The Imperfect

Chapter One

Jace's P.O.V.

"It's got to be perfect," I told Finn.

"What does?" Finn asked, absentmindedly.

He was paying more attention to the video game he was playing, than anything I was saying.

"The party for Leo," I said. "Your brother."

"Right. Right," Finn said, still zoned into his game.

"I'm serious, Finn!" I roared.

He paused the game and looked at me with this deep expression in his eye. "It's going to be perfect, because you are planning it. Now what did you want me to do again?"

I groaned and slapped myself in the face. "Your only job is to get him there without him figuring it out. Do you got that?"

"Don't worry I'll get your boyfriend there for you," Finn said.

I cringed. "He's not my boyfriend."

"Sure," Finn snorted.

"Best friends," I said. "We're best friends."

"Mmhmm," Finn said, turning his attention back to game.

"We're best friends!" I yelled and stomped out of the room.

I crossed the hall to Leo's bedroom, hoping Leo hadn't noticed my absence since he'd gone down to get us a snack while we worked on our English essays.

I opened the door, turning the knob three times before entering, and found him sitting cross legged on the floor. He smiled up at me, as I walked in and sat down across from him. In between us was a bag of skittles on a paper plate. He'd opened it and started separating the colors into piles. I knew Leo was doing this just for me and I was grateful. I started helping him.

"Where'd you sneak off to?" Leo asked me.

"Oh you know, this super secret awesome room in your house where you can dispose of unwanted liquids," I said, pulling at my shirt collar.

"Well you didn't go to bathroom because I would have heard the toilet flush three times," Leo joked, catching me in a lie.

"I just wanted to wash up," I said quickly. "Before we eat."

He nodded, accepting my answer.

"Here's all the oranges and greens," Leo said, pushing my favorite flavors to my side of the plate.

"And here's all your yellows and reds," I said, pushing his favorites towards him.

We left the purple in the middle because neither of us cared for them, but Leo usually ended up eating that pile towards the end. I think he'd forget he didn't like the purple. He'd always say, "I can't help it, I'm a sweet tooth." Which he certainly was, making the cake a top priority for his surprise birthday party.

"So Jacee, what's my birthday present this year?" Leo asked, as if he'd been reading my mind.

"Uhhh," I stammered, pulling anxiously at my shirt collar.

"Relax, you don't have to tell me," Leo said laughing. "I'd be happy with a bag of Skittles."

He wasn't lying either. He would be happy with a bag of Skittles. But I was planning to give him much more than that.

"Well good," I said. "Because that's all you're getting."

I couldn't stop myself from fiddling with my shirt collar again, a dead giveaway that I was lying. Leo smirked and took my hand away from my shirt collar, before adjusting the collar himself. When he had finished he sat back and smiled at me, making my cheeks blush a bright red.