Christmas Kiss

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Christmas Kiss Page 4

by M. A. Smeltzer


  I have pictures to take and watching Jace flirt is not part of that job.

  Xander and Thea cut into the cake and I’m not surprised when she nails him right in the face with cake. Xander ends up chasing after her to get her back and she makes it all the way to the other side of the dance floor before he catches her. He loops one arm around her waist and swings her around. His other hand with the cake comes toward her mouth. She pleads with him not to do it, but he doesn’t listen and she gets a face full of cake. They both can’t contain their laughter.

  “Look at us,” Thea laughs. “We look ridiculous.”

  He reaches up and tenderly clears her face of cake. “Ridiculous is good.”

  “Does this mean we can eat the cake now?”

  I jump at the sound of Jace’s voice right by my ear. “Jesus! Where’d you come from?”

  He raises a brow and points to the table. I notice the girl is gone.

  “I really want some cake.”

  “Let me guess, you want a middle piece too?”

  “Well, it’s a circle, so it doesn’t really matter.” He shrugs.

  I glance back at Xander and Thea who are now cleaning their faces with napkins.

  The caterer is already cutting the cake and placing slices on plates.

  “Looks like your cake is ready,” I point out.

  Jace rubs his hands together and licks his lips. “ Cake ,” he hums. “You want a piece?”

  “Sure.”

  He heads off to get the cake and I head back to our table.

  My heels are still on the ground and I kick them out of my way.

  Heels are the work of the devil. I’m sure of it.

  Jace returns a moment later and hands me my slice of cake with a flourish. It’s chocolate and covered in icing—and the more icing the better, in my opinion.

  He pulls out his chair and plops into it. I notice he has two slices of cake on his plate and he’s already eaten half of one.

  “This is so good.” He shovels a forkful into his mouth.

  I stifle a laugh. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Jace this animated over anything ever, except maybe his music and even then he’s a little more subdued than he is now.

  It is good cake though.

  He finishes his one slice and starts in on the second.

  I’ve barely made a dent in mine.

  “When is this thing over?” He asks after he swallows his next bite.

  “It’s a wedding. It could last until the end of time.”

  “Fuck me,” he mutters.

  “Oh honey I’d love to,” someone says, but when I look around the only person I see is a little old lady that’s maybe eighty and I’m pretty sure is an aunt of Xander’s. She notices me looking and winks. Oh .

  I quickly divert my gaze back to my plate.

  Thankfully, it doesn’t last until the end of time and after another hour everyone starts to disperse.

  Jace and I head to his car together. I have a car of my own but since we live together now we carpool a lot. It’s easier that way.

  He drives an old black Chevy truck. It looks brand new, though, with the way it shines and the engine doesn’t sound ancient. The only thing I have against it is the stench of cigarette smoke that clings to the interior.

  None of our friends notice us leaving together, for which I’m thankful.

  I haven’t told Rae and Thea that I’m living with Jace and as far as I know he hasn’t told the guys either.

  It’s not that I don’t want them to know I’m living with Jace it’s that…

  I don’t want them to know that I’m living with Jace .

  I know Thea and Rae will try to make a big deal out of it. They’ll think Jace and I are secretly dating or simply hooking up and they’ll pester me endlessly and that’s not it at all.

  Rae and Thea are my friends.

  Jace?

  He’s my best friend.

  From the moment we were introduced to each other it’s like some part of me woke up and said, “Hello, I know you.”

  We’re so similar and we just… click .

  He’s easier to talk to than them and he gets me.

  Most people don’t get me.

  They see what I want them to see.

  But not Jace.

  He sees it all.

  “Still haven’t told them?”

  See? He reads my mind .

  I turn away from the truck window and look at him. It’s pretty much dark now and his gaze is zeroed in on the road.

  “No,” I admit.

  “Why?” He asks.

  I shrug. “No reason.”

  He grins. “If that was the case then you would’ve told them.”

  I sigh. “I don’t need everyone to know all of my business.”

  “But it’s okay for me to know all your business?” He counters.

  “You’re different.”

  “Ah, I see.” He turns away with a little smirk.

  “Oh, you do, huh?”

  “It’s because I’m your favorite.”

  I laugh and look out the window at the moon illuminating the sky. “Can’t argue with you there.”

  “I am pretty great.” Sobering, he says, “Seriously, though, why haven’t you told them?”

  “Because they’ll think it’s more than what it is,” I admit. “I’d rather avoid their pestering. Why haven’t you told the guys?”

  “Same reason.”

  “We’re too alike,” I mutter.

  He grabs a cigarette and lights it at the next stoplight. We’re not far from his apartment. I still can’t seem to think of it as mine too. Probably because he won’t actually let me pay rent. Well, he takes the checks, but he never actually cashes them. I continue to write them, figuring if he needs the money he’ll eventually cash some of them.

  The cab of the truck grows quiet—me lost in my thoughts and him…lost in his cigarette, I guess. Though he always gets this disgusted look on his face when he smokes, almost like he doesn’t actually like them.

  He blows out a puff of smoke toward his open window.

  When we arrive at the apartment he parks on the street behind my beat up Toyota Corolla.

  Neither of us moves immediately to get out of the car.

  Darkness has descended completely upon the city and the barest hint of moonlight peeks out between the buildings. Streetlights illuminate the cab of the truck, bathing Jace’s face in a white glow, making him looking almost ghostly.

  He extinguishes his cigarette and tosses it out the open window before rolling it up.

  I put my hand on the door handle and move to open the door, but he stops me.

  “Wait,” he pleads, grabbing my arm. I glance back at him. “Sit here for a minute.”

  I release the door and straighten in my seat.

  He rubs his fingers over his lips, a telltale sign he’s thinking deeply. I notice he does it a lot when he’s writing songs and he ends up with smudges all over his face.

  “Confession,” he starts, and I sit quietly waiting. “This is my favorite moment of the day. The time when the sun has completely descended and night takes reign. Night,” he muses, a slight smile tugging at his lips. “The dark and misunderstood beast. People are afraid of the dark, but not the light—but it’s the light they should fear. The light is where the real monsters are.”

  He’s right. The real monsters are right in front of us and we never even notice it. They slip by unnoticed, masquerading as normal people, but they can’t mask their true colors for long.

  The evil always slips through in the end.

  He taps his thumb against the steering wheel, staring down the street. It’s not late so several people are milling around and darting in and out of the stores and restaurants that line the street.

  A few minutes more of quiet pass before he reaches for his door.

  “I guess we better head in,” he says, somewhat reluctantly.

  I nod and follow suit.

  The apartment b
uilding is an old warehouse that some developer came in and renovated. So, it’s nice with a lot of old and quirky touches like exposed metal beams and concrete floors on the main level.

  Jace’s apartment is on the fourth floor and the view, is pretty great. It’s not the best, since it’s not a tall building, but it’s good enough. It overlooks the park on the block behind us.

  We take the elevator in silence.

  It’s not late, but I think we’re both tired regardless.

  Weddings are exhausting.

  When the doors slide open I follow him down the hall to the apartment door. He slips his key inside the knob and turns, swishing his arm in a flourish.

  I laugh and head in first, flicking on the light.

  His apartment walls are all white, except one that’s black because it’s actually chalkboard paint. That wall is currently covered in ‘graffiti’ from our friends. I’m pretty sure Thea is the one who drew FUCK really big and then drew flowers in the bubble flowers. The rest of the apartment is a mix of black, white, and gray. When I moved in Jace told me I could add some things of my own as long as it wasn’t too girly, but I reminded him there’s nothing girly about me at all, and the way he had it suited me fine. I’m not fussy, so the minimalist look suits me fine.

  I drop my shoes on the floor and collapse on the couch face first.

  “Wake me never.”

  He chuckles and I turn my head, watching him step onto the platform behind the couch where his mattress sits. There’s only one bedroom closed off from the rest of the apartment, which belonged to his roommate, and has since become mine. It’s small, more like a closet, but it’s a room and that’s all that matters to me.

  He unbuttons his shirt and drops it on the bed. I hastily look away.

  I force myself to sit up and I head over to the bathroom, closing the door behind me. I shower quickly and as the colored water swirls down the drain I decide I’m going to dye my hair again tomorrow. It’s time for a new color. This one’s becoming stale.

  I step out and wrap the fluffy gray towel around my body before wiping the condensation from the mirror.

  My reflection stares back at me. The same person I’ve seen every day for my entire life—minus the ever-changing hair color. I tilt my head to the side and my reflection follows suit.

  Hate.

  That’s what I used to feel when I looked at myself.

  Now?

  Now I feel numb, and I don’t know which is worse—hating yourself or not caring anymore?

  With a sigh I open the door and step outside. The cooler air feels like heaven against my skin.

  I look up and see Jace sitting in his bed. His chest is bare, the sheets pooled at his waist. His glasses are perched on his nose and he’s reading.

  The first thing he said when I moved in was, “Tell anyone I read and you’re out of here. I have to keep my cool factor.”

  I didn’t tell him, but the fact that he reads makes him infinitely cooler in my eyes.

  After all, what’s hotter than a guy that reads?

  Not that I think Jace is hot.

  “Night,” he says, without looking up from his book.

  “Goodnight,” I mumble back, ducking my head so damp magenta colored strands of hair hide my face as I scurry across the hall to my room.

  I swear I can feel his eyes on me, but when I look back before I close my door his eyes are once more on his book, and I can’t be sure if he was really looking or if I simply wanted him to look.

 

 

 


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