Chapter 15

Jace:

I punched the bag harder than it needed be. It swayed like a body bag, circling in its spot before heading back for a kick from me.

"Two hours!" Sean exclaimed, irritated.

"It'll be more if you dont quit whining." I turned hook kick straight against the black punching bag. It smacked a loud noise in the room. Three walls were mirrors and one was the plain light blue one that had the door to it. I had it designed in my penthouse. Sean sat near the water cooler, on the bench, by the entrance. His mouth would keep going since we got home and all I could think was punch and kick my feelings away.

"Do you remember when you used to kick Draco's ass for no damb reason and he was idiot who always came back the next day." Sean laughed, walking down memory. I did remember that but I could put myself through the roads of high school again.

Punch. Punch. Side kick.

"Oh, you used to hate Matthew. Remember that idiot?" Sean chuckled. I turned to find him lifting a dumbbell for pure joy. I snickered, throwing a turning kick at the punching bag.

"Yeah, he kept hitting on Selene. She loved the attention." Sean laughed and I froze. I turned on my feet and found him chuckling. His smile was small and teeth clenched. His brows furrowed but he kept a sad smile stretching his dimples.

"Sean?" I gulped.

"I met Mr. Arly, a couple months ago." He gulped. His face was a complete frown. He flicked the tear away from his bottom lash.

"What did he want?" I felt my fingers tighten into a fist around the bands tied on my knuckles.

"He didnt say anything. Mrs. Arly said sorry. That's all." His teeth bit his upper lip and he coughed, standing up.

"Sorry, for what?" I, vigorously, unwrapped my hands, "For not letting us see her? For not inviting us to her damn funeral? For not letting us say goodbye?" I spat furiously. I could feel the fire burning my tongue.

"Jace, they couldnt... they lost their child." Sean reasoned. I was done with the white wraps and threw them on the blue rubber mats on the floor, before exiting the gym.

"Jace. Jace!" I walked through the hallway to my lounge but our steps faltered when we found a tall man stand with Rufus. His poise was strong and her black hair jelled into slant curves backwards. He was in a rough, ivory black suit and blue shirt under. Chiseled jaw and high standard, but when he turned his eyes to me, I froze. Those blue eyes...

"Allan?" Sean called from behind me, walking past to him.

"Hey." Allan smiled, walking up and enveloping a welcoming Sean.

"What are you doing here?" I gulped the lump in my throat.

"I invited him." A female voice echoed in the room, and Cobie jumped into the lounge. I groaned.

"How's Bethany?" Sean squeezed Allan's shoulder.

"Pregnant." He smiled as bright as a light bulb. Sean cackled in surprise and jumped in for another hug. I shoved my fists in my pant pockets and walked out of the darkened hallway into the extremely lit lounge. I pointed them to the conversation pit and they nodded. Allan held out his hand for Cobie to jump in and I headed to the kitchen.

"Pizza. Same order. Four." I ordered Rufus and he nodded before exiting the apartment.

"Beers?" I called out. I didnt like the company but I hated being impolite.

"Yes!" Three agreements chimed and I laughed. Grabbing a pack of six and bottle of carbonated lemon water, I headed to the crowd.

I was nearing the step down to the pit when I saw a figure laugh next to Sean. My heart lept in my chest.

Selene. She was laughing at their chats and my body warmed at that sight.

If only...

My brain muttered and suddenly, I was whipped back to reality.

"You okay?" I heard Cobie call out. She was sitting on the couch, next to Allan which was by my feet. I bent over and gave them the drinks.

"I'll be back." I sighed, walking away to the other corridor that led to my bedroom. I knew they were talking about me now, but I just needed a minute to breathe.

Dropping myself on my bed, I released a loud breath. My arms were sprawled away and head buried in the duvet. I shut my eyes and let my breathing settle. I could feel my body sweat and tremble, my brain crushing in itself and pain subsiding my calm.

Why do I feel so guilty? My brain yelled at me. It was right though. I did feel guilty, without the knowledge of why.

"You cant hide in here forever." I heard a call and sat up to find Cobie, leaning against the doorframe. She was well dressed in a casual casual red sundress. I hadn't noticed that before. She looked older for a sixteen years old.

"She's everywhere." I croaked, sitting up. My elbows stabbed my knees when I held my face in my palms.

"Its been ten years, Jace. You guys barely dated. I dont understand this... this pain of yours. It seems too strong." She spoke in sympathy.

"I don't know, Cobie." I shook my head.

"Mom said you feel guilty." She sighed.

"Of course she did. Was that over breakfast or a spot of tea?" I hissed.

"Neither." She raised a brow, "Dinner." Her smile widened and I chuckled. I was still in pain but a smile helped.

"Why are you being like this?" She asked finally.

"I loved her." I looked up with warm eyes. She gasped and I could tell my face wasnt what she had been looking up to for her years of life. I felt a tear slide down my cheek when I shut them and dropped my head.

"Jace." She whimpered, sitting beside me and wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"I feel like... I feel like I wasnt there when she needed me. In her last moments... I wasn't there." I grouped my fingers and squeezed my hands together. I felt her face rest on the back of my shoulder. Her hands tightened around me and I knew she was holding back her tears.

"You were there. I bet she knew." Cobie whispered.

Did she though?

I wanted to cry like a child.

Picking up strength, I cleared my face and sniffed up my tears. Sitting up, I turned Cobie from behind to face me. Her cheeks and nose were red and lips trembled. I smiled quietly and covered her in a teddy bear hug.

"I'm okay." I bit my lip.

"No you arent." She sobbed.

"I am." I swayed us back and forth.

***

It had been three hours or so, since Allan arrived and we'd all been chatting. Allan told me all about his wedding, his wife Bethany and sister, Sydney. Apparently, she was on her second baby and very happily married to Carlisle Davis. I knew that man to be one of the best captains of his precinct. Also, the youngest.

He mentioned that his wife was staying with his parents for the while that he was here on business. I smiled at the thought of Mrs. Arly. No matter what had happened, Mrs. Arly was the always caring woman. I remember that after everything, she visited me once and told me that I should be happy. Gave me the message that I thought she would've given me.

"Mom was asking about you." Allan mentioned and I stiffened. Sean sat beside him and slightly nodded for me to cool it. I sighed with a smile 

"Give her my thanks." I rubbed my nose and Allan smirked.

After a couple more hours, it was seven in the evening and Allan stood up to leave. I bid him farewell and asked Rufus to escort him down. Cobie was heating up the left over pizza, while I shuffled through my emails for any emergency work left out. Sean kept his head bowed and every now and then I saw a frown mar his face.

"Alright." I shut my laptop after an hour of noticing his mood.

"Good." He raised a thumb up for me and I knit my brows in confusion. He mistook my words.

"Alright, time for a talk." I emphasized on my tone and he raised his eyes to me. I raised my brows and he shrugged.

"What's with you?" I leaned back on the couch, with my arms resting on the back rest.

"Nothing." He bit his nail, putting his phone away.

"Sean." I called and his nostrils flared.

"Its dad." He dropped his head back.

"And?"

"He wants me to send him money." His jaw ticked.

Sean had a troubled time since after high school. Draco had disappeared to God knows where and apparently, his sister ran away. I felt bad for him. His mother was deceased and father went off the sanity chair a while ago, when he moved to Italy with his girlfriend. For five years, I had seen Sean develop from a carefree man to a stern one. We were the exceptions who existed on his better side but the poor world never got it. Although, I felt as though the same could be said for me.

I had a hole in me and man... I couldnt even count how many times I had tried filling it.

"Dont." I suggested, nonchalantly.

"If only. That man dies... and I'm never getting my family back, even if I find them." Sean bit on his nail harshly and I sympathized with him. He was living in hell.

"I'll send some. Contribution." I raised my brow. Sean looked at me with a bit wide eyes and then a smile forming on his face.

"I'm not broke. I can buy you for all I care, but it sucks that I have a family who couldnt care to look for me." He chuckled, leaning in and then looking into the kitchen, "While I wouldnt say the same for you."

I looked over at Cobie, enjoying some tunes in the kitchen, sitting on a bar stool, with pizza and her phone tapping against her fingers. I chuckled.

"You can have her." I shook my head in a laughter.

"Asshole." He snickered.

"Sean. You have a brother. And he's not afraid of your father." I winked. He threw his head back in a shaken breath.

"Selene used to call me his brother. Dont go down that road." His chest rose and dropped in second with burps of laughter coming from him.

I stiffened and smiled.

The doorbell rang and we all faced the confusion of who could be arriving uninvited. I stood up but Cobie was already nearing the door.

"Cobie." I called for her to stop, instead she raised a hand for me to freeze and opened the door.

"Hello, ma'am." I heard Rufus and she thanked him for the somethif before slamming the door shut. We couldnt see what she was doing because the wall covered the small door space. When she emerged again, she was holding a large white box to her chest.

"What...?" I started questioning.

"Allan said he's sending s cake over and this time I should accept it." She chimed, walking to us. I glared at her.

"He knew you wont take it." Sean nodded.

"I'm not celebrating." I tried walking out of the pit but Sean blocked my way.

"I'm not doing this, Sean." I pushed him.

"Its her-"

"I'm not celebrating my dead girlfriend's birthday!" I cried, jumping my way past him. Cobie blocked my way when I reached up and I cocked a brow at her.

"Its cheesecake." She pulled the lid open and a beautiful round New York cheesecake revealed itself with little lilies draw on top in chocolate syrup. I gulped the irritation in.

"Oooooh, cheesecake!" I heard a cheer and looked up to find an ecstatic Selene behind Cobie. My heart did a back flip and her eyes lit up staring at the cheesecake. What was going on with my head? I was seeing the child ghost of my girl...

I shook my head to run the thoughts out of my head and Cobia placed her free palm on my shoulder. I held my head and looked at her worried face.

"On another thought... I could use some sugar." I gulped and we headed to the kitchen.

***

Cobie slept in the guestroom and Sean left around eleven at night. We sat and talked all evening. Sharing stories of the past ten years and Cobie listing down many boys she was crushing on. I was worried for her but frankly, she was almost like me. Inhaled by the joys of having everyone's attention.

According to her, the Lepirachi-Cheetahs of her school wanted her in their group. Also known as the group of control freak, high standard girls. Cobia said she liked it on her own and was a good hangout with her basketball team girls. I was so proud of her. She chose herself over anyone else's direction of life.

She said she would hang out with almost six girls atleast everyday and not one walked in without a boyfriend. She, however praise the Lord for this, didnt have one. I chuckled at myself for being overly possessive.

I took off my shirt and before sliding out of my pants, I stood in front of the full body mirror beside my dresser. I fingers slowly grazed the tattoo etched on the left side of my waist. The infinity mark. It was almost five inches in length and was darker than coal. I'd gotten it ten years ago.

I ran a finger on the infinity, rememebering the way she ran her fingers across the pendant on her cold skin. Slowly I felt my breathing grow heavy and I looked in the mirror to find Selene smiling beside me. She looked at the mark on my waist and I swiveled, only to be a greeted by an empty room.

I fell on my knees and finally let some tears fall.

"Happy birthday, baby." I whispered in defeat.