Like Gold

20.

20.

THIS WAS A BAD IDEA.

I stood at my kitchen window, watching as Jace tapped his steering wheel, checking his watch for the third time. He was in his mom's minivan – blue and sturdy – parked outside my front door.

In fact, he'd been parked there for five minutes now.

His eyes drifted toward my house and I squealed, ducking behind the wall to avoid his eyes. I paused, my heart bursting in my chest for a moment before peaking around the corner.

He was back to checking his watch.

I released a relieved breath when a voice echoed from behind me.

"Is there something interesting in the street today?"

I jumped, spinning to find my dad smirking snidely at me. My face turning warm, I quickly stepped away from the window and heaved my backpack onto my shoulder.

"Not particularly."

"Really?" he hummed, clearly not buying my innocent act. "What have you been staring at this entire time then?"

"The sky," I said.

"The sky?" he echoed.

"The sky," I confirmed.

He quirked a brow at me, his eyes glancing towards the window – at Jace sitting in his car – before his lips twitched up in a smile.

"Ohhh," he said. "The sky."

I blushed, shoving past him and storming towards the door. "Don't say anything to mom."

"My lips are sealed."

"Dad."

He held his hands up in defence, grinning. "Hey! I promise, kiddo. Now you'd better get going before the sky gets impatient."

I rolled my eyes but quickly pulled my shoes on anyway. I reached for the handle, the cold metal touching my skin, when I paused.

On a whim, I ran my fingers through my hair, fluffing my curls out a bit.

I'd washed my hair last night. And not in the obligatory way – with the required amount of shampoo, conditioner, and scrubbing. No. I'd broken out the entire curly hair routine.

I deep conditioned. I plopped with a cotton t-shirt. I dug out my old curl cream from months ago and slathered it into my hair. I reeked of coconut. I'd even done a little bit of skin care, with my limited supplies.

My fingers teased my roots self-consciously. This was stupid. I looked stupid. I'd done too much, hadn't I? He'd notice the difference and think I was an idiot for doing all this for one measly car ride.

A part of me wanted to run upstairs and put it all back into its usual messy bun, but I stopped myself. I sucked in a tight breath. If I didn't leave now, I'd be late.

So, I tugged the door open and forced my stiff legs to step out of the house. I grabbed my bike, wheeling it off the porch and towards the waiting death trap, otherwise known as a car.

Immediately, Jace's eyes snapped up to me. Then, a slow smile crept across his lips. He hopped out of the car, rounding it to meet me at the foot path.

"You look beautiful, Jasmine," he said, smiling a glittering grin. He shuffled on the curb, pulling at his own hair as he said, "I like your hair when you wear it like that."

I warmed, tugging at a curl. "Oh, it was nothing."

"Are you ready for the best car ride of your life?" he asked, pulling the passenger door open.