Chapter 137 Chapter One Hundred And Thirty Seven
"Lena!" My mom's voice came through the door. "Lena, wake up! You're late!"
I picked up my phone and squinted at the screen, trying to check the date.
Right, today was Monday.
MONDAY!
“I’m so screwed!”
∆°∆°∆
The alarm wouldn't stop ringing, and the knocking wouldn't stop, and I was wet and aroused and confused and mortified and most of all late.
"Lena! Open up!"
I stumbled out of bed, my legs shaky, and yanked open the door.
My mom stood there, already dressed for work, looking worriedly around my room. " Are you feeling well? How are you late? You’re ever late.”
"I know. Sorry. I—" I couldn't finish the sentence, because my mind was still tangled in the dream, in the memory of dream-Jace's firm hands on my body, finding more parts of me to touch than I ever knew I had.
I spun into motion, pure panic driving me to move, move, move. I grabbed my toothbrush with one hand while trying to detangle my hair with the other. My outfit… where was my outfit?
Nicole had given it to me and I’d definitely set it out somewhere… but where?
I rummaged through my wardrobe for too long before I finally found the skirt, but where was my shoe?
I dropped to my knees, searching under the bed, my toothbrush still in my mouth while my hair was a complete rat's nest.
"Your friends are downstairs waiting for you," Mom said, watching my chaos with concern.
And sure enough, from downstairs I heard it the unmistakable revving of a car, and then Nicole's voice yelling: "LENA! WHERE YOU AT?"
"Oh no, oh no, oh no. I can’t find my shoes—"
"Don't worry, go shower," Mom said, already moving into my room to help. "I'll find them for you."
"Thanks, Mom, you're a lifesaver!"
I sped into the bathroom, stripping my sleep clothes off as I went. The shower was blessedly cold, shocking me fully awake and washing away the lingering heat of that dream.
The absolutely crazy, once-in-a-lifetime dream that kept playing on a loop in my mind.
How could I have those kinds of thoughts about another person? I thought worriedly. Was that like a sex crime or something?
Through the bathroom door, I heard Mom moving around in my room. "I wanted to talk to you, Lena, but it looks like there's no time since you have school and I have to work and…"
She sounded really worried.
I cracked the door open so I could hear her better over the noise, the water still running. "Oh, it's not anything bad, is it?" I asked pensively.
My mom appeared in the doorway, carrying my missing heel in her hand. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for yelling at you at the police station. You were right… I should've given you the benefit of the doubt."
She paused. “You’re a good girl Lena, hardworking and kind, taking this job to help care for your poor mother.”
She sighed, "You're still grounded, but only for a week. I'll let you go out after school if it's really important."
I felt relief and affection flood through me, "Thanks, Mom. I'd hug you right now, but I'm kind of naked and I’d probably get soap in your eye."
She laughed softly. "Okay. Your shows are waiting for you on your dresser. I love you, Lena. See you soon."
"Bye, Mom!"
I speed-ran getting dressed—uniform on, hair tamed into perfectly straight strands after nearly 10 minutes wasted in front of a mirror, makeup minimal but enough to hide the dark circles under my eyes. I grabbed my bag, checked that I had everything, and bolted downstairs.
Outside, Noah's silver Corvette gleamed in the morning sun. Nicole was hanging out the passenger window, waving frantically when she saw me.
"Sorry, guys," I panted, jogging up to the car. "I slept too deeply."
Noah climbed out to open the shotgun door for me, his smile warm and genuine. "Hey, sweetheart." He leaned in and kissed me softly on the forehead.
"Hey," Nicole said as I slid into the seat next to her. "Come on in. We're carpooling!”
"Had a nice dream?" Noah asked casually as he got back in the driver's seat, watching me carefully.
I felt my face flush. "Uh-huh."
Jake looked up from his phone to stare at me. "You okay, Lena? You look kind of—"
"Fine!" I squeaked. "I'm fine. Just late. Let's go."
"Alright then," Jake said, turning back around. "Let's go, people! Westbrook awaits!"
As Noah pulled away from the curb, I pressed my burning face against the cool window.
But as we drove toward school, and Noah's hand reached back to squeeze mine, and Nicole chattered about the day ahead, all I could think about was the way dream-Jace had looked at me like I was the only thing in the whole world that mattered.
And how desperately I wanted that to be real.
Author’s Note: 6/6 chapters as promised. And with only two hours to spare before midnight, at least in my time zone. Thanks for reading! See you tomorrow! ❤️