Hey y'all. I received a review a while back asking me why I'd abandoned this story. I haven't abandoned it, at least I haven't meant to. I've just had a lot of crap going on lately & haven't had much time to write. I might tell y'all about it soon, I'm just not sure how much I'm willing to share. I think I'll just say the basics. My anxiety got really bad, to the point I had a hard time getting out of bed and going to school. I was also sick for three months, including my birthday. I'm working on getting on a prescription that is right for me and for my anxiety. I'm much better than I was, but I'm still having a bit of a tough time, but I'm getting better, and I'm trying. Just please bear with me while I take care of myself, because my mental and physical health, and my life has to come before writing, as much as I love writing. It just has to. Thank you to those of you, for sticking around and supporting me, and for the newcomers who are giving me a chance. I love you, and appreciate you more than you could ever know. But the main reason is that I was at a crossroads with this story. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to do anything too cliché. But I didn't want to do anything too far fetched either. I knew how I wanted this story to end. I just didn't know how to get there. I didn't know what plot to pursue. That's why I asked y'all what you wanted to happen in the story. I know I'm the author, and it is my responsibility to deicide what is going to happen in the story, but I didn't want to write something y'all wouldn't want. I hate constantly writing filler chapters, but I didn't know how to further the story. But, the story does need some fillers. After all, what is a teddy bear without it's stuffing? This chapter will be another filler. Regardless, I hope you guys enjoy it.
-Megan
Chapter Song(s):
Dress-Taylor Swift
Say Amen (Saturday Night)- Panic! At The Disco
Severed- The Decemberists
Magic- Colbie Caillat
I Know You Care- Ellie Goulding
Empty Gold- Halsey
As the end of the school approached nearer and nearer, an elate energy seemed to fill the air of each and every hallway. Seniors chattered excitedly about prom, and spring break, which started the Friday after prom. The morning announcements talked about yearbook orders, and cap and gown photo pick up days. Teachers were mostly just concerned about exams, which were also fast approaching, much to everyone's dismay. Though those events were exciting, I was most excited about the possibility of taking Summer classes at Tisch art school in New York. I'd turned in my application last week, and though I wouldn't hear back until May, a nervous energy buzzed through my veins at the thought. Though I didn't completely like the thought of being away in another state for an entire Summer, away from my brother, Jace, and my friends, the opportunity was too good to pass up. Plus, it would allow me an escape from my dad, which was always a plus in my book. I put down my coffee cup as the door opened and Jace climbed in, joining me in the back of Jon's car. I smiled at him, and was allowed no time to prepare myself as he set his stuff down and grabbed my face in his hands, bringing my mouth to his. "Ew!" My brother shouted from the drivers seat as I grinned into the kiss. I broke away, still smiling. "Hi." I said softly.
"Hello." Jace replied.
"Jesus guys, my eyes." Jonathan grumbled from the front.
I grinned.
Isabelle twirled her hair around her finger in front of me, heaving a sigh. I ignored her, focusing on filling in my notes. She sighed another dramatic sigh. Sitting down my pencil and sighing myself, I turned to her. "Yes?"
She bit her lip, glancing around nervously. "Meet me in the stairwell before lunch?"
I arched a curious eyebrow at her. "Okay?"
She nodded, going back to outlining the words on her page over and over again. I had no doubt that she wasn't paying attention to anything our English teacher was saying.
What was going on with her?
In Trig, Simon was also acting odd. He read a comic behind his text book, slouched low in his chair. I elbowed him in the side. "Whats your deal?" I asked him when the teacher's back was turned.
"What do you mean?" He asked, pushing his glasses up his nose again.
"You and Isabelle are both acting weird. Is there something I'm missing?"
"Isabelle? Did she say anything to you?"
"No...?"
He shook his head. "This class is just causing me a slow, painful death." He said jokingly, but I knew he was hiding something.
When the lunch bell rang, I headed to the stairwell and sat against the wall, waiting for Isabelle. She entered a few minutes later. I set aside my sketchpad, laying my pencil down on top of it. "Okay." I said. "Am I missing something? You and Simon are both
acting really weird."
Her head snapped to me. "Simon? He talked to you?"
"No, he was about as forthcoming as you have been. What's going on, Iz?"
After a quick check that no one was in the stairwell with us, she sighed and dropped her crossed arms to her side. I looked at her expectantly. "Simon and I kissed." She blurted.
If I hadn't already been sitting, I would've fallen on my butt.
"What?"
She nodded.
"Iz, thats..." I grinned.
"At least, at first it was just kissing."
"But?" I prodded.
"Last night we had sex."
Okay, scratch that. I was about to fall right through the damn floor.
My grin widened, quickly replacing my shock. So that's why they had both been acting odd...
"And it was..." She grinned, biting her lip.
I stood, making my way over to her.
"And I like him. I really, really like him."
I hugged her. "That's great, Izzy. I'm really happy for you two."
I was so going to punch Simon later for not telling me first.
I did just that when he met me on the way out of school at the end of the day. "Ow!" He exclaimed after I'd nailed him in the arm.
"You jerk!"
"What did I do?" He asked, rubbing the spot.
I blocked his way, crossing my arms across my chest and looking up at him. After a few minutes of tense silence, he sighed.
"Isabelle told you, didn't she?" He said, looking at his feet.
"Told me what?" I asked with feigned innocence.
It was his turn to glare.
"Come on, Si. I'm your best friend. You should've told me."
"I know. I wanted to. I really did. I was just still trying to process it all, you know?"
"I understand." I tilted my head at him. "But you're good, right? I mean, you're happy? Because, as much as I like Isabelle, and even though she's a lot bigger, I'll still kick her ass if she hurts you."
He snorted. Just for that, I punched him in the arm again, same spot as earlier.
"Ow," He said, and rubbed it.
After a few more moments, he nodded. "Yes, I'm happy. I really like her."
I grinned, and reached up to hug him tightly, looping my arms around his neck as I stood on the tips of my toes. He returned the hug just as tightly. "Good." I said.
I'm not sure who broke the hug first, but soon we were walking towards the parking lot. "You know, I think she was totally crushing on you." I said.
"Yeah, right."
"No, seriously. I'm a girl. We know these things."
"Whatever you say, Fray."
I playfully shoved him, and we soon parted ways.
A few hours after I had gotten home, I was on my bed, doing my homework. As I was trying to figure out what the heck the value of x was, I heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. Jonathan was on a date, and dad was still at work, so I had no idea who it could possibly be. Maybe someone was just trying to turn around? Unlikely, since our house was one of a few in the circle-shaped col-de-sac. I looked outside and found a black Range Rover sitting in the driveway, engine off. A knock sounded on the door, and I stepped away from the window and went to answer it. Jace stood there, grinning. "Hey," I said, a small grin spreading across my face as well. What could I say? His grins were contagious. He lifted a pair of keys, shaking them.
"Care to accompany me on my steed, milady?"
"What?"
"Come on." He nodded towards my driveway and turned to go down the stairs.
I shook my head. "Give me a sec." I called before closing the door. I ran to my room, grabbing a sweatshirt (it was dark grey and had some paint stains on the cuffs, but I loved it) , my keys, and my phone, and heading outside. I locked the front door as I jogged up to meet Jace. The late March air still held a chill to it, and I pulled the cuffs of my sweatshirt over my chilled hands. "What's going on?" I asked Jace. He opened the passenger door and gestured me in. "Lets get in and put the heat on. As cute as a Clary icicle would be, I don't think I want you turning into one." I smiled at him as I climbed in. He lightly tapped my nose before closing the door and jogging over to the drivers seat and climbing in. As he turned the key in the ignition, the engine rumbled to life. Cool air blasted through the vents, rapidly heating up. "So," Jace said after we sat in the warm cabin of the car for a few silent moments. "My dad's work buddy was selling his car, and he gave my dad a good deal on it."
I grinned at him. "And here I thought you'd suddenly gained an interest in carjacking."
"Ha. No. So, what do you think?"
"I like it. You know, as long as you don't end up loving the car more than me."
He pretended to contemplate it. "Nah, not possible. He reached forward, taking my chin in his hand, and touching his lips to mine. The center console dug into my ribs as I leaned forward, but I barely felt it. When we broke apart, my lips tingled and my body was filled with a pleasant warmth that had nothing to do with the car's heating system.
We ended up seeing a movie. I was interested in the movie, honestly. But Jace and I decided there was something else we'd rather be doing. After two hours of warm, buttery kisses and glimpses of a movie, we headed back into the chilled night air. We buckled into the car, and were heading home when Jace suddenly turned down the radio. Nirvana continued to fill the car with a soft hum, but my focus had shifted from the song. "So," Jace started.
I waited. After a moment of silence, with only "All Apologies" filling the void, I decided to prod.
"So?" I asked.
"My dad was able to take some time off at the same time as my mom, so we're going to go tour some colleges a week from now."
I smiled at him. "That's a good thing, right?"
"Yeah. It is. It's just...some of them are a little far away. Like, NYU."
I hadn't told him about Tisch yet. I didn't plan to, unless I got accepted.
"It's okay. If you get accepted, then we'll figure it out. Either way, it will be okay."
He dropped me off, and long after my skin had warmed to my room's heating and my lips had stopped tingling from the goodnight kisses, I was laying on my back on my bed, contemplating what Jace had said. I didn't doubt that he could get into NYU. He'd sent in his application already, and was due to get a response by early April. It would likely come not far after his family's trip to tour campuses. When he got in, it would be okay. We had been through tons of stuff. We could survive long distance. Couldn't we?
I posted a four chapter update. So go ahead and read the next one if you'd like. (Also, I totally named this chapter Getaway Car because of Getaway Car by Taylor Swift. Yes, I'm a huge Swiftie. It even says so in my bio. I have no regrets.)
P. S. What do y'all think of the new cover? I pretty much just added text, but I like it.
Review and let me know what you think, please! - Megan
