Stereotype

Chapter 2 : The Start

THE START

J A C E   E V E R S 

Sophomore Year

HE finished his morning shift ten minutes before his twin sister and lounged around on his new phone which his mother got to keep his mouth shut. Jace was in the middle of texting his best friend Nova when his mother beeped her car horn three times. Looking up, he grumbled curses under his breath as he watched his sister jump into the car and they sped off without so much as a thought for Jace.

Twenty minutes later, Nova texted Jace to come outside where he was parked. This became a normal thing for Nova to give lifts to him and Jace was lucky enough to even have a friend who would drive an extra hour early just to pick his best friend up. 

"Forgot you again?" Jace scowled at Nova and sunk back into his seat ignoring the pain in his heart. Not even one text...

"Just drive."

They reached the school ten minutes later than the final bell and casually strolled to lesson in a comfortable silence. Nearing the school, a sniffling from a brunette girl sitting on the school steps broke their silence as she gripped onto Jace's ankle. 

"Daena?" Jace asked, his answer given when she glanced up with mascara running down her face "What happened?" They sat on the steps next to her. 

"Parker b-b-roke up with-h me." She said through sobs. Jace wrapped a comforting arm around his other best friend and whispered words that seemed to simmer down her cries. After all, Daena loved Parker since the day he became her next door neighbour at the age of six. Being the age of fifteen and being told by her life-long crush that not dressing the way or filling his needs was bound to break her tough armour. 

Nova turned to the distance in deep thought and when he finally found the answer, Jace was caught up already. Jaces's sister had also been in love with Parker for as long as she could remember. There was so way this wouldn't have affected her.

"Nova..." He nodded in response and they looked down at Daena who calmed down under Nova tracing patterns on her hand. "Shes my sister Nova." 

"I know Jace but Daena needs us right now." 

When Jace returned home that day, he found his father packing for a business trip and his mother helping him. He hated the sight of her yet hated his father more for being dumb. Bypassing them both, he headed to his room where he completed his homework and by the time dinner arrived, he thought to call his sister to join for a meal. 

They always did that; a meal together where they would laugh about everything. However, as he went to her room to call her, Jace noticed a pile of black bags outside her room. All her favourite hoodies and clothes thrown away. When he saw her black "EVERS" hoodie in one of the bags, he took it out, thinking it was simply a mistake that she threw out their matching hoodie. 

Ashley White sat on his sisters bed smirking and directing this whole operation. Jace knocked once on the door to catch their attention "Dinners ready, its burgers, your favourite Cara." Ashley stopped Scarlett's enthusiastic skip, shaking her head.

"Not today Jace, Ill eat some later yeah?" He couldn't do much except let her have her time with friends. Exiting the room, Jace went downstairs ready to prepare his parents meal when his father bid a goodbye. His mother watched in a fake sadness and waved him off before kissing his son on the cheek and leaving the house herself. 

Jace felt the need to cure his disgust with a burger and watching his favourite television show whilst getting ready to check on Daena. Just as he was about to, a post drew his attention. A picture of his best friends at Daena's house smoking. 

Now Jace despised their addiction but that also meant he couldn't hang out with them as much and would feel regularly left out. Daena texted him to chill with them every time but he couldn't stand the smell or he was busy at dinners with his favourite family member. Finishing his burger, Jace grabbed his jacket and put on some shoes "I cant get left behind in this friendship." He contemplated the pros and cons. A final decision later, he shouted up to his sister to inform of his whereabouts and left the house.

Jace made the decision to go to his friends that day, he made the decision himself. 

Some argue his friends started this mess.

Others say it was purely Jace.

One thing was sure though, they did change his life.