The Reject – Chapter Twenty Five

Baby you've got the sort of hands to rip me apart

And baby you've got the sort of face to start this old heart

But your eyes are warning me this early morning

That my love's too big for you my love – Sort Of ~ Ingrid Michaelson

A question which has been haunting my head for an hour: Can I bang my head against the wall?

‘You look like a pig.’ I snapped my head towards Jace. ‘What the-!’ He laughed and there was a pain in my chest. How unfair… having a smile like that. He laughed louder when I scowled. ‘What are you even laughing about?’ I asked, annoyed. He looked at me with mischievous eyes. His expression made me want to smile but I scowled harder. ‘You haven’t realized that your hairstyle has become unique due to your obvious stress. You need to brush it… with a rake.’

That’s it. I growled and hit the back of his head. ‘Ow!’ he rubbed his head and looked at me shocked. That totally made me smile and he stood up with wide eyes. ‘AHA! You smiled!’ I replaced the smile with a scowl. ‘You stupid cow.’ I muttered as I smoothened my messy hair. ‘You messy pig.’ He muttered back, imitating me. Why is he so jolly? He didn’t even care to ask me what Noah wanted to talk to me about.

We both were in a coffee shop, treat from Mrs C. She was currently ordering drinks for us while Jace was irritating me. As if I was getting irritated. I was secretly smiling.

Mrs C came back with a tired smile. ‘Okay, you two, this is my treat for you. You’ve worked hard these two weeks even though you had holidays. Thank you. I’m sorry Allyn, for calling you even though there was a holiday, and sorry Jace for making you call her even though I was not even in this town these two weeks. My sister had a sudden urge to marry a man she’d known only for six months. Young love these days.’ She rolled her eyes and I widened mine. ‘These two weeks? What?’

Jace coughed, looking into my eyes ‘Yeah, Allyn, these two weeks were tiring. It was fun working with you.’ What on earth had he done? Is he giving me credit for the props even though I was resting in the pack house these two weeks even as he was working hard on them? ‘I’ve talked to the principal about giving you extra points for that.’ Mrs C smiled at us and Jace smiled at me. This cow…

The drinks came and Mrs C got up. ‘You kids drink up. I have to go pick up my niece from her babysitter. You can stay here and I’ll come back to drop you home or you want to go by yourselves?’ I looked at Jace ‘We’ll go by ourselves. Thanks for the drinks Mrs C.’ he gave her a smile, and her ears got a pinkish tint, making me sigh.

She left, not asking my opinion and I turned to Jace, insulted. ‘What if I wanted a lift? You answered for me without knowing my answer! And what’s that about the props? Why’d you do that? I didn’t even wor-‘ ‘She had called us both for the props during the weeks, but you were not well. She said that we were to get extra points for working, which we needed to clear our names. I didn’t want that for myself only so I didn’t want you to miss out either. Simple. You blabber so much, pig.’

I gaped at him ‘I wasn’t blabbering! And I am not a pig! I don’t even resemble a pig one bit! In fact, I don’t know what you blabber about all the time! I didn’t even ask you for extra points. I don’t even need extra points! That’s why they’re extra, right? See, you just annoy me so much! I don’t even know why I even talk to you. You don’t even know what you are blabbering about! I bet you don’t eve-‘ ‘Can I kiss you?’ I choked on my saliva and glared at him.

‘See? I told you! Even you don’t even know what you’re blabbering about!’ ‘Well?’ he asked. ‘Well, what?’ ‘Can I kiss you?’ He repeated, more slowly. Am I drunk? ‘Of course not!’ ‘Why not?’ he asked and I turned pink. ‘Because!’ ‘Because what?’ ‘Just because, you cow!’ ‘Then can I kiss your cheek?’ ‘No!’ I threw up my hands. He smirked, making me scowl. He leaned back in his seat ‘Your cheek or your lips. You decide.’ What the! What’s he trying to do? ‘You can’t kiss me at all!’ He raised an eyebrow ‘You have 5 seconds to decide, or I’ll choose. Cheek or lips.’ He counted. 5. My eyes widened. 4. He’s going to do it! 3. What if he chooses lips? 2. ‘My l-cheek! My cheek!’ I almost yelled and he moved forward towards my cheek. I could feel his body heat and my heart rate increased. I waited to feel his lips -with shut eyes, as if he was gonna kiss my lips- on my cheek but nothing. I counted till 3 before peeking out of one eye to see his laughing face. He was trying not to laugh out loud and my eyes widened. This cow! He just played me! I hit him and he stopped laughing. ‘If you hit me again, I really will kiss you.’

I raised an eyebrow, challenging him. ‘I don’t believe you have the guts.’ What am I doing? He too raised an eyebrow ‘You think so?’ ‘I know so.’ I replied back. ‘You sure?’ he was moving closer, and I held my place. ‘I’m pretty sure.’ ‘You’ll be surprised.’ ‘I don’t think so-‘ he held my cheek, surprising me. His face was right in front of mine and my eyes were wide. His lips touched my cheek, right next to my lips. My heart skipped a beat and my mouth fell open. H-he! His lips lingered there for a few more seconds and I couldn’t breathe even after he moved back. Th-that was not an innocent kiss on the cheek! ‘You can breathe now.’ Jace said and I took a shaky breath.

‘Yo-you-‘ I pointed a shaky finger at him ‘Just gave you an innocent kiss on the cheek.’ He completed my sentence, taking it in the opposite direction ‘That was totally opposite of “innocent”!’ ‘Opposite of innocent? Then what’s innocent?’ he asked, innocently. ‘I’ll show you innocent!’ I said, standing and rolling up my sleeves and grabbing his cheek. He froze. I planted a quick and rough kiss on his cheek, away from his lips and returned, smugly, to my seat. I’m sure he was not expecting that. But then again, neither was I.

I gasped, realizing what I had done. I stood up ‘Oh my Gosh! I’m so sorry! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to! I was just-‘ ‘Turned on?’ ‘Yeah! Wait, what? NO! I was just fired up because of…’ ‘My good kissing?’ I scowled ‘No! Look, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to and I’m leaving.’ I took my bag and left the table, with a laughing Jace following close behind. My heartbeat was not slowing down and I had an urge to dance but I just continued walking down the street, towards the school’s parking lot, where I planned to wait for Mrs C.

‘What were you and Noah talking about?’

I stopped walking and turned towards Jace, who was now beside me. ‘What?’ I asked dumbly. He rolled his eyes, the slightest smile on his face, although it was mostly serious ‘You and Noah. Today in the drama room. After I left. Ring a bell?’ I scowled at him ‘Yeah, yeah, I know.’ I started walking again. ‘About stuff.’ How could I tell him about Noah abusing me when I was younger and then finding out that I was his mate but it was too late because I had run away and now that I’ve returned as Allyn, he’s found out that I’m Jessie and that he wants another chance?

‘Stuff? Like what? Could be Barbie movies, right?’ I looked at him and he sighed. He actually looked irritated. Like he was annoyed that he couldn’t know about it. ‘Never mind. Let’s walk faster.’ I don’t want him to be annoyed. I don’t know why… Jace should be the first person I should want to annoy, but he just isn’t. I don’t want him to feel unpleasant because of me. I sighed ‘Alright, see here. I’ll do anything you want, but I can’t tell you about today.’ ‘What’s the use- wait, did you say anything?’ I gulped. Did I say anything? ‘No! I meant-‘ ‘Oh no, no, no, no! You said anything! You can’t take it back, Jessie! Alright! So I now have the right to make you do any one thing I want!’ My eyes widened and my chest hurt because of his grin. So happy? Why, Jace?

‘Fine.’ Why did I just say fine? No one knows.

And I don’t care.

Jace’s car was parked in the parking lot and he made me sit in the passenger’s seat as he drove me to the pack house. I found myself peeking in his direction whenever he wasn’t looking and it surprised me.

‘You remember this, Jessie. You agreed to this.’

‘I know. I’ll do it. Any one thing, Jace. That’s all.’

He smirked and this time, I didn’t scowl.

After Jace dropped me by the entrance of the pack house, I decided to visit Mama Ebony, even though it was late. I knew she would be awake. I knocked on the clinic door, knowing there was no one other than Mama Ebony inside. The door opened, which I didn’t expect, startling me. Mama Ebony pulled me inside, shutting the door and engulfing me in a bone crushing hug. ‘Wha-! Mama!’ ‘He’s back!’ she laughed, hugging me tighter. He’s back? ‘Who’s back?’ I asked and she loosened her grip a bit.

‘Evan, dear. Evan is back from Chicago!’

Yo people! I posted this chapter super quick! I hope you like the Jacie (or whatever couple name you want for them both! Comment cute names!) moments in this chappie! I was also hoping for more votes, so please! And don't forget to comment. I'm leaving back to boarding school on Monday and there's no electronic gadgets allowed there, meaning no more updates for a while, so please vote more to get faster updates!