Chapter Twenty- Eight

We were back at Jace's house. He was holding Mr. Pengy while I was busy sipping away on a milkshake. Jace said he had to get something from the backyard so I went inside the house alone.

I stepped through the door and there was Destiny. Tears running down her face. Makeup ruined. Eyeliner smudged. Hair tangled. Clothes wrinkled. She looked terrible. The worst I've ever seen her.

She tried to put on a straight face to look strong in front of me. But it was too late. I'd already seen her.

"Des-" She took one look at me and ran up the stairs. I was always faster than her. I yanked her back down, she pushed and pulled but I was stronger too. "Destiny!" She swung around looking me in my eyes. The only thing in hers was fear. So much fear.

"GET OUT!" She screamed, pushing me harder. I would've fallen down the steps if I hadn't been holding on to the railing.

"Look at me!" I pleaded. "Look at me!"

"NO, YOU'RE JUST A GOLD DIGGING BITCH!" That stung, hearing it from her instead of her boyfriend. Hearing it from the one person who knows me best.

"What did Jasper do?" Rage flashed in her eyes.

"Nothing, let go and leave me the fuck alone. Get your lonely ass out of here!"

That's when I saw it. The bruise. A fucking bruise right below her left eye. I haven't seen her in a while and it's fading now, but I can see the fresh slap mark on her right cheek. Jasper.

I reached out to touch it, not thinking clearly until she slapped my hand away.

"Don't you fucking dare!" She poked me in the chest, hard. "Don't touch me, Scarlett!"

"Destiny, you need help. We need to go right now," I said calmly. "You can get out of this. He isn't your only option. I swear to you, Destiny We can get through this together." She glared.

"If you knew what was good for you, Scarlett," She sneered. "You would learn how to shut your mouth." Her eyes darted to the stairs.

"Destiny, listen to me. He's not good for you!"

"Excuse me, Jasper loves me!" She shoots back. "Wish I could say the same for you." I let her comment roll off my back.

"Destiny please- come on. Let's go to my house."

"Can't you take a hint? I'm staying and there's nothing you can do or say to change that."

I know what I said to Jasper, but if what I'm about to say will help my friend out of an abusive relationship. Then I'll say it a million times.

I was quiet for a second, Destiny took this as me backing down and gave me a triumphant grin. She turned to go back upstairs, but I grabbed her arm. "Jasper's cheating on you," I whispered.

Destiny stopped, her nail ticking on the railing. Faster with each passing second.

"Whatever." She finally said, continuing up the stairs.

"Destiny, did you hear me?" She turns around, giving me a once over a look of pure distaste in her eyes.

"You're prone to lying about important things. How's this any different?" She said, dryly.

"I'm your best friend, I wouldn't lie to you about this,"

"What do you mean? You're a liar. That's what you're best at."

"Des, I'm not lying about this." She scoffs

"I can't believe I didn't expect this," I raised my eyebrows in confusion. "You've always been jealous of me."

Excuse me

What did this bitch say?

"I have never once been jealous of you. I've always been happy for you!" I fire back, anger levels rising.

She snorted. "Yeah, right. All those guys that you say to stay away from," Her voice gets louder. "Every guy who comes near me you say, you're too good for him!" Is she forgetting about Kayden?

"Because you are Destiny! You are better than Dondre and Latrell and Jasper!"

"No, no Scarlet you act like you're so much better than the rest of us. But look around," She motions around the house. "You've been living a lie for three months!"

"Lower your voice and this isn't about me," I whispered looking around, making sure Jace wasn't nearby.

"Lower my voice!" She gets louder. "How's this for lower? You're such a fucking hypocrite! You always say don't change yourself for a guy, if he was worth it then he would love the real you!"

"This is different." She doesn't understand.

"No it's really not," Destiny said. "Do you really think Jace would like you? Better yet, would even talk to you if he knew?"

"Shut up."

"No, he wouldn't because you're boring and a prude. No guy has ever liked you as more than a ploy to get to me," I bit my lip, fighting back tears. "It's only a matter of time before he finds out and leaves you!"

"I don't believe that, Destiny."

"Oh you don't, you don't believe that," She smiles with a sickness behind it. "Then let's go tell him right now." She pushed past me and went downstairs, looking around before settling her eyes on me. "In fact, let him come to the house, meet your parents, see your sister on the street corner!"

"I just need more time!" I shriek, losing my composure.

"Time for what?" Destiny barked. " You're so fucking scared all the time and I'm done," She clapped her hands together. "I'm done with you. You're holding me back!"

"Oh, really you're so much better than me!" I gripped her cheek, hoping to leave a mark. "THIS IS BETTER!"

"He loves me." She whispered.

"But he doesn't and this is proof. This isn't what love is."

"How the fuck would you know what love is? ," I take out my phone and before she can snatch it away, I snap a picture of her face. Her tear-soaked, make-up ruined, cover blown face.

"I swear if you tell Jace about me. I'll tell the world about you." Horrified she takes a step back

"You wouldn't dare." Her voice has lost all emotion except for one. Fear.

"Oh, not so big and bad now Destiny." She doesn't say a word. "You can never say I didn't try to help, but I can't if you won't let me."

"I can't wait until Jace finds out. You'll be knocked from that high ass pedestal, maybe remove the stick that's so far up your ass and face the truth," She moved to the point where I had to look up at her.

I've seen her do this to so many girls it's her intimidation tactic. She stares down at me and reaches into your soul, shredding any bit of confidence you have and making the person receiving feel powerless. She makes sure they and everybody else knows that she's better than them. But I knew her better than anybody. I knew she was scared. Terrified. A trait she inherited from her mother.

"No matter how long you play this game with him, he'll never like you. You aren't;t enough. You've never been enough..."

"Is that all you got?" It's going to take a lot more to break me. "Tell me something I don't know!"

She spits off insult after insult, trying to break me down to the core. "Jasper was right, I did say that shit about you. And I only kept you around because you have shitty self-esteem and you make me look better."

"And?" She stalls for a minute and I shoot her a satisfied smirk. "I thought you were better than this Destiny. I've seen you send girls running for the hills with one word, but here I am. Still standing."

"Because nothing I say will break you more than when the truth comes out."

"You'll never do it." She may say some things she doesn't mean out of anger, but I swear I know Destiny. She's amazing at threats, but she would never go through with it. She's all bark and no bite.

"Try me." Destiny backs down, giving me a final look before walking toward the kitchen doors.

"Good luck, Destiny," I yelled after her, but she didn't answer.

I would've never sent that picture, but it was a good enough threat and unlike her, I made good on my threats. When she disappeared through the doors, I let the anger, sadness, fear, and everything in-between wash over me.

Problem 1: Jasper is about to find out. And there's no doubt in my mind that he won't hesitate to tell Jace everything

Problem 2: I needed to disappear. It'll make everything much easier on Jace if I'm not there when he finds out. He'll cope. He'll learn to live without me. But I can't handle the anger or worse disgust that'll be on his face when he finds out I'm one of those city kids.

Problem 3: I don't want to disappear. That may be the biggest problem of all. He may learn, but I won't. Every time I watch a Disney movie or look at Mr.Pengy the memories will come flooding back. Jace Matthew Kingston has become a permanent fixture in my life. He's infiltrated my brain and made himself a permanent space in my heart. He was my best friend.

But this was something that needed to be done. It's no other way.

I looked up the marble staircase before something- or someone came across my mind. And I couldn't leave without doing this.

I ran up the stairs, taking two at a time and busted straight into Jasper's room. He was laying shirtless on the bed with a smug smile on his face when I walked in. He threw his phone to the side before sitting up.

"I knew you'd want some of this. Jace can't give you what I can give you." He suggestively wiggles his eyebrows.

I don't respond, afraid of what I'd say and sit down next to him. I rest my hand on his shoulder and lean in closer.

When his eyes are closed, I sock him in the nose.

"YOU FUCKING BITCH!" He yelped, hands flying to his bloody nose

That's for Destiny.

He stands up ready to run or fight, but I punch him in the stomach. He doubles over in pain, gasping for air.

That's for Jace.

Then I knee him in the groin.

That's for every other woman who has been abused by him. All the girls at his wild parties and the unsuspecting freshman he cornered in the school bathroom.

He's lying on the floor and moaning in pain. "Not so big and bad now, huh?" I teased. He tried to stand, but tripped on the carpet and landed on his knees

"You're so motherfucking dead! I hope you said your goodbyes," He grunted through the pain. "You're done here."

I nodded, satisfied. "Yeah, I think I am." I leave the room, shutting the door. I walked past Destiny on the way down the stairs. She was holding an ice pack in her hand and growled when she saw me.

"Maybe you should've grabbed two," I whispered, slinking down the stairs before she had the chance to say anything. I made it outside, giving the house one last look before I left.

All of our memories came rushing towards me with full force. I gasped at the abundance of tears welling up in my eyes. I thought about Jace and how I was leaving him behind. I thought about Jasmine who at least her last memory of me will be a good one. About their absent parents. About the tears and heartache that go way beyond those front doors. I thought about the forced smiles and fake laughs that Jace used to survive the day. I thought about how much I would miss him. How much I would miss us.

I finally turned away when the first tear ran down my cheek. I turned away right into Jace's chest. He was holding Mr. Pengy under his arm and had a small box in the other.

"What are you doing out here?" He was quiet, but his voice echoed throughout my mind. My stomach dropped and the tears came faster. He took off his sunglasses and grabbed my hands. "Hey, what happened?" His eyes filled with concern that I didn't deserve. I shook my head, snatching my hands back.

"Nothing, just allergies." Another tear fell. "My mom called and she wants me home." I took the penguin out of his arm, gripping its fur.

"Are you sure? You don't look so good, Let." Let. That stupid fucking nickname. I nodded, blinking back tears. A sickness grew in my stomach. This was it.

I wrapped my arms around back letting Mr. Pengy fall to the ground. I squeezed Jace, burying my head in his chest. I inhaled his body wash and expensive cologne. I felt his warmth envelop me. He wrapped his arms around my lower back. I bit my lip until it drew blood trying to hold back my emotions. Trying to savor these last few seconds.

I pushed away, searching every inch of his face trying to commit it to memory. Jace isn't somebody I ever wanted to forget. But I wanted nothing more than for him to forget me.

"What was that for?" He asked, stunned.

"Nothing just wanted to give you a hug." I walked to my car, stuffing Mr. Pengy in the backseat. Jace followed me, looking lost.

He stood in front of my window before holding up the box that was in his hand.

"Can I give you something?" I shook my head, silently. I couldn't take anything else from him. Not when I'm about to walk out of his life forever.

"I'm really late just give it to me another time," He lowered the box, looking dejected.

"Sure, next week?" I mustered a smile. "Can I call you later?" He sounded hopeful.

"Yeah." My voice lowered to a whisper. A painful whisper. A whisper that broke every part of me. A whisper that made a promise that I intended to break. I put my hand over his, giving it a light squeeze. He moved back and I pulled out of the driveway. The mini-mansion in Elkridge turning into a distant memory. The life I had with Jace becoming nothing but a fantasy.

I was driving past the familiar abandoned houses and seeing our friendly neighborhood drug dealers. There were boys with their pants hanging low and girls with their shorts too high. I saw my family's church and the junkies hanging outside the 7-11. I turned off my Disney music and turned up Megan Thee Stallion, becoming the girl that they all expect. I drove past my school and the football field that hasn't been cut since September. I rode past Destiny's neighborhood, Erika's, and even Dylan. Thinking about how ashamed they were when they found out. But who wouldn't be? Who would want to admit that not everybody at their school is college-bound? Half of us can't afford decent shoes if we're not doing something illegal to get them. I would look like a joke compared to Jace. Compared to his family. I already do and that's just for being black. Don't think I didn't notice the look on his mother's face when she opened the door and saw me standing there? Asking to be invited into her home. Where those who look like me only belong there as workers.

How can I expect Jace to be any different?

That's why when I get home, I block and delete his number. I block and unfollow his Instagram, not that he ever followed me. I deleted any trace of him, cleansing myself of Jace Matthew Kinston. For good.

And after that, I cried. I cried until I couldn't breathe. My parents tried to call me down for dinner and Brielle tried her hand at talking to me, but I was in complete isolation. In the midst of my breakdown, I prayed. I prayed to the god that I didn't believe in. I prayed for Jace's complete and utter happiness. For him to find a girl who will keep choosing him forever. Who'll love him with every she has in her. I pray for all his dreams to come true. I want to see Jace Kingston as the head of his own law firm. And last, of all, I prayed that he'd let me go.

Even when I can't let him go.

It was a text from an unknown number at nearly 9 pm when I'd finally finished drying all my tears for the damn to break again.

Time's Up