21. SELF-DECEPTION

Was there another choice? Certainly the world usually only gives us one or two, and sometimes none. There was no other choice than this chaos made by two high-schoolers who broke all the rules to get what they wanted, lying to each other. Faking themselves so that the other would believe. For their own good.

It wasn't those little kisses you gave as jokes or giggles, it was one of those where you enjoyed it too much that you both were literally lying to each other. And both of them knew.

Ashton definitely knew Jayce wanted something from him, but he was too blinded to know what she did want. All that mattered was that she gave her answer, and he didn't care what she wanted from him as long as she was safe.

Jayce tugged on Ashton's hair a bit before she stepped back for a breath, as they both flustered on what they both had just done. It was just one thing that they both had done, but it looked like a first.

"After long consideration and thought," Jayce said in her breath, nose still touching Ashton's, "I'll date you,"

You're being way too obvious, Jayce thought to herself, Get a grip and try to lie to him better, he knows you're freaking lying, you dumb girl.

"Really?" Ashton started with his puppy eyes, moving a step back, trying to look her in the eyes.

Crap, she thought again, that was the most impulsive and obvious move to take. He freaking knows I'm lying to him, he knows I don't have any freaking feelings, geez I'm gonna die.

"Yeah," she clicked her tongue. She was still unsure of what she did, "This is pretty awkward,"

"Not really," Ashton commented, "But that was one sure hell of a shocking kiss, from someone like you,"

"You're not my first, so don't irritate me like that,"

"Well, surely, my dear president, but I'll make it seem the way that I'd be your first forever,"

Lying to each other was just a normal routine for them. And they knew it too well to be true.

"So, first of all, how does dating work?" Ashton fidgeted with his fingers.

Jayce flinched at his question, "You're asking me how dating works,"

"I'm not your first, while you're my first. I need tips," he frowned.

"Actions speak louder than words," she replied, still feeling uneasy, "So do anything that'll make your partner feel loved in any way,"

"And how do you make them feel loved?"

"Use your love language,"

"Oh, well then," Ashton said, already knowing what's on his mind, "I've gotten the trick,"

"And what's that?"

"That's for me to know," he tipped her chin to look at him, "And for you to be surprised with,"

"Well then," she grinned, "It should be a surprise worth-waiting for,"

"Oh, yes, president, it sure is," he backed away and turned around, walking away.

One was too blind with the other's safety to notice, while one was too wide awake to realize the other's real intentions.

~~~

"So, you both are dating?" Jaxon asked, rather excited.

The two were now in the dormitory, and Ashton was frowning. Sure, he was quite happy with the fact Jayce agreed to date him and now she was under his eye, for him to keep and protect, but he had taken her straight into the lion's den, and was constantly lying to her. But Ashton knew Jayce wanted something as well, but he needed her by his side, he wanted it like nothing else.

"Your plan better work," Ashton scowled.

"I thought you hated her, and you would love to see her being lied at, tortured with this fake truth," Jaxon raised a brow.

"Correction: she hated me," he replied, "I had to hate her too,"

"So, technically, you never hated her?" Jaxon raised a brow.

"Now that would be a lie," Ashton remarked, "There was always a part of me that found her annoying in her acts,"

"Alright then," Jaxon gave a small laugh, "We just have to drive her into a path to be our personal detective and make her tell all the case updates. Like you said, take her heart and break it," he said, "So, now, how are you going to take her heart?"

"I've got that in mind already," Ashton said when his phone beeped. He looked at it and texted back for a bit before talking back to Jaxon, "I gotta go meet someone,"

"Who?"

"Your dad,"

~~~

"So, why are you buying this property?" Victor asked.

The two were in Victor's car, driving to a place Ashton wanted to go, "I've always wanted to buy it. It's a perfect settlement I love in the woods,"

"I have a few of those ideas I'd like to show you, maybe you'd like them as well. We'll just circle the properties near the forest," he replied.

"Yeah sure," he said, "I'll pay tomorrow maybe,"

"Is Jaxon okay?" Victor asked.

"What do you mean?"

"After Eric's death and all-"

"He's been quieter than usual, but he's always been quiet," Ashton replied, "Everyone's been in quite a shock,"

"And you?"

"I'm...fine, I guess. It's not the first time watching someone die," he said, looking out the window as the autumn air shivered his skin.

"It may seem that I'm the quiet dad who had a divorce and lost his daughter years ago, and I may seem like the ignorant dad who doesn't take care of Jasmine and Jaxon, but I know all their updates and friends and friends' problems and their own problems," he said.

Ashton flustered at his words. He knew it wasn't really true.

"If you have anyone you want to check on," Ashton started, "Check on Eric's family, I don't think they've been doing well,"

~~~

"Oliver, it's time to eat," Georgia said as she knocked on her husband's office door.

There was no reply.

"Oliver," she knocked again, "Oliver!" she banged on the door before she pushed it hard and went in.

The room looked like a hurricane had passed through it. It was too messy with papers around and the smell of rotten food stung in the air.

"I said it's time to eat," Georgia said, "Have you lost your ears?"

"I've lost my mind," Oliver banged his table, a cigarette in his hand, "I've lost everything,"

"I lost everything too, I lost my son," she replied back, "You have to eat,"

"HOW IN THE WORLD CAN I EAT WHEN MY SON WAS MURDERED IN THIS HOUSE?" he yelled back.

"I'VE GOTTEN ENOUGH WITH YOUR NONSENSE," Georgia yelled back, "ERIC WAS NOT ONLY YOUR SON, HE WAS MINE TOO. HE WAS OUR SON, HE WAS ELLA'S BROTHER," she said in tiredness, "DON'T YOU DARE ACT LIKE YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE IN PAIN HERE,"

"YOU WILL ALWAYS BE THE WIFE WHO WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND A HUSBAND'S SITUATION," he said, "HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW OUR SON WAS BEING BLACKMAILED?"

Georgia scoffed, "Understand your situation? THE ONLY DAMN REASON I'VE LIVED WITH YOU WAS BECAUSE OF OUR CHILDREN. MY LITTLE SOCIAL STATUS WAS PERFECT WHEN CALLED AS OLIVER RODRIGUEZ'S WIFE. BUT YOU WERE TOO SELFISH ON EVERYTHING YOU DID, I WASN'T TO BLAME," she yelled with all her might.

Oliver shut his mouth.

"I respect Eric's privacy so I let him free. I wasn't a strict parent who gave him boundaries like checking his phone every second or calling him all the time. I wanted him to live his best life, and he always put a smile and said he was always happy and okay," she said, "IF YOU WERE ME, WOULD YOU HAVE SUSPECTED THAT OUR SON WAS GOING THROUGH ROUGH THINGS?"

"OH, SHUT UP," Oliver yelled.

"If I knew that the so-called 'great designer Oliver Rodriguez' was this rude and selfish and unbelievable, I would have married Mikael Walker or even Anita Walker for that matter. They were richer than you, but my little brain here as a young woman fell for you, I blame myself for that," she stated in madness and turned around, seeing Ella looking blankly at her parents.

Her jaw was clenched and there was an unreadable expression on her.

Georgia pursed her lips, "Ella-"

She looked away and moved her wheelchair and went to her special elevator, heading up to her bedroom.

"Are you happy now?" Georgia scoffed, looking back at her husband, "Our daughter will think our entire family's ruined,"

~~~

"Anything special happened to you today," Amber asked Jayce as she walked in the dorm, "Princess Perfect?"

Dating Ashton was definitely something Jayce didn't care about in terms of feelings, but if her sister knew, jealousy was above everything.

"No," she lied.

Yes, she thought, I act like I look smart and sly in forming this entire devious plan when I felt like such a coward in lying and deceiving and literally kissing Ashton Walker.

"Doesn't sound like you," she replied.

Jayce frowned. Her phone beeped a message as she did. From Ashton.

'what're you doing now, president?' he asked.

'about to study' she replied.

'is there a time where you don't study?'

'not a time i can remember, we're still rivals academically speaking'

'that hurts my feelings'

'oh, sorry, our little vice president is feeling a little moody today, isn't he :( ' she texted sarcastically, laughing inside.

'he is, and he wants his dear president to change his contact name in her phone to 'My Dear Vice President'

'ew, too cliche'

'oh, then what are you changing it too ;-; '

'what is my contact name in urs?'

'my dear president'

'okay then' she texted, 'i'mma go study now'

'and my contact name'

'i never knew u were this little boy who needs attention 25/8'

'the more u know, president :) '

'i'll change it to whtvr i want' she concluded, 'bye'

'bye <3'

She gave a little smile before going to the contact's name and editing it.

'the boy who doesnt erase hyperlinks'

She stared at it a little while then saved it, and found a pair of eyes staring at her. Amber.

"Having happiness? Good for you," she commented.

Jayce gave her a look, "How was your day?"

"Like any other boring and dull day,"

"You wanna talk about it?"

"Don't act like Mrs Fairy Godmother in front of me," Amber scowled, "Enjoy your happiness," she dropped down on her bed and opened her phone as she scrolled through her socials.

Jayce gave a small exasperated breath before she took her books and went to the library.

~~~

The next day, early in the morning when Amber hadn't woken up yet, Jayce was already tidy and went to the yard. She surprisingly saw Brenda staring blankly on the ground.

"Brenda?" she called.

She lifted her head lazily and saw Jayce, then frowned again. Jayce noticed the two bracelets of J x B in Brenda's hands, as she squeezed it.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she sat down.

"Jasmine rejected me," she pursed her lips, clearing her throat. She wasn't really crying, it seemed to be a more annoyed expression.

"What? That's not the Jasmine I know, she wouldn't reject anyone," Jayce said, surprised.

"Well," Brenda started, "She said in these exact words: I'm sorry, Brenda, but I don't like you back. It's strange but, I think I still have feelings for Jayce,"

"What?" she flustered.

"Don't act shocked like you don't know," she said, "Jasmine is the type of person to not lie about her feelings, that she even went into detail with the fact you and her kissed in the hospital not so long ago,"

"Brenda, I give you my word, that it was an accident," she lied, "Me and Jasmine have broken up, we're just friends now. I don't have any feelings for her," she lied again.

"How am I supposed to believe that?" Brenda asked, "You lied to me which then continued to lying to the entire school, you can literally lie to me again,"

"Brenda, I swear on my life, that I'm not lying," Jayce stated again, "Me and Jasmine have nothing in between us again,"

"I don't believe you, how can I know you're not lying again?"

"Because I'm dating Ashton Walker," she hastily said and slipped, and then gulped at her words.

"Wait, what?" she asked, that formed into a cheeky smile, "You're dating Ashton Walker? You're dating the Ashton Walker?" she asked, a sound of excitement in her voice, "First of all, I'm happy for you," she said, as she took her phone out, "And second of all, This. Is. Major. Tea." she began typing on her phone.

"Brenda," Jayce called out, about to take her phone as she dodged, "No, don't-" the two began to fight over the phone, "Brenda, give me the damn phone,"

The girl began to type with her hands in the air, dodging all of Jayce's bumps, but she was a quick typer as she pressed send and everything went off.

"Brenda," Jayce furrowed.

"Congrats," she flustered, getting rather timid with the scary look Jayce had on her voice, "And goodbye," she bolted off into the dormitory and ran up the stairs, back to her dorm.

Jayce sighed in frustration, as from the corner of her eye, she saw Ashton walking towards the doors of the dormitory building and going outside. She raised a brow and followed him.

~~~

"Ashton!" Jayce called out as she arrived outside the dormitory building, seeing him with an older man.

"Jayce," Ashton pursed his lips, "Hi,"

"Hi," she gave off a smile, "Morning,"

"Morning to you too," he said, flustering.

"I'm Victor Spencer, Jasmine and Jaxon's dad," the man said, "Pleasure,"

"Jayce Brooks," she said, lending her hand out and the man shook it, "Where are you going?" she asked Ashton back.

"Somewhere," he grinned, "The better question is: Have you changed my contact name?" he asked.

"Maybe yes, maybe no," she responded, "Where is this somewhere you are going?"

"Somewhere," Victor replied to Jayce, then knocked on his car window, "Are you coming down to see your brother or not?"

The car door opened with Jasmine walking out, with her playing her phone and earphones connected to it as she listened to her Indie music.

Jayce flinched at her sight, and Jasmine flinched more. Ashton felt uneasy.

The short-haired girl stepped back, then whispered behind Ashton, "By the way, our dating news is out, and it's a long story and yes, it's my fault that it's out,"

"Oh, president," Ashton whispered back in a grinning manner, "I never wanted our relationship private," he started, "I want everyone to know that you're my girl and I'm your boy,"

"Well then, that's quite great isn't it?" she grinned back uneasily. He noticed that it was coming from Jasmine.

"Ashton, we better get going, I have other work to do you know," Victor said.

"Right," Ashton replied, then went to the car door, as he covered Jasmine with himself and looked Jayce right in the eye, "You have something to say to her?"

"Yeah," Jayce frowned, "I need to end it. For good,"

"Okay," he softly said.

He stroked her cheek suddenly and she winced. He pulled himself forward for a forehead kiss, making sure Jasmine was seeing it correctly. Jayce pulled away before he did and she became unsure if Ashton was just here for something, or that he really and truly had feelings for her.

"I'll see you at school soon, president," Ashton gave a smile before he went in and Jayce avoided eye contact as she gave a thin smile.

She looked back at Jasmine sharply, as she was already frozen there. She took off her earphones and put her phone in her pocket. Jayce paced forward and pulled Jasmine's hand to the wall beside the dormitory building and they both talked.

~~~

"Did Ashton Walker just kiss you?" Jasmine asked as Jayce released her hand.

"Why is that any of your business now?" Jayce asked.

"Is something wrong?"

"Remember how you were the one who broke up with me?" Jayce asked, crossing her arms.

"Yeah," she timidly said.

"And do you remember that you were the one who kissed me in the hospital in the first place?"

"Yeah,"

"So, I'll ask you this one question: Do you still have feelings for me?" she asked.

"Yes, and they're very strong," she replied sadly.

"Then why the hell, after all this time, did you cheat and break up with me? Why the hell did you leave me with questions after everything you did once you came here to Syville?" she asked.

Jasmine trembled, "I didn't know how much I really loved you and your presence until you left me,"

"Then don't make me the bad guy in Brenda's story," Jayce stated, "We're done, Jasmine. For good. So stop entering my life again and again,"

"It's time you answer my question, then," she said in a louder voice.

"And what's that?"

"Are you and Ashton dating?"

"I am," she stated, "And you have no right to interfere in it,"

It was a pain Jayce was feeling. Dating Ashton was something she was forced to do, but Jasmine was just her ex. And she damn knew that she didn't have any words to say that she wanted them back together. It would be a relationship just built out of guilt.

The black-haired girl looked down, and Jayce sharply gazed at her and turned around, and was about to walk away from the wall when Jasmine interrupted her again.

"You're not in love with Ashton Walker, I know you aren't," she stated.

"That's where you're wrong," Jayce said, "I'm madly in love with Ashton Walker, and the madness has left me speechless enough to explain how much I am,"