Chapter Thirty- Five

I went to school in a daze that whole week. A new crazy thing had happened over the weekend and the scene at the party had quickly left their minds.

Seeing Destiny was nothing less than excruciating because we both knew what she'd done. And she relished in the fact that I was miserable because of it. She sent me a smug grin whenever we passed in the hallways and I returned it with a swift middle finger.

Monday afternoon, as soon after I got out of school I drove up to Jace's house. Seeing it brought back memories that were once unwanted but now I regard them with a wistful grin. Because they were once good. I left the letter on his windshield for him to find the next time he used his car. I didn't waste any time driving back to the city.

Now all I had to do was wait. And hopefully, Friday evening would reveal everything that I need to know.

It was Friday, at 5 pm to be exact and I was a nervous wreck. I had made the mistake of telling Ashley and Brielle about my plan and they insisted on helping me to look absolutely perfect. I needed to leave in the next ten minutes if I wanted to make it by 7, but Brielle wouldn't let me out of the chair.

"Hold still, when you see your ex you need to look your absolute best," Brielle commanded, holding a tweezer in her hand.

"He's not my ex," I muttered. You had to be in a relationship to be an ex, we'd never made it that far. But if I get lucky tonight all that's going to change.

"Same thing," Ashley snapped.

I was already dressed in my favorite pair of high waisted shorts and an off the shoulder crop top. The girls insisted I wore a dress or at least a skirt, but I refused. Jace didn't care about what I wore and nothing I could put on could be worse than the Snoopy pajamas he saw me in on Friday.

"Okay, all done." I looked in the mirror expecting an extreme makeover, but I didn't look much different. My eyebrows were the only things that had a real impact.

I raised my eyebrows. "You're already gorgeous," My heart warmed at Brielle's compliment. "But your eyebrows were... disgusting. Like big fat caterpillars."

Ashley snorted from her spot on the bed. I shoved Brielle to the side and grabbed my keys. They followed me downstairs and out to my car.

"My baby girls all grown up," Ashley wiped a fake tear. "Getting her first boyfriend and shit!"

"You're younger than me dipshit," I corrected. She glared at me. "This could end in heartbreak. He could not show up."

"Oh, I saw the way he looked at you at Tommy's. He's definitely going to show up."

"Did everybody meet this white boy, but me?" Brielle exclaimed.

"Guys I really have to go!" I tapped my foot on the brake impatiently.

"Okay, extra lip gloss in your purse in case he tries to kiss you which he will," I rolled my eyes at Brielle's remark. "Good luck, beautiful. I send all my love."

"Cool, bye." I dismiss them quickly and pull out the driveway.

The butterflies in my stomach were a horde of elephants by the time I got to the Barnes and Noble parking lot. I had been playing it cool with the girls, but in reality, I was scared shitless. My legs shook as I carried myself to the children's section. It had started raining during my drive and being soaked from head to toe wasn't making anything easier. I had gotten there earlier on purpose so I would have time to think before he arrived.

6: 50

I stared at my phone as the minutes ticked down, waiting for a sign. A flash of brown hair, a hint of a perfect smile to give me a glimmer of hope.

7:00

I searched my area frantically looking for the boy I'd waited so long for. But he wasn't there

7:10

I was still waiting, eyes growing heavy. Lump in my throat when I realized he wasn't coming

7:40

I dozed off against a familiar chair when I was awakened with a violent shake.

It was him.

His hair matted to his forehead, tangled in a mess on his head. Soaked from head to toe, wearing Adidas sweatpants and a black t-shirt. He was simple. Beautiful.

"I thought you weren't coming," I mumbled, one eye still closed. My brain was trying to convince itself to wake up and realize it wasn't a dream.

"I wasn't going to," He admitted, stuffing his hands in his pocket. "You hurt me really bad Scarlett. I was a mess after you left. It was terrible and I was waiting for you to come back for me, but you never did. It fucked me up."

"I know. Believe me, I know," I stood up and walked until I was standing in front of him. "But I'm here and I'm sorry Jace. Truly."

"Did you mean what you wrote in the letter?"

"Every single word."

"Can I tell you something?" I nodded, tentatively, secretly preparing myself for the worst.

"All my life I've been known as the other twin. Jaspers brother. But you didn't see me like that and maybe it's because you met me first or-"

"It's not that. I swear."

"I just- you saw me as my own person. And I loved it," he sighed. "I loved you."

"Loved?" I said with a shaky breath.

"No I'm stupid," he whispered, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me closer. "You're my great love story." He bent down and lowered his lips onto mine. I pinched myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming but the only thing it caused me was pain. This was real.

He was real. Fuck yeah.

I responded with a force that sent us against the wall, thankfully not knocking any books over. My hands found his curly brown hair that felt a different kind of amazing. He smiled against my lips and I could taste his Cherry chapstick.

I never wanted this feeling to stop, complete and utter bliss. My body reacted violently as it tried to get closer than physically possible. He broke the kiss pressing light pecks around my face. My cheeks. Right then left. My forehead. My chin. My nose. And lastly back to my lips.

I broke away, trying to find the air that has escaped my lungs. My eyes still closed, soaking in all the moments of this dream before reality came crashing down.

I could feel Jace's presence leave. His warmth was gone.

"Why are your eyes still closed?" I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Because I'm afraid that if I wake up you'll be gone," I admit. "I don't want my great love story to be over."

"It won't be. I'll still be here when you open your eyes. I promise." I took a deep breath before slowly opening my eyes.

And Jace was gone.

My heart dropped.

"Looking for someone?" I whirled around to find Jace leaning against the bookshelf next to me.

"I could kill you!" He laughed, uncontrollably. "You're such a fucking asshole!" I punched him in the shoulder, he didn't even flinch.

"But you won't," I slid over until our sides were touching.

"You underestimate me," Jace pulls me in front of him, bending down so our lips are inches away.

"You smell really fucking good," I snorted, unattractively.

"It's A Thousand Wishes, Bath and Body Works."

"You granted every single one of mine." I rolled my eyes at his cheesiness.

"So, when did you know?" I asked. I've been curious about the answer since he confessed.

"I don't know. Maybe it was our first date-"

"That wasn't a date!" I denied. He chuckled.

"Okay, our first... hangout?" I nodded. "Or when you gave me that pep talk after the baseball game. One of our movie nights. When you spent the night-"

"Basically it could've been any moment?"

"I think it was every moment," I gave him a light peck on the cheek, turning them red. "It's always been you, Scarlett."

"You're making it really hard for me to not want to kiss you with you being all cute and sweet and shit," I whined.

"Wait before we corrupt this kids section, I need a minute."

"For what?"

"I've waited so long for this... I just- why is this so hard?"

"Jace, what are you trying to say?"

"The first second I saw you I couldn't get over how beautiful you were," He blurted out in a rush. "I went back the next week because I'd wanted to see you again."

I was speechless. Whatever I thought he was going to say, that wasn't it.

"You called me an insufferable bitch."

"Who I couldn't stop talking about."

"I don't believe in love at first sight," I admit.

"Neither did I. Until you."

I was still in a state of shock when a grin made its way onto my face. He knew from the first moment he met me, but it took me almost four months.

"I'm sorry if you think I'm a creep." He was about to retreat back into his shell, but I couldn't let him.

"No- that's really fucking cute. Movie shit right there."

"Really?" I stood on my tippy toes stealing a kiss

"Really really," We pressed our foreheads together, breaking away when the intercom informed us that they were closing. "You ready to go?"

"It's crazy to think, this is the place that started it all," I looked around, remembering all our memories. "I feel like I'm saying goodbye

"And it'll still be here tomorrow. We'll be back, I promise."

He let out a deep breath. "I just need a minute." I pulled him by the hand toward the section I used to visit as a kid.

I looked around at all the books I obsessed over when I was younger. A little girl dreaming of fairytales who wanted nothing more than to a main character in her own story.

Remembering the girl I was before I met Jace Kingston

Clinging onto a dream. A fantasy world that only existed between those pages.

Now, I'm here. Holding hands with the boy who decided that I was the main character is his own story. As he was to mine.

Child me would die at the thought, but here I am living in the moment. Hoping it'll last long enough to seem like forever.

"Are you okay?" Jace squeezes my hand, pulling me from my thoughts.

I turned to him and grinned, biting the inside of my lip. "I'm ready to go."

I walked ahead of him, skipping in excitement to the entrance. He trailed closely behind me but ran in front to open the door for me.

"I could've done it myself."

"But I wanted to do it." I decided not to argue. If I did, we'd be here all night.

We stood in the rain, not caring if we woke up sick tomorrow morning. Jace and I weren't even touching but my skin was on fire.

"Okay, bye," I said awkwardly. I silently cursed myself as I walked away. Maybe we should've kissed or hugged. Perhaps even defined our relationship, but no I was a pussy and wal-

I felt my hand being pulled back until I was standing in front of Jace again.

"I can't believe you tried to leave without saying a proper goodbye."

"You know it's always been my dream to kiss in the rain?" I whispered, glancing down at his lips.

"But, we're not kissing." His hands gripped my waist.

"We could be."

He didn't waste any time capturing my lips with his. With the kind of soft press against my lips that brought down all the stars in the sky. The kind that made my knees buckle and legs feel like jelly. The kind that would be ingrained in my mind forever.

He pulled away first, snatching his glasses off his face. "Fuck, I can't see shit!"

I laughed against his chest, plucking his glasses out of his hand and pulled him down for another kiss.