Just a Game

That's How I Want It

Alice // chapter seventeen

Oh hell to the fuck no.

"Stuck as in stuck or stuck as in like it'll be okay in a few minutes," I asked anxiously as the ground seemed to be getting closer and closer by the second.

I heard Andrew huff. "We don't have minutes; we have seconds and I need to start the emergency landing system now before it's too late."

It took all I had not to turn as much as I could to give him a dirty look. "There's an emergency landing system and you've been playing with the parachute for the fuck of it? What's wrong with you?"

Fuming, I waited for his response, but it wasn't Andrew who replied.

"Alice, you need to calm down," Jace's voice came through my earpiece. He must have landed already.

I scoffed. "Jace? This isn't funny. You promised it was all going to be okay."

He sighed. "I know and I still stand by that statement. I just need you to trust me and do as I say so that we can get you and Andrew back to land safely. Can you do that?"

My eyes wandered over the beautiful scenery in front of me and I was damn pissed that I couldn't enjoy it. My screams were nowhere to be found, Jace's voice surprisingly rushing calmness through my veins. Besides, the shock of being this close to death's face had numbed my fear and all I could feel was my body's panic as my life actually flashed before my eyes.

"Alice," Jace called, his voice soaking in worry, "I need you to answer me before we run out of time."

I could feel my heart beating against my chest as if it were trying to jump out to try and save itself. I knew I needed to calm myself before the seconds I had to try and save Andrew and I's lives would shrivel away.

Deciding that spending those seconds freaking out is just point blank weak and that I was not going to be a weak person, I took in a deep breath which was kind of hard, might I add and answered, Jace. "Okay, I think I'm good. What are we gonna do now?"

Jace let out a sharp breath and I could just imagine him running those long fingers of his through his soft hair as relief washed through him. "Oh, thank God. I though you passed out or something."

I chuckled. "I almost did, but I didn't."

"Alright, so Andrew has verified that the emergency landing parachute is competent for landing. Just listen to everything he tells you in the next thirty seconds and you will land safely. Can you do that?" He was trying to encourage me with his softer tone and I almost fainted that he sounded so fretted by the situation. I mean, it was because I liked having someone agonize knowing that I'm this close to death, but because it meant that he cared.

I nodded, even though I knew he couldn't see me. "Hell yeah."

He let out a small laugh. "That's it. Let's do this safely. Take it away, Andrew."

"Okay then, I'll deploy the emergency parachute in ten seconds. Just take a deep breath and we'll be back on land before you know it," Andrew said, a sense of solace swimming through his voice.

I swallowed and nodded at the same time, unable to distinct which one was a better gesture. "Whoo. Okay, let's do this."

"Four seconds," Andrew warned.

I took in a deep breath.

Three.

Two.

One.

It felt like something very powerful gripped us and pulled us back, slowing our speed down. It's pretty ironic since there's nothing powerful about a parachute itself since it's basically made of cloth material for the most part.

"You alright?" Andrew asked.

I took fast and sharp breaths for a few more seconds before answering. "Yeah. You?"

"I'm good, thanks. We'll land in about twenty seconds so just hang on."

I nodded.

It was then that I realized that I had my eyes shut since the moment the emergency parachute was deployed. I was probably ready to shit myself when the parachute pulled us up so extensively. My body most likely closed my eyes instead of shitting itself. A small probably fact that I thank my body for, because how embarrassing would it be if I had shitted myself? I would never live it down.

Regardless, I opened my eyes; I wanted to enjoy the view for however long we would be up here. That was when I caught a sight of Jace standing in the middle of the open field, with his arms crossed as he looked up at Andrew and me.

He looked so priceless and he was mine.

When Andrew spoke to tell me to bring my feet up, I had to fight to take my focus away from Jace and to concentrate on doing as Andrew instructed.

Seconds later, our feet touched the ground and we slide down before coming to a stop. Someone came from somewhere-honestly who cares where they came from and unhooked me from Andrew.

Realizing that we had landed safely on the ground, I fell to my knees and covered my face with my hands. I almost died.

Oh my God.

I almost died.

What the fuck just happened?

All of a sudden, I felt a pair of arms wrapping around my shoulders and pulling me into a strong embrace. I knew it was Jace instantly, not only because of his scent but also because of how his simple hug took my breath away.

"Are you okay?" He asked in a hushed tone.

I swallowed and nodded. "I think so."

I felt him shaking his head. "I'm so sorry about this. I thought we would have a bit of fun doing one of my favorite things to do, but it failed miserably. I mean, you almost died. And it would've been my fault."

My head shot up at his last sentence and I finally saw his guilt-ridden eyes staring at back at me. "It would not have been your fault. That's complete bull and you know it. Plus, I jumped out at my own will. Well, technically, Andrew jumped, but that's practically the same thing."

"Did you at least have fun?" He asked. I wanted that guilt that was so visible in his eyes to go away; it was making him distant and I hated it.

"I did," I nodded, bringing my arms around him and bringing him closer to me.

"That was way too dangerous," he breathed, shaking his head.

I snorted, reaching for his face and steering his uttermost attention back to me. "But that's how I want it."

His eyes widened and I watched as the guilt ever so washed away, finally being replaced by his usual esprit. There. "You are being way too playful for someone who nearly died."

"Right, but I didn't die," I noted.

He tightened his hold on me, his arms sliding down to my waist. "I know and I thank God you didn't."

"Well, if I had to go through a near death experience to be in your arms like this," I trailed off, pecking his lips lightly, "I'll do it any day."

His gorgeous smile split his lips and I couldn't help but smile as well at the sight go his. "That's my girl. Come on, let's get out of here."