“I’m scared I’ll get too close to him, just to remember that Bella is still in his life.” - Liliana.

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“Lily, do you mind if I run to the restroom for a moment?” Fiona asks hesitantly, one hand covering her mic, “I’d need you to cover for me.”

“Okay,” I say dryly, rolling my chair over to replace hers.

As she hands the headset over, I shake a little bit.

“You alright, Lil?”

“Yeah, yeah. Just new at this,” I reply, adjusting the headset around my blonde hair.

I swivel my seat around to watch as she leaves.

Dead silence on the other line.

Until…

“Hello? Is this Lamb Bay Advice line?” A familiar husky voice rings. I shake it off.

“Yes! What is it you need to be advised on?” I nearly shriek as I realize who it is.

“So, you see, I have a girlfriend…” he pauses.

I try to add in a little humor.

“Always the dating advice…” I add in jokingly.

I hear his rumbling laugh before he begins talking again.

“I have a girlfriend, yet, I have a crush. And, they’re not even close to the same person.”

I get butterflies, but I shrug them off. _It’s not me. _

“As the wise Tinkerbell said, ‘If you have to choose between me and her, choose her. Because if you really loved me, there wouldn't be any other choice.’”

I hear an affirmative noise on the other line.

“I guess so. Should I break up with her?”

“Do what you think would make you happiest,” I tell him, “Don’t do it for the people.”

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[ONE WEEK LATER]

“Lily?”

I sit up, pushing the pile of blankets off of me to stare at the boy in front of me.

“Oh! Hey, Jace,” I greet, a fake smile spreading across my deceitful face.

He gives me a small smile in return, running a hand through his curly brown hair.

His hair looks so soft. I want to run my fingers through it.

I shake my head.

“What is it?” I ask, peering up at his stunning blue eyes.

“I brok—”

I hear a cracking noise upstairs.

“Hang on, please,” I reply, trying to be polite as I stand up.

I hurry up the stairs to figure out the cause of the sound.

Before I could get to the door of the last room, Jace grabs ahold of my wrist. In a smooth motion, he pulls me closer to him just to push me against the wall gently.

“Lily,” he starts, his hot breath fanning my cheek.

I swear I look like a tomato right now.

He’s too close.

Not close enough?

No.

Too close?

Too… not close enough?

“This is killing me.”

I close my eyes and try to lean away from him. Or try to get away altogether.

His grip remains steady.

“Look at me, Liliana,” he forces out, his voice strained.

I hesitantly open my eyes and look up at his hair.

Don’t look in his eyes… I warn myself.

“Jace, please move,” I manage to muster up.

“I know you don’t want me to. I can hear the increase in your heartbeat. I can see the blush along your face,” he shares, before stuttering a sigh, “do you actually want me to?”

His eyes meet mine, and I can almost taste the heartbreak. The sourness eating at my gums.

“No.”

He sighs of relief.

“I’m sorry about how I phrased that— I didn’t mean to sound so harsh. I just wanted you to—”

I tear up a bit at his words, but I have to stop him talking.

I lean forward and capture his lips with mine.

Immediately, he responds, his hands dropping from my wrist to my waist. I smile against his lips.

I feel his mouth open a bit, and I start to pull away.

“That felt too good,” I think out loud, tapping a finger where his lips were a second ago.

Jace laughs a bit.

Oh no…

I swallow, a deep lump catching in my throat.

“Jace— Jace, why did you… what about Bella?”