?" she asked, opening her door.

Jace looked surprised to see she was dressed.

"I thought you were still asleep and missed your alarm," he said. "I was waking you up."

"Oh," she said, startled with how much she appreciated his concern. "Thanks. Well, you can stop the M&M attack, I'm awake."

"Good," Jace said, pocketing the bag of candy, "want to go get a breakfast burrito with me?"

Haley frowned. "What? Why?"

"Cause it's morning and I'm hungry."

Haley opened her mouth but when no words came out she closed it.

"I'll pay," Jace added. He held up a hand. "And before you get excited this is not a date, I am simply incapable of going anywhere on my own."

"I highly doubt that."

"Is that a 'no' then?"

For a second, Haley didn't know what to say. Jace pointed at her in triumphant.

"I'll take that silence as a yes. See you downstairs in ten." He walked back into his room. "Also Haley Day make your bed."

Fighting a smile, Haley closed her door and made quick work of her tangled sheets. After roughly putting her hair up in a ponytail, she grabbed her backpack and left her room. Halfway down the hall, Matt appeared.

"I'm going to get something to eat and then we can go," he said.

Haley shuffled. "Umm...actually I'm going to go get a breakfast burrito with Jace."

Matt raised his eyebrow in surprise.

"Are you two-"

"No!...Just friends."

A smile peeked out on Matt's face. Haley scowled in return.

"What?" she asked.

Matt shook his head. "Nothing, just happy you have a friend."

"Surprising, right?"

"No." He smiled and nodded to the front door. "Have fun."

Haley gripped the straps of her backpack and jogged down the stairs. At the front door, she paused wondering if she should stop by the kitchen and see what state her parent's relationship was in. Pushing the worry from her mind, she slipped out the door and into the cool morning.

Dew clung to the grass and jumped onto to Haley's Converses as she crossed over to Jace's house. He emerged, two helmets in hand. When he saw her, he tossed her one and she fumbled a bit but managed to hold onto it.

"We'll need to work on that," he said. "That was just pathetic."

"Shut up."

Jace laughed and it somehow made the day seem brighter. As Haley tugged on the helmet, she swung her leg over the motorcycle.

"Are we going to your family's place?" she asked.

"I am ashamed to admit we don't make the best breakfast burritos. Mañanas does. We'll go there."

Jace climbed onto the bike in front of Haley and the engine flared to life. As he popped the kickstand, Haley leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him. Jace turned his head back to her.