Dark Hearts (Light in the Dark 3)

I bend down and rifle through my bag until I find my leather-bound journal.

It’s where I write all my songs, and on nights like this, it’s my best friend.

I walk back to my bed and sit down slowly so the bed doesn’t squeak.

Undoing the spiral cord that holds the notebook closed, my pen falls out onto my lap. I flip the pages until I land on a new page.

I pinch the cap of the pen between my teeth, writing with only the small light filtering in from the curtains, but I don’t mind.

The words flow from me like water from a tap, and I instantly feel better.

Nova

I wake up before Jace. I glance at the clock, and it shows that it’s only a little after six. It seems my body is already on school time, seeing as if I was at home I wouldn’t have to be at work until ten.

I work at a record shop a few blocks from the apartment. It’s a little hole in the wall place. Dark and grungy with exposed brick walls and piping on the ceiling, but I love it. Records line cardboard boxes and hang on the wall along with instruments.

I stumbled upon the place walking with Jace in the early summer. There was a HELP WANTED sign in the window and the rest is history.

I’m lucky that Paul—the shop’s owner—is really chill and understands that school comes first.

Granted, school isn’t why I’m in Florida this weekend, but he understood that too.

I was surprised by how easily I fell asleep, but I guess it was easier to sleep than to face what happened last night.

But in the harsh light of day there is no denying it.

I kissed Jace.

Actually, he kissed me first, and I kissed him back.

But the logistics of who kissed who first don’t matter, because at the end of the day, we still kissed.

I groan and the spray of the shower stifles the sound.

I don’t know what this means, and I hate not feeling on solid ground. Jace has been my rock since I met him, and last night might have changed that.

There’s no point in dwelling on it, because I have no idea what he’s thinking and feeling.

I’ll follow his lead.

Yeah, that’s what I’ll do.

I get out of the shower and wrap the towel around my body.

My hair drips on the floor, leaving behind little droplets of blue. When I had my hair dyed red it looked like someone had been murdered in the bathtub every time I showered.

I wipe the condensation from the mirror and startle when

there’s a light knock on the door.

I open it and find Jace standing there sleepily. His blond hair sticks up wildly around his head and he’s wearing his glasses.

I fucking love those glasses.

His tall frame takes up the whole doorway and since he’s shirtless I get an eyeful of his muscular chest and washboard abs. My eyes stray to the colorful tattoo covering one whole arm. It’s a kaleidoscope of color that is at odds with his overall more serious personality, but somehow it still manages to suit him.

When I continue to stand there gawking like an idiot, he motions with his finger to the bathroom.