I rang the doorbell to the Johnson home and took a deep breath.

It felt like deja vu waiting to see what they would think of me.

After a few seconds Hallie opened the door and I heard Jace yell "what did I tell you about answering the door without me Hal?"

Hallie looked up at me for a second expressionless, and finally she screamed "LEX IS BACK," and she ran over to me and embraced me with a hug.

"Hey Hal," I said squeezing her back.

Jace walked into the foyer and just looked at me for a minute, "Why did you come back," he asked with an angry look..

"I couldn't leave you guys," I smiled hesitantly and put Hallie down, "Where's Cal?"

"Lacrosse practice," Jace said looking at me with a distant look in his eyes.

"Oh yeah," I responded, "We should go watch him."

"Yeah!" Hallie exclaimed, "I'll go put my shoes on!" And she ran upstairs to her room, leaving Jace and me alone with each other.

"I'm sorry I ran away," I confessed.

Ignoring what I just said, Jace looked at me, "I'm not gonna pretend that our kiss never happened."

"You don't have to," I said and then Hallie came down the stairs so I whispered , "We can talk about whatever is going on later."

Jace nodded in agreement and we all got in the car and drove to Cal's Lacrosse practice.

...

At the practice, one of the boys on Cal's team had a younger sister around Hal's age, so the two of them ran around and played, leaving Jace and me alone.

I pretended to watch the practice, because the silence between us was starting to get awkward until Jace put his hand on my leg. I looked down at it startled and then he spoke, "I forgive you."

"You- you forgive me?" I ask confused.

"Yeah." He sighed, "I should've seen it coming. Everyone always seems to leave me and my family."

"No, Jace-"

"I guess I should be used to it by now, huh? I just thought you'd be different for some reason." Jace explained.

My heart clenched.

"I mean you came back though. That's a first." Jace chuckled darkly, "Why did you come back anyways?"

I bit my lip trying to form my answer. "Because Jace, I couldn't leave you guys."

"That's not really an answer." Jace replied.

"I couldn't leave you guys alone." I persisted.

"Again, not what I'm looking for." Jace reiterated.

"Because I was confused and I needed some time to figure things out, you ass!" I yelled in a whisper at him.

I lashed out with my hand to hit him in the arm, but Jace caught my hand. Holding it firmly yet gently in his own, he asked slowly, "And what did you figure out?"

He had shocked me into silence, and I sat there frozen and squirming in his grasp and under his gaze.

After realizing I wasn't going to answer, he released me, and I noticed Cal walking up to us from practice.

"Hey Cal!" I exclaimed and hugged him.

"Don't ever leave again, you cold hearted bitch." He murmured as he pulled away from the hug, "but I'm really glad you came back," he added with a dimply smile.

"Okay," I said with a laugh.

All four of us piled in the car, and we decided to go out to dinner since it was a 'special occasion'.

We went to Taco Mac, and got a booth in the corner. I was sitting across from Jace and next to Hal. I colored her kids menu with her and helped her decide what she was going to order.

The waiter came and we all said our orders. When he left, Hallie and I continued to color the picture on her kids menu and played tic-tac-toe.

Eventually the food came, we ate, and then drove home.

...

It was 10:30, so I told Cal and Hallie to go to their rooms for bed.

After they were both taken care of, I decided that I was going to talk to Jace.

I took a deep breath and was about to back out, till I realized that I owed him a semi-explanation at least.

I knocked on his door.

"Come in," Jace's voice mumbled from inside.

I opened the door and then there was Jace sitting on his bed with his shirt off.

"What's up?" Jace asked with a blank expression .

"Can we talk?" I asked and sat next to him on his bed.

"Yeah," he nodded.

"I'm sorry I left you guys" I apologized.

"It really hurt us," Jace confessed, "Why did you do it?"

While I had said 'you guys' and Jace had said 'us,' I think we both understood that I was talking about hurting him and he was talking about hurting the non existent us.

"I... I don't know," I stuttered and looked at the floor to avoid looking at him.

"Yes you do," Jace urged.

"I did it because..." I started.

"Because?"

"Because I think I like you, Jace." I blurted and covered my mouth. Why Lexi why? "Um, I'm just gonna run home real quick and grab some clothes." I said in an unnaturally high voice.

"Lex, wait." Jace called.

I hesitated for a moment.

"Don't forget to come back." Jace whispered.

I was halfway to my house by the time I got a call from Jace. I let it ring out and ignored it the first two times, but by the third call I knew something was wrong.

"Lexi," Jace said when I answered the phone.

"Jace what's wrong?" I asked. I had turned my car around and started back towards their house.

"Just listen." He said.

"LEXI!!" It was Hallie.

"Hal what's wrong?" I asked worriedly

She was crying, "You're gone." She said.

"Yeah Hallie, I was just going to get some clothes. I'm coming back though. What's wrong?" I asked concerned.

"I wanted to make sure you hadn't left us again." Hallie muttered, voice shaking.

I pulled up to their house and ran inside.

"Don't worry Hal." I said as I pushed open her bedroom door.

"Lexi!" She cried and threw her arms around my legs. "Don't go."

"I don't have any clothes Hallie." I chuckled.

"Just wear Jace's." She responded.

"Uhhhh, how about you go back to bed?" I asked, changing the subject.

"But-"

"No buts, tomorrow is the last day before spring break starts." I commanded. "Both of you to sleep."

Cal went back to his room and Hallie got in bed. "Goodnight Lexi." She said sweetly. "Love you."

"Night Hal, love you too." I replied with a small smile.

I closed her door and turned to see Jace looking at me.

"Um, I can go get you something from mom's closet, you don't have to-" Jace began.

"Jace, its fine." I replied.

"Ok." he said quietly and went into his room.

Moments later, he came out holding a black t-shirt.

I decided I could wear my Nike runner shorts and that shirt to bed, so I changed quickly, and when I walked out Jace was waiting for me.

"Um Lexi," Jace started.

What was with him? Where was the confident Jace Johnson I always seemed to encounter?

"Jace," I asked hesitantly. What was he going to say?

"What was that about you liking me?" he asked with a small smirk.

"Shut up, asshole." I groaned.

And there he was.

Jace just threw his head back and laughed carelessly.

"Goodnight Lexi." Jace said, and he leaned forward, "If I kiss your cheek, promise you won't run away?"

I could only nod as I blushed.

He pecked my cheek, and began to walk to his room. "Oh by the way, tomorrow we're driving down to our lake and staying in a cabin."

"What?" I asked surprised.

"I would've told you earlier, but you were too busy running away from us." Jace said with a sad smile.

"Ouch. I deserved that," I said with a small chuckle.

"Ok, goodnight Lexi." Jace said with the same sad smile.

I know he said he forgave me, but I also knew just as well that he was hurting.

"Jace, how can I fix us?" I pleaded.

"Us?" He asked with a smirk.

Yes Jace, I just said that.

"Us." I confirmed.

"I like the sound of us." Jace said, and my fears were relieved. While he hadn't exactly confirmed it, but his eyes said everything for once.