Him & I

Chapter 5

Cora's POV

It had been a couple days since I had that night with jace. I wanted it to happen again so I could actually be myself, laugh and talk with him. Have you ever got that feeling where you can just be yourself around anyone? Even if it is the most stupid thing in the world, they will laugh along with you. There wouldn't be any one to judge you. That's how I felt with Jace. 'You at school today?' I messaged Jace. 'No, I have the rest of the week off. My boss needs me to work,' he replied. 'What do you do?' I asked. 'Not much. I'll try and swing by the diner later,' Jace texted. 'Ok, I'll have a chocolate shake ready 😂,' I messaged. 'Deal,' Jace replied. I slipped my phone into my back pocket and headed to school.

"Hey baby," Blake pulled me into a hug. Blake had been careful around me. It was like he was hiding something from me. "Hey," I smiled up at him. As you can tell, it wasn't a legit smile. Not like the ones I do when I laugh and joke with Jace. How was it he was always on my mind? "How are you still wearing this jumper?" Blake laughed a little. "It's comfortable. Chris asked for it back but I told him I stole it and he would never see it on him again," I lied. It wasn't a bad lie, I just didn't want jace to get hurt. "You can have one of mine if you like," Blake smiled. "All you have is football jackets that don't keep no one warm. Babe I'm good, don't worry, you have me and that's all," I leaned up and kissed him. "That's all that matters," he took my hand and we walked. The bell went for the first lesson and all the students hurried off. Before I knew it, I was working my shift at the diner, taking people's orders. As it got darker and not many people were left, Jace walked in.

Jace's POV

I hadn't seen Cora in two days. We had texted but I didn't see her. The deal I did for Emilio went smoothly until some asshole shot me in the arm. Like always, Rose was there to help me out. Nick was there as well but he just laughed at me. I woke up this morning with a message from Cora. 'You at school today?' She asked. 'My boss needs me to work,' I told her. 'What do you do?' She messaged. I didn't know how to tell Cora that I was in a gang. I had made the decision that she won't find out as I wouldn't be there long. 'Not much. I'll try and swing by the diner later,' I texted. ''Ok, I'll have a chocolate shake ready 😂,' Cora replied. 'Deal,' I laughed a little. Cora didn't message back so I gathered that she had gone to school. I got up and went to get breakfast. Like always, Rose was cooking and everyone was sat around the table. "Que Pasa,"- what's wrong? Damon asked when I walked into the kitchen. "Nada,"- nothing, I replied. "Es esa chica?"- is it that girl? Damon wiggles his eyebrows at me. "Tal vex,"-maybe. I smile and look down. "Que esta pasando?"- what's going on? Rose asked looking at me. "Jace esta enamorada,"- jace has a crush. Damon laughed. "Aputesto a que vas tomar uno de sus batiados de chocolate mas tarde,"- I bet your going to get one of her chocolate shakes later. Emilio joined in. "Dejalo solo muchachos. Cual Es su bomber?"- leave him alone boys. What's her name? Nick asked. Nick was an older gang member but still did stuff for Emilio. "Cora. Y no estoy enarmorado de ella,"- Cora, and I don't have a crush on her. I told him. "De verdad?"- really. Emilio said like he didn't believe me. "De verdad. Ella tiene novio y nunca querria estar con alguien como yo,"- really, she has a boyfriend and she would never want to get with someone like me. I sighed and looked down. "I'm gonna tell you what I have told all these people," Rose spoke up. "I'm sure jace doesn't want to hear your speech about love," Emilio groaned. "It helped me and you didn't it. Remember when we were 9," willow nudged him. "Jace, love is love, no matter what the age is or if they are in a relationship. If you have got feelings for her then that's, that. No one can help their feelings," Rose looked at me. "Thanks," I gave her a small smile. "I know I usually do this with dinners but damn this is good. My-," Griffin started, another one of the older gang members. "Sexy beast Salvatore," everyone around the table whined and rolled their eyes, including me. "I didn't know you knew that," griffin looked at me. "I've been here two years," I laughed a little. "Yeah but you never have dinner with us," he stated. "Yeah I have. When I first moved in I sat in with you guys for two weeks then I stopped. I do listen griffin," I chuckled. "Touché," he smiled. I ate my breakfast then went back to my room. "Jace come play with me," Rebekah, Emilio's little girl ran into my room. "What's your dad said about it?" I asked her. "He said it's fine," she gave me a huge toothless grin. "Ok. Are we going in the garden again?" I stood up. "Yep," Rebekah popped the p then she ran out of my room. "Corey come play with me and jace," Rebekah shouted. "I'm coming Rebekah," Corey called back. We got to the garden, Corey and Rebekah were running around playing while I sat back and watched them from the garden swing. "What you thinking about?" Emilio sat next to me. "Not much," I lied. "Can you smell that? Bullshit," he called out. "Daddy that's a bad word," Rebekah frowned at him. "I'm sorry baby girl. It won't happen again," Emilio laughed a little. "She's so much like her mother," he sighed. "Where is willow anyway?" I asked trying to get the subject off me. "In our room. We had a little argument that's why I said Rebekah could come out here as long as she had an adult with her. Im guessing she came to you," Emilio replied. "Yeah. She makes me laugh. Running in with that massive smile of hers. It kind of makes me want a kid," I sighed. "So what's that girl like?" Emilio smirked at me. "There's not much to say. I'm going to go to the diner later to see her. I just don't know," I told him. "Well you either like her or you don't. But I've seen the way you look at your phone when she messages you," he sat back. "It's really not like that," I sighed. "Which is then? Do you like her or not?" Emilio asked. "I don't know. It kind of started when she hugged me. I don't know but it feels like she's meant to be there, but I know for a fact she doesn't like me," I admitted. "So you do like her," Emilio raised one eyebrow. "Yes Emilio. Is that what you want to hear. That I have got feelings for the most beautiful girl in the world, that I don't see anyone else but her. But I can't have her because her asshole of a boyfriend is so possessive she can't get away from him," I burst. "Damn. I think you might be falling harder than what Corey is," Emilio laughed. My eyes shot to Rebekah and Corey, he was on the floor looking like he was about to cry. "You alright mate," I called out to him. "My hands have got red stuff on them," Corey called back. "Come here, let me have a look," I told him. Corey walked over with Rebekah following. She went up to Emilio while Corey came to me. "Am I going to die?" Corey was on the edge of crying. "I don't know mate. We might have to amputate the hands," I told him. Rebekah screamed once I said that. "Calm down tesoro, Jace is just joking," Emilio calmed her. "I'm joking. Your going to be ok. Go find you mum and wash you hands," I told him. Rebekah and Corey ran off to find Luna while me and Emilio sat on the swing. "They really like you," Emilio broke the silence. "It's fun to watch them play and be kids. Not have a care in the world. I like that I can joke around with them," I smiled a little. "We all like having you here. What I don't get is why you want to leave," he sighed. "I just want to get my own car shop and fix them up. A quiet life with nothing but my work to worry about," I told him. "I get that. I guess if I wasn't in the gang I would have a quiet life with willow and have more kids. Just know your always welcome here if you need any help," Emilio smiled at me. "Thanks boss," I laughed a little. Rebekah and Corey ran back out and started playing again. "Corey, Beks, do you want Jace to take you to the park?" Emilio called out to them. "I can't. I don't have a car or my license," I told him. "It's only round the corner," he shrugged. Corey and Rebekah ran up to me with puppy eyes that I could never say no to. "Fine. Go tell you mum Corey," I told him. They both ran back into the house and heard them scream in excitement guessing that Luna said yes. I laughed and went inside with Emilio following. "You owe me," I told him. "We'll see," Emilio chuckled. Corey and Rebekah got their shoes on and was waiting by the front door. "You ready?" I walked up to them. "Take care of my baby, Jace," Luna walked out of the living room. "I have my gun so we'll be fine," I smiled at her. She nodded her head and we left. It was around 4pm so I knew people from my school would see me with two kids. We got to the park and they both ran off. I sat on a bench and pulled out my phone. After a while I heard Rebekah scream and I immediately looked up. I saw her trying to run away from Corey as they both laughed. "Jace I'm cold," Rebekah came up to me. I took off my jumper and gave it to her. "Hang on. Let's fix it so you don't trip up," I smiled at her. I slipped it on her and tied up the bottom, I rolled up the sleeves and after that she ran off. "Looks like you do smile," I heard someone behind me. "I'm busy Blake, you need to leave," I told him. "What you doing? Looking at kids now," he sat next to me. Just then I remembered that I had my gun in my jumper pocket. "Shit," I muttered. "Rebekah," I yelled. She came running round the corner with Corey following. "Do you have my ghost load?" I bent down to her eye level. "Yep, do you want it back," she looked at me. "Just be careful and don't play with it ok," I smiled at her. "Ok," she smiled back at me. "Who is that?" Corey got my attention. "No one mate. Should we go back home?" I looked between the two. "Yeah," they both shouted. "Can you carry me," Rebekah lifted up her arms. "And me," Corey pouted. "Ok, come on then," I stood up. I picked up Rebekah and put her on my shoulder where she held on around my neck. After that I picked up Cole normally. "I would love to have a chat but I need to go," I turned to Blake. "Are they your kids or something?" He looked confused. "No. Uh, I guess you could call them my niece and nephew," I told him. "We will finish this tomorrow," Blake stated and walked away.