Better Than The Movies

Epilouge

"I remember practicing how to ask you out in the mirror..." He said with a shy smile, trying to gauge my reaction

A grin overtook my firm line as I stared into his twinkling eyes.

"What took you so long?" I whispered in his ear. His breath hitched as he drummed his long fingers quickly on the table.

"You friend-zoned me like a million times." I scoffed, sitting on the spot next to him. "Every time I breathed you called me your best friend and I lost all nerve."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to, but to be fair I never thought I would stand a chance. I never let myself feel anything more than platonic for you because I couldn't get my hopes up." I confessed.

Confessions. I've been doing a lot of those lately. That night almost three months ago I told him everything. And I mean everything. He was understanding and we're working on trusting each other.

Jace has been away all summer for some program at Georgetown, but we made it work. Some weekends I would drive up there and we would roam D.C. in the night and eat at fancy restaurants that I could never afford. We were good. Healthy. Beautiful.

So much so that when he got back weeks ago, Jace insisted on meeting my parents. And my dumbass took him over the house that day. Suffice to say, it didn't go well.

At least for my dad. The rest of the family loved him. Brielle and my mom took turns asking a billion questions and Jace answered them with the charming nervousness that made me fall for him in the first place. My father sat on the couch glaring at the Family Feud reruns.

We made it back to my house this week when I insisted on showing him my favorite Tyler Perry movies. Brielle walked into the living room seemingly out of nowhere and gaped at Jace.

"Hey, Bri-"

"Why didn't you tell me he was coming over?" She interrupted, pointing to Jace.

"Why would it matter?"

"Scar, I'm wearing sweats and a tank top." I rolled my eyes. What does she need to look good around him for? He's my boyfriend.

Yeah, that's right I said it. Boyfriend.

He bought me a heart-shaped pizza and left it at my doorstep the day after we met up at Barnes and Noble, I was sold. It was adorable and delicious, my favorite combination.

"I still don't see the problem," I muttered dryly.

Brielle stalked back upstairs before yelling down. "I'm going out with Tia tonight!"

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" I screamed back. Tia was her new girlfriend. She was gorgeous and light-skinned with the most beautiful box braids I've ever seen. Brielle took her over the house last week and introduced her to Mom and me while Dad was out. We've been doing a lot of things without Dad recently.

I looked back at Jace. My Jace. My kind, beautiful-

"What are you thinking about?" Jace asked, noticing my stare.

"You." He blushed.

"Me?" I nodded. "Why?"

"Because there's no place I'd rather be."

"You're really fucking cheesy."

"I get it from you," He chuckled and I thought about something. Something I probably shouldn't be thinking about. "Whatever happened to that girl from the zoo?"

"Actually, funny thing," he paused. "She was my cousin."

"Are you serious?" I shrieked. "I was jealous of your cousin. What kind of Alabama shit are you guys on?"