Marked (15 page)

Jace scrunched up his nose. “I don’t really do
parties like that.”

My stomach dropped. “I told Rachel to make it small
and simple this year.”

“
I’m just not much of a partying
kind of guy, but I do want to see you at some point
tomorrow.”

“
Don’t make me beg,” I said,
glaring at him.

Amusement seeped into his eyes and a tiny grin
sprang free. “Will I be the oldest person there? Because that would
feel kinda creepy.”

I laughed. “No, it’s at Rachel’s boyfriend, Kyle’s
cousin’s new apartment. He’s your age and I’m sure some of his
friends will be there, too. Besides, you’re not
that
old!”

“
As long as I’m not the creepy old
guy, who everybody thinks hasn’t let go of his high school days
yet, standing in the corner. I’ll go and attempt to have a good
time because it’s your birthday.” He grinned.

I laughed at him again and playfully jabbed him in
the ribs. “That would never happen. Every girl within a five-mile
radius of that party would be all over you and you know it.”

“
Not me,” he insisted with a
grin.

I slapped his shoulder, but he caught my wrist and
pulled me into him. His lips brushed against mine, catching me off
guard, but my lips began to move beneath his in no time. This kiss
was not like all the others before it. No, this kiss held a certain
hungriness beneath its surface. Jace crushed his lips against mine
growing more and more passionate by the second. His hands roamed
underneath my sweater and I felt my breath become ragged.

I trailed my fingers along his back, beneath his
T-shirt, feeling the smoothness and raised edges of his tattoo
beneath my fingertips. Slowly, Jace lowered me down onto the couch
so that he rested between my thighs. A moan escaped me as I felt
his weight press against me. Jace took my bottom lip into his mouth
and bit down. I winced and pulled back.

“
Ouch, I think you drew blood,” I
said as my mouth began to fill with the coppery taste of my own
blood.

“
Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” he said
looking shocked. He pulled back and shifted into a sitting
position, adjusting his shirt.

I sat up; my fingers pressed against my bottom lip.
“It’s okay; I think we both got a little carried away.”

“
Let me get you some ice or
something for that,” he said, without even looking at
me.

“
I’m fine, really,” I insisted,
wiping the last of the blood away. “It’s just a little cut, but I
could use something to drink. Ugh, I hate the taste of
blood.”

Jace met my gaze then. His eyes seemed to be
studying me intently. “Water or soda?” he asked after a long
moment.

“
Soda, please.”

I licked my lip and checked again for any blood
after he’d left the room. Damn, he’d bitten me hard.

“
Here,” he said, handing me a
Pepsi. “I really am sorry; I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just got
pretty carried away.” He ran his fingers through his golden hair
and stared at me.

I felt bad for him and hated the awkwardness that
surrounded us, but couldn’t think of anything witty to say to
lighten the mood. So I said the only thing I could think of, “It’s
okay,” for the third time.

Twenty minutes later I left to get home by curfew
with a sore lip.

* * *

I woke the morning of my birthday to footsteps in
the hall and a muffled giggle that could only have been my
mother’s. A Morganton family tradition was about to take place.

I rolled on my side and stared at the closed bedroom
door, bracing myself for what was sure to happen next. The flick of
a lighter echoed through the silent hall. My bedroom door slowly
crept open and I closed my eyes.

“
Happy birthday!” both of my
parents shouted in perfect unison.

I opened one eye and met their excited stares before
glancing at my alarm clock—6:07 am. They were right on time.
Eighteen years ago at this exact moment I’d been born.

“
Did we scare you?” mom asked with
a childlike triumph flashing in her eyes.

I rolled over onto my back and opened both eyes.
“No, you guys do this every year. There’s no scare factor involved
when it’s expected.” I yawned. “But, it’s a pretty cake.”

“
Yep, she’s now an official
grown-up,” dad insisted. “She holds the power to suck the fun out
of any situation.”

“
You’re right. Our job here is
done,” mom muttered in a serious tone.

“
Hilarious
, you guys are
hilarious!” I said, sarcastically.

Dad grinned and stepped closer to my bed, holding
out the white-frosted cake covered with tiny yellow flowers. “Hurry
up and blow all these out before they melt all over my
breakfast.”

I sat up and chuckled while I closed my eyes.

“
Don’t forget to make a wish,” mom
reminded me.

I thought for a while, trying to gather up a good
wish. I let out the breath I’d been holding and blew out the
candles while thinking:
I wish this birthday would be
spectacular.

“
Happy birthday, sweetheart,” mom
said, handing me a pink envelope.

I opened it and pulled out a signature birthday
card—sappy with a touch of humor. Two gift cards were inside, one
for Old Navy and one iTunes card.

“
Thanks.” I smiled.

“
The older you get, the harder it
is to buy for you. We sort of weaseled out this year and went the
gift card route so you can get what you want,” dad said, still
balancing the cake in his arms.

“
No, it’s great,” I said. “I’ve
been wanting some new music and clothes.”

“
Well, you’re welcome,” mom said,
wrapping her arms around me. “You’d better get ready for school
now. Just because it’s your birthday doesn’t mean you get to play
hooky.” She smirked before leaving the room. Dad followed close
behind her.

“
If it were up to me, I’d let you
skip today.” He winked, then carefully closed the bedroom door
behind him while balancing the cake on one arm.

All my life, eighteen seemed like some magical
number, an age I couldn’t wait to be, and now that I actually was
eighteen, I realized it was just a number and that there was no
magic about it. My life was still the exact same.

I pulled into Breckwater High parking lot and
spotted Rachel instantly. She was leaning against the hood of her
red Jeep, a mischievous smirk formed on her face the moment she
noticed me looking at her. I parked in the open space to the right
of her jeep and climbed out.

“
What?” I asked. She continued to
stare at me all goofy-like as we walked side by side toward the
school.

“
Happy birthday!” she sang with
bubbling excitement.

“
Thanks.”

“
Oh, you’re welcome.”

“
All right.” I stopped where we
stood. “What are you up to?”

Rachel’s hazel eyes widened as she gave me her most
innocent look. “Me? Nothing. I’m just happy about my best friend’s
eighteenth birthday, that’s all.”

“
Right.” I scoffed, not buying the
innocent act one bit. Rachel was up to something; I’d known her
long enough to be able to tell.

Once we’d made it into the main building six people
who I knew, but not well, wished me a happy birthday and when my
locker came into view I realized why. I also figured out why Rachel
had such a shit-eating grin plastered on her face—she’d decorated
the outside of my locker. Hot pink letters spelled out
Happy
Birthday, Tessa
across the front and about a dozen balloons of
every color had been inflated and tied to it.

“
Oh. My. God,” I muttered,
astonished.

“
Do you like it? Are you
surprised?” she asked, clapping her hands. “Ha, I surprised the
heck out of you!”

A large smile came to my face. “Wow, Rach, thank
you! When did you do this?”

“
Early this morning. I got here
when the before-school-detention crew arrived and practically
vandalized your locker, then I waited by my jeep until you got
here.”

“
It looks amazing!” I slung my arms
around her neck for a hug.

“
You’re welcome. I wanted to be
able to surprise you somehow today, since you already know about
the party and everything.”

“
Hey, Tessa,” a familiar voice said
from behind me. I turned and was face to chin with Sam. “I just
wanted to wish you a happy birthday.” He smiled.

I opened my locker and exchanged my books quickly,
purposely avoiding his stare. “Thanks,” I said, hoping it hadn’t
sounded as cold and bitchy to him as it had to my own ears. Being
rude was not my intention. It just felt too weird and awkward
between us to even be talking nice. After all, it had only been a
month ago we’d broken up.

“
Friends wish each other a happy
birthday, and that’s what I’m doing. Hope you have a good one. I’ll
see you tonight at the party,” he added, walking backward down the
hall.

Friends? When had we become friends? This must be
the next step after anger—fakeness. Sam’s last words penetrated my
thoughts:
I’ll see you tonight at the party.

“
Rachel, please tell me that you
did not invite Sam to my birthday party.” I glared at
her.

Her eyes met mine and she stuck out her bottom lip.
“He looked so heartbroken and sweet when he asked if I was still
having a party for you. I couldn’t tell him no or that he wasn’t
invited.”

“
Yes, you could. You’re the best
friend; that’s what you’re supposed to do, especially when the
person is an ass and
you
were the one always telling me so.”
I ran my fingers through my hair and let out a long breath. “Crap…
and Jace is going to be there.

“
So, I’m sure Darcy will be there,
too.”

I heated my glare. “Not helping.”

Rachel waved me off. “I’m sure everything will be
fine; stop being so dramatic.” She looped her arm through mine and
we began our walk to first period.

I hoped Rachel was right. I hoped everyone could be
civil—at least for my birthday.

After school, Rachel and I went to get a
manicure—something we could only afford to do twice a year, once on
her birthday and once on mine. Then we went to my house for a
typical birthday evening—cake, ice cream, and my parents. Only this
year there was someone else thrown into the mix,
Jace
.

Giddiness enveloped me as I stared at him standing
in my living room.

“
Surprised aren’t you?” Jace
asked.

“
Yeah, just a little,” I said,
glancing over at Rachel to see if she knew anything about this
little surprise, too.

“
Don’t look at me. I knew nothing
about this,” she said, sounding sincere.

“
She didn’t,” Jace said, shoving
his hands into his front pockets. “I sort of stopped by on my own.
I didn’t want to be the only one who hadn’t said happy birthday to
you yet. I hope you don’t mind.”

A smile stretched across my face. “No, I don’t
mind,” I said, crossing the room, unable to keep my hands off of
him for another second. “Wait, you’re still coming to the party
tonight aren’t you?” I whispered.

Jace smiled. “Yes, of course,” he said, placing his
hands on my hips and pulling me closer. “I just couldn’t wait any
longer to see you.”

“
Gag me with a spoon,” Rachel
muttered. “You guys are too sweet.”

My face flushed pink and I untangled myself from
Jace.

“
Welcome home, birthday girl,” mom
said, walking into the living room, eyeing the small space between
Jace and me. “How was your day?” She moved to the couch and curled
up on the end.

“
Not too bad,” I said, my eyes
leaving Jace’s for only a moment to meet hers.

“
Well good,” mom said. Her eyes
shifted toward Jace and an almost scowl came to her face. “So what
are the plans for tonight? Are you girls still eating dinner here
tonight?”

“
Yeah, Mrs. Morganton. Unless Tessa
wants to do something else,” Rachel answered, glancing at
me.

My eyes bounced between the three sets of eyes
staring at me. “Um, no, I can’t think of anything else to do. Do
you care if Jace stays for dinner with us, Mom?”

My mother’s eyes shifted toward Jace, dislike
pooling within them, and I hoped he didn’t notice. “I guess that
would be okay.”

“
Great,” I said, feeling somewhat
relieved. I still hadn’t figured out why my mother hated Jace so
much, but the awkwardness and tension that emanated from the two of
them was enough to make me all kinds of nervous when they were in
the same room.

“
Your dad will be here soon. He’s
bringing home your favorite, vegetable low mien and extra crispy
chicken egg rolls from the Chinese restaurant,” mom
said.

“
Yum, can’t wait,” I replied before
leading Rachel and Jace to my bedroom.

“
Well that was slightly awkward.
Your mom really does have a problem with Jace,” Rachel whispered
into my ear as we passed through my bedroom doorway.

“
I know.”

“
So you had a good day at school,
huh?” Jace asked, while flopping down on my bed.

I grinned. “Yeah, but my day has gotten a whole lot
better as of recently.”

“
Hold that thought.” Jace fished
into his pocket and pulled out a long black-velvet box with a sly
smile on his face. “Now hopefully you’re day is about to get even
better.”