Forbidden Law (An Alien Love #1)

Chapter Eleven

Skyler's POV

Where could he be? I glanced at my watch. I had planned to actually be there at school to pick Jace up, trying to make up for yesterday's no show. But now he was the one not here. It was half past five, school having released at 3:40. Impatient worry dug at me, making my foot tap with restless energy. He wasn't answering his phone, although I thnk that was due to the fact he didn't use it. I sighed, my breath misting my windshield. I decided to head home.

Dad came into the dim living room where I sat slumped on the couch and saw my worried expression. "What's wrong?"

I didn't want to tell him the truth, so I kept it short without lying. "I'm worried about Jace, that's all." One of his eyebrows rose in a questioning arc. I shook my head at him.

"Whatever. Your business is your business, I guess. Dinner's nearly ready, by the way."

My stomach twinged at the idea of food right now. My foot kept up its repetitive tempo, unrelenting. What if something happened to him? How would I know? I felt guilty already, as if something had actually inflicted it. Jace was...not innocent, but unsuspecting. Keeping still was driving me insane.

I grabbed my keys and decided to drive around town and look through windows or something. I couldn't just stay here, waiting to hear bad news later. Even if I didn't find him, the physical act would keep me occupied. I grabbed a jacket as an afterthought and told my parents I'd be back in a little bit.

Jace's POV

"Ohhhh, your cute and rich. What brings you to Richardson?"

Stacey and her four friends sat in a cluster around me, the round booth barely fitting our group. I regretted the use of "our group" immediately. This was not a good experience at all. We'd just sat down after putting money into the jukebox. She had taken notice of my device, the wallet. I had gotten concerned at the way her eyes had enlarged, her face suddenly glowing and stretching with a smile.

"My father's work," I replied through my teeth.

The girl to my right, Callica, trailed a light finger down my arm. I cringed away. This was all very uncomfortable. I could not keep in the shudder that ran down my spine, nor help noticing the way they all giggled once more. This all felt wrong.

I had ordered chicken tenders with a water, which the waiter now set in front of me. The atmosphere was loud; silverware clattering against glassware, multiple conversations occurring at once, machines dinging from a back room... I attempted to keep my expression indifferent to it all, even though my insides wanted to squirm out of the front door and to the silence of my home.

"Stacey!"

I looked up to see a boy about our age striding up to our table, wearing dark jeans and a leather jacket. His golden hair was swept across his forehead, framing his unusually dark eyes. He offered the females a blinding smile while ignoring me. He squeezed into the already tight booth without another word.

"Stacey, why haven't you been answering your cell?" he asked. He immediately fiddled with the salt shaker, causing a cascade of grains to scatter across the table. This pricked at my nerves in a way that was perplexing. I was not used to all of these negative emotions chasing their way around my chest in a continuous stream. It was draining.

Stacey flipped her hair indignantly. Her saccharine tone transformed instantly into something that brought the word 'conceited' to mind.  "Because I didn't feel like it. Besides, I don't have to answer your calls anymore, remember? We're broken up." As if in emphasis, she shoved her arm through mine. I tried to pull away, but she squeezed tighter, so I gave up and just stared at my fries.