"Uh..."

The first thing that I noticed was the sunlight streaming through the crack in the curtains; blinding and hot. The second thing was that it was not just the sunlight keeping me warm; there was an arm wrapped securely around my waist, tight and reassuring. The third thing I noticed was that a small smile had curved my lips before I'd given it permission to do so; sweet and unbidden. The last thing I noticed, as my eyes fluttered open and consciousness solidified my surroundings, was Jonah and Cady standing in the doorway, staring and silent, as if rendered immobile, stone creatures by shock.

Cady's mouth had fallen open. She hadn't noticed my half-opened eyes yet, and I peaked through the safety of my dark lashes. Familiar panic rose up in me. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. While I might've been ready to admit what I wanted to Hartley, I didn't know that I was ready to let the rest of my friends know about the betrayal of my mind, who just had to be obsessed with Jace Hartley of all people, and my traitorous lust that somehow made me want to kiss him senseless. So I kept my face relaxed, my muscles limp, and my breathing even.

"Is that Lena?" Cady hissed. "With Jace?"

"Good on him," came Jonah's reply. "Bloke bloody needs it, after all this time." I heard him snort a laugh. "Oh, my god. He's going to be so insufferable after this. We'll literally need to tie his head with a rope, Cades, to keep it from going off into the clouds."

"Lena...." Cady said slowly. "And Jace. Am I seeing things? I think I'm seeing things."

"I'm seeing our opportunity for an uninterrupted nap dashed," said Jonah mournfully. "True love sucks. No one told me it could compromise my sleep schedule."

"Oh, shut up and be happy for them," Cady said, rolling her eyes. I thought I heard her poke him, and Jonah's answering squeak of protest. "Unless you still like her."

"Ugh, you know I don't. You're the worst."

I heard Jace stir slightly beside me; a small groan that I felt in every part of my body, reverberating through me. His arm tightened around my waist, and despite knowing that Cady and Jonah were right there, it sent something warm through me.

"Daria would straight up die if she saw this," said Jonah. "Should we take a photo?"

"I mean, they're fully clothed. I say we just bring everyone in."

"Don't," came Jace's voice, rough from sleep. It almost made me jump, but I managed to maintain my relaxed façade. Jace was awake? If Jace was awake, why was his arm still wrapped around me? But I was awake, and I was letting him.

I peaked at Cady, noting her jump at the sound of Jace's voice. "Shit, Jace," she said. "What is this?"

I thought I felt Jace shrug. I strengthened my resolve and remained still and silent. I kind of wanted to hear Jace's answer. "I have no idea," was all he said.

"That's Lena," said Jonah, who had clearly learned about basic observation and for some reason felt the need to share this newfound ability for stating the obvious with us all.

"Thanks, Jonah, very astute," said Cady. She was voicing my internal monologue, which I was grateful for. As it turned out, the harder part about pretending to be asleep was resisting the urge for quippy commentary.

"No, but... are you guys like, hooking up now?" Jonah's voice was hushed, trying not to wake me.

I felt the movement as Jace ran a hand through his hair. "I mean, yes? Kind of? There's no point hiding it exactly, since you walked in. We have, but I'm not sure that it is, like, an intentional and ongoing thing. It just... happened."

I would need to have a conversation with Jace. Despite my deep humiliation and embarrassment, and despite the fact I had hated him for so long, kissing Jace Hartley was going to be an intentional and ongoing thing. I would probably undercut the romantic vibes with a fun insult to his personality, face, hair or general disposition at least once a minute, but it between, I wanted his lips fixed to mine. And I would be stubborn about that.

"Well," said Jonah at last. "About time."

"She is going to kill me for not locking the door," said Jace under his breath. I definitely was; I mean, it was hardly his fault, since I could've definitely locked the door, but we both knew that Hartley was the responsible one and therefore it was his job to keep our friends out of our den of iniquity. Plus, I hadn't been mean to him for a solid few days, and I didn't want him to get the wrong idea.

"Oh, yeah," Cady said. "Say goodbye to your nuts Hartley. She is going to run them through a meat grinder."

Hartley made a faint noise of despair.

He sat up, careful not to dislodge me, and stretched out slightly. I could still feel his hip against me, the point of contact comforting and warm. But at that moment, I saw a familiar figure walk down the corridor past the room, the open door at gateway to Jace and me. It was McKenna.

All the warmth evaporated, guilt churning in my gut. She stopped in the doorway, her mouth forming a small o.

I felt Jace shift uncomfortably.

"Holy shit," McKenna said, taking a step into the room. "Jace."

"Uh, hey?" said Jace. There was a flash of movement in my periphery, which I thought might be a small wave. If I tried to look at his expression, it would be evident that I was awake.

McKenna laughed softly. "Daria is going to lose her mind. So is Knight." She didn't sound angry. There was happiness in her voice, but it was tinged with a hint of sadness that made my stomach drop. "Are you going to tell everyone about this thing, now?"

"I don't... I don't think... Yeah, maybe," said Jace.

Well, what the fuck was that supposed to mean? I don't think? Yeah, maybe? Was Hartley... embarrassed to be seen like this with me? Yes, I was deeply embarrassed and kind of wanted to die a little bit, but he wasn't the one who had threatened to jump off the West Gate Bridge if I had to speak to him for more than ten minutes. Did yeah, maybe mean wow, I regret it so much and I still kind of hate this girl and why did she accost me at midnight?

I mean, I still had no idea if I liked Jace Hartley as a hook up buddy or as something more, but my ego needed him to at least like me, or else I would scream.

"Your business," said Cady, holding up her hands. "Be grateful it was us three who found you, I'm just saying. If it was anyone else; oh, god forbid, if it was Alex, you'd be in a whole world of trouble."

I've heard before that a bad attitude and general negativity attracts terrible omens. I was convinced that Cady was a harbinger of some sort, because at that very moment, as if summoned by Cady's words, Alex and Callie strolled past the bedroom door, and, as Alex looked through to the sight before him, let out a loud and girlish scream as if he was in a Scream movie.

"Oh my lord!" he said. His hands were flapping, and in that movement, he really reminded me of Chance. Or Phoebe from that famous Friends episode. "Jace and Lena. Jace and Lena! My eyes, my eyes!"

Now she was very Phoebe.

And now, since Alex was yelling like we were in the middle of a hurricane and he was trying to warn a deaf old lady to move out of the way above the swirling winds; well, I could hardly pretend to be asleep anymore.

I really would like to.

If I faked a coma, would that be believable?

Deciding that it probably would mot, I pretended to stir, mumbling slightly under my breath as I blinked my eyes open. As it turned out, it was easy to pretend I was only just waking, because the light from my window made me squint. "Why are people yelling at me?" I asked groggily. Should I become an actress? Because it was an Oscar-worthy performance.

Alex flung himself on the bed between Jace and I, bouncing slightly, with a shit-eating grin on his face. I was still lying down, and Alex had wrapped me in a cheerful bear hug, while Jace looked down at us with amused disbelief. "Because I was confronted with an unexpected romance in an unexpected location and it blew my mind." He smirked. "Although it seems my mind isn't the only thing being blown on this trip."

I whacked him with a pillow tiredly; Cady and Jonah shared a not-so-secretive smile. "Literally fuck you to the moon," I groaned.

"Ah," said Alex, and this time his grin was that of a Cheshire Cat. "It seems I am not the only think being fucked to the moon on this trip either."

I whacked him over the head again.

Drawn by Alex's scream, Daria, Chance and Kaelin pushed past Callie—who had been standing in the doorway laughing at Alex—wearing expressions of surprise, concern and amusement respectively. Daria clapped her hand over her mouth.

"I— what?" she said.

I shrugged. "I guess I took your advice."

Daria looked lost for words. "I'm not... what?"

"I love that this is a group affair," said Jace cheerfully. He didn't seem too cut, because despite the sarcastic comment, his tone didn't hold any irony. He seemed, as he so often did, completely at ease. Jace could be remarkably easy-going.

"Explanations are required, thanks, lovebirds," said Kaelin.

I looked to McKenna again, then to Callie. Neither of them seemed upset with me; why did Jace have to go date half the girls we were friends with? Probably because I had great taste in friends.

"Yeah," Knight agreed, his voice coming through Kaelin's phone. "I need explanations for why you robbed me of my best friend last night. I had to wake up, sad and alone. Only to find you two cuddling in the spare room."

Knight had left early this morning to meet with his lawyers, and I could see that he was already back in my cupboard based on the sparkly sequinned dresses behind him. It must be nearly midday. Jace and I had slept in, which was hardly a surprise given I'd been up kissing him at all hours.

"Did you sneak in and perve on us, Knight?" I shot him a glare.

He hung up the phone.

Alex tapped my nose, still wedged tightly between Jace and I. He was having a great time, clearly. "So, where's our explanation? What is it this time, you crazy kids? Another gun to the head? Threatened with poison? Or just regular horny?"

I hated Alex sometimes. I illustrated this by covering his face with a pillow. If I had any balls, I would've left it there, but instead I decided to let him keep breathing.

The annoying thing was, he was kinda right. It was basically just that I just wanted to make out with Hartley.

"Witchcraft," I suggested.

I really needed to stop blaming everything on witchcraft. It made everyone roll their eyes at me like I was crazy.

Jace jumped out of bed gracefully, his grin equal parts charming and bashful. "How about everyone can nick off, and Lena and I will meet you downstairs?"

Alex pouted. "I want my story."

I flicked him in the forehead. "I can tell everyone a story, if that's what you want? One time, I was on a walk with Alex, and he went to pee behind a tree, but then a bea—"

Alex clapped a hand over my mouth with a nervous laugh, and a quick glance at Callie. "Storytime is so overrated, don't you think?"

"No," said Cady, crossing her arms.

"I have lots of angry energy to let off, because I'm supposed to be friends with Jace now, so the last person to leave will be the next person I take it out on," I chirped. "I have so many insults; prepare to have all of your flaws prodded relentlessly."

"There's so much to work with there, you're really giving me lots here," Alex said, his eyes lighting up. "Firstly, didn't work enough of your energy last night? Shame for Jace, I had higher hopes for his stamina. Secondly seems like you're a whole lot more than friends with Jace—" he winked at me "—if you catch my dri—"

"But then a beaver came and bit his right on his—"

"Leaving!" Alex called, jumping up from the bed with alacrity. "Let's go, kids!"

"But I want—" Cady began to protest, but Alex had grabbed her arm and was marching her from the room, mumbling under his breath about secrets and never trusting anyone again. Daria, Callie and Chance followed them out obediently, with Jonah and Kaelin trudging despondently behind.

McKenna was the last to leave—I think she knew I didn't have the heart to make her the target of my cruel taunts—and the smile she shot back at me was equal parts comforting, happy and sad.

She closed the door behind her, and called through a chirpy, "Don't be too crazy in there, I give you about five minutes before Alex bursts back in."

Her words were light, cheerful, but I'd seen the sadness in her eyes—the sadness that tugged on my heart—and knew her words were forced. I admired her for saying them, still. McKenna had never been the type of girl to begrudge anyone anything, even if I still had no idea what it was I was asking her to forgive.

And what had Jace been about to say, when I was feigning sleep, when he had said, I don't think...

I don't think I like Lena in a romantic way? I don't think Lena knows how cool and sexy she is, and how she is the greatest girl I've ever had the pleasure of meeting?

I mean, I didn't even know if Jace was still clinging to remnants of our feud; to the ghosts of hatred past. I couldn't really get caught up in an I don't think, when I wasn't even sure how far past I hate her with every fibre of my being we were. I mean, I was pretty sure we were past it, but it often felt as if our friendship was a tenuous tightrope, a tether to this half-normal that served as a buffer against the unknown; if I fell, I didn't know if it would be into love or hate.

"Thanks," I said to Jace, who was looking down at me with an unreadable expression on his face. "For, uh, kicking them out. And, um, last night."

"I mean, you know," said Jace, running a hand through his hair. "Anytime. For both things."

"You didn't tell them that I asked you," I said. It wasn't a question, but he answered anyway.

"No, I didn't." He grinned. "Don't worry, I won't tell them about your shameful begging."

I whacked him with the pillow this time, but he dodged with a cheeky grin. Atheletes sucked. "I did not beg," I said sourly.

"We can both call it as we wish."

"Yes, and we will both be calling it not begging."

Jace grinned.

I crossed my arms and harrumphed. "Fine. If I begged, or whatever, why didn't you tell them?"

Jace brushed a lock of hair away from my face. "Firstly, it's none of their business," he said. "And secondly; Lena, at some point you've got to stop assuming I have nefarious intentions."

"But you were always so good at nefarious intentions."

"Yeah, I was a regular Darth Vader," said Jace drily. "But thirdly, Elle." Jace peered deep into my eyes. "I am utterly terrified of you, and I am already scared you're going to kill me for not locking the door."

I frowned grumpily, but I saw him grin slightly at the small smile I couldn't stop from curving the very edge of my mouth. "You can have a pass for today. I guess. I retain the right to change my mind on that one."

"Deal." And then, in a move that startled the breath in my chest, he bent down to kiss me lightly. "Now, let's go downstairs before Alex comes back up to tease us again."

I was still dazed as I followed him out the door.