Chapter Twenty-One #2
“Look,” Noah says, his voice hard as he focuses back on Jace. “I’ve known you since freshman year, Cooper. I’ve seen you go through girls faster than I go through protein shakes. You don’t do relationships. So what’s different now? Why should we even believe this is real?”
Jace’s jaw ticks, and his eyes turn cold. “You want to know what’s different? I’ve never walked into this school with my arm around someone. Never. Not even once.”
Noah pauses, and I can see the recognition flicker across his face. “You’re right. You haven’t.”
“So maybe that should tell you something.” Jace’s arm shifts around my shoulders.
“But here’s what really pisses me off about this whole conversation.
You’re all standing here acting concerned about Lola, but you’re not even looking at her.
You’re not asking her what she wants. You’re assuming she needs you to protect her from me. ”
“Because she does,” Sam shoots back. “You’re going to break her heart eventually.”
“That’s not your call to make.” Jace’s voice drops lower. “This is between me and Lola. You don’t get a vote.”
“We’re her friends,” Aubrey says, her eyes flashing. “We’re supposed to look out for her.”
“By what, deciding who I can and can’t date?” I cut in, and Aubrey’s eyes snap to mine. “I love you guys, but this is my decision. Not yours.”
“We’re just trying to protect you,” Sam says, her voice softening slightly.
“From what exactly? Being happy?” The words come out sharp. “You don’t get to decide what’s good for me just because you don’t approve.”
“This isn’t about approval,” Reece says, speaking up for the first time. “This is about the fact that we’ve seen him operate. We know how he is.”
“No. You know how I was,” Jace corrects, his tone sharp. “You haven’t a clue about how I am with her.”
“So enlighten us,” Noah challenges. “What makes this different?”
“I don’t owe any of you shit,” Jace says. “The only person I answer to is standing right here, and she already knows how I feel.”
“And I don’t owe you an explanation either,” I add, my voice steady despite the way my heart is pounding. “I’m with Jace because I want to be. Because he makes me happy. That should be enough.”
Sam crosses her arms. “That’s not good enough.”
“Too fucking bad,” Jace says, and despite everything, I almost smile.
“You know what… I don’t need this right now.” I pull away from Jace’s arm, and I see the flash of concern in his eyes. “I don’t need to stand here and defend myself to people who are supposed to be my friends.”
“Lola, wait,” Sam says, reaching for me.
“No.” I step back. “You want to have an opinion about my relationship? Fine. But don’t expect me to stand here and listen to you say whatever you want. You don’t get to judge me or my decisions.”
“If you hurt her,” Noah says, ignoring me completely and focusing on Jace, “I will personally make sure you regret it.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Jace’s voice is deadly quiet.
“You think I haven’t thought about what happens if I fuck this up?
But here’s the thing, Noah. I’m not asking for your approval.
I’m not asking for your blessing. I’m with Lola because she wants to be with me, and I want to be with her.
That’s it. That’s the only thing that matters.
Now get that through your fucking head.”
The silence that follows is suffocating. People in the hallway are openly staring now, phones out, probably recording every second of this disaster.
Jace and I turn and walk away, leaving my friends standing there in stunned silence. The hallway parts for us, whispers following in our wake.
I don’t glance back.
Jace’s hand is solid around my shoulder, the only anchor I have right now as my world tilts sideways. My chest is tight and my throat burns with words I didn’t say, with the hurt I’m trying desperately to swallow down.
We round the corner toward the science wing, and the crowd thins out. The noise fades to a dull hum. Jace pulls me to a stop near the water fountains, turning to face me.
“You okay?” His free hand comes up to cup my jaw.
“I’m fine,” I say automatically, but my voice cracks on the words.
“Bells.” His thumb strokes across my cheekbone. “Don’t pretend with me. Look at me. They’ll come around. And if they don’t, then screw them.”
He leans in and kisses me, as his hand slides into my hair. It’s different from the desperate ones this morning. This one is grounding. Steady. A promise that I’m not alone in this.
When he pulls back, his eyes search mine. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah.” And this time, I mean it. Or at least I’m closer to meaning it.
“Good.” He presses one more quick kiss to my forehead. “I’ll see you later?”
He heads toward the gym and I watch him go. That confident swagger is back in his step, and I try to hold onto the warmth he left behind.
I turn toward my own class, my mind still replaying the confrontation with my friends—the hurt in Aubrey’s eyes, the anger in Sam’s voice. I’m so lost in my own head that I almost don’t see them: Nicole and her crew.
There are only three of them now. Madison and Brittany flank her sides, their numbers smaller than they used to be, but their venom is just as potent. They’re gathered near the lockers halfway down the hall, and when Nicole sees me, her face lights up with something predatory.
“Oh my God,” she says loudly, her voice carrying down the hallway.
I should keep walking to class, but my feet slow down despite my better judgment.
“I’m actually impressed,” Nicole continues, pushing off the lockers and stepping into my path. “I didn’t think Jace’s standards could get that low. But I guess when you’ve had filet mignon, sometimes you want to slum it with gas station sushi.”
“Move,” I say, my voice tight.
“Aw, she speaks.” Brittany giggles. “I wasn’t sure you knew how to do anything other than sit in the corner and do homework.”
“Seriously, though, Lola,” Nicole says, her voice dropping to something almost conversational.
Almost friendly. Which makes it worse. “What’s your secret?
Because I’m genuinely curious how someone that forgettable managed to get Jace Cooper’s attention.
Did you blackmail him? Threaten to tank his grades?
Or did you just spread your legs and hope for the best? ”
Heat floods my face.
“Oh, that’s it, isn’t it?” Nicole’s eyes gleam with malicious delight. “You put out. God, that’s so sad. You really thought giving it up would make him stay?”
“You have no idea what is—.”
“I know enough.” Nicole crosses her arms, looking me up and down with open disdain.
“That you’re a nobody who got lucky because Jace was bored.
You’re so desperate for attention that you convinced yourself his pity is that he actually wants you.
That’s when he wakes up and realizes he’s wasting his time on someone as plain and boring as you; you’re going to be completely destroyed over it.
Look at yourself, Lola.” Nicole steps closer, her voice dropping to a vicious whisper.
“You’re not pretty enough to be a trophy.
You’re not cool enough to raise his status.
You’re not even fun enough to keep him interested.
You’re just... there. A placeholder until someone better comes along.
And trust me, someone better always comes along. ”
Madison laughs. “I give it two weeks before he’s back to normal. One week if someone hot transfers in.”
“Your own friends don’t even support this,” Brittany adds. “We all saw that little showdown earlier. Doesn’t that tell you something?”
I notice Nicole’s expression shift. She’s looking over my shoulder, and for just a second, something flickers across her face. Not quite fear, but close.
I don’t understand why until I hear Aubrey’s voice behind me.
“Walk away, Nicole,” Aubrey says from behind me. Her tone is flat and dangerous. “Right now.”
I turn slightly and see Aubrey and Sam standing there, their expressions hard as they stare down Nicole and her crew.
Nicole recovers quickly, her smile sliding back into place. “We were just having a conversation. Girl talk, that’s all.”
“I know exactly how it is,” Aubrey says, her voice cold. “That you’re a vindictive bitch who gets off on making other people small. So do yourself a favor and get the hell out of here before I make you.”
Madison shifts uncomfortably, and Brittany takes a small step back.
Nicole’s eyes narrow. “You can’t talk to me that way.”
“She just did,” Sam says. “Now move.”
For a moment, Nicole looks ready to argue, but something in Aubrey’s expression seems to persuade her otherwise. She tosses her hair over her shoulder and turns on her heel.
“Whatever. She’s not worth my time anyway.” She walks away with Madison and Brittany scrambling to follow her.
“Lola,” Aubrey says softly, and the gentleness in her voice nearly breaks me all over again.
“I’m fine,” I say automatically, but my voice cracks on the words.
“No, you’re not.” Sam moves closer, her earlier anger completely gone. “What did she say to you?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does matter,” Aubrey insists. “Whatever she said, it was designed to hurt you.”
I shake my head, still avoiding eye contact. “Can we not do this right now? I’m already late for class.”
“I’m sorry,” Aubrey says.
“We’re both sorry,” says Sam.
That causes me to raise my gaze.
“We shouldn’t have ambushed you that way,” Aubrey says.
“We were just scared,” Sam adds, her voice quieter than usual. “Because we love you, and we don’t want to see you get hurt.”
I stare at them, not quite believing what I’m hearing. “So what, you’re okay with it now? With Jace and me?”
“I’m not sure if okay is the right word,” Sam admits. “But we don’t want to lose you over this and we don’t want to fight.”
“We want to understand,” Aubrey says. “We want to hear why, Jace.”
I swallow hard. “Because he’s different with me. You don’t see it because he doesn’t show that side to anyone else, but he is.”
“Different how?” Sam asks, sounding genuinely curious now, not accusatory.
“He’s soft,” I say, and the word feels strange coming out of my mouth, but it’s true. “When we’re alone, when it’s just us, he’s kind, and he listens. I know how he’s been with others, but this is different.”
“Do you love him?” Sam asks quietly.
“Yeah,” I say without hesitation. “I do.”
Sam and Aubrey exchange glances, some silent communication passing between them.
“Then we’re not going to stand in your way,” Aubrey says finally. “If this is what you want, if he makes you happy, then we’ll support you.”
“But that doesn’t mean we’re not going to worry,” says Sam. “It doesn’t mean we’re going to stop caring about what happens to you.”
“I don’t want you to stop caring,” I say, my voice breaking. “I just want you to trust that I know what I’m doing.”
“We’re trying,” Aubrey says. “But if you say he’s different with you, then we believe it.”
Relief floods through me, so intense it nearly knocks me off my feet. “I hate fighting with you guys.”
“We hate it too,” Aubrey says. “Even when we’re being overprotective idiots.”
I laugh, the sound watery but genuine. “I love you guys.”
Aubrey wipes at her eyes. “Okay, but seriously, what did Nicole say to you?”
I shake my head. “It doesn’t matter. She’s just trying to get in my head.”
“Is it working?” Sam asks.
I hesitate, then nod. “A little.”
“Don’t let her,” Aubrey says fiercely. “Nicole tears people down because she’s miserable and she can’t stand seeing other people happy.”
“She wants Jace,” Sam adds bluntly. “She’s wanted him for years, and he’s never given her the time of day. So seeing him with you? That’s eating at her.”
I nod slowly, trying to let their words sink in. Trying to push Nicole’s venom out.
“Come on,” Aubrey says, linking her arm through mine. “Or we’ll be late for class and Mr. Williams will lose his shit as usual.”