Swallow My Pride

[Jacelynn Heron]

Christmas day and what was she doing? Sitting in her room, staring at the wall of pictures that she had put up. Most of them were fine arts pictures, but there were a few with actual models placed in them. Only a few more years and then she could leave and go off to France. The fashion capital of the world where she would belong. It was so close, yet so far. She still needed to save up more money for paying off student loans and figuring out a game plan of how she intended to get there. France was the big picture, the dream she'd had for years and years. Where all the pretty people lived...

And as if he hadn't filled her mind enough in the past months, the idea of France and pretty people brought a face to her mind. A beautiful French boy that she only wished to befriend again. Oh, but it was far more complicated her in her mind. She was working on moving on, she was moving past these wretched feelings and she was out having fun again. Well, as fun as was possible with her former friends with benefits. To be fair, none of them measured up to him.

Jace bit her lip and glanced at her phone. Alessandro was probably with his adoring parents (she uses the term loosely) and Fabian probably already had a girl with him. Neither of them were who she thought of talking to though. Since bumping into him again at the club with Les, she'd been dying to talk to him more. If anything just the way that they had before. Before it got complicated. Maybe this time she had a reason? After all, it was the holidays.

With a sigh, she snagged her phone, swallowed her pride and sent a message that probably wouldn't even get answered. But hey, it was worth a shot.

To: Cart

Happy Holidays ^^ hope it's not super lame


The message sent and she chewed on her lower lip, turning her attention away from her phone again and back to the pictures.

[Carter Chevalier]

Carter had thought of Jacelynn several times between their last altercation and now. Truthfully, he hadn't initiated contact because he wasn't sure it was what she wanted. No longer did he make assumptions in regards to her best interest; he knew that she could make her own decisions about that. And if she came to him, he would at least make her aware of his own afflictions.

That day, he and Dom weren't in Pilot Ridge. They were in Maine with their father and uncle. He got several messages regarding the day in question, most of which he ignored - save for those from the likes of Callie and Ellie.

When he got one from Jacelynn, he was surprised to hear from her. It was likely generic, but he wasn't going to leave it as it was.

[Jacelynn: How are your holidays?]

[Jacelynn Heron]

The ringing of the alert sound signaling a text so soon had her heart forcing it's way up her throat. Maybe it was just someone from school. Maybe it was her mother being lazy and texting her from the living room. Maybe it was anybody else than who she wanted it to be. Jace simply couldn't get her hopes up that he would answer her so quickly because she wasn't quite so convinced that he thought about her often or at all.

With a deep breath, she reached back to her phone and finally looked at the screen. As she read the name, she found herself smiling and doing a slight happy dance. Hope for the worst and getting the best, it was nice knowing that he hadn't totally forgotten her among the crowd of people that surely were captivated by him.

Jacelynn tucked her hair behind her ear and sat cross-legged on the bed, thinking of a way to remain nonchalant and not come off as desperate. Because she wasn't...not at all.

To: Cart

Relatively boring, just sitting here in Pilot Ridge looking through pictures. XP

She hit send and then realized she hadn't asked about his!

To: Cart

How about you? Doing anything fabulous for the holidays?

[Carter Chevalier]

Carter found it a little amusing that she was still in Pilot Ridge. Though, it made him realise how little he knew about the girl's life. He wished, in the time he had her to himself, that he'd asked for more details. This whole sentiment made him wish he'd been better to her. Or perhaps that was just Ellie's voice in his ear.

AS far as he was concerned, she appeared just as calm as he was.

[Jacelynn: I wouldn't call mine boring. I'm in Maine with Dominique, my father and my uncle.]

In that moment, it dawned on him that he'd never really spoken about his family to her. And the cycle of thoughts seemed to come together once again.

[Jacelynn: Would you believe my father and uncle are twins?]

[Jacelynn Heron]

Jacelynn nodded to herself after reading the message. She'd heard of Dom one or twice through a few people here and there back when she attended Hammel, but she couldn't say she'd ever met him. Or seen him that she knew of. As for him being in Maine, she was jealous that he got to travel for the holidays. Even if the traveling was usually hectic, it beat staying in Pilot Ridge forever. All that PR had to offer during the holidays was snow and cold.

The second message received had her tilting her head to the side. It was sort of a random fact to share with her, but it caused her to smile. He'd never really opened up about his family or anything to her.

To: Cart

Sounds wayyyy cooler than mine. PR is rather slow during the holidays.


Then again, when wasn't it? It was a small, quaint little town. Nothing compared to what she'd rather live in.


To: Cart

Oh wow, that's crazy! Two generations of twins isn't that like rare? Are they metas too?


She chewed on her nail, hoping that she wasn't stepping over some invisible boundary he'd put up by asking questions, but he'd sparked curiosity. And Jace wasn't one that usually thought before she spoke. Or in this case, texted.

[Carter Chevalier]

[Jacelynn: I must admit, I'm glad I'm not there.]

Pilot Ridge in the holidays sounded insufferable. He was genuinely glad. And it was somewhat amusing to tease her in his own way.

[Jacelynn: They aren't. Neither is my mother, actually.]

He realised then that she knew little of his mother. But he knew a great deal about hers.

[Jacelynn: She spends her holidays in France.]

Did he regret the message? No. If nothing else, Carter assumed they were always going to have some kind of relationship. They'd always be friends. It wasn't as if she'd share his personal information with anyone.

[Jacelynn Heron]

To: Cart

I just bet you are I wish you were here to suffer with me xD


And she didn't quite mean it maliciously, she just wished he was with her in general, it beat spending the holidays alone bored out of her mind. She was glad that she had some contact with him though, it was making things a little less sucky.

To: Cart

Oh wow, that's insane. My dad is, but my mom's not.


The more he told her about his family, the more surprised she was, but at the same time it felt like a relief. He still trusted her enough that he felt comfortable sharing this information. She wasn't a gossiper so he didn't really have much to worry about anyway.

To: Cart

So are your parents divorced then? ..Sorry, if that's too personal. >.<

[Carter Chevalier]

[Jacelynn: Suffering with you might make it worthwhile.]

Carter smirked at his own words, even when Dominique had leaned over and asked him what he was doing. He shifted away from his twin, though he still took the drink that was offered to him.

Drinking on the holidays? Not a total cliche.

He didn't answer the message about her family - one a meta, one not. But he'd remember it all the same.

[Jacelynn: No, it's alright.]

[Jacelynn: They divorced in 2009. As you can imagine, it was messy.]

After all, it was no secret that the twins came from a wealthy family. Wealthy families almost always carried messy divorces.

[Jacelynn Heron]

Jace broke out into a wide smile reading his message and mentally had to shake herself so that she could actually answer him.

To: Cart

You know if you ever want to suffer with me, all you gotta do is ask


She pulled her hair over her shoulder and started playing with it as she waited for the next answer. She was a bit worried that he would take it the wrong way or just not answer at all, but when her phone buzzed, she relaxed and smiled again, falling back on her bed.

To: Cart

I can only imagine. I've been waiting for my parents to divorce, but it hasn't happened. Guess I should be happy about it


But she wasn't. Her father could do so much better, but he supported that woman in everything she did.

To: Cart

So do you get along better with your father then?

[Carter Chevalier]

[Jacelynn: I'll be sure to keep that in mind.]

Truthfully, Carter would. He had every intention of making contact with her once he got back. He just didn't know when that would be.

The message about her family threw him slightly. He wondered what she meant by it.

[Jacelynn: It's better when they do.]

He opted not to openly comment on that any further. Surely it spoke for itself.

[Jacelynn: I get along with both, but I suppose I do prefer my father.]

[Jacelynn: Dominique prefers to retain no contact with our mother.]

[Jacelynn Heron]

Jacelynn smiled wider and hoped he would in fact take her up on it. Even if it wasn't anything like how it used to be, they could be friends. Maybe FWBs again, but she'd let things work out in their own way without interfering much.

She didn't comment any further about what she meant about her parents because it was confusing to her what their relationship was made of, let alone trying to explain things to him. Maybe once she knew what was going on she'd be able to explain a little better, but best to keep things off that topic for now.

To: Cart

Do you know why Dom is a little less tolerant of her? Maybe that was a dumb question to ask >.<


Of course he'd probably know why. Him and Dom were close from what she'd seen and heard. Still, she couldn't help but wonder if Carter was the more tolerant twin or if she had just been harsher towards his brother.

To: Cart

Are your uncle and dad like you and Dom in the sense of being on the same wavelength a lot?

[Carter Chevalier]

When asked about Dominique, Carter was usually devoid of legitimate information. He shrugged a statement off and left it as it was. The boy took a sip of his drink as he contemplated an answer. It took a little while to respond to.

[Jacelynn: Dominique loves our father. Almost too much to recall he has a mother who, however horrible, is still human.]

He pursed his lips. Perhaps that was enough.

The question about his father and uncle had him looking up to watch them with a smile. Blonde, blue eyed twins most definitely ran in the family.

[Jacelynn: They are. The similarities are... Incredibly profound. If you ever get to meet them, it'll probably be the most interesting thing about the Chevalier family you've ever seen.]

[Jacelynn Heron]

Jacelynn tried occupying herself while waiting for a response, but eventually she just gave up and looked up at her pictures again. So many pretty people in the world, but the one picture she was missing, was of the prettiest boy she'd ever seen. And she hoped to replace it at some point. Or perhaps get a better one, if there was such a thing.

To: Cart

I can see that side of things. I often try to at least give my mom the benefit of the doubt.


Even if she didn't quite want to.

To: Cart

I can only imagine two more flawless men in the world with that same Chevalier charm ;P

To: Cart

I only wonder, which generation is smoother ;D

[Carter Chevalier]

The older twin found himself tentatively nodding at her message, as if subconsciously, physically agreeing to the fact.

[Jacelynn: I try to do the same, despite how difficult it is.]

Carter even managed an involuntary laugh at her comment about his family's charm. It was true though; just as she expected.

[Jacelynn: I'd like to say my own, but I highly doubt that's true.]

[Jacelynn: If you ever meet my uncle Sebastian, I have no doubt he'll sweep you off your feet.]

[Jacelynn Heron]

To: Cart

Seriously. Oh well, what can you do, ya know?

Jacelynn frowned. It was frustrating trying to deal with parents that acted so stupid. At least, that was her situation. She didn't know the details of his, but she understood how irritating it could be trying to give them a sporting chance when they acted so selfish and dumb.

She smiled at his next answer and laughed.

To: Cart

Still in the process of learning are you?

To: Cart

Wouldn't be the fir-

She sighed and erased the message and started over.

To: Cart

I dunno, I'm a tough cookie. Takes more than charm to sweep me up.

At least, that's what she tried convincing herself.