Chapter 5

Jace:

"I'm falling for you." I whispered. I didn't know why, but I was. 

I was falling for her.

"Jace..." she gasped, I noticed tears gathering in her eyes.

"God, I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to make you cry!" I whispered, frantic as I stood up and ran to her side with a napkin in my fingers. I sat on my knees next to her and she turned her face to me. Two gentle and soft tears, caressed her cheek. I wiped them away with the tip of the cotton napkin.

"Sele-"

"You can't, Jace." She interrupted with a croak, "You can't fall for me." She cried and I felt a little broken with every single tear that slid down her face. I sat there, realizing how the past couple months, weren't just a crush I had on Selene Arly. They were the powerful sheet of hope that held up our bonds with each other.

"You can't stop me." I frowned.

"Jace-"

"You know you feel the same way, I know it's abrupt and we have been on a single date only but I know that you know that we have a connection. No matter how less we talk, how less we have interacted, how less of an involvement we have made in each other's lives; we will always be each other's safe haven." I explained with her face cupped in my palm. She looked at me intently and her cheek pressed itself into my hold. She smiled lightly and her bottom lip dipped between her white teeth.

I was crazy for her.

"Jace-"

"Shut up." I groaned and held myself up on my toes, as I raised and caught her lips with mine. She kissed me back as passionately as possible. Her lips were tender and sweet, soft and luscious.

She was becoming my dream and that was my truth.

When we parted, her fingers were gentle on my cheek and her forehead was leaning against mine. Her eyes were shut and a breathtaking smile was gracing her lips.

"I wanna take you out of here." I whispered and she opened her eyes. She looked at me mischievously and her teeth became visible.

"Okay, but then we go to the Carowinds." She smirked but then she bit her tongue.

She seemed embarrased.

Little did she know that all I ever wanted to do was take a girl on a date just there. I smiled so widely that I could feel my jaw hurt.

"You're so perfect, it's crazy." I snickered and she slapped my chest. I paid through my credit card and in about five minutes we were out to the nearest bus station to head to Carowinds.

Carowinds was an amazing and tremendously gigantic amusement park that was almost at the outskirts of the city. The place was crowded till closing. I'd been there with my parents so many times when I was a kid. When I reached the good age of sixteen to know the meaning of dating, I wanted to take my girl there.

Selene wasn't my first girl, she wasn't my first kiss. Heck I wasn't even a virgin. But, when I touched her, held her and finally had the honour of kissing her, I knew. I knew she was my girl and she was the one who deserved my love. God, I was shocked at myself when I confessed my craze for her. She didn't return the words and to be honest, that was fine. I didn't know the place she was coming from but damn it, I wanted to turn the world to change that. Her condition, her pain, her rejection to accepting life, I wanted to eliminate that. I was going to eliminate that. I was going to make her live. She had to.

At that moment, when I bought our tickets for the entrance in the park, she was joyously hyped up to enter. When she held my hand, I knew that was my first step. I knew there was no life in that moment for me if it weren't for the angel holding my fingers to her heaven.

Selene:

We entered the park and never had I been so pumped up. Jace's palm never left mine and his hold made me feel safe. I'd never felt so beautiful. I took off my tube and put it hidden behind my bag before we headed for the roller coaster. Jace didnt like the idea. We sat on the roller coaster first, no matter how much Jace resisted. He kept on saying that he was scared but I knew what he meant. If he was scared, he was going to be sweating bullets when we took our seats. Instead his hold tightened and he kissed the back of my hand gently.

I looked at him.

"Just scared." He snickered.

He was scared for me. I needed to live it.

I cupped his face and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

He smiled against my lips.

"Lets do this." He whispered and we sat up.

The roller coaster, twirled and turned, ran and sped. It made my insides churn but excite it with exploding fireworks, at the same time.

When the ride stopped, I felt that Jace was right to feel anxious. I was fighting for my breath. The craze of the ride had taken some of my air, making me uncomfortable. I tried to hide the uneasiness. As soon as our belts unbuckled, I jumped out of the ride because all my head could do was spin in fast circles.

I ran with all my might and when I stopped, I bumped into something or rather, someone, right behind me.

A sudden curl of arms came around my face as I stood still and then a wave of air inflated in my nostrils. I realized that he was putting my tube back on my face.

"Baby. Listen to my voice." Jace kept on whispering in my ear as he gently turned me in his arms and made me look at him. I looked into his brown orbs and for some godforsaken reason, my heart fluttered and body lightened. My head calmed and I relaxed in his hold.

How did he do that?

How did he lead me to his safety?

"You were right." I sighed. I felt my fingers graze the scruffy skin on his cheek. He furrowed his brows in confusion.

"You- you are my haven." I smiled and he returned it with a beautiful one.

"You wanna go home? Its oka-" he was offering. I, without caring or thinking, held his face in my fingers and captured his lips. His fingers, that held my waist before, turned into the feel of his huge and strong arms around my body, while my arms circled around his neck. He kissed me so passionately that my knees turned to complete jelly. If it weren't for him, holding me, I would've been a puddle in the ground.

He was breathing so much life in me. I didn't know what was happening to me.

I just... I didn't want to...

I didn't want to give up on life, anymore.

Brian:

I'd been calling Selene for an hour and no reply was returned. I could hear my heart pounding and my body giving up on me. I was parked outside her school, waiting for Allan but he said that there was no sign of Selene anywhere in the school.

Where was my daughter?

I called her once, twice, then thrice and then many times, only to feel disappointed at the end by an empty inbox.

When no hope was gracing me, I dialled the one number I knew would always hold her location like a million dollar bill.

"Hello." Sean answered on the third ring.

"Hey, Sean. This is Brian, do you know where Selene is? I'm waiting for her outside the school." I tried to sound as calm as possible because the last thing I wanted to to do was freak the kid out.

He lived and breathed for their bond. He was a good best friend.

"Oh, she's out, sir." He stated with a hint of realization sinking in his voice.

My eyes went wide and my throat went dry.

Where was she?

"What? W-Where?" I questioned with quivers.

"Oh, no, no. She's fine. She's on a date." He assured and I calmed a little, although the anger pulsing in me was another story. I knew I wasn't allowed to be mad this way, but I was her father, nobody was to even lay a finger on my girls without my consent.

"With who?" I asked with gritted teeth.

"With this guy." He sighed and I shut my eyes in irritation. I loved Sean, but I wasn't really happy with him in that moment.

"Oh, really? You don't say!" I mocked.

"Jace Anderson, sir." He replied and I felt myself sag in regret.

"Sorry, kid." I apologized for scaring him.

I knew he wasn't scared, he was a tough kid.

"Ha-ha, it's alright, sir. I totally understand your place right now." He chuckled and apologized. I bid farewell and cut the call.

My daughter was out on a date with a young man I had no idea about. She hadn't been on a date since she had discovered her situation, it pained but also relieved me of always being worried of what guy was laying another move on my babies. My hold on this possessiveness was tight because, according to my lovely wife, I knew what a playboy was.

I used to be one.

And, I hurt more girls than I wanted to admit.

To be honest, Lilly was right about that.

If anyone was to ever hurt my daughters, well, they had no future.

I was about to throw my cell away after a long process of frustrated thinking when it rang in my fingers.

I checked the caller ID to find Lily's name on it.

"Hey." I greeted, keeping myself calm.

"Hey, babe." She sighed and I could hear amusement in her tone.

"What?" I felt my lips curl up in a smile.

"Sean called." She giggled and the smile drained out of my face. I shut my eyes again and let the frustration pass. I had forgotten that that boy was just another me.

Enjoying the misery of me.

No wonder Selene chose him to be the first friend she invited to our house.

Asshole.

I loved that kid.

"Lil-"

"Our girl and Jace Anderson!" She cheered and I felt my eyebrows cock in surprise.

"You know that boy?" I asked with gritted teeth and a tight jaw.

"Yeah, he's Selene's doctor's boy. Dr. Anderson's." She explained nonchalantly.

"Uh, father here?" I exclaimed, "Why didn't I know about this?" I straightened up in my seat and started the car.

"Well, I didn't exactly know she liked him. All I knew was that she might've." She uttered proudly.

I waited for her to continue.

"You wanna finish the whole explanation?"

"Nope!" She popped the 'p', knowing very well that my face was red and blood was a hundred degrees.

"Lil." I grunted.

She laughed and then sighed.

"I love you, okay? Come home, trust me. She's happy and she's fine." She tried to soothe me.

"How do you know?" I threw my head back on the headrest. Tears threatened to spill.

"Because she's your daughter, and I have never met anyone as strong as you." There was sincerity and pure love in her voice. She always knew how to coo me back to my relaxation and give me strength. Sure, I was the father and I had to be strong, but nobody, nobody, was breathing on the same limited oxygen as my daughter. The mere thought of her absense in my life, meant death for me.

A tear slipped from my eye and I felt weak.

"I love you, Brian Castalano Arly. Don't think that I would let you lose yourself." Lil's voice quivered in my phone and I took that as my cue to compose myself.

"I'm coming, baby." I assured her before cutting the call and then dialling Allan so we could head home.

Jace:

For a girl so breathtakingly beautiful, Selene was the box of fun, enveloped in folds that were just unwrapping before my eyes. I could see her skin pale as the roller coaster paced it's speed, but not once did she stop smiling.

Some would find that creepy. I was in awe.

I didn't, even for a second, leave her hand. As soon as the ride parked back to it's stop, she jumped out of the cart and ran away. I followed suit, but not before carrying our hidden stuff. Not caring where we were headed or who I pushed in my way, I kept my eyes on her pacing body. She finally stopped near a railing that was near the outskirts of the park. There were barely people there, and soft sand with mud made a perfect path for walking.

I noticed her slipping against the green wired railing, I pushed my feet and ran up to her. I sneaked my arms around her light body and held her up, putting the tube back near her nose. She inhaled a choking breath, dropping her head back, on my shoulder.

"Baby. Listen to my voice." I cooed turning her in my arms. She looked up in my eyes, like it was the only thing existent in that second. Soon, my favourite smile broke on her face.

"You were right." She let out as if the words were gagging her and she had to say them. I furrowed my brows in confusion.

I was right? About the rollercoster?

"You-" she inhaled deep breaths, my heart was clenching at her sight, "-you are my haven." I felt my heart pick up beats and joy spreading in my stomach. I felt giddy like a girl, but damn, I didn't care.

"You wanna go home? It's oka-" I started but words were rolled back on my tongue when her lips collided with mine in the most searing kiss I ever experienced. I circled my arms, tightly around her waist and she heated my soul with a moan. Her arms came around my neck with a touch so soft and kiss like a whole new life.

I was in love.

Yes, I was in love with Selene Arly.

I kissed her as passionately as possible. I let out all my emotions in that lip lock. All I wanted to do was show her how much she meant to me. I bit her bottom lip and she tightened her hold as I entered my tongue in her mouth. Her body shivered and I knew she was about to fall, so we parted. She rested her forehead against mine and her fingers still caressed my cheeks.

"You okay, baby?" I tickled her cheek with my knuckles and she nodded in the same position.

When we straightened up, she smiled and told me that there was no way she wasn't going to take every ride with me. I was delighted, honoured, but Selene was just so tired.

Why was she ignoring that?

Her health mattered the most to me.

I needed her to be okay.

God, I was smitten.

We left the park at six in the evening and it was cute to see Selene, get shocked over the fact that she had so many missed calls from her father. When we left through the gates, hand in hand, she called her father back.

"Hey, oh, mom." She smiled as the words escaped her lips. The smile faded and she nodded. Then she pouted and chuckled.

"Fine." She shook her head and cut the call.

"What?" I asked.

"Mom's picking us up." She chuckled.

"Wait, how does she-"

"Tracker." She wiggled her phone in the air.

"I understand." I laughed in understanding.

"Oh really? When you're going to have a daughter, are you going to do the same to her now?" She squeezed my hand and nudged my shoulder.

I pulled her body into mine and she gasped as we collided. Chest to chest.

"When she is going to be just as beautiful as her mother. I have to." I whispered huskily against her lips and she gasped. I kissed her nose and she closed her eyes. Her dazed expressions showed on her face and I stirred at her lack of breath.

"Selene..." I exhaled.

"Hmm." She hummed.

"I want you forever." I confessed and she shot her eyes back open.

Tears gathered in the windows of her bright eyes and I loved the way she smelled of me. I placed my index finger and thumb on her chin and held her face.

"Forever?" She croaked and I wiped away the tear that slipped from her eye.

"Forever."

"No." She pushed away, making me break.

I felt taken back at her change of mood.

"Sel-"

"No!" She whimpered, turning away from me. I pursed my lips in pain and caught her arm before turning her to me. She slapped her palms on my chest and yelped.

"Hey. Hey." I cupped her face and she cried in my palm.

"Selene." I called her and she bit her lip, sobbing all the more.

"Baby, talk to me. Please." I pleaded, getting uneasy because of the gut wrenching pain in me.

"Jace, Jace." She looked up at me with swollen lips and red cheeks.

"Selene." I tried to calm her down, because if not... I wasn't fully aware of her condition.

"Look at me." I cupped her face, "Its okay. Hey, trust me, it's okay." I whispered and she pulled away from my arms. She ran her hands through her silky hair and grunted in irritation.

"Selene, what is it? Talk to-"

"You want me forever?" She asked in disbelief. I furrowed my brows in confusion and felt the conversation taking a turn I wasn't expecting it to.

"What?"

"Forever, Jace?" She cocked her brows.

I didn't answer.

"Jace!" She screamed and I yelled back.

"Yes!" I let out, "I do. I want you, I need you! You are mine!" I pointed at her and then myself, "You are mine! And, I... I am yours." My voice died in volume as I finished my sentence. She looked at me in shock, then pain, fear and then a cold snicker left her lips, freezing my heart.

"Well then get your calendar out, Mr. Anderson. Because this forever is shortly numbered." Her voice quivered at her own words, but my heart heard the fall it experienced.

Just in that one moment...