Roommates & Soulmates

Ch170: Jace's Brother

Panting, Jace fell back on the bed. All of a sudden he could feel the thin layer of sweat over his skin. He was breathing harder than he'd realized as well, but now that he was lying still his breathing began to calm. They usually hung out at his apartment. Jace only lived with Jon now, so it was usually the place with the least people around. Jon often spent time with Paige at her place, though sometimes Annika and Jace had to share the apartment with those two love birds which Jace decided is what doors were for. Either way Annika rarely wanted to go to her place since she had more roommates than him.

"I think I'm just gonna lay here until I can feel my legs again," Annika said, breathing hard.

Jace couldn't help grinning a little. A sentence like that in this context did great things to the male ego.

Even if parts of it were familiar, this set up with Annika was new to him. It wasn't a one night stand, yet it also wasn't a relationship. There was no love, affection, or cuddling. The closest thing he'd ever had like this before had been with Trinity, but even that hadn't been the same. Trinity had been older than him, and had often acted like a therapist for him, not that he'd ever asked her to. While Annika was just out to have fun like him. Friends hanging out making each other feel good.

"So while I lay here, what are your plans for today?" Annika asked.

"Hanging out with Will," Jace shrugged.

"Who is?" she inquired.

"Family," Jace answered. "Though kinda distantly. His uncle's my dad. Not that I ever met the guy or anything."

"Sorry," Annika said sitting up. "That sucks." Jace just shrugged and she laid back down again. His daddy issues were neither here nor there.

"What about you?" Jace asked, as he was getting dressed to leave. "Plans today?"

"I think I have work later," she said. "I should probably check my phone."

"Might be a good idea," Jace chuckled.

There were a few moments of quiet as Annika finally got up to find her clothes. When they were both ready to leave his room, she broke the silence. "Have you talked to your mother about Will or your dad or any of it?"

"I'm not really talking to my mother these days," Jace replied.

"How come?"

He thought about how to explain it simply before speaking. "She's helping someone I can't forgive."

"If you don't mind me giving my opinion," Annika began. Jace nodded to indicate it was fine. "Parents aren't around forever. If you don't make up with her while she's here, you will regret it the rest of your life."

"What makes you so sure?" Jace asked, though kindly. He didn't understand the certainty in her voice.

"My dad passed away," she said. "About five years ago now. We were really close, but then we had a falling out and I never got to make up with him."

"I'm sorry," Jace said. "I didn't know."

"Don't be sorry," Annika smiled at him. "Everyone is always sorry, but sorry doesn't help. Not making the same mistake. That would help."

"Thanks," Jace said. "I'll think about it."

"That's all I ask," she said, then looked down at her phone again. "Shit," she exclaimed. "I really am due at work." And with that she got up and started scrambling in a hurry.

Laughing lightly, Jace bid her farewell. Once the door was closed behind her he began gradually organizing himself to leave. Since Will had a truck and was a very nice type of human, he'd offered to pick Jace up today. Jace was actually really looking forward to it, as Jace hadn't seen his cousin or little Lucie in quite some time. Though she wasn't as little now as he remembered. In just a few months, Lucie would be three. Really, where did the time go?