Chapter 9

Two weeks went by after the mall incident, and Jace was still radio-silent. Lissa didn't want to keep thinking about it, but she couldn't help herself. This was stressing her out and she should be keeping her stress level to a minimum. Doctor Walsh's orders.

She was sitting on her couch, reading through the List again, since she had nothing to do and her parents went away on a last minute trip to Switzerland — for business. She ascended the steps two by two to her room to find a safe place to keep all the pictures they took so far, and for others yet to come. She found a shoe box in a cluttered corner of the room, stashed the pictures in there and tucked it away under her bed.

The doorbell rang. She absconded her room and went downstairs to answer it.

“I'm coming!” she shouted as she reached downstairs. She swung the door open, certainly not expecting Jace to be standing there. Jace had been contemplating this visit ever since the incident, he was deeply hurt, sure, but he still cared, and he had promised to help with the List. So he swallowed his pride, and came over with the intent of burying the hatchet and forgetting he ever asked her out, but with one look from Lissa, his plan dissolved into nothingness.

“What are you doing here?” Lissa asked, clearly baffled by his unexpected visit.

“I'm here to talk. About what happened at the mall...may I come in?” this was not the plan, this was not the plan...Jace kept repeating in his head.

“Yeah! Sure.” she opened the door the wider, allowing him to step inside.

“Thanks.” they both sat down on the couch, with a safe distance between them.

From comfortable to uncomfortable.

“Listen, Lissa, I want...need to know why you ran away that day? Was it too much for you, or what?” he spoke quietly but his eyes were practically pleading with her to answer.

“No Jace, it's nothing like that...”

“Then what is it Lissa? I felt so stupid after you left, that's why I waited this long to talk to you again.”

“Jace, you know I'm...dying, and I can't have you or even myself, getting too attached, it won't last long. There's only 20 months left!” this was the first time Lissa had used the term 'dying', any previous euphemisms was useless to use now. Her cancer is real. Her death approaching is real. No more need for sugar-coating.

Jace blew out a heavy breath.

“Lissa, it doesn't matter if you live for the next year and a half, five years or even sixty years. I don't care about that, all I care about is you, and how you make me feel...” he moved closer towards her. Lissa could hear her heart pounding in her ears.

Like excessive hammering on a door.

“I care about the way my heart beats faster when I'm around you. I care about the way you're eyes shine brighter than the ocean itself...” she licked her lips which felt arid at that moment, “I care about the way you lick your lips whenever you're nervous, or the way you bite the end of your pen when you're concentrating. I care about everything. It doesn't matter to me whether you're dying or not, I will still be there for you Lissa, no matter what.” he placed a hand on her cheek to wipe away a rogue tear that fell, and leaned in closer...until his soft lips met her.

It was magical. The way their lips moved in sync, it was like the rest of the room fell away and it was just them drifting on a cloud of ecstasy.

After he pulled away, Lissa chuckled and he looked at her, confused. Who laughs after a kiss? A mind-blowing kiss.

“Why are you laughing?”

“I just gave you my first kiss.” she said and put her face in her hands, pressing her elbows on her knees. He pulled her hands away, looked at her and gave her another kiss —this time not as long — but still as sweet,

“I'm very honoured, Stewart.” he said, and she laughed.

“Whatever, Daniels.” Lissa hit his chest with the back of her hand and he feigned hurt, as he rubbed the spot. But smiled.

•

They spent the rest of the day at her house, for once doing something that wasn't on the List, and just relaxed. They must've fallen asleep on the couch, because by the time Lissa woke up, it was 7 o'clock the next morning. She was laying on Jace's chest. She didn't want to wake him, but when she made a move to get up, his eyes opened.

“Good morning, Daniels.”

“Good morning, Stewart.”

“I have to go get ready now.” she told him.

Lissa pushed herself of him, but he grabbed her hand and pulled her back down towards him.

“Jace, let go! I have to get ready!”

“So do I, but I need to ask you a question first.”

“What is it?”

“Will you be my girlfriend?” she craned her neck to look at him.

“Are you serious?” he nodded.

“Yes! Yes I will!” he looked overjoyed, and dipped his head in an attempt to kiss her again but she covered her mouth with her hands, and shook her head.

“Morning breath.” she mumbled through her hands.

He just laughed at her and told her he was going back home to get ready and he'll be back in an hour.

•

After the hour went by, Jace showed up again.

“Do you have your camera?” He asked her, and she nodded and pointed to her royal-blue backpack, with gold, thick, glittery straps.

“Good. We're heading down to the mall today.”

“What for?” she asked.

“What for? Seriously. We're taking those Santa pictures today.”

“Oh yeah. That's right. I completely forgot about that. I haven't continued on with the list yet, 'cause I wanted to do these things with you.”

“So sweet.” he pecked her cheek. “Let's go, we can't keep those kids waiting.”

•

They reached the mall not too long after that, and spent the rest of the day taking pictures of all the kids. Jace even forced Lissa to take one, but he took it with her camera, so she completed number 39: take a picture with Santa Claus, and the latest one she added the day before, number 101: take pictures of the kids at the mall with Santa.

The best Christmas gift ever was seeing those smiles on those kids faces. All bundled up in their winter clothes — thick, woolen scarfs, puffer jackets and boots with the fur trims by the ankles.

Priceless.