The Perfect Storm

Chapter 65

I look back at Jace who's eyes are still staring at Miles. My heart sinks further into my stomach before I hear him call my name, "Madison." He says, his raspy voice traveling into every cell of my being. 

I almost want to run back into my arms but I'm quickly reminded of the way he sat there so perfectly placed on that bed with a girl on top of him.

"Isn't that your roommate's boyfriend?" Jace asks, his eyes finally looking into mine.

"I—" I try but I'm stopped after seeing Miles approaching.

"Who the fuck are you?" Miles yells and before I know it he drags Jace out of the swing and lets him fall harshly onto the ground.

"Jace!" I yell and Miles looks at me with dull and confused eyes.

"who the fuck is this asshole, Madison?!" I ignore him and quickly rush over to Jace but as soon as I get there Miles grabs his collar and pulls him up.

"Miles, Miles, please!" I yell, desperately trying to stop whatever is about to happen. Jace looks at Miles and to my surprise swings his balled fist right into Miles's face.

"Didn't except this wimp to have the guts," Miles says with a smirk, wiping away the running blood from his lips. 

 My eyes are wide and my hand is covering my mouth. Miles glances at me one more time before giving his absolute hardest into his balled fist that hits Jace right in the jaw before he leaves Jace to fall right to the ground again. My heart breaks and the tears start to shed uncontrollably.

"Jace!" I practically scream, letting my broken heart take over.

"What did you do?!" I yell, looking right at Miles as my hands hold Jace's head against my chest. Miles clenches his jaw at the sigh but my eyes glare right at him.

"Leave!" I scream, pushing my hand in his direction to try my best and prevent him from stepping closer.

"Leave!" I cry out again.

"You hurt Jace," I say in an almost whisper as I watch his bruised jaw and bloody lip.

"You hurt Jace," I say again, holding Jace closer to my chest.

"Babe—"

"No, there's no 'babe' anymore, I'm not yours anymore and I never want to be," I whisper and Miles looks at me with his dull eyes before turning on his heel and disappearing into the field.

MY MOM WALKS INTO the living room for the fifth time now and each and every time she's more worried.

"Mom, he's going to be okay," I say, looking at all of the medical supplies in her hands.

"He's bandaged, he's okay," I repeat with a smile and she smiles back.

"Madison . . . what happened?" she asks, sitting down in front of us.

"I don't know—"

"Madison, I know something is going on, you need to get this out of you before church tomorrow." My eyes shift from Jace to my mom and I finally take a deep breath.

"Water," Jace says and my mom rushes into the kitchen.

"Oh, Jace, you always save me," I whisper and he gives me a weak smile. I kiss his cheek before rushing into the bathroom.

 I need to somehow clear my head seeing Miles all of a sudden appearance here in Ohio was the last thing I expected and the last thing I want to be expecting, he doesn't get to act this way. 

He doesn't get to come here and hurt Jace for no reason. I stare at myself in the small mirror before noticing that my shirt is all covered in blood.

"Madison." My mother knocks at the barely-there wooden door.

"I'm going to the store for Jace, he needs more bandages . . ." she trails off and I take a few deep breaths.

"Okay, mom," I say in an almost whisper.

"We'll talk when I come back." She reminds me and I nod even though she can't see me. I take off my shirt and try my best to wash it off in the sink but after the water stops running I realize there's no way to get the blood off. 

I look around, only to realize that I don't have another shirt and there are no towels to be seen, the only thing I have is my bralette which isn't covering nearly as much.

"Great." I sigh at the mirror.

"Jace?!" I call out, hoping he's asleep.

"Jace?!" I call again but with no answer, I take one last look at the mirror before opening the door slowly. I walk out of the bathroom slowly, closing the door behind me before finally facing the kitchen.

"M . . . Madison?" Jace's voice travels through me and before I can tell where it's coming from, I see him in the kitchen. I look at him, my eyes wide in surprise while he keeps his steady on mine before he turns around.

"Jace, I'm so sorry," I say before rushing into my bedroom and finding the tanktop I worse yesterday. I hurry back into the kitchen as my cheeks turn warmer.

"your mom never got me that water." He says, his hand pulling his pants up slightly higher.

"I'm sorry Jace," I say as we sit down in front of the small kitchen table.

"Madison . . ." he looks down at the glass of water in his hand.

"Who is he?" Jace looks up at me, his gray-blue eyes painfully piercing through mine. I want to tell him but Jace would never understand—no one would. 

I was supposed to live a simple life; get married young and have a couple of kids, then settling down somewhere in Ohio. But life is never that simple and I realize that now, instead, Miles came into my life, ruining all of the plans I had.

"I . . . he's no one," I say truthfully, he doesn't matter now, everything is over. I can't see any way I'd get back with him, what he did was unforgivable even though it was more ironic than I want to admit.

"Is he . . . is he your b . . . boyfriend?" Jace asks and my heart is threatening to shatter at the way he's looking at me.

"He was," I admit with as much guilt as I could possibly carry. Jace still looks at me while his hand squeezes the glass harshly.

"I'm sorry, I should have told you."

"It's okay Madison, I should probably get going." He says, standing up before I can stop him.

"Jace, please, I—"

"I think you should skip dinner at our place tonight, we'll do it another time, I'm not feeling too well." He says, barely looking at me before slipping into his shoes and closing the door behind him. 

I should have never come back, I should have stayed in Washington and hid under a rock. How could I possibly have caused this much heartbreak to the people I love with one single visit back home? I look at the glass Jace left behind, the pink see-through cup makes me want to cry. 

Jace was here mere minutes ago and I made him leave, I made Jace leave. The same Jace who never gets hurt, the Jace who stayed by me through everything, left because of me.