WOUNDED

24. Don't they feed you?

It had been a week since she last saw Jace. He had left that evening when his roommate had picked him up. The idiot had even hugged her while leaving which had taken her by surprise. She was actually missing his company, not that she'd admit that out loud. The suicide plans had long been forgotten. Maybe some other time, she thought.

Jace on the other hand was having a bad week. His father had been calling and accusing him of abandoning them. It had been three weeks since he moved here. The relationship with his dad was strained. It had been the reason he'd wanted to move out in the first place. When his long time friend had suggested he come unwind in Pani, Jace had grabbed the opportunity. Working in a tourist industry, his request for transfer had been easy. Though he missed his mum, he wanted the distance having lived with his parents for 27 years straight.

Ever since he spent the night at Alex's place, he had been thinking about her constantly. He couldn't pinpoint the exact reason but she was intriguing. Various times over the week he'd wanted to call her but stopped before he did. She was nothing like any other person he'd met and thinking of her, she'd probably not pick up the phone.

It was friday and Alex was staying in. She didn't want to face the bartender too soon and it was the only closest pub. Much later after too many beers, she locked the door and walked to the beach. It had been a week since she last went there. She didn't know how to feel about it after last time's shenanigans. It felt like an old dream.

The moon was shinning bright today and there were still people lingering around. Finding her secluded favourite spot, she sat on the sand enjoying the breeze on her face. It felt good to be out again.

Jace was beating himself up as he neared the house. He just wanted to see her even for a short time then leave. His roommate had looked at him crazily when he grabbed his guitar and ran out again like last time. Today he at least brought his phone with him though. Nearing the house, he found all lights off which was odd coz he knew she stayed up late. Knocking three times without any answer he decided she must not be home and stood there stranded. He had not even thought of such a scenario, sometimes he really was an idiot. Standing for five minutes not knowing whether to wait or leave, he suddenly remembered where they'd met in the first place. True to his words, he found her seated alone around the same spot he met her.

"Ah there you are,I've been looking all over for you." He called out closing the distance between them. Alex turned her head at the intruder not expecting to see Jace. "Why would you be looking for me?" She asked though she felt a jolt of something at seeing him. She never thought they'd cross paths again. "Why not, I even went to your place before coming here." He said sitting down besides her. She looked good, with a booty short and a white tank top. The moon was contrasting well with her skin.

They sat together for a long time, with Jace playing his guitar every now and then. The silence was not awkward, they sat like people who'd known each other for a long time. Alex didn't mind the company, it was good in a way. She had not felt this comfortable around anyone since her dad.

Later when she rose to leave, he also stood and followed her like last time. Alex raised an eyebrow at that to which he shrugged making her smile. They walked silently back to the house where he invited himself inside, again.

Grabbing two beers from the fridge, she handed him one and opened the other. "I've missed you, I know you've missed me too." Jace broke the silence which he got an eye roll. At least she's not telling me to leave, that's a good start, he thought. After another round of Heineken, Alex rose to go to bed.

"You can use the bathroom on the left, there are clean towels. Goodnight." She called out discarding the cans in the bin. "Goodnight to you, have a good one." He replied walking towards the kitchen to get food. "Don't they feed you at your place, you're always hungry." Alex asked seeing him enter the kitchen. "What,I am a man and I need my energy." He called back trying to decide whether to go with the pizza or the spaghetti in the fridge. Both takeouts he thought bemused, someone either didn't know how to cook or didn't like it. He was going to rectify that.

The unspoken arrangement between them continued, they'd meet at the beach on fridays, go back to the house together where he'd spend the night and the entire saturday. She'd make coffee and he'd cook enough food to last her for several days. Alex had stopped going out on the weekends. she was always looking forward to seeing him every week.

Jake never failed to show up on friday's. After work he'd change and wait for nightfall where he'd grab his guitar and rush to the beach. They didn't talk much but he didn't mind. They'd developed a bond of a kind, not through words but by observing each other. He could tell when the eye roll was coming or when the rare smile would appear. He could tell how she liked her coffee, that she had trouble sleeping, that she didn't use her phone much,that she was not a morning person and she didn't like loud voices. One time she'd even cussed him out for letting his phone ring twice without picking.

Alex could tell he really liked his guitar and enjoyed playing it, he took his coffee with milk, he was a morning person, he had a ton of floral shirts( he always had a different one every time), he was very persistent to the point of annoyance, he was intelligent and most of all he knew when she needed her space.

After a long time, Alex was smiling again. There was something else besides the emptiness inside and she knew it was because of the brown haired guy who'd forced himself into her house. Maybe there was hope after all.