River and Jace lay beside each other on the soft blanket watching the sunset in the east, the weather was perfect and so was the view. Jace gently placed his hand over River’s and at that moment longing was enough, for him, it was enough. Jace didn’t have to know how much it pained him to have to only hold hands with him behind closed doors, to always have to remain hushed about his affection. But he was willing to have his attention in any way that he could, any way that Jace was willing to share it.
For having him in pieces was better than having none of him at all.
“Do you think, that maybe someday we could go on a real date in Paris, and at least be honest with our friends about us?” River asked nervously, his blue eyes glinting in the sunlight.
“No.” Jace refuted, “I like it this way.”
Well, I don’t.River longed to say.I hate it this way.
“Well… we always do what you want to,” River spoke like a double-edged sword, aiming to hurt andbehurt.
“Don’t be too upset now.” Jace sighed, placing a hand on River’s thigh. “You’re so much more fun when you’re not all caught up in trivialities.”
“My love for you, is no triviality,” River argued.
“I know.” Jace smiled leaning in to kiss him, tangling his fingers through the other boy’s dark hair. Almost as if he were kissing him to wash away the doubt, to drown away his own insecurities. He leaned over him and River wrapped his arms around his waist, looking up at him in a way that saidI’ve already forgotten.And when his lips met his once more they heard a voice from the clearing in the woods behind them.
“Oh my God…” Fabian spoke, his eyes wide with surprise.
“Fabian.” Jace gasped crawling off of River.
“What is…oh.” Fabian slowly realised stepping back, placing a hand over his mouth. “Ah, I see.”
“I promise that it’s not what you think—” Jace began.
“You don’t have to explain anything,” Fabian assured him shaking his head with a mischievous grin. “I get it, it’s the Kennedy effect, everyone falls eventually.”
“I’m right here,” River stated blankly.
“Wait, I’m going to go talk to him I’ll fix this.” Jace panicked, getting up and making his way over to Fabian in the woods away from River.
“How long has this been going on?” Fabian asked out of mere curiosity.
“That doesn’t matter, it just happened I swear,” Jace argued, remembering how much trouble he’d be in at home if anyone were to ever find out.
“You know, we’d never judge you guys or anything. I mean it’s your business of course but we are your friends for a reason.” Fabian commented.
“I need you to promise me that you’re not going to tell anyone.” Jace pleaded, “Please.”
“But—”
“Please Fabian I’ll do anything just don’t tell!” Jace asked frantically.
“I was going to say that I had no intention of telling anyone, really it’s just…none of my business. I can wish you’d have opened up to me all you want but if that’s not what you wanted there’s nothing I can do. It’s okay man, chill.” Fabian reassured him, but it was evident that Jace was still on edge.
“Okay…thanks.” Jace sighed in relief.
“Anytime.” Fabian nodded before catching up with the girls by the peak, ready to make his move with Elle.
And yet to Fabian's surprise when he began to approach, he overheard the girls talking about how Elle was so smart, as to have strung Fabian along that whole time, and her ploy to get with River. That getting close to Fabien would mean getting closer to her original goal of hooking up with Kennedy. Fabian’s heart immediately sunk at the realization that she had never really liked him, and he had never stood a chance. He was frustrated and hurt, maybe even angry. He was swimming in a cesspool of his own emotions, toxic and overwhelming. He was so sick of always being second place to his own friend, despite the fact that he and River had never really been that close. But just as Fabian was about to approach and confront her, he noticed the group of girls, poking fun at Claudia, the least popular girl in the group who was fairly new at their school. They were daring her to do something that she didn’t want to, and she was getting nervous, he watched them from behind the tree as they gasped, and then he heard an ear piercing scream, and immediately knew that something had gone horribly wrong.
“Let’s get out of here!” Elle called out.
“We can’t just leave her here she’s hurt?” One of the girls argued in a burst of tears.
“We were never here Vera,” Elle spoke sternly before they ran.
Just then Jace ran up behind him, “What the hell happened I heard a scream?”
