Green Hearts

Chapter3

I'm walking on dreamy clouds alongside Jack Frost behind my closed eyelids when my ringing phone shreds through the dream. Desperately, I try to grab Jack's hand to hold onto the fleeting dream, but my hand slips through his. Great, now I'm a spirit.

With my eyes still closed, I toss frustrated in my bed, tapping around on my bedside table for my phone. The soft sheets rustle beneath me, and I can feel the warmth of the early morning sun filtering through the curtains, casting a gentle glow across the room. The faint hum of the air conditioner adds a constant backdrop to the quiet of the dawn.

Blinking open to the blinding brightness of my phone screen, I mutter, "Jesus, is this you with the bright light?" An unknown number flashes for a FaceTime call. The screen's harsh light illuminates the shadows in the room, making the clutter on my desk and the pile of clothes on the chair stand out more than I’d like.

How does that even make sense? An unknown number FaceTiming? Some people don't get the logic of life.

Against all reason, I accept the call, only to find Jace's face filling my screen. His face, framed by his disheveled hair, appears slightly grainy on my old phone. The soft morning light makes his eyes look greener than usual, and for a moment, I forget to be annoyed.

I squint for two reasons. One, I want to return to the land of Jack Frost because nothing makes sense since. Two, I'm seeing Jace calling me.

"Wake up, stupid," his voice opens my closing lids again. I sigh, making an effort to sit up in bed, which feels like a Herculean task. The pillows fall off the bed as I swing my legs over the side, the coolness of the floor a stark contrast to the warmth of the bed.

"So you lived," he jokes. I remember him running away. I save my rights to beef for later. His casual tone grates on my nerves, and I clench my jaw, trying to keep my cool.

“How did you even get my number?” I mutter, rubbing my eyes until they almost pop out of my head. The grogginess still clings to me, making my movements slow and uncoordinated.

He gives me a look like I’ve grown a second head. "You do know your phone has no password, and we've spent the entire week together, right?" His eyes are slightly red, and it looks like he hasn't slept much either.

"Why didn't I think of that?" I mutter to myself, walking to my closet. The floorboards creak under my weight, a familiar sound that always brings a sense of home. I open the closet door, revealing a chaotic mix of clothes, shoes, and random items shoved in without much thought.

"'Cause you don't think, like at all."

"Jace!" I warn, growing annoyed. My reflection in the mirror shows my messy hair and sleep-deprived eyes. Great, just great. The dark circles under my eyes seem more pronounced, and I make a mental note to invest in a good concealer.

"I'm not apologizing; you do have a thick skull," he defends, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. His teasing, while usually endearing, is too much this early in the morning.

"Which demon sent you to ruin my Saturday?" I attempt to fix my messy hair, giving up and tying it into a messy bun. The hair tie snaps, and I groan in frustration, reaching for another one from the drawer.

"Who in the devil is calling you so early in the morning?!" Muna grumbles from her bed, eyes closed. Her bed is a mess of blankets and pillows, and she pulls the comforter over her head to block out the light. Her curly hair is spread out like a halo around her head, and she looks like she could sleep for another century.

Of course, the other half of my problem wakes up. “Go back to sleep. It’s all a dream.”

“Our new friend?” Muna's eyes snap open, a cunning smile directed at me and Jace. “Come over.”

Jace looks uncertain but glances at me for help, but I slide out of his view, leaving him alone with Muna. Payback, muahaha.

"I'm not sure about that. I've got tons of assignments, research..." he starts, looking around the room as if searching for an excuse. His eyes linger on the posters on the wall, the stack of books on the desk, and finally back to Muna.

"Liar!" I cut him off from my blind spot, heading to the bathroom. The hallway is dimly lit, and I tiptoe past other dorm rooms, hoping not to wake anyone else. The soft carpet muffles my footsteps, and I take a moment to appreciate the quiet before the chaos of the day begins.

"It wasn't a request, Jace. Either come or never see the girl again," Muna smiles to herself, stretching her arms above her head. The smug satisfaction in her voice makes me want to strangle her, but I settle for rolling my eyes.

"Yeah, I can live with that," he shrugs, and my jaw drops wide enough for all the mosquitoes in the area to fly in. The audacity of his nonchalance makes my blood boil.

"I'll kill her," Muna adds, sitting up now. "Ladies and gentlemen, my friends." Her dramatic flair would be amusing if it weren't directed at me.

"The blood will be on you, not me," he retorts quickly, clearly enjoying the banter. His eyes sparkle with amusement, and I can't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at how easily he seems to fit in.

"I'm still here, guys, don't forget that. You! Get your butt down here!" I tell the last part to Jace before cutting the call. The tension in my shoulders eases slightly as I end the call, but my annoyance with both of them remains.

"That went well," Muna grins, stretching her probably stiff muscles from all the sleeping. She stands and walks over to the window, pulling back the curtains to let in more light. The morning sun bathes the room in a warm, golden glow.

"Ya think?" I glare at her before grabbing my toothbrush and paste, heading to the bathroom. The hallway is dimly lit, and I tiptoe past other dorm rooms, hoping not to wake anyone else. The soft carpet muffles my footsteps, and I take a moment to appreciate the quiet before the chaos of the day begins.

Inside, I'm greeted with a chorus of singing. Ninety percent horrible singing, seven percent wrong bathroom music choice, and three percent doing it just right. Okay, a bit exaggerated, but you get my point. The tiles are cold under my feet, and the mirrors are foggy from the showers of early risers.

I hum my way through, knowing full well no one's catching me singing again. They got me once, but there won't be a second time. The scent of various shampoos and soaps fills the air, creating a strangely comforting mix.

Returning to my room, I find Jace lounging comfortably on my bed, laughing with Muna. His shoes are off, and he looks way too comfortable for someone who barged in uninvited. The sight of them getting along irks me more than it should.

"Now they're best friends," I tut at them, their gaze sliding to meet mine. Jace still wears a mesmerizing grin, eyes trailing down my figure clad in a small shirt and shorts.

Heat rises to my cheeks, but I shake off the feeling. I snap my fingers in his face, pointing at my eyes. "My eyes are up here."

His smile doesn't falter, nor does he say anything as our eyes lock. I smile and roll my eyes, turning to my wardrobe. The tension in the room is palpable, but neither of us acknowledges it.

"The s****l tension in here," Muna fans herself with a book, lying back on her bed. "Let me tell you, this girl is a lost cause with love. She'll die with ten dogs because she's a cat hater like that."

"Muna, can you please shut up?" I apply lip balm to my already chapped lips, feeling self-conscious. The minty tingle distracts me momentarily from my irritation.

"Why?" Jace asks, genuinely curious. His eyes narrow slightly as he studies me, as if trying to figure out a complex puzzle.

"Because cats are scary with their yellow eyes, and..." he cuts off my rant.

"About love, stupid. No one cares about your cat hatred."

"Oh, that," I say, not feeling very chatty anymore. I rummage through my closet, pretending to look for something important. The silence stretches between us, filled only by the sound of Muna flipping through a magazine.

"Wait, you..." he starts, but is interrupted by what follows.

"Munachi Jane Obiora! Is there a boy in there? Open this door right now!" A loud voice booms from outside, making me jump. The urgency in the voice sends a jolt of adrenaline through me.

"s**t! Is that your mom?!" My eyes widen at Muna.

"Sounds like it. What do we do with him? I haven't heard her this mad in a long time," she whispers urgently, both our eyes falling on a very confused Jace. His eyes dart between us, clearly not understanding the gravity of the situation.

"Is Autumn in there? She is, right?! Autumn, I'm telling your dads!" The voice calls out, and my mouth goes dry. Not loud enough; the rest of the universe didn't need to hear about my parents.

"I'm just going to open the door and avoid any further ruckus," Muna declares, walking to the door. I nod, keeping my fingers crossed behind my back, waiting for her mother, a very loud Nigerian woman at times, to barge in.

All of a sudden, there's laughter. Wheezing, in fact, similar to Muna's. I look up to find her older sister, Soma, standing in the doorway, laughing her head off.

"You should've seen your face," Somaa yells, leaping at her, and they both tumble to the floor.

"You think it's funny, huh?" Muna shouts before attacking her, but Soma only laughs harder. I touch my chest, sighing in utmost relief before remembering her outburst about my parents.

She quickly catches my gaze and winks. "Don't worry, only you guys could hear my voice."

I release a breath I didn't know I was holding. I don’t need that drama back in my life.

Turning to my bed, I find Jace staring at me at the information, confused. Or not. I spoke too soon.

Jace's eyes flicker with recognition as Soma's words hang in the air. I avoid his gaze, suddenly acutely aware of the weight of the revelation.

Soma and Muna's laughter fills the room, infectious and wild. The pair of sisters collapse into a heap of giggles on the floor. Autumn watches them, grateful for their obliviousness to the tension in the air.

Jace stands awkwardly by the bed, his gaze shifting between Autumn and the sisters. He clears his throat, attempting to regain some semblance of composure. "Nice to meet you, Soma," he finally manages, offering a tentative smile.

Soma wipes tears of laughter from her eyes, still chuckling. "Likewise, Jace. Sorry about the commotion. Muna's always full of surprises."

Muna nods vigorously, her face flushed with mirth. "That's me, unpredictable!"

Autumn silently thanks whatever divine intervention spared her from Soma's attention to the real reason for her mother's wrathful summons. She avoids Jace's gaze, her mind racing with a jumble of emotions and thoughts she can't quite untangle.

As the laughter subsides, Muna springs to her feet, pulling Soma up with her. "Alright, enough drama for one morning. Let's go grab some brunch, shall we?"

Autumn breathes a sigh of relief at the change of topic. "Yes, please. I'm starving."

The lot of them pile out of the room, and Autumn swears she can avoid whatever question Jace might have winding behind his eyes, determined to not open that chapter of her life anytime soon.