When Winter Comes

Chapter 14: Winter's Dance

IGNORE ALL ERRORS

Chapter 14: Winter's Dance

My hand clung to Jace's. He kept me on my feet. As we glided across the dance floor, it was as if our friendship had never ceased. He held me closely by the hip and my breathing slowed as he spun me around. The lights blurred around us, and I ignored the fact that Taylor and Austin were staring at me. It was only Jace and I. He was making me feel like me again.

"Are you all right?" Jace asked as our dancing slowed and we began to wave back and forth. His dark crystalized eyes gazed at me.

I smiled and gave him a nod, which he returned with a smile of his own.

"Are you happy to be the guest of honor?" Jace continued to ask.

I shrugged. "It was a little much at first," I admitted. But as we fell into the groove of dancing, I remembered why I loved these events. "But it's beautiful, and I'm thankful you invited me." My eyes were glued to Jace's. I couldn't remember a moment when we felt closer. He was keeping me alive at that moment.

"Winter." Jace smiled. "You've always been my dream date to a dance, and now that we're here dancing." Jace shook his head and looked me up and down. "I'm never letting you go."

I laughed at his sweetness and tucked my head down. He had a fantasy of me, everyone did, and I couldn't fulfill it, but I could fulfill Jace's. "Well you'll have to," I said and stepped away from him, although I desperately didn't want to. "A pee break is required." My hands slowly drifted away from his and his smile turned upside down. "I'll be back in five," I said.

Jace, despite being very upset, nodded and pointed to the refreshments. I told him I would meet him there and quickly ran off to the bathroom.

My hands fumbled. It had been forever since I felt so safe and comforted. For a year, Marie had been the only one asking about my well being, and the few acquaintances that probably could care more about a rat's ass than me and my feelings. Austin asked me, but he was just concerned about when we could start getting it on again. For once, it felt good to have someone who genuinely saw me as the delicate girl I was, despite my harsh appearance and old reputation. Everyone saw me as Queen Bitch and someone who could crush anyone with the flick of my fingers, but that wasn't me, not really. I couldn't do much after my parent's death. Jace understood that. He saw me for real.

"Winter Ozlin!" Taylor snickered once I stepped in the bathroom, and I immediately cursed myself for needing the restroom.

I put on the smile I always did when she was around. "Taylor," I said smoothly. "What do I owe the pleasure?" I asked with a cocked head.

"You owe me for years of torture," Taylor said sternly with a nod of her hair. Her blonde hair was wrapped up into a tight bun on the top of her head. Her red dress was tight and I was surprised that I couldn't see her undergarments, but then I thought about how she probably wasn't wearing any. "But I'm willing to let that pass if you do one thing for me," Taylor said with a pursed smile, which frightened me because I never thought someone with so much beauty could hold the darkest of smiles.

My eyes narrowed, but remained faint with a smile. "What might that be?" I jumped from foot to foot, because even with the encounter Taylor and I were having I still had to pee.

Taylor's two friends leaned against the door behind me, and my blood turned cold. "Go back home," she said in a hush that I could barely hear, but I heard it, and it made my smile vanish. My teeth began to grind against one another.

"What?" I whispered.

"Leave Brinston, because obviously you're miserable." Taylor frowned and took a step closer to me. I stepped back, but bumped in one of her minions and was forced to stand still. "I hate to see you at such a low point, so do everyone a favor here and leave. You're bad attitude and sad puppy dog persona is upsetting everyone." She waved me away and her eyes wandered away. Desperately, I wanted to run out of the bathroom, but her so-called friends held their place behind me.