Adorably Clueless

Alice went through school the next day, handing in her assignments from the missed day. She didn’t see Jace, his car wasn’t parked outside, but that didn’t mean anything. He could have ridden with one of his other friends. She really had hoped to talk to him before first bell but it didn’t happen. At least she had first block with him so when she entered the room her eyes automatically swept the room. She found him, sitting in his usual seat in the back however the seat she usually occupied was filled by someone else.

She briskly walked down another aisle and took a seat on the other side of Jace. She dumped her books on the desk and then turned to speak to him, but he was already talking to Marcus, who had filled her seat. Alice grimaced but was determined to not lose her best friend and if she was honest with herself, the boy she was hopelessly in love with. “Jace, hey, Jace! Answer me, I’m not playing the stupid I’m going to ignore you game.”

Jace stopped his conversation and faced her, his eyes were hardened pupils of ice. “Alice.”
Rejection curled up in her belly as she registered how he referred to her. “Jace, we need to talk. I know the whole thing with Alec is a thing you don’t want to happen.”
He snorted,” Of course it’s not.” Some of the ice in his eyes melted and the feelings of rejection swirled away.

She touched his arm gently,” But you have to accept the fact that I’m a forgiving person. You’ve known that since day one. I think I should at the very least let him be a friend, you know?”

He eyed her warily,” You know that’s not a good idea. He is just going to hurt you again, worse than before probably. Alice, you should just forget trying to be his friend. He just wants in your pants and he’s trying different ways to get to them.”

Alice gasped,” Jace, that’s very rude to say! Even if he is a jerk, which he can be, that doesn’t mean you can say stuff like that! “

He shrugged,” It’s not like it’s not true. Alice, I don’t want to fight, but I don’t want to see you hurt. I think it’s just better if you choose between Alec and me. C’mon, you know I’m right. Please, Alice. I need you in my life, you’re my best friend.”

She clamped her mouth shut and faced forward. She wouldn’t do it. She wouldn’t let Jace make her chose between Alec and himself. It would just stupid and very, very childish to do. For the remainder of the class, she sat with her face turned toward the teacher, not paying any mind to the seething Jace. Eventually, the bell rang and Alice swiftly grabbed her books, ready to attack second block while worrying about Jace later.

***

Lunch was difficult; Jace was in her ear about being his friend first like she always had. She ignored him somehow and sat outside in the cool, crisp autumn air. It was always beautiful around this time of year, she absolutely loved it. The breeze lifted her hair as it soothed her thoughts. She had some leave start to crunch so she turned her head. Alec was standing about a foot away,” Hey, Alice. I just wanted to talk to you about Jace putting you on the spot like he has.”

She felt herself start to bristle but she took a deep breath. “Alec, I know you mean well but that’s between Jace and me.”

He nodded,” I figured you’d say that but I just want you to know that you don’t have to pick me.”

Alice sighed,” Hopefully I won’t have to pick anyone.” She turned her gaze to the school grounds, watching the water from the small pond whoosh and whirl. The leaves crunched, making Alice think he had left until she felt a jacket over her shoulders.

She looked up and he smiled sheepishly,” Just making sure you wouldn’t freeze to death.” Then he gingerly sat down beside her and just kept her company. The hour just passed by, Alice and Alec didn’t really talk but rather just found comfort in each other’s company.

When the bell rang, they both stumbled up which caused Alice to lose her balance. She felt herself fall and Alec caught her before she hit the ground. He smiled at her and then rebalanced her. “Hey, don’t fall.”

She laughed and grabbed herself off the ground. “Yeah, yeah.” She hurriedly made it up the hill and into the halls. Alice couldn’t be late to class or she would be killed by her teachers. She spent the rest of the school day wondering about Alec and why all of a sudden he had changed his ways. He was how he had been when they had first started dating.

She walked to her locker after last block, finding Jace standing there. She smiled gently at him,” Hey.”

He tried to return the gesture but his thoughts were on what he had witnessed during lunch. She was his Alice, he didn’t want to share. But she’s not yours. His mind whispered to him as he tried to figure out how to approach the subject of Alec. “Hey.”

Alice didn’t know what to think, what did Jace want? Would he give up on the issue of making her chose between Alec and himself? She just grabbed her stuff out of the locker and leaned back against it. “So what’s up?”

Jace scratched the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable with what he had to say. “Alice, are you with Alec again?”

Alice’s mouth popped open in surprise. “No! What makes you think that?”

He gazed into her eyes evenly,” I saw you two sitting together outside whenever you went out there to get away from her.”

She met his gaze and said,” He was just keeping me company since you ran me outside. He told me he wouldn’t make me choose between him and you.”

Jace sighed,” I’m doing what’s best for you in the long run. He’s no good for you. Heck if you want a boyfriend that bad, take me!”

Alice blushed but then anger flushed against her face. “You think I’m desperate? What the heck? You know better than that! I just want to be a good friend to someone that is changing. It’s hard to go through and you shouldn’t be giving a hard time when you’ve went through it too. Do you not remember how much of a douche bag you were in middle school?”

He grimaced,” That’s different. I didn’t suddenly change like he did! It was gradually and I’m not buying what the hell he’s saying. And neither should you.” He abruptly turned around and bucked it to the front doors of the school. Alice stared at him, wondering what in the world to do. She knew she would forgive Alec, she already had but she loved Jace. He was always her dream boyfriend, if she was honest with herself. She had loved him forever.

She felt the tears prickle at her eyes but she sucked it up and made it to her little bug. She wouldn’t let him get to her too much, she needed to find herself. Who was Alice? Was she a girl who could see a future with Jace? Maybe that girl wanted to be with Alec again and that’s why she was so willing to forgive him? She quickly dismissed that thought, she didn’t want to be with Alec but she knew he was changing for the better of things.

She pulled into her driveway, her mind exhausting her with all the explanations of why she felt the way she did. She grabbed her stuff out of the passenger seat and stomped her way into the house. Her mom wasn’t home; she was probably out grocery shopping. Alice sighed and plopped down on the couch. She turned the TV on and listened to a bit of Friends. Everything would work out in the end, she knew but she didn’t know if it would work out in her favor.

Eventually, she fell asleep to the familiar sounds of her favorite show. She would take on the world tomorrow, for now she would just go to sleep and let her dreams take her to the moon and back.

***

Jace throw his basketball forcefully at his wall, upset with how his confrontations went. He had expected Alice to already give up on Alec. He was absolutely in no way, shape, or form good for her. Why couldn’t she see that?

Because she’s a girl, you don’t see things the way she does.

He groaned,” Ugh! Why do girls have to be so damn complicated?” He tossed the ball at the wall again, repeating over and over until he felt like he had gotten most of his frustration out. He had to talk with Alice and find a way to get her to see Alec was no good for her. He wondered what Alec was really up too. What it another bet?

He pulled out his phone and texted his buddy Andrew. Hey! Find out what Alec wants with Alice for me, will ya?

Andrew answered back almost immediately, apparently having already been on his phone. Sure, bro.

Thanks, man. Jace put his phone back in his front pocket and leaned back on his bed. He’d figure out the whole Alice thing tomorrow. Right now, he had to just calm it down. He had to cool it before he made a real mess of his relationship with Alice or he’d lose her. He knew that but somehow that made he want to get Alec away from her even more. He had to find out what was going on there, or he might just lose his Alice.

He shot up out of his bed and rubbed his eyes, not quite believing what he had said. Your Alice?