Riele ran down the hall as fast as her short legs could take her, letting the tears that had been building up in her eyes fall down her cheeks. She could hear Jace's footsteps from behind her echoing through the hall.

"Riele!" the blond called after her. She didn't look back.

After finally reaching her dressing room, the dark-haired girl slammed the door behind her, quickly turning the lock just as Jace had gotten to her door.

"Riele!" he called, knocking his first against her door. "C'mon, Ri, open the door."

"Just leave me alone," Riele called back from inside. She brought a hand up to cover her mouth, stifling her sobs.

"I'm not leaving you," Jace replied. He sighed before leaning his forehead against her door. "I'm not making that same mistake again." Riele breathed in sharply at his words. The blond stayed silent, hoping to hear her voice. When she didn't speak, Jace turned and slid his back against the closed door until he reached the floor, stretching his legs out in front of him. Hearing shuffling from the other side, he guessed she had sensed his movements and was now doing the same. He grinned slightly at the cliché-ness of their situation.

"So," he started. "How's the weather like over there?" Riele let out a laugh through her nose, sending a smile across the blond's face.

"Stop trying to make me laugh," she spoke softly. "I'm supposed to be mad at you." Jace lit up at the sound of her voice, straightening his back.

"Guess it's pretty cold, then?" he asked looking up at the ceiling, his head leaning against the door. "You know, with the whole cold shoulder you're giving me from the other side of this door." Riele rolled her eyes.

"Freezing."
"Bummer. If only you'd open the door, I could give you my hoodie," he persuaded. "It's warm, and fuzzy-"
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather give it to Isabela?" There was an expected harshness to her tone, nonetheless leaving a stinging pain in Jace's chest.

"Why would I?" he then asked nonchalantly. "I mean, you did say it yourself; you look way better in my clothes than, well, anyone actually." Jace paused, listening for the dark-haired girl's awaited reply. "But, not better than me, of course," he added, seeing if his teasing words would get a response from his costar. Riele remained silent, reacting to his failed attempt of starting conversation by rolling her eyes. The blond sighed.

"Riele," Jace started, sliding his hands across his thighs over his black jeans. "I didn't mean what happened out there."

"When? The time you invited me out just to make Isabela jealous, or the time you kissed me, also to make Isabela jealous?" she asked sarcastically. "Or how about that time you asked if we could-" she mockingly deepened her voice, "'just put this behind us'? As if this is something you actually believe can just be disregarded like that." Riele crossed her arms in front of her chest, clearly annoyed. Jace ran a hand through his hair, taking in how much he had royally messed up.

"All of it," he answered truthfully. "I didn't mean any of it." Riele huffed, not pleased at his lame attempt at an apology. Jace hesitated before speaking again.

"But I did mean it when I held your hand at lunch the other day." Riele perked up a bit at this, straightening her back, but still keeping her arms crossed in front of her.

"And I meant to have almost kissed you that night at Isabela's party, before Jasper interrupted us. I meant that; I didn't do it because Isabela could've been watching us and it would've made her jealous. I did it because being so close to you and seeing how beautiful you were-" he stopped mid-sentence, looking for the right words. "It was as if everything else going on was set on pause, and it was just us." Jace paused again. Riele had been intently listening, her heart rate quickening at the blond's words. "I didn't even think that we were at Isabela's at the moment," he added. "All I was thinking about was you, and how badly I wanted to kiss you." Riele's heart skipped a beat when he said this, her eyes widening. He stood up from his spot on the floor to face the door.

"I mean it when I say how happy you make me when you stay over, or when I'm leaning on you, or whenever you're near me in general. I mean it when I say my heart races a mile faster when you're around, or when I hear your laugh, or see your beautiful smile." Riele stood up, laying a hand hesitantly on the doorknob.

"I mean it when I say your sarcasm and smart remarks ironically make my day. I mean it when I say I wake up every morning excited to see you. I mean it when I say you're constantly on my mind." Jace leaned his elbow against the door in front of him, ducking his head beneath his arm. He breathed in deeply before speaking softly.

"I mean it when I say that I'm in love with you, Riele."

Riele turned the knob, much to Jace's surprise, and opened the door. He sucked in a breath at the sight of her; her tear-stained cheeks, her reddened eyes, her slightly tousled curly hair.

He wondered how she still managed to look so beautiful.

"You're in love with me?" she asked, her voice quiet and her eyes wide. Jace scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Yeah," he replied, a blush forming on his cheeks. He feared she would slam the door in his face again.

"Then why have you been trying to make Isabela jealous? Why didn't you just tell me?" she asked curiously, her voice cracking slightly. Jace almost whimpered, feeling the familiar pang in his chest at the sound of her so heartbroken and vulnerable. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I was scared." Riele raised her eyebrows.

"Scared? Of what? Me?"

"Well, no, not you, specifically-"

"Then what? Am I that embarrassing?"

"What? Riele, you literally just heard me confess my love to you in the most cheesiest speech ever. Are you seriously asking if I think you're embarrassing?" Riele shrugged.

"Then what were you scared of?"

"Rejection! Okay?" Jace admitted, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I was scared of rejection. I was scared that you'd think I was joking, or that you'd say no because it would ruin our friendship or something, like how you said Henry and Charlotte's would." Riele gaped slightly, remembering the day she had indeed spoken those words.

"Jace," she started, taking a step toward him. "You should've told me. I didn't mean to put what I said about Henry and Charlotte into your head." Jace pressed his lips together.

"But you still should've told me. If anything, you've brought me out of that mindset, of friends not meant to be in a relationship," she continued. She then hesitated, causing Jace to fill with anxiety and anticipation.

"Because I'm in love with you, too." Jace grinned, letting out a breath he didn't realize he was holding and wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her closer, causing her to laugh.

"You know," she started, wrapping her arms around the blond's neck. "You could've done what they do in the TV shows and have brought it up in a 'I have a friend who has a crush but doesn't know how to tell her' kind of thing. I would've known who you were talking about, obviously, because I'm not an idiot. But if I didn't like you, I would've played along, and you wouldn't have had to face rejection." Jace rolled his eyes, sending Riele into another fit of laughter.

"Always have a better idea, don't you?"

"Always." The two laughed before Jace brought his hands to her cheeks and kissed her.

Although lacking in anticipation, they both could agree that this was long awaited for. Jace smiled against her lips, happy to have finally had his moment with her. Her lips were soft and she tasted like strawberries, he concluded. His eyes crinkled the way they did when he smiled ever so happily.

Jace's lips were soft against hers. She mentally laughed at the way he smiled while he kissed her, the goofy but sweetness to it sending a warm feeling down her spine. He tasted like his minty toothpaste, and his hands on her cheeks covered the evident blush underneath.

Finally, she thought.

They remained pressed together until the sound of Dan speaking into his megaphone startled them apart.

"Jace and Riele back to set, please."

The two stared at each other, flushed and red-cheeked before they both burst into laughter.

"Shall we, Charlotte?" Jace asked dramatically, offering her his hand. Riele stared at his outstretched hand, taken aback to this same situation they had a few days ago at lunch. She grinned before taking his hand.

"You're still a dork."

The two walked back to set hand in hand, Dan lighting up at the sight of his two stars back in each other's good graces.

"Alright, everybody!" he announced, gesturing everyone to get in place.

Jace and Riele positioned themselves back in the Man Cave. The blond sent her a goofy grin, earning himself a playful eye-roll from Riele.

"Okay, scene twenty-five, take two!" Dan announced.

"And...ACTION!"

AHH the final chapter omg. Sorry for the wait! Again I'm writing this into the wee hours of the morning (I always get the urge to write when I'm supposed to be asleep. :P)

But wait! There's more. ;) Lmao I'm going to be writing an epilogue! I decided I wanted to write a little about their new relationship. :) Can never get too much of these two. (At least, I can't. xD)

Thank you to everyone who has been reading so far, you're all amazing and rad and I love you. ️:D

As always, thanks for reading! Epilogue coming soon!