Chapter 17

Jace was pretty much convinced that his mom would not stop bothering him after her encounter with Lorelei.

"Are you two close?" asked his mom, "Hmm?"

Jace entered the passcode of his door, and then turned to his mom, "She already told you that we just know each other, and that's it." He opened the door and went inside his studio.

His mother followed from behind, "It's my first time seeing you interact like that with a girl." She sat on the couch and rested her back, "How do you know each other? Did you meet her upon moving here?"

Jace was placing the side dishes inside the refrigerator as he let out a sigh, "No. We're in the same History class and it just happened that we also live in the same building."

"Hmm hmm," his mom gave him an exaggerated nod, "You should befriend her then! I mean, you know, you'll probably see each other every day."

This time, Jace groaned. 'Ha. I knew she'd say this,' he thought. He was now finished putting all the food inside the fridge, "I don't want to. I find her," he paused for a moment, looking for the right word to describe Lorelei, "I don't know. I find her presence displeasing."

"Ooh. Now that's interesting," his mom crossed her legs and leaned forward a bit. "What's so 'displeasing' about her? She seems nice to me though… and pretty at that," she added.

Jace grimaced upon her mother saying the words 'nice' and 'pretty.' He just shrugged to avoid saying something offensive against the girl, "No specific reason."

"Hey, c'mon don't be like that darling! I didn't raise you to have some kind of prejudice against people. And who knows, maybe you guys will click once you get to know her," she said.

Of course, it had to be like that… Well, at least for his mom, "Fine, fine. Whatever. I'll just try to be nicer then," Jace replied.

"Good!" his mom grinned at his response. She was obviously elated to hear her son's words of befriending someone– much specifically, befriending a woman.

Jace just sat down on the couch when suddenly, the doorbell rang. He was about to stand up to get the door but his mom's words stopped him from doing so.

"That's probably your dad. I'll open it," his mother stood up to get the door for him. She proceeded to the door and as she swung it open, she didn't expect to see two men on the other side.

"I met him in the lobby," Jace's dad said while his arm is snaked around the other guy's shoulder.

Jace's mom, on the other hand, was quite shocked at the sight of the other man in front of her. "Oh my gosh, Shane!" she squealed in excitement and gave the boy a warm hug, Shane hugged her back. "Long time no see! How have you been?" Jace's mom asked after pulling out her hug.

"It's nice to see you, auntie! I'm doing great as always," Shane replied gleefully.

"That's good to hear," she rubbed Shane's arm in a motherly manner. She then realized they were standing there outside for a while, definitely an impolite way of treating one's guest for her. "Oh, I'm sorry for keeping you outside. Come in, come in!" Jace's mom gestured them inside.

"Darling, Shane's here!" she yelled upon closing the door.

Jace, who has now changed into comfortable clothes, got out of his room, "You're here again?!" He slumped on his couch and glared at his friend. "You're here almost every day, why don't you just move here?" he said in a sarcastic manner.

Shane chuckled and returned Jace's sarcasm, "Really? Can I do that?"

Jace threw a pillow at him, "That was sarcastic, dimwit."

"Auntie, did you hear that? He called me a dimwit! Is that how one should treat his guest?" Shane complained jokingly just to tease him.

"Dear, don't be like that! Shane's our guest," Jace's mom replied in a tone sounding like half joking-half serious.

"Really, now?" Jace crossed his arms and pouted, "Who's your real son between us?"

"Obviously you! Though it would be nice if you also have a brother like Shane," his mom giggled.

He sneered at his mom's remark. Hell, it would be the worst scenario if he would really have a brother like Shane. Jace thought she must be having a blast making fun of her son.

"Oh, right. Honey," his mom now turned to his dad, "I just found out Jace has a friend living in this building. And a pretty girl at that!"

"Wow. That's new," his dad said as he hugged a pillow from the couch, "so, who's this girl?"

"Dad, stop making a big deal out of it. You almost sound like mom," Jace rolled his eyes.

"Really? A woman? Why didn't you tell me you know someone here?" Of course, Shane had to react dramatically, "And how come I've never met her?!"

"You already met the girl, bro. At our part-time work."

Shane looked up, trying to remember who the girl was. He gave up after a couple of seconds and shot him a question, "Which girl is it?"

Jace smacked Shane's back, "Hey, you're making me sound like an ass playing around with girls. It's the one you tried to sell me to."

"Oh." Shane tried to process what Jace said and finally, he replied, "THAT GIRL?" He clapped ever so loudly, moving his head left to right in amazement. "Wow. So this is what you call fate, huh," Shane posed as if he's thinking.

"Oh, speaking of Lorelei," his mom shifted on her seat, "give her some of the side dishes I packed."

"Who's Lorelei?" this time it was Jace's dad who asked, "The girl?" Jace's mom nodded.

Shane gasped and clapped his hands over his mouth, "Wow. You've introduced her already?!"

"Shut it," Jace retorted plainly.

"Anyways, you know I'll know if you don't give it to her, so you better do it. Shane call me if he doesn't give her okay?" Jace's mom said in an attempt to threaten him. "Oh and grab some as well! I packed way too much for Jace," she added.

After that, she got up from her seat all of a sudden, "Okay, so we're done here! Let's go now," she said with finality.

"What? You're leaving already?" Jace queried as he got up from the couch as well.

Jace's dad put the pillow back on the couch away from his arms, "We're leaving already?" he repeated.

"Uh-huh," Jace's mom nodded.

Jace's dad blink twice, "But I just got here," he quietly protested.

"Even so. Let's go," Jace's mom grabbed him from his arm and was forced to stand up from his seat.

Jace sighed, 'Poor dad,' he thought. Jace took the lead towards the door while Shane and his parents followed him from behind. He opened it for them, "Do you want me to walk you to the parking lot?"

"No, no. We're good, son. Just stay here with Shane," his dad smiled.

"Oh, okay then," Jace scratched his head. His parents gave him and Shane one last hug after finally saying goodbye.

"Bye boys!" his mom bid her farewell in the hallway.

"Bye, auntie! Bye, uncle!" said Shane. The two boys just stood there, waving their hands.

The two returned inside the studio. Shane then opened Jace's fridge to get some of those side dishes he was told to pack. Jace went after him. "Dude, how do I give that to her?" he asked out of the blue while pointing at the stack of containers inside his fridge.