Labeled Love (36 page)

Closing my eyes at her choice of words, I ignore her as I work on putting my tie on correctly. “What do you mean ‘a girl like that’? You don’t know anything about Shay.”

“I know the day you met her she was in a limo.”

I stop tying my tie and look down into her weary eyes. “How do you remember me saying that?”

She shrugs her shoulders. “I just do.”

“I wouldn’t put her on my bike with her dress on. She’s driving us to the dance.”

“I don’t even get to see you take pictures.”

I swing myself around to her. “Why the sudden interest? You’ve never cared before.”

“I went to prom once, too, you know…” she says.

I stand there, waiting for her to elaborate, but she doesn’t. She just turns and walks away.

I PULL UP
to Shay’s beautiful home. I don’t think I could ever get used to something this big. Our apartment could fit in one of their closets. Parking my bike, I take off my helmet and shake my head, hoping my hair isn’t too messed up. Sliding my fingers through it, I make sure the gel is still in it when the front door opens. That’s when I see Mr. Stark. He’s always been nice to me, but the guy is super intimidating. That expression always falls away when he looks at his family, though. Shay’s mom walks past him to greet me.

“Jace, you look so handsome,” she says as I run my fingers through my hair again. “Looking good, son,” Mr. Stark says, ushering me inside.

“Thank you,” I tell him.

“Where’s Shay?” he says to Mrs. Stark.

“Steven, it takes time to get a girl ready for her ball.”

He has a genuine smile when he looks at his wife. I stand there, anticipating seeing my girl all dressed up. “How are you doing, Jace?” he asks.

“Great, Mr. Stark.”

“Good to hear, son.”

“Melody? Maybe you should go get Shay.”

“She will be right here, Steven.” She rolls her eyes with a smile. “Is your mom coming to take pictures of you, too?”

My stomach fills with a mixture of both anger and embarrassment. “No, she couldn’t make it.” She gives me a knowing smile. Volunteering at the shelter, Mrs. Stark knows most of the kids don’t have parental involvement, but it still hurts to know that my mom would rather spend her time with a bottle than have this moment with her son. I can’t believe that after the morning Grace had, she would all of a sudden want to take pictures of Shay and me. If it weren’t for Shay, I don’t think I’d have many pictures.

Before I let that fester, the beautiful girl walking down the stairs distracts me. Her dad smiles brightly at her, and her mom starts fussing over where to take our pictures. I love this girl so much. She walks toward me, and everyone else falls away.

“You look so beautiful,” I whisper softly into her ear as her mom leads us outside, facing us toward the backyard. Shay looks up at me. I want to kiss her lush lips so badly, but her dad is watching us. She wraps her arms around me, and my heart starts hammering in my chest by how she holds me. Gazing down at her hands, I see her charm bracelet. Every time I see her, she’s wearing it. I can’t wait to add her new charm.

Perfect.

When I’m with Shay, every hardship I have disappears. I don’t worry about the fact that my mother is an alcoholic and doesn’t pay the bills, or my lack of stability. I just focus on this girl that I love, but I know I need to focus on figuring out my life, so I can take care of her one day. When I say one day, I want that sooner rather than later. But, I can’t think about that shit right now. If I do, I will have to face the reality that I’m stuck, and Shay is getting ready to go off to college soon. I don’t want to think of the possibility of her leaving.

“Mom, we should probably get going,” Shay says, pulling me out of my thoughts. “You’re quiet, baby. Everything okay?”

I look down into her blue eyes. “You look so beautiful in your pretty dress.” I lean down and take her lips to mine. I don’t care who is watching me; I need to kiss my girl. “Everything is so perfect, Shay. You’re so perfect.” The smile she gives me warms me more than the sun that beats down on us ever could. I pat her butt lightly, trying not to get old Pops’ attention.

She gives me a sassy glance and says, “Ouch.” With a sway of her hips, she walks toward her parents to say good-bye. As she glances back to me, I give her my smile she loves.

“You know that didn’t hurt.”    

When we leave Shay’s house, I feel the unease coming on. Not that I should care what her friends think of me, but I do. I can’t help it. She looks so beautiful that I feel this overwhelming sense to protect what’s mine. I’ve never had to share her before; she’s always belonged to me.

As we pull up to the dance, I’m quickly reminded how much I don’t fit in. I look over to Shay, and she looks so happy in her element. I feel like I’ve been missing out, like there’s this whole other side of her that I don’t know, and I hate it. Her friends are pulling up in expensive cars, and if they’re not driving their own car, limos are dropping them off. I feel like a total loser that I couldn’t even drive her to her senior prom.
What the hell am I doing here?
is all I can think as I look around. What do you do when you look at the girl you love and all around her are reminders of a life you may never be able to give her? You can either let your insecurities take over, let that little voice inside your head fill you with doubt, or you can let that sweet voice of hers that always makes everything fall away and that gentle touch of her hand when she holds yours remind you that no matter what, none of those things matter. Because your love for each other will always be worth more than anything money can buy.

“What are you thinking about, baby?”

“I’m thinking about you, pretty girl. I’m always thinking about you,” I say. Her eyes go soft, and she bites down on her lip. I pull on it, wiping her gloss away. She does that cute pout.

“I need to put more gloss on now.”

“You don’t need that stuff, baby. Your lips always shine bright.”

“That’s because I always have my gloss, silly.”

“I thought it was chapstick,” I tell her, confused.

“Chapstick, gloss… I wear both.”

“Whatever it is, you always smell like summer.” We smile at each other.

“You always smell good, too.”

“What do I smell like?”

She giggles and says, “You just smell like my boy.”

I pull her into me.” Give me your lips, baby, before you put on all that gloss again. I want to taste you.” I kiss her nice and slow, taking in this moment with her before I have to share her. When we break away, Jules walks up to us.

“Don’t you two look nice?” she says.

“Thanks, Jules.” Shay moves closer to her. “Hey, hold my purse so I can get my gloss out.”

The girl’s eyes practically bug out of her head. “Shay! How many times do I have to tell you? It’s a handbag, not a purse, especially when it’s so small. I mean, technically that’s a clutch, but definitely not a purse. Seriously, I’m going to have to replace you with a gay best friend. You have to know these things.” She pushes her hair back off her shoulder and totally changes her tune. “That dress is to die for! Shay, it looks so perfect on you. Have you seen Brett? I leave him for a minute, and he’s gone. That’s why I don’t like having to deal with boys our age. They just don’t understand etiquette. You
never
leave your date.” She looks away. “Here he comes. God, I can’t wait to go to college where there are actual intelligent, respectful guys.”

Jules cracks me up. If she weren’t Shay’s best friend, she probably would annoy me, but if Shay loves her, I know she has good intentions. She just comes off as high maintenance and, damn, she can talk fast.

Everywhere we turn someone is calling out Shay’s name. I can’t believe all the different activities she’s a part of. How does she have time for all this stuff?

This whole thing looks like a scene straight of a movie where all the kids are rich and good-looking. The guys look like cocky jerks, while the girls just look like they’re trying too damn hard to be noticed. Shay looks like an angel in a sea of make-believe wannabes.

Someone is bound to rub me the wrong way. I turn my attention quickly at the familiar voice that makes my blood boil.

“Hey, don’t you look sexy? Come here and give me a hug, baby.”

Yep, definitely rubbed the wrong way.

Before Shay can even say a word, I’m ready to bitch slap this guy. Who the hell does he think he is, talking to my girl like that? Is this what goes on when I’m not around?

“Excuse me,” I say. This guy does everything to get under my skin. 

Shay gives me a soft smile, trying to put the fire out that I’m ready to start. Cole looks me up and down with a sly smile on his face. “What’s up, Jace?” He puts his hand out to shake mine.

 I don’t shake it. I don’t like his humor, and I don’t like anyone talking to Shay the way he just did. I stare at Cole until Shay tightens her grip on my hand. I know she’s reassuring me, but I’m not having it.

 “Jace,” she says, trying to get me to reciprocate. I don’t take my eyes off him. I want him to know that I’m not one of these punk-ass pretty boys that will let him say or do what they want.

 
Not with me, motherfucker. You don’t intimidate me
.

“You love to piss me off, don’t you?” I ask, swallowing hard, feeling my adrenaline kick in. “Bro, you need to back off. You don’t call my girl baby…” I start zoning in on him until Shay’s sweet voice shines through the thick air surrounding us.

“Baby, please don’t let him bother us. Cole is just being a jerk.” I look down into her big blue eyes. She looks so pretty that I can’t stand the thought of upsetting her, so I breathe in deep and will myself to let it go.

A bunch of girls call Shay over to take a picture with them. “Go,” I tell her, seeing the hesitation in her eyes.

“Be right back,” she says. I kiss her check, and when she walks away, I take the moment to let this asshole know what’s up. 

“You’re not bent out of shape about those text messages, are you? I was just fucking with you.”

“Is that what you find humorous? Texting someone’s boyfriend to get a rise out of them?”

“That’s right,” Cole says sarcastically.

“Well, Cole, you and I don’t share the same humor. Keep your fucking hands off my girl.”

“Whatever,” he says in a condescending tone. He begins to walk away, but not before throwing me a jab. “She’ll eventually take the trash out. Until then, have fun with her.”

It takes everything in my power not to fuck this guy up right now. Where I come from, no one talks with such disrespect without getting their ass beat. I clench my jaw, trying to calm down. Damn, I’m so hot under the collar; I don’t know if it’s because this shirt is a little too tight or if it’s because I’m ready to fucking go crazy on this guy. Screw it. This guy can’t get away with talking to me like that.

 As I start walking toward Cole, Shay comes back from her circle of friends and gives me a kiss on my cheek. “Sorry, once one person starts taking pictures, everyone else needs one on their phone, too.” She wraps her arms around me. For a second, she calms me down, but as soon as I look into her eyes, I’m ready to hurt that fucker. “You know how handsome you look all dressed up? I forgot to tell you. You are so handsome, baby.” 

Everyone falls away.

I take her face in my hands and look at her, just stare into that face. The face I want to look at forever. “You’re the prettiest girl here, baby,” is all I say, because when I look at her, she’s all that matters.