Chapter 2: A Promise to Change
It had been two days since the last confrontation between Jace and Juniper, and Jace couldn't get her out of his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her fierce, determined face, the way her green eyes had flashed with anger and defiance. He couldn’t help but admire her, though he hated admitting it even to himself. Something about her refusal to back down—her willingness to stand up to him—stirred something inside him that he hadn't felt in a long time.
Jace was sprawled out on the bleachers behind the school during lunch break, his usual hangout spot when he wanted to be alone. Brad and Ryder had left to harass some sophomores in the cafeteria, but Jace wasn't interested in following them this time. He leaned back, staring up at the blue sky, replaying the argument in the hallway with Juniper over and over again in his mind.
"Maybe you're right."
Her words echoed in his head. At the time, it had just been a typical clash, the same as they’d had a dozen times before. But the more he thought about it, the more it bugged him. Juniper had gotten under his skin. For the first time in a long while, Jace felt unsettled. He realized he didn’t want to be that guy anymore—the guy everyone feared, the guy who bullied and threatened just because he could.
But how could he change, especially when it was expected of him? His fraternity was notorious for bullying and hazing—it was their thing. Walking away from it would mean leaving behind his reputation, his power, and, worst of all, his friends. Not that Ryder and Brad were true friends—they were just cronies, following him because of the status he brought. If he changed, what would he be left with?
Still, every time he thought of Juniper’s face, the idea didn’t seem as impossible as it had before.
"Yo, Jace!" Brad's voice interrupted his thoughts as he came jogging up to the bleachers. Ryder followed behind, laughing about something that Jace wasn't paying attention to.
Jace sat up, snapping out of his reverie.
"What’s up?" he asked, trying to sound casual.
"We just got into it with that geek from bio class," Brad said, snickering. "You should've seen it. We had him running all over the cafeteria. The look on his face, man, it was priceless!"
Ryder slapped Brad on the back, joining in the laughter.
"Yeah, and get this—he dropped his lunch all over the floor. I swear, dude almost cried."
Jace stared at them, not finding the story as amusing as they did. Normally, he would’ve laughed along, maybe even added some cruel commentary of his own. But now, he just felt...tired. He didn’t want to laugh anymore. He didn’t want to be that guy.
"Yeah, real hilarious," Jace muttered, his voice flat.
Brad raised an eyebrow, looking confused.
"What’s up with you? You alright, man?"
"Yeah," Jace said quickly, running a hand through his hair.
"I just—got a lot on my mind."
Ryder snorted.
"What, like homework? Since when do you care about that?"
"Shut up," Jace snapped, irritation flaring up.
"Just...leave me alone for a bit."
Brad and Ryder exchanged glances, clearly unsure of what to make of Jace’s sudden mood change. But before they could press him further, Jace stood up, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"I gotta take care of something," Jace muttered, heading down the bleachers.
"Yo, where are you going?" Brad called after him.
But Jace didn’t answer. He had to clear his head, and he knew exactly where to go.
---
Juniper sat under her favorite tree in the school courtyard, reading a book while absentmindedly twirling a strand of hair around her finger. It was her usual spot, a quiet refuge from the chaos of the school day. The large oak tree had been there for decades, its branches offering shade and a sense of peace.
She had managed to avoid Jace and his gang for the past two days, something she considered a minor victory. After their last confrontation, she had expected him to retaliate in some big, humiliating way, but he hadn’t. It was strange, and it made her feel uneasy. Jace wasn’t the type to back down from a fight, so his sudden silence felt ominous.
Just as she was getting lost in her book, a shadow fell over her. Juniper looked up, surprised to see Jace standing there, hands shoved in his jacket pockets, looking unusually serious.
"Jace?" she asked, blinking in confusion.
"What are you doing here?"
"I need to talk to you," Jace said, his voice unusually quiet.
Juniper raised an eyebrow. This was not the cocky, arrogant Jace she was used to. Something was different about him, and it put her on edge. Still, she wasn’t about to let her guard down so easily.
"If you’re here to pick another fight, I’m not interested," she said, closing her book and standing up.
"I’m not," Jace said quickly, holding up his hands in a gesture of peace. "I swear. I just...I need to say something."
Juniper folded her arms, clearly skeptical.
"Alright, say it then."
Jace took a deep breath, running a hand through his messy brown hair. He wasn’t used to feeling nervous, but standing in front of Juniper, trying to explain himself, made him feel vulnerable in a way he hadn’t experienced before.
"Look, I know I’ve been a jerk," Jace began, his voice low. "I’ve been messing with people, and yeah, I’ve messed with you more times than I can count. But I don’t...I don’t want to be that guy anymore."
Juniper stared at him, her expression unreadable.
"What are you talking about, Jace?"
"I’m saying I want to change," he said, his blue eyes meeting hers.
"I don’t want to be the guy who bullies people just because it’s what’s expected of me. I don’t want to be the guy who makes everyone’s life harder. Especially yours."
Juniper blinked, clearly taken aback. She had expected Jace to show up with some lame excuse or another cruel prank, but this? This was something entirely different.
"Why are you telling me this?" she asked, her voice softening slightly.
Jace hesitated, unsure of how to answer without sounding like an idiot. But there was no turning back now.
"Because I... I care about what you think of me."
Juniper’s eyes widened, clearly not expecting that answer.
"What?"
"You’re the only one who’s ever stood up to me," Jace continued, the words spilling out before he could stop them.
"Everyone else is either scared of me or just doesn’t care. But you—you’ve never backed down. And it’s made me realize that maybe I don’t like who I am. Not anymore."
Juniper was silent for a long moment, processing everything he had just said. She had always seen Jace as nothing more than a bully, someone who thrived on power and intimidation. But now, standing in front of her, he looked...vulnerable. And sincere.
"You’re serious?" she asked, still not fully convinced.
Jace nodded, his jaw clenched.
"Yeah. I know I’ve been an ass, but I’m serious about changing. I want to stop bullying people. I’ll even quit the fraternity if that’s what it takes. I’m done with it."
Juniper studied him, searching his face for any sign of deception. But all she saw was a boy who seemed genuinely conflicted, torn between who he had been and who he wanted to be.
"Why now?" she asked, her voice softer than before.
"Why are you deciding this now?"
Jace swallowed hard, feeling the weight of her question. He wasn’t sure how to explain it without sounding ridiculous, but the truth was, it was because of her. Juniper had made him question everything, and it had shaken him to his core.
"Because of you," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "You’ve made me realize that I don’t have to be this person. I don’t have to be the guy who everyone hates. I can be...better. For you."
Juniper’s heart skipped a beat, her stomach doing a strange flip-flop. This was not what she had expected at all. Jace was standing there, vulnerable and honest, admitting that he wanted to change—for her. It was overwhelming, and part of her didn’t know if she could trust it.
"Jace..." she began, but he cut her off.
"Just give me a chance," he said, stepping closer.
"I promise I’ll change. I’ll stop bullying, I’ll leave the fraternity, I’ll do whatever it takes to prove to you that I’m serious. Just...please give me a chance."
Juniper stared at him, her mind racing. Could she really believe him? Could Jace Reed—the guy who had tormented her and countless others for years—actually change?
For a long moment, she didn’t say anything. Jace waited, his heart pounding in his chest, afraid that she would reject him. But finally, she sighed, her expression softening just a little.
"I don’t know if I can believe you yet," she said honestly.
"But if you’re really serious about changing, then... I guess we’ll see."
A slow smile spread across Jace’s face, relief flooding through him. "You won’t regret it, Juniper. I promise."
As she watched him walk away, Juniper couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, Jace was serious about changing.
And maybe, just maybe, she could give him a chance.