Her Shadows

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

JAYCE POV

A week has passed since my wonderful, life-changing movie date with Amelia.

Well, at least I hope it was a date.

Felt like a date.

Did she think it was a date?

Oh my god, snap out of it.

I shake my head and focus back on the task at hand.

Gripped in my palm is my tool to paint and shape the world. I strike and stroke the paper sheet and with every brush of my pencil, I feel free.

The world must know that I am truly whipped, since the only expression of my universe is her.

Right now, burned in my memory, is the picture of her, laid lazily on her couch, care free and joy slipping through the cracks of her mask. Her auburn locks danced and bounced in the fluorescent light and her eyes reflected the pale shades of the moon and stars in their forest glow.

I draw her just as she was a few nights ago, a pair of ankle-length black tights that shaped her legs just right and an oversized rolling stones t-shirt that fell off her figure in the most adorable way. Her legs tucked neatly beneath her on that god-awful couch in her apartment.

[3 days ago]

I slump back onto the couch and pass Amelia her cup of coffee before shifting out of the way of a broken spring and resituating myself in the cushiony corner of the couch.

"So, I'm thinking, I barely know anything about you so what if we play 21 questions?"

Amelia looks up at me with a raised brow over the lid of her cup, "21 questions? What's that?"

I dramatically drop my mouth, catching flies, as I reply, dumbfounded. "How could you have never played this?! It's like THE go to high school game."

She takes another sip and furrows her brow just the slightest bit, still so closed off with her reactions.

"Well, I was home schooled, so I never went to high school."

My eyes widen in surprise, "really? That's crazy. What was home schooling like?"

Her face shutters off, blank, and I just know that's a bad sign. "Not as enjoyable as you might think. So, let's play this weird game of yours."

I take the hint and mentally note to not bring up her schooling again, at least for now.

I place my coffee on the table and rub my hands together mischievously. "Ooo let's see... I'll start you off easy." I pretend to think hard, as I pet my imaginary goatee. "Um, what's your favourite colour?"

She furrows her brows, "my favourite colour? Why would I pick a favourite, they don't mean anything?"

I swear my eyes bug out of my head, am I ever not going to be surprised by this girl?

"How could you not have a favourite colour?! I mean most of us just keep ours from when we were kids you know... like uh mine was red cause it was the colour of Lightning McQueen. Stupid stuff like that.

"Colour paints every facet and emotion of this world. It's expression and beauty and pain all in a pallet of colour. Surely, you'd have to have a favourite."

My rant had forced my hands to wave dramatically in the air and I'm sure I looked somewhat like a crazed lunatic as I explain. How could she not think in colours? They're life itself.

My thoughts of my insane self are confirmed when I spy Amelia biting back a smile. I blush, damn I really went crazy about the colours for a second.

She takes another sip of coffee before placing it next to my abandoned one.

"Well, if it means so much to you, I guess my favourite colour is..." she looked to the ceiling, actually thinking and debating and I want to kiss her for it. "black." She looks at me, although for confirmation that she had completed the activity right. It's so goddamn adorable that it almost makes me forget that she just chose the least coloured colour possible in this world.

Almost.

"Black? Why black?"

She shrugs and tries to smooth back the lock of fiery red hair that's fallen into her eyes relentlessly, but alas it just continues to fall right back.

"I don't know. I wear it a lot, makes you invisible and brings stealth. I wouldn't be nearly as badass in yellow. I just like black."

I nod slowly, not even paying attention anymore as I get lost in her frustrated sweeps of her hair as the one curl falls again out of place to annoy and tickle her.

I lean forward and move closer to her, kneeling on the couch as I slowly reach a hand out to her face.

She watches me with slightly widened eyes and a singular quickened breath as I grab that strand and tuck it behind her ear, burying it under the other strands so it won't move.

My hand lingers as we stare at each other. She whispers, so quiet as though not wanting to break the fragility of the moment.

"What's your favourite colour?"

I smile from ear to ear as I stare at the face of an angel.

And as I lose myself in her eyes, so full of bottle up emotions and possibilities, I can only whisper my reply back.

"Forest green."

[End of flashback]

I can't help but grin at the memory, still feeling her silky curls beneath my fingertips.

I want... no need to see her again.

I mean, she said to only use her apartments spare key in case of emergency but surely missing her was life threatening enough. I might go crazy if I have to wait another week, day, hour.

I get up, grabbing a jacket and before I can second guess my decision, I make my way to her place. 

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Sorry i haven't updated in a while guys! But great things are coming and this book is only going to get more excting!

Let me know what you think so far in the comments :)

Also how do we like Jayce's POV?