Chapter 3: The Promise
Jace wasn’t known for being kind. In fact, he’d built his entire reputation on being anything but kind. So when he decided to start changing, to prove to Juniper that he was serious about being a better person, it didn’t go quite as smoothly as he’d hoped.
For one thing, he had no idea where to start.
"Kindness," Jace muttered to himself, standing in front of the school bulletin board that morning.
"How hard could it be?"
He scanned the flyers for volunteer opportunities, charity drives, or any other event where he might show off his newfound dedication to doing good. But everything looked either too boring or way out of his comfort zone. Plus, it wasn’t like he had any experience being...nice.
"Okay, you got this," he whispered, shaking his head and walking down the hall with a determined look on his face. He spotted a group of freshmen struggling with their backpacks by the stairs. They were the type of kids his fraternity would usually haze, but today? Today, Jace Reed was going to help.
"Yo, need a hand?" Jace asked, approaching the group.
The freshmen exchanged bewildered glances, clearly not used to Jace's friendly tone. One of them, a scrawny kid with glasses, backed away, clutching his bag as if Jace were about to steal it.
"Uh, no, we’re good," the kid stammered.
Jace frowned, realizing he was already off to a bad start.
"No, seriously. I can help you with your stuff. It looks heavy."
"Are you... are you messing with us?" another freshman asked, his voice full of suspicion.
Jace sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Look, I’m trying to do something good, alright? Just let me help you!"
The freshmen stood frozen, unsure of how to respond. Finally, one of them hesitantly handed Jace his backpack. The moment Jace took it, the bag burst open, spilling books, papers, and snacks all over the floor. 
"Ah, crap," Jace groaned, dropping to his knees to gather everything.
"I didn’t mean to—"
But the freshmen were already retreating down the hall, glancing back at him as if he were a ticking time bomb. 
"Great start, Jace. Real smooth," he muttered, shoving the kid’s stuff back into the bag.
---
By lunchtime, Jace was feeling the sting of failure. Every attempt at being nice had gone sideways. He’d tried to hold the door open for a teacher, but accidentally smacked her in the face with it instead. He’d offered to help another student with their homework, only to knock over a stack of textbooks and scatter their notes everywhere.
The worst part? Juniper had witnessed most of it, and she was trying not to laugh.
"Let me guess," Juniper said with a smirk as she approached Jace in the courtyard.
"You tried to help someone, and it turned into a disaster?"
Jace, sitting on a bench with his head in his hands, groaned.
"You have no idea. This is harder than I thought."
Juniper sat beside him, unable to hide her amusement.
"You’ve been a bully for years. You can’t expect to become a saint overnight."
"I know, but it’s so frustrating!" Jace looked up at her, his blue eyes full of exasperation. "Every time I try to do something good, it just goes wrong."
Juniper chuckled, nudging him playfully with her shoulder. "Well, at least you're trying. That counts for something."
He gave her a small smile, grateful for the encouragement. "Thanks. I just—I don’t want you to think I’m faking this. I’m serious about changing, June-bug."
Juniper raised an eyebrow at the nickname but didn’t comment on it. "I can see that. And, for what it’s worth, I do think you’re trying. But maybe... start small? Baby steps."
Jace sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Baby steps. Yeah, okay. I can do that."
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, watching students bustle around the courtyard. Jace had never really paid attention to how people went about their day, but now that he was trying to change, he noticed everything. The way people smiled at their friends, the way some kids were left out of groups, the small acts of kindness he had always ignored before. It felt strange, but in a good way.
"Hey," Jace said suddenly, turning to Juniper. "There’s this old tree in the park behind the school. You know it, right?"
Juniper nodded. "Yeah, I know it. It’s my favorite spot."
"I figured," Jace said with a grin. "How about we hang out there after school? I could use a break from all this... ‘trying to be a better person’ stuff. And I promise, I won’t cause any chaos. Just... you and me, under the tree."
Juniper hesitated for a moment, but there was something about the way Jace was looking at her that made her heart skip a beat. Maybe it was the sincerity in his eyes, or the fact that he was actually making an effort. Either way, she found herself nodding.
"Okay," she said softly. "We can hang out."
---
The tree was old and majestic, its thick branches stretching wide over the park. Its roots twisted out of the ground, creating the perfect place to sit and relax away from the rest of the world. Juniper and Jace sat side by side beneath the tree, the afternoon sun casting long shadows across the grass.
It was quiet, peaceful. For the first time, they weren’t bickering or exchanging sarcastic remarks. Jace was fidgeting with a leaf he’d plucked from a low branch, while Juniper leaned back against the trunk, eyes closed, enjoying the calm.
"So," Jace said after a while, breaking the silence, "are you still planning on going to prom?"
Juniper opened her eyes, glancing over at him. "Yeah, I guess. If I find a date."
Jace raised an eyebrow. "You’re seriously telling me no one’s asked you yet?"
Juniper shrugged, trying to play it cool. "It’s not that big of a deal. I’m not really in a rush to go with anyone."
Jace hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath. "Well... how about me?"
Juniper blinked, caught off guard. "What?"
"I’m asking you to prom," Jace said, his tone surprisingly serious. "I mean, if you’ll go with me."
Juniper sat up straighter, her heart racing. "You’re asking me to prom?"
Jace scratched the back of his head, looking uncharacteristically nervous. "Yeah. I mean, I know we’re... complicated, but I figured, why not? It could be fun."
Juniper stared at him, her mind spinning. Jace Reed, the guy who had tormented her for years, was now asking her to prom. The absurdity of it all almost made her laugh, but there was something sweet about it too. He was trying, in his own awkward way, to show her that he was serious about changing.
"Let me get this straight," Juniper said, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. "You, the guy who’s spent most of high school making my life difficult, now wants to take me to prom?"
Jace chuckled, nodding. "Yeah, I guess it sounds pretty crazy when you put it like that."
"Just a little," Juniper said, still smiling. "But... okay. I’ll go with you."
Jace’s eyes lit up, and for a moment, Juniper thought he might actually jump up in excitement. Instead, he grinned from ear to ear. "Seriously? You’re saying yes?"
"Yeah," Juniper said with a laugh. "But only if you promise not to cause any trouble. I don’t want my prom night turning into a disaster."
Jace held up his hands in mock surrender. "I promise, no trouble. I’ll be on my best behavior."
Juniper shook her head, still amused by the whole situation. "Alright, then. It’s a deal."
Jace leaned back against the tree, his grin never fading. "You won’t regret it, June-bug. I’ll make sure prom night is perfect."
Juniper rolled her eyes at the nickname but didn’t protest. There was something endearing about the way he said it now, something that made her heart flutter in a way she hadn’t expected.
As they sat there, talking and laughing beneath the old tree, Juniper realized that Jace really was trying. He was clumsy, and his attempts at kindness often ended in disaster, but he was genuine. And that was enough for her.
---
The days passed, and Jace’s efforts to be a better person didn’t go unnoticed. He still stumbled through most of it—helping someone with their books only to knock them over, trying to apologize but making things awkward. But there was progress, slow and steady, and Juniper began to see the change in him. He wasn’t just the arrogant, troublemaking guy she’d always known. He was trying to be better, and that meant something.
One afternoon, as they sat beneath the tree again, Jace turned to her with a serious expression. "I want you to know, Juniper. I’m not just doing this for prom. I’m doing this because I want to be better. For you. For myself."
Juniper smiled softly, touched
 by his words.
"I know, Jace. And I can see that."
Jace reached out and gently took her hand, his touch warm and comforting.
"So, we’re really doing this? Prom, together?"
Juniper squeezed his hand, her smile growing.
"Yeah. We’re really doing this."
As they sat under the tree, hand in hand, the world felt a little less chaotic, and for the first time in a long while, Juniper felt like maybe, just maybe, things were falling into place.