But before I can hang up or tell him it’s nothing, I’m sobbing like a fucking baby. “She broke up with me,” I cry, trying to sound like a man, but I fail. Man, I fail so miserably.
“Dude, are you drunk?”
“Yes, but did you hear me? She broke up with me and she won’t answer my calls. Why does this hurt so bad? Why does it suck, and why doesn’t she want me? Why couldn’t I be like you? Just fuck every bitch I see. Be a player. Why did I fall? Why did I let this happen?” I cry and I’m met with silence before I fall back into the wet grass.
“Jace, where are you?”
“It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters. She doesn’t love me. She saw a picture of me and Delanie together, and now she thinks I’ve moved on. But Jude, I can’t move on. I fucking love her. Ugh, Jude, why?” I moan, closing my eyes tightly as the stupid tears fall from them.
“Claire, text Jayden, see where he is,” I hear him say, but I’m too busy throwing myself a badass pity party.
“This was supposed to be a fun, carefree year. Instead, I fell in love with this amazing, gorgeous, damaged girl who I want nothing more than to put back together. I want to hold her in my hands and love her, Jude, I do.”
“Jesus Christ,” I hear him mutter. “Text him and tell him to find Jace.”
“I love her so much, and yet, that wasn’t enough. She thought I chose hockey over her ’cause I was scared of her dad running my life. And really, that’s your fault. You scared me,” I accuse and Jude groans.
“You deal with this drunken crazy. Give me Jayden,” I hear him say and then Claire is on the phone.
“Jace?”
“Oh, Claire… I know now what you felt when you lied to my brother and he dumped you. It hurts. It fucking hurts.”
“Oh, wow,” she laughs softly. “Jace, calm down.”
“I can’t! The love of my life has ripped my heart out of my chest.”
“Jace, honey, where are you?”
“In the grass,” I say, sitting up and looking around.
“What’s around you?”
“The Bullies’ house.”
“He’s in front of the house,” she says to my brother and then she’s back on the line. “Everything is okay, Jace. Just calm down.”
“You don’t understand! Jude came back for you. What if she doesn’t come back for me?”
“She will. Calm down,” she coos, but then everything is black.
I’m out cold.
And nothing else matters.
Except the ache in my chest.
Warmth, I feel warmth.
Avery. She’s here.
And she looks beautiful. Her hair is falling along her bare chest, her eyes are locked on mine, and her lips are parting. Moving my hand up her arm, I take ahold of her face.
“I knew you’d come back. I’m so sorry.”
I lean in to kiss her, but then a huge hand stops me.
“Whoa, gotta buy me dinner before I make out with you, you freak.”