Page 32 of Set the Moment
“Takes one to know one, dick!” I say, sticking my tongue out at her as she scoffs, but Blake’s chuckle causes me to go still as it echoes throughbothGeorgia and I’s phone.
He didn’t…
“You fuckers are together without me?!” I screech just as the line goes silent.
Assholes.
The air is frigid between Georgia and I as we sit in silence, thinking about our actions.
“I know why I kicked that fucker, but why did you punch him?!” she asks, spinning in her seat, her eyes accusatory.
My heart thumps out of my chest as I look at her, hoping my mask of indifference is still in place as I reply, “I don’t answer to you.”
Georgia rolls her eyes, scoffing at me. “Yeah, well…you’re going to have to do a fuck ton of explaining if Sienna finds out you beat up her date.”
I hadn’t thought about that…Sienna could hate me for what I did. I’d hate myself for making her feel that way, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat if anyone decided they’d open their mouth to speak against her.
It’s silent for a moment between us. Georgia’s beady eyes stare into my soul before she gasps softly.
“You don’t…You’re not over Si Si, are you?”
My eyes widen as my neck snaps to face her. “Keep this between us.Allof it. Cleo doesn’t—”
“I promised you two years ago that I wouldn’t tell Cleo about what I saw, and I’m not going to now. But you’ve got to figure this shit out. You can’t just go around banging on your chest whenever someone talks bad about her.” Georgia frowns, her eyes holding something close to pity as she looks at me.
Who says I can’t protect her? I don’t see anything wrong with teaching these guys out here how to respect women. Specifically,mywoman.
“How am I a sociopath?” I ask, trying to change the subject, but Georgia only sighs.
“Oh…I don’t know, you’ve only like the same girl your whole life and refuse to be a human around her…I don’t know how you’re a sociopath, Jace.” She cocks her head to the side, rolling her eyes at me.
Memories of Sienna and I throughout the summers of our childhood play before my eyes as Georgia’s words register. Every summer since I turned eight, I waited for the day Clef Jones would bring his niece home for the summer. Sienna was like the moon, quiet and shy, but always there when we first met. She’d pay attention to everything and everyone, but never spoke too loud or out of turn.
It wasn’t until she and I were alone one day sitting in my backyard, eating chocolate chip cookies, that she opened up to me about not having friends. I vowed that day to always be by her side, and she did the same for me.
Sienna was the only person I could be my true, authentic self around for years. I didn’t have to be the funny and outgoing friend when I was with her, I could just be Jace.
eleven
Sienna
“No!You’redoingitwrong, Sienna. Run it again.” Daisy’s stern voice is like hot coals to my ears as she speaks sharply at me yet again.
Heaving a deep sigh, I count backwards from ten to calm down. Since we’ve gotten started with our practice two hours ago, Daisy has been unbearable and irritable. We’ve gone over the routine countless times without a break, which isn’t a problem at all. The problem is how bitchy she's been.
She acted like this entire dance was her idea and that she was running this show. I want to be annoyed and yell, maybe she’s had a bad day, but fuck! I’ve had a badtwo weeks!
I’ve had to deal with Jace popping back up in my life, adjusting to a new school, moving, Derek Perez, Aric turning out to be a douchebag, and I have yet to talk to my parents since the semester started.
We’re all going through things that no one else knows about, but that doesn’t give her the right to be a bitch.
“You know what, maybe we should take a break and get a breather—”
“No! We don’t need breaks, what we need is for you to get your shit together,” she cuts me off, her eyes narrowing on me.
I look around the room, trying to find who she’s speaking to. Was it me? Certainly she wasn’t—My phone’s ringtone blares in the silent room. I chuckle as it saves Daisy from my new found wrath. I don’t know what crawled up her ass and died, but I hope she relieves herself soon.
Daisy opens her mouth to reprimand me, but I silence her by holding up my pointer finger to go check who’s calling.
