Take Me Beyond Me (boyxboy)

Young Alyssa Milano as Netty Martinez

Jace's POV

"Netty, I saw you with Taylor Newman, so why deny it?" I argued with my girlfriend. I had come to her house to confront her. "I mean, if you're just friends, that's fine, but you're hiding this from me. It's suspicious."

Netty sighed. "So? You were with Adrienne, and I hate her!"

"Netty, she was my Physics partner; I had no choice!"

"This is stupid." She made herself comfortable on her couch and pulled out her phone. She was always on her phone lately, which added to my suspicions.

This was all we did nowadays--argue for no reason. It was all pointless and it was as if she wanted me to break up with her. And to think that just a few months ago, we were so in love.

"Girls are stupid," I lied, knowing that would get her.

"Um, excuse you? No, we're not. I'm the best thing that's ever happened to you!"

"You were... not anymore."

Netty scoffed and started cursing in Spanish. Okay, now I'd pissed her off, this was how I knew. She would scowl, her cheeks would turn rosy red and she'd speak Spanish really fast.

Her phone beeped and she shut her mouth. I watched her read the text and giggle.

"Who's that?" I curiously asked.

"Oh, uh... my friend. Kelsey."

"C'mon, Netty, we've been dating for a year now, I know when you're lying."

She was busy texting away when I caught her by surprise and snatched her phone out of her hands.

"Jace, stop!" She shot out of the chair, but I dashed away. "Jace, I'm serious! Stop or I'll never talk to you ever again!"

I had already entered the bathroom and locked the door behind me. She banged on the door. "Jace, c'mon. Give it back, seriously."

I smiled mischievously and stared down at the text. It didn't take long for my smile to disappear. She was still banging and pleading for me to open up, but I blocked out her voice from my head.

I read the texts, my heart breaking with every word.

Taylor: I can't stop thinking about Saturday night. Can't believe you ditched Jace for me.

Netty: Well, he didn't want to give me pleasure, so why wouldn't I? You're a keeper, baby.

It was gut-wrenching. Saturday, two days ago, I had planned to take Netty out on a date, to make her happy because we'd been arguing a lot. I wanted to just start over in a sense. But she apologized and said she had a huge project to work on. Glad to know that this 'project' was a passionate night with Taylor. It killed me. I thought we were in love. I thought she could wait. I wanted to give her a special first time, but she clearly didn't want the same.

"Jace, I... just open up. Let's talk'" she said.

I put a hand on the door knob and slowly twisted it. I didn't want to see her face. She knew she had cheated and she didn't care. She'd been texting Taylor right in my face, giggling at his oh-so-sweet words. I opened the door to see her in tears already. What a big joke, who did she take me for?

"So you're capable of tears?" I asked dryly, giving her back her phone.

"Let me explain--"

"No, Netty, I get it!" I walked out the bathroom. "And cut the waterworks. You weren't crying the next morning, were you? Project, huh?"

"Jace, I'm sorry!"

"Why couldn't you just wait?" I asked in a hushed tone.

"Because we were always fighting and ... you didn't want it..."

"Of course I did, Netty! What did you think the date was for? I wanted us to make up then I'd have given you the best night of your life. Or do you need proof?" I reached into my pocket and pulled out a ring. It had a blue diamond surrounded by rhinestones, and the band was diamond studded. I knew it was pathetic now, how I carried it around everywhere, waiting for a good moment to present it to her. "It would've been yours."

Netty shook her head. "I wouldn't have accepted it."

That made me mad all over again. "No need to worry about that, I'm not offering it!"

"I couldn't have taken it. I... I think I love Taylor. I always intended to tell you, truly. But then we stopped arguing and you were... we were our old selves for once in forever."

"Netty." My eyes fell to the ground after she confessed she fell out of love with me.

"Jace... I'm sorry."

I shoved the ring back in my pocket. "You don't know what love is." With that, I left. We were through, but I knew getting over her would be hard.

*

Two weeks.

Two weeks since Netty and I broke up.

Two weeks, and I still wasn't over her. What made the situation even worse was that she changed. With me, she was her bubbly, fun, sweet self. With Taylor, she was louder and she dressed inappropriately, just to keep him interested. That wasn't love.

My best friend, Nolan Reeds, rubbed my shoulder comfortingly. He was always there for me, so patient with me and everyone else. He wasn't always like that but ever since October 9, 2011 two years ago, he changed for the better.

October 8th was Homecoming Night; we were freshmen. It was one of the best nights of Nolan's life because, as he had told me, it was the first time he got to dance with his girlfriend, Dawn Hempner, and treat her like a queen. As the blissful night came to an end, she decided to go home with her two best friends and he came home with me.

October 9th, the next morning, we heard the news that Dawn was gone. She and her friends had suffered a fatal car accident on the way back home and two died. One just happened to be Dawn.

It was a traumatic experience for Nolan, but he didn't turn to drugs or alcohol for refuge. Instead, he changed, hoping that Dawn would be watching. He had told me that he would strive to become a better person, for Dawn, because she made life worth living. Since then, he hasn't been able to fall in love again.

*-*-*