The Girl who didn't care

Sienna woke up with one very important decision.

She was not going to think about Jace.

Not today.

Not even for five minutes.

She repeated this to herself while brushing her teeth.

Then again while choosing her clothes.

And once more while walking across campus.

It was a good plan.

A very mature plan.

Unfortunately, Jace was standing outside her lecture hall.

Sienna stopped.

He smiled.

Her plan died immediately.

“You're following me.”

“Good morning to you too.”

“That's not a denial.”

“I have class here.”

She looked at the building.

Then at him.

“You're a student?”

He stared at her.

“Seriously?”

“I've never seen you with a book.”

“I have books.”

“Where?”

“In my room.”

“Decorative?”

He laughed.

“You're in a good mood.”

“I was.”

“What happened?”

“You.”

He grinned.

“I'm flattered.”

Sienna walked past him.

“Don't be.”

He followed.

“You got my message last night?”

“What message?”

“The one asking if you were okay.”

“Oh.”

She had seen it.

She just hadn't answered.

“I was asleep.”

“You replied at two in the morning.”

Sienna stopped.

“That was sleepwalking.”

Jace laughed.

“You're unbelievable.”

“Thank you.”

“You really do say that every time.”

“It's my favorite response.”

They entered the lecture hall.

Jace took the seat beside her.

Sienna looked at him.

“No.”

“What?”

“Go somewhere else.”

“Why?”

“Because I like this seat.”

“You're already sitting in it.”

“Exactly.”

He laughed and dropped into the chair.

The professor walked in before Sienna could argue.

She opened her notebook.

Jace leaned closer.

“Are you still coming to the game Saturday?”

She whispered, “Maybe.”

“That's a yes.”

“No, that's a maybe.”

“Same thing.”

“It absolutely isn't.”

He smiled.

“I'm counting it.”

Sienna tried to focus on the lecture.

Five minutes later, a small piece of paper appeared on her notebook.

She unfolded it.

You're terrible at pretending you don't like me.

She slowly turned toward Jace.

He was staring straight ahead with an innocent expression.

Sienna wrote beneath his sentence.

You're terrible at pretending you're not obsessed with me.

She pushed the paper back.

He read it.

His shoulders shook with silent laughter.

Then he wrote:

Maybe I am.

Sienna stared at those three words longer than she should have.

She quickly folded the paper and shoved it into her bag.

Jace noticed.

He smiled.

After class, Maya caught up with them.

“Are you two dating?”

Sienna nearly choked.

“No.”

Jace answered at the exact same time.

“Not yet.”

Maya's mouth fell open.

Sienna turned to him.

“Not yet?”

He shrugged.

“I like to be optimistic.”

“You like to be annoying.”

“Also true.”

Maya looked between them.

“I feel like I walked into something.”

“You did,” Sienna said.

Jace smiled.

“She's just shy.”

Sienna stared at him.

“Shy?”

“Yes.”

“I once argued with a taxi driver for twenty minutes because he gave me the wrong change.”

Maya nodded.

“She did.”

Jace laughed.

“Okay. Not shy.”

“Thank you.”

“But cute.”

Sienna rolled her eyes.

Maya grinned.

“Oh, she's definitely blushing.”

“I'm not.”

“You are.”

“It's hot.”

Maya pointed toward the cloudy sky.

“It's raining.”

Sienna looked up.

“Then I'm emotionally warm.”

Jace burst out laughing.

Maya shook her head.

“I can't deal with you.”

“Yet you keep following me.”

“Because I need entertainment.”

Later that afternoon, Sienna found herself sitting in the library.

She had chosen the library because Jace wasn't there.

It was quiet.

Peaceful.

Safe.

Perfect.

Until someone dropped a book onto the table.

Sienna looked up.

Jace.

She stared at him.

“Do you have a tracking device?”

“No.”

“Then how?”

“I asked Maya where you were.”

Sienna closed her book.

“You're both terrible people.”

“I brought coffee.”

She looked at the cup.

“What kind?”

“Vanilla.”

She took it.

“You may stay.”

Jace smiled and sat opposite her.

“You're easy to bribe.”

“I'm affordable.”

He laughed.

For a while, they studied.

Or at least Jace did.

Sienna spent most of her time pretending to study while watching him over the top of her book.

He eventually caught her.

“You're staring again.”

“I was reading.”

“My face?”

“Unfortunately.”

He smiled.

“What's so interesting?”

“Nothing.”

“You're smiling.”

“No, I'm not.”

“You are.”

Sienna lowered her book.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“What happened three years ago?”

The smile disappeared from his face.

Just like that.

Sienna noticed.

She had expected it.

But seeing the change was different.

“What do you mean?”

“Westbridge.”

He looked down at his book.

“Why are you asking?”

“I heard people talking.”

“About?”

She hesitated.

“Your old basketball team.”

Jace was quiet.

Then he closed his book.

“It's complicated.”

“So explain.”

“I can't.”

“Why?”

“Because some things are better left alone.”

Sienna watched him carefully.

“Do you believe that?”

He looked at her.

“I used to.”

“And now?”

He didn't answer.

Before she could push further, his phone rang.

He glanced at the screen.

His expression changed.

“Excuse me.”

He stood and walked away.

Sienna watched him.

Her phone buzzed.

She pulled it from her pocket.

Unknown number.

Her stomach tightened.

You're getting closer.

Another message appeared.

Stop before he remembers what you are.

Sienna stared at the screen.

What you are.

Not who.

Her fingers tightened around the phone.

Then she looked toward Jace.

He was still on the phone.

She couldn't hear what he was saying.

But she could see his face.

He looked worried.

For the first time, Sienna wondered if someone was playing with both of them.

She quickly locked her phone.

When Jace returned, his expression had changed.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“You look worried.”

“I'm fine.”

Sienna smiled.

“Liar.”

He looked at her.

“Maybe.”

She closed her book.

“What's wrong?”

“Nothing I want to talk about.”

She nodded.

“Okay.”

Jace studied her.

“You're not going to push?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because you didn't push me when I didn't want to answer your questions.”

He smiled faintly.

“Fair.”

They gathered their things.

As they walked out of the library, Jace reached for her hand.

Sienna looked down.

Then at him.

“What's this?”

“My hand.”

“I can see that.”

“Then why are you asking?”

She laughed.

“You're ridiculous.”

“Still holding it, though.”

She looked down again.

She was.

She didn't let go.

And that was the problem.

Because somewhere between the jokes, the basketball games, and the late-night conversations, Jace was becoming less like the enemy in her head...

and more like the boy standing beside her.

Neither of them noticed the person watching from across the library.

The stranger lifted a phone.

Took a picture.

And sent it to an unknown number.

She's closer to him than ever.

A reply came almost immediately.

Then it's time to remind her why she came.