The evening air was warm but heavy, clinging to my skin as I walked down the quiet streets. My mind was still tangled in thoughts of earlier that day the hallway confrontation, the storm in my chest that neither Jace nor Carter had calmed. Every step I took echoed my indecision, the pull of two worlds, two hearts, and one choice I wasn't ready to make.
I didn't notice Carter until he was beside me, matching my pace silently. There was no teasing today, no smirk, no intensity just the steady presence I had always relied on. That alone was enough to make my chest ache in a different way, softer, gentler, but equally potent.
"Mind if I walk with you?" he asked, voice low, almost hesitant.
I shook my head, though I barely spoke. The truth was, I craved his presence, even as I feared it.
We walked in silence for a few minutes, the quiet stretching comfortably yet tension-laden between us. Then he spoke, softer this time, vulnerable in a way I hadn't seen before.
"Sienna… can I be honest?"
I looked up at him, startled. There was a seriousness in his eyes, a rawness that made me stop mid-step. "Of course," I whispered.
He ran a hand through his hair, nervous but trying to appear calm. "I know… I know you've been distant. I can feel it. And I know it's because of him." He nodded subtly, acknowledging Jace without naming him. "And I get it. I do. He… he's intense. He makes your heart race in ways I can't."
My chest tightened. I wanted to tell him it wasn't fair to compare, that he had his own fire that burned quietly, differently. But I didn't. I only listened, caught in the gravity of his vulnerability.
"And I… I don't want to lose you," Carter continued, voice trembling slightly despite his effort to stay composed. "I've tried to be patient, to be calm, to let you figure things out. But every time I see you… every time I see him… I feel like I'm losing a piece of you."
I stopped completely, my heart hammering in my chest. The rawness in his voice, the honesty, the fragility it was all too much to bear. Tears threatened to spill, and for a moment, I just wanted to throw myself into his arms, to let him hold me and protect me from the storm that had become my life.
"I…" My voice caught. I didn't know how to respond. The truth was, I felt guilty, confused, and overwhelmed all at once. "Carter… I don't want to hurt you. I care about you… more than I know how to say."
He stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "I know," he whispered. "And that's what scares me. Because caring this much… it makes you vulnerable. And I've never been good with being vulnerable. But for you, I want to try."
The weight of his words pressed on me. I wanted to reach for him, to let myself feel safe and cared for, but the thought of Jace the fire, the pull, the way he had kissed me in the rain made my knees weak.
"Carter…" I whispered, barely audible. "I don't know what to do. My heart… it's torn."
He nodded slowly, understanding, though his eyes held a flicker of hurt. "I know," he said softly. "And I'll wait. I don't care how long it takes. Just… don't shut me out completely."
I swallowed, nodding. Words failed me, but my gaze lingered on him, tracing the strength and vulnerability coexisting in the same person. For the first time, I understood why I had always been drawn to him he wasn't perfect, but he was real, steadfast, and willing to fight for me without demanding control.
Just as a fragile sense of calm began to settle in, a shadow crossed the street. I looked up and froze.
Jace.
He was standing a few feet away, watching us. Not with anger, not with jealousy but with an intensity that made my pulse spike immediately. His eyes locked onto mine, and in that gaze, I could feel the same fire, the same magnetic pull from before.
"You always know where I am," I murmured, exhaling shakily.
He smirked faintly, stepping closer, hands in his pockets. "I'm not trying to hide. I want to know. I want to see… you. Even like this."
Carter stiffened slightly beside me, though he didn't step back. His hand brushed mine instinctively, almost protective, almost claiming, and my heart squeezed painfully in response.
Jace tilted his head, studying me with a faint, teasing smile. "You look conflicted."
I wanted to explain, to say everything, but no words came. I was caught between two forces, both pulling at me in ways I couldn't resist.
"I…" I began, then stopped, tears threatening to spill.
Carter's hand covered mine fully, squeezing gently. "It's okay," he said softly. "I see it. I feel it. Whatever you decide… just don't rush yourself."
Jace's gaze softened slightly, but the intensity remained. "Don't let him fool you," he said quietly. "I'm not going anywhere, Sienna. And neither is this." He gestured to the space between us, the tension that refused to dissipate.
For a moment, I felt like I might break. Two hearts, two pulls, one storm inside me that refused to calm.
And yet, amid the chaos, a strange clarity began to surface. Both of them mattered. Both of them were real. And I needed to navigate this storm carefully, not rush, not flee, not suppress what I truly felt.
I took a shaky breath, glancing between them. "I… I need time," I whispered.
Jace nodded, his smirk softening into something almost tender. Carter's squeeze on my hand was grounding, steady. Both of them were patient in their own ways and both of them had claimed a space in my heart that no one else could.
The night stretched around us, the city lights casting long shadows. The storm wasn't over not by a long shot but for the first time, I felt a small thread of hope that maybe, somehow, I could survive it.
Because sometimes, the strongest storms didn't break you. They showed you who you truly were… and who you were willing to fight for.