Chapter Eighteen

I'm standing at my locker waiting for Destiny when my obnoxious Justin Bieber ringtone blares from my pocket. I groaned, ignoring the disapproving glances from onlookers and pulled out my phone to see a missed call from Jace.

I looked around the crowded hallway to see Destiny nowhere in sight before I snuck off to the bathroom. I made sure it was empty before calling Jace back.

He picked up on the first ring. "Hey, aren't you supposed to be at a game?" I spoke first.

"Funny story, " I heard yelling in the background. "I'm at your school!"

My heart dropped. He doesn't mean my school, right?

"What?"

"I'm at Markland!"

"Oh sweet Jesus," I whispered underneath my breath

"What did you say?"

"Nothing," I shot out, trying to calm my racing heart. "Why are you here?"

"Baseball game. It was a quick change of plans and I wanted to surprise you!" He enthused, his voice light and cheery. Everything that I'm not.

"That's awesome, Jace!"

"So..." he trailed off

"So?"

"When can I see you?"

"Excuse me?" I stammered out.

"I want you to come to my game. Maybe I can meet some of your friends?"

Okay, brain or god or whoever might be listening, what is the best way to get out of this? How do I spare Jace's feelings without completely crushing his soul and taking the childlike wonder out of his eyes?

Easy answer: I can't. But I do know somebody who can.

"Jace, let me call you back." I didn't wait for his response before hanging up.

The person I called picked up on the third ring. "Where you at?" Destiny said. I rolled my eyes and prepared myself for the lecture that would soon come after I said what I had to say.

"Meet me in the bathroom next to my locker." She hung up the phone and the doors swung open revealing my best friend.

"Why are we in here it smells like shit?" I refrain from saying it probably is shit and instead, grab her hands and put on my best pleading face.

"We have a teensy weensy problem. Nothing major... just you know-"

"Spit it out!" She barked, startling me.

"JacehasabaseballgameatMarklandandhewantsmetomeethimtherebutIdontgotherebut-"

"Okay slow it down."

"Jace has a baseball game at Markland and he wants me to meet him there-"

"And he thinks you're already there instead of an hour away so you need my help to make it seem like you're a real student instead of a phony liar."

I send her a dry look. "Sure I guess."

"You know how I feel about this lying thing-"

"But..."

"You my girl and I'll see what I can do." I flung my arms around her neck almost knocking her chunky gold hoop out.

"You're the best!"

"Whatever bitch, you owe me!" Destiny said before sauntering out of the bathroom.

We made it out to the hustle and bustle of the after school hallway and at my locker, we formed a plan.

I called Jace before we got in the car and said I had to stay after for a project but I'll be able to make the game. That should buy us an hour of drive time.

Then after that, it's pretty straightforward. Walk inside the baseball field and sit in the very back until Jace is done with his game. Destiny will leave with Jasper who has sadly been notified of this ridiculous plan. He promised not to say anything even though I would rather eat nails than trust his word, I don't have another option.

That's basically the whole plan and as long as he doesn't ask for too much detail than we'll be good.

Okay, so I might have a little bump in the road with my plan. The school is gated and you need a legitimate reason or a school ID to get in. We don't have either.

We're two random teenage girls wearing shorts and crop tops. Everybody around us is wearing uniforms or have enough money to afford the uniforms. We have a beat-up Toyota and our word, but as I've learned my word isn't worth shit.

"No ID, no entry." The burly male guard barked from inside a toll booth looking thing.

"We're here for the baseball game. My best friend is playing!"

"Listen, girl, we can't just let anybody into our campus," I glanced back at Destiny for help but she's absorbed in what looks like Kylie Jenners Twitter page. "I suggest you move along."

"We're two teenage girls for crying out loud!" I told him. "What possibly could we be doing?"

"I don't know how they do it wherever you're from-"

"Excuse me, sir?" I hissed, voice growing deeper. "Is there something you're implying?"

"I'm not a racist if that's what you're saying-"

"I'm not saying anything but you are," I stated calmly, leaning out the window and coming eye to eye with the overweight middle-aged man. "I'm pretty influential where I'm from and I wouldn't want word to get around that me and my friend aren't being let into this fine establishment because of something as trivial as race now would we?"

"I'll call security!" He fumed, his face turning beet red.

"For what because I'm an unarmed black woman who poses no threat to you or the school. I'd love to see what the news says about that-" I noticed his name tag. "Mr. Warren."

"You wouldn't dare-"

"Do you really want to take that chance?" A line of sweat forms on his forehead which he wipes with a paper towel before showing me a smile.

"Welcome to Markland Preparatory Academy, I hope you enjoy your stay!" I grinned and nodded as the gates opened up.

"Thank you for your cooperation!" I said before riding through the games revealing a rather historic looking building the size of a small castle. There were large green arches decorating the walkways and a large garden. Destiny looked away from her phone long enough to be in a state of awe at the fine specimens that grace these halls.

It's a shame I don't actually go here because if I did... damn.

It took us nearly ten minutes to find the field as it was hidden behind the monstrous school. I pulled into an empty parking space in between a black Audi and a BMW. I saw a few students out of uniform adorned in various designer clothing making Destiny and I stick out like a sore thumb. I was too plain and she was out there whereas these kids didn't have to try at all to look like movie stars. It was their birthright.

I put on a pair of sunglasses I got for cheap at Forever 21 and stepped out the car. Destiny and I walked down the stairs to reveal rolling green fields, freshly shaven, and filled to the brim with teenagers running around inexpensive sports gear.

"Ugh, I can't believe I let you drag me to another game," Destiny complained.

"You ditched me at the last one and you're about to do it again!"

"I didn't ditch you."

"Oh really so you didn't leave me stranded at Jace's school with no car so you could go fuck his brother," I said. "And it wasn't you who refused to give me a ride home that night when I give you rides every fucking day because you hate gas stations-"

She held her hand up and I suppressed the overwhelming urge to bend it back so far it would break. "You're stuck in the past sweetheart." It was two weeks ago and I had to take an Uber home.

"You're such a fucking bitch." She didn't respond as we walked an excruciatingly long five-minute walk to the baseball field. I could faintly make out Jace in his uniform on the bench. He was staring intently at the game as one of Elkridge players went up to bat.

I didn't notice I stopped walking until Destiny pulled me aside, narrowly missing a stray lacrosse ball that was about to hit my right eye.

"Jesus Scar, pay attention!" I ignored her and kept walking, finding a seat away from the crowd. Destiny didn't make it to the bleachers before Jasper called. She gave me a curt goodbye and sashayed off in a typical Destiny fashion to find Jace's asshole twin brother.

I didn't scream with the others when a Markland player scored a -run, I think it's called or when an Elkridge player did. I was completely neutral until Jace went up to bat. I watched as his eyes scanned the crowd before I realized he was looking for me.

I stood upon the bleacher and his eyes met mine. For a split second his determined expression morphed into a smile. I returned it, shooting him a thumbs up before sitting back down.

After Jace got to first base on a walk, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned my head to find a tall blonde girl staring down at me from behind thick lashes.

She didn't say anything for a minute, silently scrutinizing me.

"Can I help you?" I asked and her blue eyes found their way back to mine.

"You look familiar." She finally spoke in a voice that commanded respect.

"Umm... okay?"

"You were on his Instagram." She smoothed down her skirt and sat up straight.

"Whose?"

"Jace Kingston. The boy that you just stood up for."

Realization dawned on me and I remembered the picture he posted of me sitting on the swing. I didn't want him to take that picture but he refused to listen and stated, "It's my right as a photographer to capture beauty such as yours."

After he said that I argued with him over his use of cheesy quotes and he swore that he made that up on the spot. I didn't believe him but I still let him take the picture.

"How do you even know that?"

"I never forget a face," She stated calmly. "Jace and Jasper are a big deal over here," I scoffed and she sent me a dry look. "I just wanted to know how a girl like you got your hands on him?"

"A girl like me?" I laughed but stopped when she sent me a glare. "I honestly don't know."

"You're like a ghost. Girls over here tried for days to find you, but came up empty," I looked around to see if anybody else could hear this conversation I'm having with this borderline stalker. "Now you're right here. The mystery is no more."

"You do realize that they're two 17-year-old boys not celebrities, right?"

"They're also extremely wealthy and single."

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. "Jasper's not single."

She looks at me before glancing over to her friend with an amused smirk. "Sure he's not." They laugh it off and I hear an umpire announce that the game has ended.

"You better run along. Your boyfriend's waiting for you." I turn to see Jace staring at me from the fence next to the bench.

"He's not my boyfriend," I muttered. She gives me an easy grin.

"Of course not."

"Can you just leave me the fuck alone?"

"Gladly," She said, turning to her friend for a minute. They spoke in hushed voices that I couldn't make out before standing up and making their way down the bleachers.

I let out a heavy breath, those girls were weird. Jace and Jasper can't be that well known, don't wealthy and hot make up most of the private school population. They should be a dime a dozen. There's nothing special about them at least not to this crowd. So, what makes them different?

I can tell why they would be interested in Jace. He's the complete package except for his disgusting eating habits. Or his lack of a filter. Or the way he and Henry tend to have burp contests whenever they drink a soda. Besides those things he's-

"Hey!" My eyes shoot in the direction of his deep soothing voice.

I squint in the direction of the sun and see Jace walking up the stairs. Older men clap him on the back and he stops a few times to speak to some students. He looks at ease except when he's talking to the girls. I know he's overthinking every word he says just like always. But the girls don't seem to mind as they shower him with compliments and bright smiles.

He leaves the group of Markland girls to meet me. I'm already standing, my bag in hand and he scoops me up in a hug.

I dropped my bag and tried to shove him off but he buried his head in my neck.

"Get off me asshole!" I sputtered and he tightened his hold on me.

"Why can't you just accept my love?" He exclaimed. "God your hair is unbelievably soft!"

"Shut up!" I said without a hint of malice. "You say that every time."

He pulled away and I saw his eye black is smeared probably somewhere on my cheek. There was a certain glow inside him that never seemed to fade even when he was sweaty and tired.

"I saw you talking to those girls earlier. Are they your friends?" I smiled grimly at the mention of the stalker I encountered.

"No," I smirked. "More like your fans."

"What?" He said with a confused smile, hair flopping over his eyes.

"I'm serious. They seemed to know a lot about you and your brother," I shoved him lightly on the shoulder. "And you told me, you weren't popular."

"I'm not!"

"Yeah, right." I snorted, pulling him by his hand away from the bleachers.

"Scarlett!" I jump at the sound of Carter's voice. Jace had to hold on to me so I wouldn't fall down the stairs.

I turn around to see Carter, Henry, and Alexander behind us. They are all varying degrees of disgusting with Carter being the worst, covered head to toe in dirt and grass stains. I wrinkled my nose and held a hand out when he tried to pull me in for a hug.

"So this is your turf?" Henry asked, looking around the campus.

"Yup!" I lied.

"It's massive." I know.

"Elkridge is probably bigger."

"No, it's not," Carter added.

"Hey, that's Jasper Kingston. Isn't it?" My head turned in the direction of a group of Markland girls with lacrosse sticks in their hands checking out Jace.

"No, that's obviously the other one!" A different voice said.

I don't know if Jace heard but by the way, his knuckles were gripping his bag was any indication I think he did.

The other boys didn't hear they were talking animatedly about the game and didn't notice that Jace hadn't said a word. But I noticed. With Jace I always noticed.

Our group was standing beside Jace's car, listening to Carter retell the events of his last date when I saw Jasper walking towards us. Destiny was at his side, sunglasses on, and a faint smirk on her face.

"Little brother, nice game!" Jasper yelled out before taking the empty spot next to me. Destiny was left standing behind the group. "And Princess, this school must be some serious cash that your car tells me you don't have."

"Babe-" Destiny started but Jasper cut her off with a glare.

"What the fuck Jasper?" Jace hissed. "Do whatever you want to me but leave Scarlett out of this!"

"Look at Jace-y standing up for his little girlfriend-" Jasper faked surprise and placed a hand on his chest. "Oh, I forgot you're too much of a bitch to ask her out!"

"You're such a-"

"Really Jace you dodged a bullet with this chick!" He interrupted me. "She costs more than she's worth. Watch yourself around her, you don't know what she might be hiding."

He shoots me a wink before walking away, Destiny in tow. Destiny who didn't say a word.

"I'm so sorry Scarlett. He had no right to say all those lies about you." Jace said.

Lies. Jace thinks that he's making it all up. But the truth is: Jasper didn't say anything that wasn't true. I am a liar. I did lie. I am lying. None of this is real.

I could tell him right now. Save myself the trouble of feigning innocence. But I don't. I stay quiet as Jace walks me to my car before leaving with the rest of the boys with the promise of calling me later.

Now I'm alone in my car, left with the guilt of everything that I didn't say.