CHAPTER FIVE

ALL BECAUSE OF YOU,

His heart almost burst because of her smiles, and he spaced out for some seconds before he finally came back to his sense.

" What…."

" oh ah, thank you for saving me back then, I'm genuinely grateful". She said, and Jace smiled, blushing.

" you are welcome. I will get going then" Jace said and rushed away. His heart almost burst earlier, and he almost got caught with his red cheeks. He is going crazy.

" what is with the hurry", Kate said as she watched Jace leave.

Jace sat on a chair in the school compound. It's odd, why was his heart beating like this, he couldn't seem to control it. It has been a long time since it beat like this. He stared at the sky and exhaled, then suddenly, someone put a cold drink on his red burning cheeks.

"Ouch!" Then he turned to the person, and it was his annoying friend, Donald.

"Ah ugh" He groaned in frustration.

" Why is your cheek so red? Are you sick or are you blushing?"

" Whatever, just go to your class," Jace said, not minding him,

" Then what about you? Aren't you going? You have your bag on your back, everyone will think you just come"

" I don't have the confidence to", Jace said and looked at the other side, then he touched his heart

" Did Kate do something to you?". Hearing this, Jace turned to her side immediately,

" How did you know?". His eyes sparkled,

" What did she do to you? Did she kiss you?" Saying this, Jace looked away, frustrated and regret that he hadn't sent him away

" Go around with your business," Jace said and Donald gave him the look

' Problem shared is half solved' then he sighed and looked at him, giving him the sign to come closer and Donald quickly move closer to him as if they wanted to discuss something secretive, that cannot be divulged. Donald stares at Jace, looking serious and ready to hear what happened,

" She…" Jace was saying and Donald stared at him very curious,

" She "

" she what?" Donald asked, really curious.

" She called my name", Jace said and Donald stared at him. He felt like punching him, but he sighed, keeping it in. Then he sips his drink and stood up. He looked at him one more time with an unbelievable look and left, heading to his class,

" He left? Just like that? He must be astonished too, it's nice" He smiled, facing the sky.

Jace real father, Dave Norman, entered the big mansion and saw the old man on the chair. He exhales and approached his brother,

" You are here?" The old man smiled, delighted to see him.

" Let me make you some tea," He said and stood up.

" There is no need to, you summon me here for a talk, so let's go straight to it. I'm a very busy person" Dave said, having no emotions on his face,

" Is that a way of greeting the brother you have seen for a long time?" He said but got no reaction from his brother. Then he sits down

" Okay, I will get straight to it, you don't need to act emotional like that," He said and cleared his voice

" I heard Ethan is back"

" And so?" Dave said coldly,

" Dave! What are you saying? Did you want what happened five years ago to happen again?"

"Who told you? That bastard?"

" Dave! Jace is your son! You can't treat him unfairly like that" The old man shouted at him, fuming with anger,

" Why are you so worked up? He is my son, but it seems you wanted to adopt him so badly"

" I wish I could! But you are his father and that's his home! I can't have Ethan threatening him in his house" The old man snapped at him and Dave stood up

" That is also Ethan's home, I can't have him sent away from his home because of some bastard"

" Dave!"

" I told you I am a very busy person, so call me for things like this again," Dave said and left. The old man sighed and stared at his brother as he left, fuming with anger

******

At school, Kate was worried, Jace hadn't come to class since morning, and it was almost break now, in fact, he was marked absent since no one have seen him except her and Kelvin. What if Kelvin's gangs have injured him? It will be all because of her. She looked at the back and Kelvin and his gangs weren't in class. She couldn't pay attention throughout the classes until break time. Donald sighed when they told them about Jace and he asked them to follow him, he knew where he was.

Getting to the school field, they saw Jace back, his right hand up like he was doing something on his face.

' Did they injure him badly that he have to apply something on his face? ' Kate rushed toward him and the other two followed her. Getting to where he was, Kate used force to turn his face to them and he was drinking ice cream. Kate closed her eyes and turned away, then she left.

" Yeah, we thought something bad happened to you, why are you not in class since morning, we were worried" Nala said

" Don't get too worked up, I'm not worried at all, not for a bit" Donald said and also left

" Don't mind them Nala, I was mentally sick not physically" He said and grinned

" Whatever, let's go to the class," Nala said and they both left.

Getting to the class, Kitty rushed to Jace

" I thought you don't come today, what happened?"

" I'm a bit sick, I'm okay now," He said and Kitty help him with his back to their seat. He stares at Kate who wasn't looking at him, he remembered her reaction last time when she saw him on the field, did he do something to disappoint her? He wondered.

At Norman's house, Dave entered the door, slumping the door hard, and walked straight to Bliss, Jace's mother's room. She stood up quickly and watched as her fury husband walked toward her,

" Who is the Jace biological father? Did you cheat on me?"

" What are you…." She was saying when he cut her off angrily,

"Why did you a bastard to my house!" He snapped. Bliss was helpless and was short of words then she slapped him.

" How dare you accuse me falsely," She said, heartbroken and disappointed,

" Then why is he sleeping at my brother's house? Did you sleep with him?", saying this, Bliss was infuriated, and she raised her hand to slap him again, then he grabbed it.

"If I'm falsely accusing you, then I want him to be home tonight, and if he sleeps there again, then that would be a confirmation," He said and left, leaving Bliss in a daze.

***

At closing time, Nala, Donald, and Kate were at the gate, waiting for Jace

" He's been acting weird today, I don't know if he was sick or sad," Nala said, confused

" He is weird lately, he's been spacing out since our resumption" Donald added

" Let me check on him," Kate said

"Alright," Nala said then she left for their class. Getting there, she saw the sad Jace just packing his books inside his bag, she stares at him for some while, trying to figure out what was going on with him

Jace packed his books inside his bag slowly, remembering Kate's reaction earlier and how she had been avoiding eye contact with him. He sighed, 'Did she hate him now? Is she disappointed in him?' He sighed again until someone walked up to him.

" Are you upset or are you sad? You keep sighing" Kate said and Jace smiled, she didn't have that look again, she forgives him, he smiled again, then he looked up at her, and then their eyes met, then he smiled, unaware of how red his cheeks had become.

"Did you have a fever? Why are your cheeks so red?" Kate asked and Jace bit down his lips

' Those shameless cheeks' He mumbled

" Let me check," she said and Jace shifted back

" Wait, I need to check something," She said and touched his forehead, making Jace blush harder and then she touched hers too. Jace sighed, he couldn't control his heart again if this continues he didn't think he was going to control his actions again, she was too close to him, and all he could see was her lips, he swallowed hard, he mustn't do this unless she will hate him for life, he must stop this before it goes out of hand

"Stop it," He said

" Just a little moment, your cheeks are so red, did you have a cold?" Kate said, " Stop it already!" He raised his voice a little, and then she removed her hand slowly

" All this happened because of you, it will soon explore, my heart "