9. ISABELLE

“So, tell me about your life. What’s your story?” Maia asked.

Clearly the conversation had moved to her. s**t.

Isabelle froze as she remembered rough hands grabbing her, a rough mouth on her skin, the blow of a fist. Was this how she was going to always identify herself now? Beaten and broken?

When she finally came out of her trance three pairs of eyes stared at her.

She hung her head in shame. Great, all it had taken was one hour to show everyone what a freak she was.

“Maia,” Jace chastised. “Isabelle is an enigma. She can’t just tell you her whole story; that would ruin the mysterious beauty thing she has going.”

Isabelle chanced a look up and found them all smiling at her warmly.

“Oh sorry; I had no idea that was your thing,” Maia said genuinely.

Isabella smiled shyly. “I don’t really have a thing.”

“Don’t mind Maia, her thing is exploiting her beauty to get what she wants,” Matt chirped playfully.

Maia glared at Matt, steam practically coming out of her ears.

Matt looked down at his feet and murmured an apology.

Jace chuckled. “You see? She wanted Matt to shut up and he did.”

Maia began to curse rapidly at Jace who just leant back in his chair and didn’t take his eyes off Isabelle.

Isabelle’s cheeks warmed, she had no idea why this guy was taking such an interest in her but she liked it, more than that she liked how she felt when she was around him.

Finally Maia held her hand up at Jace like he was the one that was causing a scene.

“Jace, that’s enough we’re in public and you’re getting me off track,” she turned her beautiful eyes to Isabelle. “So, boyfriend?”

Isabelle froze but managed to shake her head.

Maia looked thrilled. “Well, that’s exciting!”

Out of the corner of her eye Isabelle could see Jace making threatening gestures at her, which Maia either didn’t see or ignored.

“Have you had a chance to see what our little town has to offer yet?”

Isabelle felt herself blush. “Um…I only really just got here.”

Maia smacked her hand on the table making the three of them jump. “Well you need some sort of indication of what to expect before you start school.”

“Maia,” Jace warned.

Maia held her hand up and continued. “You’re coming to a party with me tonight, the usual gang will be there so this will be a perfect opportunity for you to get your bearings. It’s a pool party so you’ll be able to suss out some man candy.”

Isabelle thought frantically of a good enough excuse to get out of going but was coming up blank.

As if sensing her thoughts Maia crossed her arms and leant back, her eyes sharp. “It’s non negotiable, I probably should have mentioned that first.”

Isabelle stared into defiant brown eyes and wanted to smack a wall.

“Have you ever not gotten what you want?”

Maia shrugged. “Most people know better than to argue with me.”

“Well, what if I have plans tonight?” Isabelle challenged, knowing full well that she didn’t.

Jace smirked. “Hot date already?”

She blushed, cursing her traitor cheeks. “There’s been some criminal activity and I need to stand guard in my room and make sure my house is safe.”

He gave her a wink. “All the more reason for you to come so I can watch out for you.”

“My parents won’t let me out, I’m meant to be helping around the house.”

“I didn’t realise sulking classified as helping,” Jace replied playfully.

“Shut up Jace,” she said, kicking him under the table.

Maia clapped her hands together in delight. “Oh finally: a girl to challenge him! Listen, leave your parents to me ok? All you need to worry about is what you’re going to wear.”

Isabelle felt panic press down on her body, crushing her. Half her clothes were still packed in boxes and she had no idea what kind of dress code they followed here. She definitely wasn’t about to risk social suicide her first night out.

“If you’re stuck for clothes I have some shirts that would look great on you.”

Jace slowly ran his eyes up and down her body to emphasise his point.

Maia smacked him across the back of the head. “You’re an i***t, and so am I. I’m so sorry I completely forgot most of your stuff would still be packed away. But don’t panic ok? I’ve got some really cute things you can borrow, I’ll bring them around later tonight once you’ve showered and cleaned yourself up.”

Isabelle stiffened, wondering if she’d begun to smell already.

“Maia, remember how mum talked to you about tact?”Jace said pointedly.

Maia rolled her eyes. “Oh calm down, I only meant Isabelle probably wants to wash off your scent before she meets the guys.”

She turned to Isabella with a winning smile. “I’ll be showering too, it wasn’t a judgement against you, on the contrary you look amazing considering.”

Matt sighed and pulled Maia to her feet. “Come on babe, I’ll get the bill and then why don’t we save some water and shower together?”

Maia raised an eyebrow at him but allowed herself to be pulled away, turning back to wave at Isabelle, her eyes filled with warmth.

“I’ll be over at five with some options; wear your hair down!”

Jace scooted his chair closer so the metal grazed side by side. “Sorry about her, she never learnt boundaries and I’m afraid she’s too far gone now to bother trying to teach her.”

Isabelle smiled tightly as Maia’s words echoed in her head. You look amazing considering.

Considering.

She felt horrified as she remembered the bruises that were still visible on her skin, that she’d forgotten because no one had paid any attention to.

She hung her head. What must they think of her?

Cool hands clasped her chin and her face was tilted up until she was staring into the most mesmerising ocean blue eyes.

“What’s wrong? You don’t really have to go if you don’t want to; I can take you to dinner instead.”

“It’s not that, it’s just this,” she gestured to her face. “I’m a mess and you’ve all been kinder than I deserve pretending I don’t look like I lost a boxing match. I can’t go to the barbecue like this, it’s humiliating enough that you all had to see.”

Jace was silent for a moment and Isabelle started to contemplate leaving before she did anymore damage.

“Ok, look, do you want me to be honest?” he asked, finally.

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

Jace sighed deeply and ran his hand through his hair. “Ok, the reason I didn’t bring the bruises up was because I didn’t want to bring back the awful memories of falling.”

Falling? Did he honestly think this was an accident?

“You know,” he said continuing. “From heaven. I figured living here with us mere mortals was enough punishment.”

Isabelle almost smiled. “Fall from heaven?”

“Well clearly, I mean look at you! If there’s such thing as angels; it’s you.”

Isabelle allowed herself to smile, her chest feeling lighter. “Your sister is right, you are an idiot.”

He punched the air in triumph. “I knew it! You didn’t deny it.”

She rolled her eyes and got to her feet, turning away from him and feeling a kick of pleasure when she knew he was following after her.

He trailed behind her in silence for a few moments which gave Isabelle the chance to start to work through her emotions. Which was obviously only going to lead to disaster.

Day two of her banishment and she wasn’t miserable or at least not as miserable and if it was actually possible she really liked these kids and that they didn’t look at her with pity or disgust. She especially liked Jace.

She stopped for half a second as she let that sink in and then quickened her pace.

She liked Jace and she didn’t even really know him and he sure as hell didn’t know her.

She bit her lip so hard she tasted blood which started her whole face throbbing with the new wound aggravating the old.

She couldn’t allow herself to like him, would not let herself get too close. She didn’t have much of herself left and she knew, knew that if she opened herself up to anyone else she would be left with less than nothing. And the lightening fast attraction she’d developed already? Big, big trouble.

She was about to lose it, her eyes were already burning and the aching in her chest was intensifying. A full blown panic attack was manifesting and she needed to get home before Jace watched the meltdown.

“Hey angel, where are you going?” he called out, his voice light.

Isabelle ignored him and worked hard to keep her breathing under control.

In and out.

In and out.

In and… ow.

She collided with a solid wall and was then enclosed in warm arms.

“Isabelle, what’s wrong?”

He’d over taken her while she was distracted with her self pity and was now looking down at her, concern in those luminous eyes.

She jerked out of his touch like he’d burnt her.

What the hell was she supposed to say? She had tears running down her face, her whole body was beginning to shake and her breathing wasn’t regular. Somehow she didn’t think ‘I’m fine,’ was going to cover it.

Why was she only good at ruining things? She’d practically thrown away Tate like he was a rag doll and all he’d only been foolish enough to care.

A sob caught in her throat and the hyperventilating began.

He was going to leave her, this beautiful new boy. He was going to take one good look at how broken she was and get the hell out of dodge.

Except he didn’t.

A warm hand covered her own and placed her hand over his heart.

“Breathe with me,” he said softly, drawing gentle circles over her hand.

“Feel my chest and try to match your breathing so we’re the same ok?”

She was completely floored.

Who was this guy? What did he want from her?

“Stop,” he said firmly. “Get out of your head and into this moment. Focus on my breathing and yours ok?”

Isabelle found herself nodding and through tear filled eyes she met his and it was calming how steady they were.

“That’s it,” he murmured, taking exaggerated breaths to emphasize how she needed to calm down. “Just like that.”

After awhile she had no idea how long, her tears dried up, the shaking stopped and she began to get her breathing under control.

When Jace realised she’d passed through the worst he let go of her hand and instantly Isabelle felt a felt a weird sense of longing, but before she could analyse it any further she was lifted into his arms.

“What are you doing?” she asked hoarsely.

“You weren’t too steady on your feet, I just want to make sure you get home ok,” he replied.

Isabelle let silence fall between them and tried to come up with an excuse that was going to fix this mess she’d created. She wanted to erase his memory of her like this and go back to being the angel girl because as pathetic as it was she wasn’t ready to push him away, even though she knew she had to. At least not yet.

“Jace,” she began shakily.

He shook his head and she felt like she’d been slapped. He didn’t even want to give her a chance to explain, didn’t want to hear her stuttered apologies for a very public meltdown.

“Look at me,” he said quietly and after a moment she did. “You don’t have to explain anything to me ok? We’re solid.”

Her mouth opened slightly and she found that she actually wanted to explain it to him, to help him understand her. For the first time in a long time, she wanted to smash down the walls she had built and let him in, even for just a moment. And that freaking terrified her.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured instead and kept her eyes on his trying to figure out his thoughts.

He stopped walking and looked at her for a moment, his eyes unreadable before he let a small smile cross his face.

“Angel girl, what would you have to be sorry for?”

She gestured to herself wrapped up in his arms, completely bewildered that she hadn’t started round 2 of melt down madness with how close they were.

He sighed deeply. “You’re apologising for letting me live my dream of being the knight in shining armour?”

She felt the tension start to leave her chest and rewarded him with a small smile. “A criminal with a hero complex? You’re the strangest kid.”

He gave her a heart stopping smile. “We’ve all got our alter egos right?”

Isabelle thought about how she felt split in two, torn between remaining the same girl that would drag all her friends to the childish Disney movies instead of a party or the girl that couldn’t even look at her reflection for fear of watching it break under her gaze.

“I guess we do,” she murmured and then suddenly became all too aware of how close their faces were and the heat that was radiating between them. “I think I can walk now.”

He sighed deeply. “Must you ruin my fun?”

“I’m thinking of you,” she said lightly. “Do you want to see the look on my dad’s face when he notices a strange boy carrying his daughter home? Hate to break it to you Prince Charming, but not even you could talk your way out of that.”

Jace let her down gently, but kept his hand on the small of her back as they kept walking.

“You haven’t seen me be charming,” he told her with a wink, his eyes smouldering.

Isabelle felt her breath catch in her chest as she was hit with the full force of his beauty, a blush rising on her cheeks.

Oh god, someone needed to save her from this moment. She had never been the type to be silenced just by some pretty face and now she couldn’t muster a damn word as his gaze drank her in.

Luckily, her saviour turned out to be Jace himself as he turned away, a small smirk on his lips.

“So, I feel like I should warn you about tonight.”

Isabelle felt panic. “W-warn me?”

“Yeah, I need to be honest and say that now that I’ve gotten a taste of being prince charming I may not be able to turn it off.”

Isabelle crossed her arms over her chest. “You are not carrying me around all night.”

He barked out a laugh. “Oh I would never humiliate you like that, I just meant that although my sister is looking forward to introducing you to all the eligible bachelors tonight, I am looking forward to saving you from their lustful gaze.”

Now Isabelle laughed in disbelief. “And what makes you think I would be the subject of anyone’s lustful gaze?”

Jace raised his eyebrows. “Are you secretly blind or just ignorant?”

Isabelle stared at him. “What?”

“Do you not have a reflection?”

“I have a reflection,” she said coldly, wondering where the hell this was going.

He nodded. “Then you must realise that you are beautiful.”

Her head snapped back like she’d been slapped. “I’m not beautiful.”

He stared deep into her eyes, searching for something within her and Isabelle felt naked under his gaze.

Just when she thought she couldn’t stand it anymore he broke away.

Isabelle looked up to find they were in their street and felt relieved. She needed out of this conversation, Jace did something to her body she couldn’t control, made her feel things she didn’t want to feel and those eyes… they were too perceptive and she hated feeling vulnerable, especially now.

“Well…thanks for today,” she began awkwardly, keeping her eyes ahead.

“Sure.”

Was that amusement in his tone? What had she done now to make him laugh?

“Uh…well I guess if Maia manages to get my parents to agree I’ll see you tonight.”

Jace grabbed her arm and out of reflex she wrenched away, stumbling back a few steps.

He held his hands up in surrender and nodded to the ground.

“Pot hole, I didn’t want you to trip over, sorry I shouldn’t have grabbed you like that.”

Oh she wanted to fall into that pot hole and disappear. This had to be the worst first impression in the world.

“See you tonight,” she managed to blurt out before racing inside, his soft laughter echoed after her.