Jace sat staring at Blake as she worked on her history. His schedule had changed because he switched electives so now Blake was in two of his classes. He was extremely happy about that.

She sat with her headphones over her ears and tapped her foot quietly to the beat of her song. The teacher always lets them listen to music if they would like when they are doing independent work.

"Jace do you need any help?"

He looked at their teacher Mrs. Parker and she had her arms crossed over her sweater covered chest. A few students in the class turned to look at Jace, including Blake.

"Uh, yeah. Number nine is a little confusing" he mumbled out a lie.

"Well I can assure you that you won't be finding the answer on the back of Blake's head."

Everyone in the class laughed, Blake letting out a snort making Jace bite back a smile as he felt his face heat up slightly.

"Right sorry, just admiring my beautiful girlfriend."

"Gross" Blake commented from across the class.

A few people who were watching them laughed, even the teacher let out a little laugh.

"Alright, everyone go back to work."

Everyone went back to doing their work as Blake adjusted her headphones on her ears before focusing back on her work.

"So what question did you need help with?" Mrs. Parker asked him as she stood next to him.

"Uh nine."

He looked down at nine and got embarrassed.

Is the graph showing the relationship between the allied powers and the central powers?

It was an easy no but Jace didn't even look at the question.

"I'll be at my desk" she said with a knowing look.

She walked away and Jace let his head drop to his desk.

When the bell rang Jace immediately was at Blake's side as she zipped up her bag. She handed the teacher her finished work and interlocked her fingers with Jace.

"Admiring me huh?" she questioned teasingly.

"I always admire you baby."

Blake rolled her eyes at his cheesiness and bonked her hip with his gently.

"Did you know I'm not done growing" Blake said randomly.

"Really?"

"Yeah, my doctor said that I was estimated to be six feet at least."

"Good thing I'm estimated to be six three."

Blake gave him a look and he led her to her next class.

"I was thinking, since your mom is at work today we could maybe, you know? Have some alone time at your house?"

Blake raised her eyebrows at Jace and saw the look he was giving her.

"It's been a week and I miss you."

She laughed softly and pecked his lips.

"Sure you horndog"

Jace smiled at her and kissed her again, excitement filling inside him for later today.

"See you after class."

She nodded and he sent her one last smile before sauntering off down the hall with Tony.

§

Blake laid next to a sleeping Jace. She watched as his chest would rise, and slowly fall back down to its resting position before doing it all over again.

He laid in just his boxers, his hair messy as she laid in just a shirt of his, her hair all messy.

She stared at the little stubble he had on his lower cheek and laid her head on his shoulder. Jace instinctively wrapped his arm around her body in his sleep, holding her close to him.

She couldn't sleep like he was doing, she was wide awake for some reason and she felt like doing something. But didn't want to wake up her boyfriend.

So Blake waited a few minutes for Jace to start releasing his grip on her before she slipped out. Unlike Blake, Jace is not a light sleeper. He could sleep through a lot of noisy things rather than waking up easily like Blake.

She slipped into a pair of thick leggings, some fuzzy socks, her ankle boots keeping Jace's hoodie on as she put a beanie on her head before grabbing her board quietly.

"Come on Sparrow" she whispered.

She grabbed his leash off her dresser as he ran out of the room.

She skated slowly as Sparrow walked next to her. She went to the store and bought two boxes of masks, some hand sanitizer and some hand soap.

The coronavirus made its way to the U.S and she knew that all this stuff will be gone soon. The cashier smiled at her as Sparrow sniffed the ground.

"Cute dog" Eric commented.

"Thanks" she mumbled as she looked through her wallet.

"You're cute too, ya know."

She looked at the teen boy and nodded, "thanks."

He handed her the money and he dug through the register for her change.

"Maybe we can hang out sometime?" he asked her.

"No thanks, maybe you can be friends with my boyfriend instead."

His eyes widened and she walked away with her bags as Sparrow walked along side her.

She rode around for a while until Sparrow looked tired out before skating home.

"Why didn't you wake me before you left?"

Blake glanced at Jace who was in a pair of sweats and a t shirt thrown on him.

"I just went to the store" she said.

She took out her things and put it on the counter.

"That's for you and your family."

Jace peeked in the bag and looked up at Blake.

"The virus won't be bad here."

"You don't know that Jace."

"I do, nothing will happen to us and we will be fine."

"It's being talked about more and more. It's only a matter of time before everything shuts down."

"You're just being paranoid."

"I'm not being paranoid, you are just taking this too lightly like an idiot" she grumbled.

"Whatever, I need to head home."

He walked upstairs to get his things and Blake rubbed her head harshly.

"Aren't you gonna take the stuff?" Blake asked him.

"Oh right I'm such an idiot, can't forget the stuff we won't use."

"I don't understand why you're so mad. I'm looking out for you and your family" Blake groaned.

"Over something stupid! Focus on your own family and I'll focus on mine. I don't need you acting like you can just waltz in and take over."

Blake heart dropped a little bit and she glared at Jace.

"What the fuck is your problem?" she asked him.

"Nothing, I'll see you tomorrow."

He shut the door loudly and Blake frowned as she looked at the counter.

"You okay?"

Blake looked at her mom and nodded.

"Yeah" she said softly.

"What was that about?" Susie asked curiously.

"No idea" Blake mumbled before walking back into her room.

She sat on her bed and Sparrow climbed up on the bed. He laid next to her stretched out and she ran her hands through his fur.

"Sometimes I think I'm not cut out to be in a relationship" she mumbled to him.

Blake glanced over at her dad's ashes and picked it up gently.

"I wish you were here to give me some advice dad."

She played with the little bottle, the ashes moving around in whatever direction she moved the bottle in. She tapped her pointer finger against it gently as she planted her lips on it softly.

"If mom, Jace and Sparrow weren't in the picture, I'd join you dad" she whispered quietly to it.

It's true. Blake really wanted to end her own life, she's tried before but she knew she could never do that to her mom. Then Jace came into the picture and she knew she couldn't do that to him either, because for some odd reason he wanted to be her friend.

But all she really wanted was to be with her dad again. She knew she couldn't join him though, she knew that she had to become famous and eventually tell her story about her father. Everyone deserved to know the side of Adam Sterling that very little people got to see.

She wanted to tell their story.

But, once she got noticed for her own work. Not his.
———
2-22-21