... "I am not much of a poet"

I looked at the gold watch that Emily gave to me for my sixteenth birthday, I sigh as I move my hair to the side allowing my neck to breathe the cool night's air. A shudder went down my spine and I hugged my arms tightly in an attempt to warm myself. I look down at my moon boot, I shouldn't walk on it but I hate walking with my crutches and it somehow makes me look like I'm dying for everyone to pay attention to me. Jace told me to wait outside the restaurant. I'm waiting in a very long line. I wonder if we'd even get to eat here because of the short notice. It would be impossible to make a reservation at this place. People give me snobby looks and I swallow at my white sundress and denim jacket with white shoe, I frown this big-heavy-clunky-thing that always ruins my outfits. 

I scratch my neck nervously as my phone vibrates from my purse. I take it out, my eyes widen to see who it is. It's a number that I am not familiar with– 

I gulp and release a heavy sigh as I answer. 

"H-hello." I stammer. 

"Lucy, hi," It's Andrew and he answers the phone playfully on the other end. "So– I have this poetry thing tonight at ten and I was wondering if you'd like to come… you know since you like poetry and all." Andrew asks. He sounds so hopeful. I wish I could but I'm on a date with Jace. 

I clear my throat, "I can't." I replied, "I'm so sorry… maybe next time?" I say in hopes that Andrew and I could be friends. 

"No,  I shouldn't have asked so last minute, it was anyway just a thought. Maybe next time." 

"Yeah, there's always next time," I reassured. 

"Lucy,  sorry to keep you waiting." Jace says coming from behind me I turn to him and smile. 

"Is that Jace?" Andrew asks and I can hear a hint of disappointment in his voice. 

I frown, totally forgetting that Andrew and Jace don't get along and Andrew warned me to stay away from him. 

"Uh– yes," I say candidly. 

"Oh. I see." Andrew replies as if the oxygen has been sucked from him. "Well, I hope you have a lovely evening… Goodbye, Lucy." As soon as he said that sentence he hung up the phone and I just stared at his number. 

Why did that sound like a goodbye? 

"Are you ready to eat?" Jace raises his brow. "I'm so hungry," Jace says smiling playfully. 

But I just frown at his tardiness.

He notices, "Sorry, I was double booked today." he clarifies. 

I nod slowly, "Just call next time, its just really annoying to have to wait and wait and you dont know how long you have to wait for." i fold my arms.

"There wont be a next time, because next time I'll cancel everything to be with you." he says calmly, that sentence alone made my heart contract. I swallow and look away.

"You don't need to do all of that, just prioritize better thats all." I shrug avoiding his piercing gaze.

He shakes his head, "Or I would fight the eould just to be with you, fuck whoever is keeping me away from this heavenly beauty." He flirts.

Immediately my heart starts pounding, I look at him. "Stop flirting with me especially when I've been waiting our here for nearly an hour?" He scold, he scowls at the lengthy line. 

"Because you Jace Harrison made the reservation here." I squint at him. 

"You do realise that this resturant is owned by my family. So stop lingering in this line." Jace grumbles. 

Jace then takes me by the hand and draws me nearer. He stares at me for a while. "I've only just realised you are wearing a dress." He smiles, and his cheeks turn to a subtle pastel pink, which leaves me assuming that he has a telltale to his emotions like a mood ring. 

"Jace," I say. He looks at me with wide eyes. 

He smiles ear to ear as he walks me into the restaurant.

"Lucy." He replies. 

I stop walking just to examine him. "Why me?" ask. 

He frowns. He pauses, then shrugs. "I don't comprehend the question." he looks down at me with an inquisitive expression. 

"I am sure you have many girls that are just lined up to date you so that's why I want to ask why you're out on a date with a nobody like me?" 

He stares at me for a while. He turns to face me. "Do you really hold yourself in such low regard?" he stares. 

I shrug. "You're a model. So why not date another model." 

"They are not– my type," Jace replies. 

"Who models?" I ask flabbergasted. 

He gives a small nod. "Well... you look like a model to me," Jace admits, then asks a waitress for a table. Leaving me sheepish in my own thoughts.

She leads us up the glass stairs and this restaurant screams five stars from the expensive-looking people to the expensive furniture looks. I'm impressed. 

We then followed her onto the balcony. 

I shudder at the cool breeze. I knew I should have brought a warmer jacket. Jace then notices, he shrugs off his jacket and gently sits his bomber jacket onto my shoulders.

"You always seem to need my jackets, but don't worry. You can keep this one." Jace smiles.

Jace then pulls out my seat and I sit down, he then brings the chair from the opposite side closer to where I sit and then he sits down.

Jace clears his throat, "I hope I'm not being too forward." Jace smirks. 

I just look at him, how do I explain to him that I like that he is being this forward? Not having to guess how he feels. "What made you realise that you liked me?" I ask. 

Jace breaks eye contact. "I just think that if I didn't act fast enough, you'd be with someone else." He answers honestly and moves his gaze back to mine. 

"They say you're bad news," I tell him.  

"It's true." He stares grey daggers into my eyes that send quivers to run down my back. "But you know that much already." 

Jace picks up a menu. "I want a steak." Then he looks at me. "What are you thinking about getting?" 

I stand up Jaces eyes follows me. "Could you tell me what you mean by bad news Jace?" I ask, desperately thinking about what both Melody and Andrew keep on warning me about this one guy. If he really is bad news then I need to push him away, I only see mistakes and pain in the future if I continue down this road. Especially when Emily is breathing down my neck about dating him, I don't want to be sent back to my mother. I hold my hand to my chest and clench it, my heart desperately hurts. I've known him for such a short amount of time so why? Why am I hurting this way. When I know being with Jace could destroy my relationship with my Dad? 

I swallow my feelings. "My Stepmother told me that I should end things with you if you're not serious about me Jace." I am honest with him. I at least owe him that much.

Jace looks at me with wide eyes. "Lucy." he stands up. "I'm not going to force you to be with me. I may sound like a prick but I dont want to lie...at least not to you. I'm fucked up Lucy. And that's the bitter truth, I've been through some shit but I do want to get better."

"What 'shit' could you possibly been through Jace? You are a billionaire's son who lives in his own gigantic house by himself and probably gets an allowance. I wish I had your life." I say firmly. If I was him I wouldnt have to be worried sick about being sent back to live with my mother.

He stares at me for a while. "Sorry." he shrugs. He looks at me in the eye from where he sits. "Maybe this was a mistake." 

My heart drops to my stomach. What was I expecting him to say? 

I nod, then turn my body to storm away. I half expect him to run after me. Maybe in that scenario I know he is serious about me and he's not just playing with my heart. But he doesn't follow me or call my name. 

He doesn't run after me. He lets me go and that's the answer to my question that he never answered. 

When the Uber drops me home, I'm ready to just melt in my bed and cover myself with blankets for comfort. 

My eyes grow larger to see whose car is parked in front of my house. 

"Andrew?" I squint as he gets out of his car. 

"Lucy." He walks over to me." I cancelled my poetry reading because the person that I'd spent a week writing that poem for wasn't there." He babbles, "and yes I was waiting for you, I know you didn't ask but that's what you probably were thinking. Also im not a stalker I just wanted to tell you that."

I frown. "I'm confused," I say. 

"Maybe this will clear things up?" 

He takes out a folded paper from his pocket and hands it to me. 

"Can you read it?" he asks, looking sheepish. 

I begin to unfold the paper. "No, please not right now." He asks in haste. "when you are alone." He raises his eyebrows in a sympathetic look. 

I nod. 

"I don't write poetry. Sorry if it's really bad." Andrew says shyly. "If you don't end up choosing me, could you give me some closure?" he asks, stepping back. Eyes looking worried. 

I watch him get into his jeep and drive off. 

When I get to my room I turn on my lamp light to read Andrew's poem. 

I frown as I begin reading it. 

'Your eyes stay ingrained in my mind 

The analysis at first was diagnosed with confusion 

Unquestionably these feelings would wilt over time 

Regardless, they swelled up like a contusion 

Those eyes watch and talk to someone else 

Undoubtedly your heart lies elsewhere 

I kept away in an endeavour to collect myself 

Nonetheless, the being I am could not govern those cells 

So I wrote this somewhat poem 

In a somewhat attempt to win you over.

…I am not much of a poet  

But I couldn't think of another way.'

It feels as if my heart came to a halt for a few moments.

I consider phoning Andrew but instead I crawl into my bed. The curtain isn't closed yet so I turn to Jace's window.

I barely know him. So why do I feel this way? 

I can't be with Andrew, not when I can't stop thinking about Jace…