After Curfew

Chapter 23 - Mr. Santiago

Chapter 23 - Mr. Santiago

I spun my lock, trying to enter the correct combination for the hundredth time this morning, but failing once again because my hands refused to stop shaking. Ever since Jace had called me this morning to tell me that today was his parole hearing and that he'd call me later this afternoon to tell me how it went and whether to come pick him up or not, my hands wouldn't stop shaking. I was incredibly nervous, and rightfully so.

The severity of what I had done at the club yesterday hadn't quite sunk in until I had gotten back to my hotel room. I flipped out at West—the green-eyed psychopath who claimed to hold the fate of my brother's parole hearing in his cold blooded hands. To say I had reacted like a dumb-ass is an understatement, and now all I could do was hope and pray that my actions wouldn't backfire on Jace. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even hear someone approaching until AJ's voice cut through my thoughts.

"Damn Willow, did you develop a speed addiction recently?" AJ asked cupping my hands together between his larger hands to stop them from shaking.

"I'm fine, don't worry. I just had one too many cups of coffee this morning." I said looking up and giving AJ a genuine smile. Like usual he wore his chocolate brown hair gelled up in a sort of quiff and a black distressed nirvana t-shirt that made his tan and muscular arms look especially ripped.

"Am I interrupting something?" Slate asked sarcastically as he walked up beside us with Christian and Alec in tow.

"Yeah, I was actually just about to get down on one knee and propose, do you think you could come back in a few minutes?" AJ responded, rolling his eyes at Slate. "Seriously, the f*ck did you think I was doing? Willow's hands are shaking like a goddamn chihuahua and I was trying to stop them." AJ said removing his hands from around mine so everyone could see my shaky hands.

"What the hell?"

"What's wrong?"

"Are you on drugs?"

The questions flooded out of Slate, Christian and Alec's mouths like water breaking through a dam and I literally had to yell "GUYS!" to get them to be quiet. Although, I couldn't deny that their responses were hilariously adorable, who knew that all it took was some shaky hands to scare the bad boys?

It also made my heart melt that they all care so much just about my well being... my parents never worried much about it unless it affected them, and Jace has been locked up an hour away for the last few months so I've been on my own for a while now and I guess I forgot what it felt like.

"You guys are acting like I'm having a stroke or something. It's so sweet that you guys are worried about me but you don't need to be. I'm A-Okay, like I told AJ a couple seconds ago, I just drank too much coffee this morning and it makes me jumpy." I said giving them an extra wide smile to sell my words. Alec, AJ and Christian all seemed pretty convinced by my words and they all let out a small chuckle before changing the subject and talking about some basketball game that was on the night before.

When I looked at Slate I noticed he was studying me silently with an impassive expression on his face. I wasn't surprised in the least, he always sees right through me. I haven't quite decided whether I love or hate the fact that he always pays such close attention to me...If he continues to do so, it's only a matter of time until he figures out all of my secrets and then I'll be f*cked.

I turned back around trying to ignore Slate's heated gaze and after two more tries I finally managed to get my locker open. I checked my schedule and saw that I had history first period which explained why all the guys were hanging around my locker. AJ, Slate and I had all ended up in the same history class and when Christian and Alec found out they switched into our class. According to them it would be "quality bonding time" if we were all together.