CHAPTER 14: My Crush and I

I didn't know what to do, I mean I've always prayed for an opportunity to talk to him alone but now I think of it I don't have anything to say to him. I decided to play it cool and talk to him like a casual friend and hopefully don't say anything cringe.

"Oh sorry, didn't see you there," he said after closing the car, 'You never do' I thought painfully, I have done literally almost everything besides begging him to get him to pay attention to me, but somehow his sense of sight seems to turn off whenever I'm in the arena.

"Oh hi Jace, how are you doing?" I greeted as brightly as I could, " pretty good Lena" he said leaning against his car, "You…you know my Name?!" I asked shocked, he frowned and then burst out laughing, "Why wouldn't I know your name?" He asked with laughter still in his eyes, I blushed at my outburst and his reaction to it.

I was embarrassed, 'way to go Lena! Keep acting like a fool and watch him avoid you forever' I mentally chided myself, putting on a tight smile I decided to brush it off with something else, "you live around?" I asked though I was aware his house wasn't anywhere near here.

"No, I came to deliver a message from my Mom to someone here," he said and I nodded, "Okay then see you around," I said hastily for lack of what to say before turning around to leave. My heart was hammering, I finally got my prayers answered and I just fumbled it, what a shame!

"What about you?" He asked, "heading home" I said turning slightly, "Okay, well if it isn't too much trouble could you wait for me to finish then I'll drive you home?" He asked and my eyes widened, "you're kidding right?" I asked, "it's fine if that doesn't sit well with you" he replied shrugging, "deal," I said quickly, probably too quickly.

"You sure? It might take a while" he said grinning, "well it's a free ride, who am I to say no" I said shrugging, "then let's go, i can't drive through there so my car will be here till we get back" he said holding out his hand, I arched an eyebrow at it making him grab my hand and pulling me along with him.

A few weeks ago I would have swooned on the spot, now I was just excited to talk to him and figure out where my feelings truly lie. We walked through alley after alley, while fleeting from one conversation to another, I was surprised by how easily the conversation flowed without any embarrassing moment, it was so natural like talking to a childhood friend, not one's crush and I found myself relaxing.

"Well maybe I'll invite you on our next trip, you'll love it," he said, "really, thank you so much" I squealed, he was talking about inviting me over to their private island which his father had inherited from his grandfather. I couldn't believe it, maybe I should have taken Gwen's advice a long time ago and talked to him instead of dropping extremely subtle hints and hoping he would catch on.

Suddenly we were stopping in front of an old house close to a fish seller's store. I frowned, Jace was from a wealthy family so why was he out here? and even if he needed something, he was doing the dirty work that normally would have been assigned to a maid right? "We are here, pardon the environment damsel," he said scrunching his nose as a horrible stench rose in the air after a little boy accidentally pushed a dirtbag and spilled its contents.

"Are you into some gang stuff?" I asked looking around, "you're funny you know that," he said laughing, " thanks for the compliment but here is starting to creep me out," I said backing away as an eerie-looking old man came out from the store and started approaching us "Relax okay, you're safe with me," he said wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me closer.

"Good afternoon Uncle Bernard" Jace greeted, Uncle?! I gaped at the dirty old man who was now enveloping Jace in a bear hug, the contrast was alarming Jace looked every bit like the son of a wealthy man while his Uncle looked like a wretched beggar. There has got to be some backstory, or maybe he wasn't his biological Uncle.

I was curious but didn't want to pry into his personal life, he had brought me with him so it meant he trusted me right, I don't think anyone in school knew about this or I would have heard of it. I greeted his Uncle politely and he responded by hugging me too.

"I wasn't expecting you today or I would've prepared your favorite," Uncle Bernard said, "it's alright, Mom wanted me to deliver a message to Aunt, where is she?" Jace asked, "Okay, Though she is inside with one of her customers, you know the rules Jace so we have to wait till she is done" Uncle Bernard replied, "Okay I'll wait then," Jace said, "Well help your old Uncle carry this to the shed while you wait, my bones aren't what they used to be anymore," Uncle Bernard said pointing at a wooden basket.

"Uncle Bernard, where is Hank?" Jace asked letting go of me, "She died last week during childbirth and her puppies died right after, rest her soul that beautiful old thing," His Uncle said shrugging, "Ouch old Hank, such a sad way to go but she was a wonderful dog, Lena stay here I'll be right back okay" Jace said helping his Uncle carry a wooden basket to the shed "Where did you bury her?" Jace asked "beside Dennis your big cousin" his Uncle replied as their voices drifted.

I sat down on a small stump that was beside the store, my thoughts playing tag with each other. Jace was totally different from who I knew in school, in school he was the Golden boy and heartthrob of nearly every female who walked the four walls of our school though Hayden was his soon-to-be rival, but here he seemed more human and relatable.

I thought back to our conversations and his love for the aquatic side of nature, it was a relief to know that he wasn't just some pretty boy with a useless skull. As my thoughts progressed, I realized that I was to be driven home by the guy who

se existence had tortured me these past few years, the same guy who made me cry myself to sleep whenever I heard he had gotten a new girlfriend, my day was progressing down a different route.

I don't know how long I sat there when the door to the house opened, I immediately stood up to call out to Jace and Uncle Bernard but paused as I watched someone cloaked in black hurry across the road and disappear by the corner, I know that figure anywhere and that was because I have known that figure for 15 years, What was Gwen doing in Jason's Uncle's house after school hours?