Better Than The Movies

Chapter Twelve

True to his word, Jace's muffins were amazing. They taste even better than the store-bought KRUSTEAZ muffin mix that I buy. He disclosed to me that he's making an amazing six-layer chocolate cake for Jasmine's birthday party today. All week he's been sending me various sweets that he's made when he's bored at home. My mouth waters every time he sends me a picture of a perfectly iced cupcake or an extra gooey brownie. Every time he sends me a picture, he sends a text with a promise to make them for me soon.

Eventually, I spoke to Dylan on Monday morning and we decided to forget the awkward events of Saturday altogether. I wasn't complaining, we had a partner project coming up and I can't pass without his expertise in all things Physics.

Kayden started sitting at our lunch table again after we gave him a week to cool off. Unfortunately, Kayden returning meant Latrell started coming over to the table more often to see his best friend, and I was forced to ignore the stink eye he was constantly giving me. Destiny is deep into the honeymoon stage with Jasper and can't go without checking her phone every ten seconds to see if he texted her. She wasn't going to Jasmine's party and apparently Jasper is only going because his parents made him.

I still haven't met the Kingston's and by the way, Jace talks about them (for better word lack thereof), I wouldn't want to. We never finished our discussion about his brother or his parents and I wasn't one to ask about topics that obviously made him uncomfortable. Now I'm outside his house with a gift-wrapped box under one arm and struggling to open my car door with my hand. He asked me to come a little early about an hour before the actual party started to keep him company. I finally managed to push open the door with my foot and stumble out onto the grass. I dusted myself off and walked towards the door.

I knock, expecting Arthur or one of the siblings to answer instead there's an intimidating blonde woman towering over me. Her icy blue eyes stare down at me in disgust and confusion. She has minimal wrinkles on her aging face that multiple plastic surgeries never fixed. Her blonde hair is pinned up in a tight bun that makes me ten times more afraid of her. Her slim figure is being hugged by a tight black dress matched with sleek black heels. She must be the mother. I see Jasper's same look of disgust in her eyes and Jace's high cheekbones.

Arthur shows up a few seconds later and stands behind the women. "Did we hire a new
cleaning..." She looks down at me with disgust. "Girl?"

"No Madam, that is one of Jace's friends." She scrunches her nose up still looking down
at me, but doesn't let me in the house.

"I'm Scarlet," I say with a charming smile. She doesn't budge. "It's a pleasure to meet
you, Mrs. Kingston." I stick my hand out for her to shake, but her bony hand doesn't leave her hip.

"Of course she is." She says distastefully. She gives me like the third once over.

"Let her in." Jace shows up from behind her with a dark red polo and jeans. He squeezes
past his mother to grab me by my hand, pulling me inside the house.

I give her a tight-lipped smile as he leads me past the kitchen and into his room. I glanced outside to the backyard when we were rushing past and it has been transformed into my dream party when I was 12. There were banners and streamers on every surface and all the decorations were in her favorite color (purples), tables all over the lawn near the pool, and a huge bouncy castle next to the park. There were people all around, coming in and out of the house carrying balloons, decorations, and trays of food. We swiftly navigated through the people with a few near- misses.

"I'm sorry, she wasn't supposed to be here until later," He says once we've settled on the couch in front of his flat screen.

"She was extremely intimidating," I played with the edge of my navy blue dress. "Are you guys close?"