Three years ago.

Jace's POV.

Hallcreek River is all about business, it's neat and nice hence why it's considered a tourist attraction.

My Mum's pizzeria is one of the many restaurants lined up at Hallcreek River but it's nothing fancy, it's simple and loud and Mum sets up a stage outside the restaurant on Sundays so random talented people can perform infront of a crowd.

My Mum lets my siblings and I work at the restaurant on weekends, I hate every moment of it, not because I don't wanna help out but because of all the stares and flirting I receive from some of the customers.

I won't lie, I really used to like the attention but now it's just upsetting.

Diego and I set up the stage outside earlier but it started raining so I guess no one is performing tonight.

I haven't thought about the talk I had with Olivia, I like how the conversation ended.

I have a feeling she won't actually break up with her boyfriend but maybe that's a good thing, but then again if she does end up doing it then.... Well, I don't know, we date? We fuck? We keep making out?

I haven't thought about it that much but I guess we'll do whatever she wants, Cass would disagree with that statement but I'm not like Cass, she's the hot person who knows what she wants while I don't even look at myself in the mirror long enough to call myself hot so how am I supposed to know how much I'm worth?

The rain clears but there's still that chilly weather and a little bit of mist outside.

There's a band setting up their equipment on stage outside, this is the part that most people anticipate so they exit the restaurant to check them out.

Which leaves us with cleaning up the place.

"Okay, fine, you don't have to cry, go have fun, I'll clean up." Mum shoos us with her hand, Aaron launches to her, wrapping his arms around her and thanking her in Spanish.

"Well, you're in a good mood." Says Marianna as she makes her way to the back of the restaurant.

Aaron rudely tosses his dirty apron at me and exits the restaurant, I don't call him out on it cause I'm not in the mood for talking.

I reek of everything that's found in this restaurant so I hit the showers, I change into the fresh clothes I left in the locker room the last time I was here.

I plan on going for an adrenaline ride but as soon as I make it outside the restaurant and hear the boys on stage singing, I decide to stay for a bit.

I stand at the far back of the crowd, Diego and Blair find me, getting all cozy with each other and they can't stop whispering and giggling.

They are basically dating at this point but it's not my place to tell them.

My sister Marianna bumps into my shoulder, her way of announcing her presence, her brows furrow at the sight of Diego and Blair then her eyes shift to me for an explanation, I shrug, not really wanting to get into it.

The band starts playing another song and more people gather to listen to them.

"I think I have a crush on the lead singer." Marianna shouts in my ear due to how loud the music is, I scrunch my face at her. "What? He looks like he'd be a good fucking time." She looks ahead and bites her lip.

"Are you having sex?" I ask her, she snaps her head to me and snorts.

"No, are you?" She asks.

"Oh, my God." I laugh, shaking my head at her.

"Don't tell Mum." She points a warning finger.

"Why would I tell Mum? I'm telling Dad." I respond.

"Asshole." She slaps my shoulder, I stare down at her with lazy eyes, unbothered.

"You hit like a girl." I shove my hands in my hoodie pockets.

"Hey, isn't that Olivia?" Asks Diego, Marianna and I both turn to look.

I spot her in the crowd, she's wearing a white sweatshirt, her hair in a ponytail again, and her attention is focused on the band.

She doesn't look like she's with anyone and by anyone I mean her boyfriend.

"Who is she again?" Asks Blair.

"Just my neighbor." Diego responds to her, he then glances at me and shakes his head, silently telling me not to do it.

"I didn't even say anything." I mumble.

"But you were thinking it." He says.

"Someone better lend him some condoms." Marianna jokes, I show her the finger in response.

"Do you have any condoms?" Diego eyes me from head to toe like he might spot a condom on me.

"Do I look like someone who walks around with condoms all day?" I roll my eyes at them.

"You're a sexually active teenager, babe, you're supposed to have at least one on you." Blair pats my arm.

"Y'all are fucked up as hell." I tell them, Diego fishes out his wallet and pulls out a condom in public like it's candy.

"Teenage pregnancies are.... meh and STDs at this age are too sad." He slips it in my pocket.

"Give him two, just in case one breaks or they wanna go again." Says Blair, Marianna laughs into her hand while Diego shoves two more rubbers in my pocket.

I sigh.

"You done?" I ask him.

"Yes, I'm done." He wraps his arms around Blair and kisses her cheek.

"Sick fucks." I mumble before heading back to the restaurant, I'd rather help Mum with cleaning than have any more small talk with Olivia, or glances for that matter.

From a distance, I spot my Mum sitting with  Diego's Mum inside the restaurant right by the window, they're both laughing and chatting, it looks like they're catching up.

I decide to take a walk instead, away from the crowd and the noise.

Mr Carrion, the guy that owns the only sushi restaurant around the corner always loads a bunch of boxes in his truck when heading home, I find him doing just that and I help him, not because I'm nice but because I don't have anything else to do.

He rewards me with a six pack of beer, I tell him it's not necessary but he tells me I look like I need it and that's the only reason why I take it.

I find a bench that faces the river underneath a street light, it's quiet and dark but peaceful, I need that.

I grab one beer, opening it with my teeth and taking a swing.

Six bottles ain't gonna do shit.

"Hi." Someone stands over me.

Fuck my life.

I don't have to look up, I already know who it is.

"Hey." I respond, overlooking the foggy river.

"Can I sit?" She asks, I nod, taking another swing.

She sits with me but doesn't say anything, thankfully.

I keep drinking my beer and enjoying this creepy view but whenever I drink with people around me, I always get the urge to pass the bottle around.

"I'm allowed to drink in front of you, yeah?" I ask.

"You're not gonna offer me one?" She nudges my shoulder with hers, my eyes drop to her shoulder for some reason.

Why is she being all playful?

Instead of telling her I remember she doesn't drink, I grab one bottle, opening it and extending it to her.

To my surprise, she takes it.

Okay.

"First time for everything, right?" She slightly raises the bottle, giving a toast.

"Right." I watch as she takes a hesitant sip, she wrinkles her face and sticks her tongue out at the bitter taste.

Yeah, I thought beer was disgusting the first time I had it too but now, now I'm able to taste the difference between the brands.

"Why do people drink this stuff?" She wipes her mouth, examining the bottle in her hand.

"The drunk part is quite interesting." I answer, she nods, taking another sip.

Okay, I guess we're getting drunk tonight.

"There are no stars tonight." She looks up at the dark-grey sky.

"Yeah."

"I love stars." She rests her head on my shoulder.

Dafuq?

"Okay." I say awkwardly.

"Do you love stars." She looks up at me.

"Love is a very strong word." I respond.

"I think people are like stars, we all shine but others shine the brightest, getting all the attention while the rest of us wait for that one night when we will also get to shine bright." She sounds thoughtful.

"Does that night ever come?" I stare down at her head on my shoulder.

"It does. My Dad used to say that every human being has a big grey star floating on top of their head, it's grey at first but they do something that makes society notice them and the star turns gold,"

"But society doesn't always recognize people." I point out.

"Well that's not society's fault," She lifts her head from my shoulder and meets my eyes, "That's entirely on you."

I let her words sink in, they scare me a little bit, I'm afraid of society but most of all I'm afraid of how much I might fuck up my life without football in it.

"Sometimes, I picture how my life is gonna turn out and it's a fucking disaster." I say out loud, rubbing my forehead.

"Why? What are your plans after graduation?" She questions.

"I don't know." I answer honestly.

"You don't know? Well you must know something? Are you going to be a football coach? Or maybe you wanna study something else?"

"Remember when Heath ledger said, everyone you meet always asks if you have a career, are married, or own a house as if life was some kind of grocery list but no one asks you if you're happy? He was right." I face her.

"Who's Heath ledger?" She asks.

"Oh my God." I look elsewhere, smiling, she laughs, which tells me that she was joking.

"Are you happy?" She asks me after a beat.

"Honestly? No." I drain the bottle.

"Me neither, I fear a lot of things it's physically impossible to be happy." She sighs.

"Like what?" My gaze dances on her beautiful face.

"Fear of dying, failing at life, disappointing others, not being good enough, it's not just in my head, it's in my entire body and it numbs me sometimes." She rubs the base of her neck, staring into Oblivion.

"Hey, Liv?" I call, capturing her attention.

"Yeah?" She turns to look at me.

"Your grey star is turning gold," I look at the top of her head, a smile breaks out on her red lips.

"Society here I come!" She shouts, throwing her head back.

"Shut up, you wanna get us killed?" I cover her mouth with my free hand, laughing.

She grabs my hand, holding it in hers before lacing our fingers together and bringing her eyes to mine.

"I broke up with Tristan." She swallows, searching my eyes.

"Oh." My eyes widen a little.