elysian ➝ n.k • b.t

twenty eight

chapter twenty eight!
the date part two.

S E R E N I T Y.

"Have you always lived in California?" Jace asks me as we ate our Chinese food under the stars. The night was too perfect to waste. There were no clouds out and the stars looked memorizing.

"No. I lived in Houston with my parents and my older sister. We moved here after I got discovered." I say and he nods. "What about you?"

"Um—" He sighs. "Brooklyn and I came here after we graduated high school. It was nothing for us in Louisville."

"That's not true," I justified. "I'm sure you both had family and friends that loved you." Once I said that, he bit the inside of his cheek and started picking up at his fried rice. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to open any old wounds."

"No. No, you're good. I just hate to bring it up." I remain silent eating my food knowing he was going to start up again and I was all ears. "I lived with my dad. My mom raised my brother, not because of the custody or anything but because she only wanted him. I was the result of an affair while being engaged and she ain't want nothing to do with me."

I shift in my spot, rubbing his knee. He looked as if he were ready to crack but didn't want to. "It's okay if you don't to continue. I'll understand."

He shakes his hand. "I wanna tell you. I know you won't judge. My dad. He uhh— he wasn't ready for a kid. He was young, like our age, but he still did it because his father wasn't around. He didn't want that for me. He worked. Worked all day every day. I guess he thought he was doing something because he was providing but the love? It wasn't there. Then I met Brooklyn, her situation was no better than mine, I'm not gonna speak on it though. Anyways, we uh— we became each other's backbone, we still are. I'd probably be dead without her. I was suicidal as a child. The kids called me names because they said that was for queers. By the senior year, I was just completely over it. I wanted to leave and never look back. My dad just gave me $400 and spent me on my way."

I blinked quickly wiping my tears. His story was heartbreaking. I couldn't imagine growing up not having love from both parents. It also made me see a different perspective of Brooklyn. I never officially met her before I knew I'll accept her for what she's done for Jace.

Smiling, I lay my head on his shoulder and we sit in a comfortable silence. I love how everyday I learn something new about him. It's amazing. I lift my head so my chin is now on his shoulder and he looks down at me with a twinkle in his eyes. It was new but beautiful.

He grabs my chin softly and suddenly our lips met halfway. His soft plump ones move with mine in such a perfect sync. My mom did say to me that you know you are in love when your heart grows monstrously.

So yeah, I think I'm in love.

We pull away breathlessly with our foreheads touching, this was definitely a picture perfect moment. "Serenity?"

"Yeah?"

"I really really really like you and it's scary to me, I swear to God it is but I need to know something from you."

"What is it?"

"That this, what we have going on, is real. You're not playing me and that you're not after something. You're with me because you care."

"I'm with you because you are you and nobody else can make me feel the way that you have in this short amount of time."

His smile becomes large as he embraces me. I can't help but cheese while hugging him back. He's the one. I know he is. "Sorry the food's cold." He laughs picking up an egg roll.

"It's fine. I can heat it up again."