Killed by Hate

part 3

Riele's POV//

Jace texts me and says he's outside. My hands start shaking and my breaths get shorter.

Maybe tonight I can find out why he left me.

-

I spot his blonde hair and make eye contact with him. After all these years, he's still so perfect.

I walk up to him and give him a big hug. Us, together just feels so right.

"I can't believe it. You're here in person." Jace says as we let go from our hug.

"Yeah, I know. After three years."

There was a moment of awkward silence, I put my head down to avoid eye contact with him. Jace reaches in his car and pulls out a bouquet of flowers. He hands them to me, they a red roses, my favorite.

"What are these for?" I ask.

"They're a welcome gift, and I remembered they are your favorite flowers." He says with a smirk. Gosh, that smirk.

"Well, thank you." I say.

"Are you ready to tour the city? I gotta be back home by 1 am." He says.

"Yeah! I'm ready. I have to be back by twelve."

"I'll have you back by 11:59"

We both laugh and get inside the car. Jace was the puzzle piece of my life that's been missing, and now that he's back, I feel some type of way.

"Where to first?" He asks.

"I don't know, this is your city."

"Okay, I'll surprise you"

-

After an endless tour, Jace and I stopped to get some ice cream and walk around Times Square.

Jace told me he's training to become a police officer. And I told him that I start my intern job next week.

I think this is a good time to ask him the question I've been dying to ask all night.

Why did he leave?

I don't want to make him upset, but I just want the honest truth.

"Jace?"

"Yeah?"

"Why'd you move away so suddenly?"

He takes a deep breath and stops.

"I knew you were going to ask that, and I wanted to be ready to answer." He says.

"When we were freshman, I developed deep feelings for someone that was very close to me. I wanted to tell her, but I just couldn't bring myself to tell y-, her. But once she found someone else, I couldn't take it. So I went to live with my cousin, here in New York." And he starts walking again.

He's talking about me. He has to be. He had feelings for me? No way my best friend had feelings for me.

I stop.

"Jace, you had feelings for me?" I ask.

He stops, then slowly turns around.

"Yes Riele, I was in love with you, and I thought you were in love with me, until you started dating Sean. I really thought we were meant to be." He says.

Tears form in my eyes. Why didn't he tell me? I too had feelings for him, but I thought he wasn't interested in me. So that's why I dated Sean, to get over Jace. All he had to do was tell me.

"I'm sorry Jace, I had no idea." I say.

Before he said something, my phone started ringing. It was Rylan. Crap, it's past my curfew.

"Sorry Jace, but I have to go home. Maybe we can continue this some other time?" I say. I go to the curb trying to wave a taxi down.

"Riele, let me take you home." He says.

I don't think I can put up with a whole car ride with him. He just told me he used to be in love with me. I need time to think.

"No Jace, I'll just get a taxi. Thanks for the tour." I say.

A taxi pulls up and I hop in. I watch Jace's face as we speed off.

This is my fault too. I could've told him I had feelings for him too, maybe we'd be in a different situation right now.

++

ooP, there's some tension goin on😬

comment your thoughts✨

~mia💛