Heart's Bias: Part 6 {END}

Jax sits upright in bed, quickly scanning the room, his usual calm exterior cracking slightly once he realizes something is missing.

"Honey?" His voice comes out rougher than intended, concern clearly visible in his voice. "In here.." Honey says behind the motel bathroom door, she's just in there.. Thank god. "I just had to take a shower.."  Jax sighs in relief, nearly getting worried she just left him alone. He gets out of bed and walks over to the bathroom door, leaning against it. "Youu…almost done?.." 

"Yeah.. excuse me, i'm gonna-" Honey gently opens the door in the slightest, trying not to hit Jax. He steps back to give her space, his eyes locking onto hers briefly as the door opens. He sees her trying not to hit him and smirks slightly, leaning against the wall beside the door to give her more room. "Mmhmm?" she walks out, her hair slightly damp, her poodle ears appearing more. she walks out with a hairdryer which appears to have been in the motel room already. His eyes widen slightly as he takes in her appearance, his gaze lingering on her hair and droopy ears. He finds it adorable and tries to suppress a smile. "You, uh, found a hairdryer, huh?" He comments, nodding towards the object in her hands. Honey nods, walking towards a power outlet and putting the hair dryer in, using it on her hair. "Just needed to make it all fuzzy and poofy again is all…”

As she starts to further fix up her already adorable looking hairdo, she turns to look at Jax, still standing like an idiot. “You seem a little bit…what's the word…Messy?” Honey laughs to herself quietly.

Jax quickly tries to look up at his hair, realizing he’s probably a mess now. He feels stupid, and disheveled in front of her, damn it, if ONLY he woke up earlier before her. “..sorry..”  

"..Hey...don't worry!" Honey smiles, keeping her voice gentle and low like she had done just yesterday, turning off the hairdryer. "I can fix your hair up if you'd Like, Hun!"

Jax’s eyes widen at her gentle offer, and for a moment he's struck speechless. He usually keeps his hair messy on purpose to avoid unwanted attention, but the way she said 'Hun'... something about it makes his heart flutter. "Really? You don’t.... you don't have to..."

"We have time, don't we? it's still early..we don't have to go back to our homes yet.." honey tries extending the Hair Dryer cord to Jax's bed, sitting on a pillow, patting the space next to her. "Trust me, i can do it well!" She tries to convince him, and thankfully, it works. Jax hesitantly sits beside her, his eyes fixed on the hair dryer as if it's a foreign object. He's never let anyone touch his hair before, let alone style it. He swallows hard, trusting Honey's gentle pat on the pillow beside her. Honey starts to gently rummage through Jax's hair, just using a brush to break up any small knots. "You know I'm a hair stylist right? my parents own a shop nearby, I know what im doing!"

Jax nods slowly, his eyes closed as Honey's gentle touches send shivers down his spine. He's never felt so... cared for. His mom never bothered with his hair, always too busy putting him down. "That's... that's really cool," he murmurs, his voice barely audible.

"..and you know...This MAY be unrelated..but.." Honey hesitates on her next word, trying to focus on using her small brush on his wavy hair. "Are you going to Homecoming tonight..?"

Homecoming.. 

TONIGHT... 

Jax totally forgot. Remembering how he dreaded the day as much as he wanted it to come. With the kind of status he has in school, and the EXTREMELY low number of friends, it's not too uncommon to  truly believe he has nobody to go with him. Jax's heart sinks at the mention of said event. and now that Honey is bringing it up, the thought of attending the dance by himself is unbearable.

Embarassed, He replies:

"N-no..."

 Quickly, honey’s hairbrush comes to a halt in Jax’s hair for a brief moment, before slowly continuing. "No..? why not..? I'll definitely be there.." 

Jax opens his eyes, looking at his own hands, his mind like a hamster running ona wheel, trying to figure out how to word his decline from Homecoming. "I... I don't have anyone to go with. Everyone always pairs up, and I'm always left alone." He winces, realizing how stupid and lonely he must sound, his voice cracking slightly. "I don't want to go by myself..."

"Well..uhm.....Jax, you don't NEED to go with someone else.." Honey's voice softens. "Besides..if you come..i'll definitely spend some time with you! it's just that.." Honey stops speaking for a moment, following her next sentence with a sigh. "I have a lot of..friends who......would probably ask me.." 

Jax's expression darkens, a pang of jealousy hitting him at the mention of Honey's other friends wanting to take her to the dance. He swallows hard, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach.

 "So, you're going with one of them?"

"I might just HAVE to.. it’s..how my life is with being so...you know..." 

Honey kneels a bit on the bed, trying to fluff Jax's hair up, but as she's so focused on fixing up his hair, Jax's jealousy grows, his heart aching at the thought of Honey going to the dance with someone else. He feels a familiar sense of despair washing over him, and before he can stop  or control himself, he speaks in a bitter tone. "Yeah, sure, go with one of your POPULAR friends!"

Immediately, Honey stops brushing Jax's hair again, her tail drooping. Although her first instinct is to be offended, she knows someone like Jax doesn’t TRULY intend on being malicious. Especially after yesterday.

She crawls in front of him, looking at him with a worried expression;

"Jax... You sound upset.."

His eyes flash with anguish as he meets Honey's worried gaze. He opens his mouth to speak, but hesitates, unsure how to articulate the tumultuous feelings churning inside him. Eventually, he settles on a painful truth. "Of course I'm upset. You…-" His voice breaks as he struggles to get the words out. "You're going to the dance with someone else, and I'm just...left here alone." He looks away, his throat constricting with emotion. "It's just like- You're like-...You're popular, and I'm just!-”

"Jax.."

All of a sudden, Honey places her hand on his face, cupping his cheek. She drops her brush, moving her other hand to do the same thing, holding his face. His eyes fill with tears as he feels Honey's gentle touch on his face. He looks up at her, his vision blurring. He can barely whisper, "What's the point? You'll go to the dance with someone ELSE, look perfect, be the center of attention..."

"Shh..don't start crying now, okay? I Think..there's something i can do to help you.." Honey lifts Jax's head up, thinking of some sort of compromise, and quickly. She wants to really make him happy, but with how much attention at school she gets in comparison to him..it's difficult to make a decision that’ll be safe for them both.

He blinks rapidly to hold back tears, his breath catching in his throat. He manages to choke out, "What could you possibly do? It's not like you can suddenly NOT be popular..." His hands grip the bed sheets, his ears drooping pitifully.

"...I could...take you to..... homecoming.." Honey smiles, Making a big decision to Choose Jax out of all her friends. "And it's not like anyone is gonna beat you to it..you're already here with me..Who else is here right now to Object?"

His eyes widened slightly, shocked by her suggestion. He swallows hard, trying to process the idea that Honey, the most popular girl in school, is asking him, the outcast, to the homecoming dance. "But...but what about your friends?" He hesitates.

"..I think they'll love me regardless.." Honey lets go of Jax's face, grabbing ahold of her hairbrush again, chuckling quietly. "And it would be great to spend more time with you, Jax.. You're actually..Really Sweet.." Honey's voice softens, Speaking with such a sincere voice, really admiring Jax for who he is… He feels his heart skip a beat as Honey's sweet words sink in. He can't believe that the most popular girl in school is actually complimenting him. He looks down, fidgeting with his hands. "But...what if people make fun of you for going with me?"

"Trust me, I can convince them not to.." Honey sighs, smiling, but seeming slightly annoyed with her tone of voice. "I mean, i don't even have to TRY! They don't really care about what I do..MOST of them; they just care about me being pretty, and smart, the whole thing.. We're friends now Jax, That's what matters most!"

Jax sighs in relief, feeling a warmth spread through his chest at Honey's words. He looks up at her, his blue cat eyes filled with adoration. "Alright...if you're sure you don't mind...I'd really like to go to homecoming with you."

Upon Jax uttering those words, Honey smiles wide, her tail wagging behind her, Repressing so much unnecessary happiness coming through her body. She instinctively holds Jax's hand looking him in the eyes "Trust me, we'll have fun, i'll make sure you have a good time, Okay?" Jax’s heart pounds at the sudden touch of her hand, feeling small electric shocks where their hands connect. He nods, completely lost in her gaze. "I trust you..." His voice comes out softer than intended. "You always find these small ways to make me feel like I'm... worthwhile."

"I'm happy that is!" Honey continues to brush Jax's hair, trying not to let the bristles scratch his sensitive ears "Do you think you'd need a ride to school? I don't think my parents would mind at all!"

"No, I-I mean... I can walk. My house is at the edge of town. Plus..." He blushes slightly, his ears tingling. "I wouldn't want your parents to think I'm some creep trying to latch onto their daughter…”

"Pfft, okay Jax, OKAY!" Honey laughs grabbing ahold of the Hairdryer, turning it on and pointing it towards Jax's hair, just trying to give it a bit of volume. "After I'm done with this, we should really get going back home..i can't believe i was actually able to spend the night..NOT at home for once.." Honey looks around at the motel. Sure, Jax Suggested they both stay here, and despite its looks..being able to get away from popularity and her parents for a while felt…Relieving. Jax flinches slightly as the hairdryer blows warm air over his ears, but he doesn't complain. Instead, he glances around the simple motel room, taking in the faded wallpaper and worn furniture with a sense of contentment.

 "Yeah, it's been nice..."

Honey continues to do Jax's Hair for a long while, making it nice and smooth, and look pretty, still fluffy, but unlike his usual look, she made him seem a bit more put together, just for homecoming of course. After a while, She finishes, and the two are packing up their backpacks. As they finish packing, Jax stands up and stretches, his tall frame unfolding from the bed. He looks at Honey with a small smile. "Thanks for doing my hair. And for staying with me last night. I really appreciate it." He picks up his backpack and slings it over his shoulder. "No, hehe..Thank YOU for suggesting I come here with you! if we both didn't skip school yesterday..i don't think my day would've been much fun without you.." Honey opens the motel door, the morning sun shining onto her as she steps out, holding the door open for Jax. He steps out after Honey, squinting slightly in the morning sunlight. His heart skips a beat at her kindness, knowing she has no idea how much she just did for him. "Same here... probably would've spent the day alone otherwise." He hesitates for a moment, then adds softly, "Hey Honey... Can I ask you something?" He looks at her with a curious expression, his blue eyes searching hers. "Do you... think I'm weird? Like, for being an emo kid and all that stuff?"

Honey closes the Motel door, a Smile appearing on her face. She thinks for a moment before she turns to Jax, Her expression..loving, and genuine.

 "Not once, Not once have I ever seen you in school, or even passing by you outside, and Ever..thought you were weird, Jax..." She looks up at him, the sunlight perfectly lighting up her face, making her eyes shine and her entire aura glow again. Jax can't help but stare in awe, and Crush..HARD over Honey, completely taken aback by her earnest and affectionate response. His heart races as he absorbs the radiant sight of her, illuminated by the golden morning rays. In that moment, Jax feels a profound connection, like she truly sees him—a feeling he's rarely experienced.

"You're, Entirely different!, It's like.." Honey's poodle tail gently flips behind her, both of her hands reaching out to hold his hands, Still looking up at him in admiration. "I was.. meant to speak to you..and j-just..be with you.." Honey's voice gets low, her eyes half lidded, what she said could really have two meaning, and Jax honestly doesn't care which one. She's looking up at him in silence..yet, the moment they're having.. feels so amazing..

Jax's heart swells with emotion, his fingers intertwining with Honey's as he gazes down at her. The gentle touch of her hands, the softness of her eyes, the way she looks at him... it all combines to create a sense of belonging and warmth that he's never felt before.

"Honey..." He whispers her name, his voice trembling slightly as he struggles to find the right words to express his feelings. "You... you make me feel so seen, so understood; Like-Like for the first time in my life, I.. don't feel weird or alone. Being with you feels like....-"

"Destiny..?" Honey quickly adds, interrupting Jax. Her smile is just so sweet, her hands like magnets as she looks up into Jax's eyes.. like Crystals in the sun..

Jax's breath catches in his throat at Honey's perfect interruption. The way she says "Destiny" sends shivers down his spine, and he knows, without a doubt, that she's absolutely right. It's as if the universe itself conspired to bring them together at this moment. "Yeah......" 

For a few more seconds, the two almost hardly notice the silence, and don't even feel the need to say anything more. 

Jax HAS to make his move now

It's his only chance.. 

"Honey..i-"

As soon as Jax opens his mouth, a short little jingle  is heard from Honey's pocket. She quickly lets go of Jax's hands, reaching her hand into her pocket quickly, pulling out her phone, Checking the caller. "ah, hehe, sorry..it's my dad.." She looks back at Jax, with a soft smile "I have to go..but..Can you promise me you'll go to Homecoming later....? Jax..?"

Jax sees Honey reaching for her phone and his heart immediately sinks, knowing that this moment got totally SCREWED over. He swallows his nerves and forces a nod, trying to hide his disappointment.

"Y-You promise you'll go to Homecoming with me?"

"Of course.."

Honey starts to walk away slowly, her tail enticingly swaying behind her, But she looks at Jax with such Positive energy...Looking as amazing as ever. "See you there, Jax!~"

His eyes follow Honey as she walks away and answers her phone call, watching how beautifully her tail moves. The sight steals his breath, but he manages a soft smile. "See you later;..... Honey." He whispers, feeling a mix of longing and anticipation for their upcoming dance. He stands rooted to the spot, watching as Honey's graceful figure moves away. His heart feels like it might burst - slightly from the loss of the moment they were sharing.. and the anticipation of Homecoming, and actually being able to hang out with Honey...The way she carries herself, her gentle demeanor, everything about her leaves an impression on him...a Strong one.

Jax starts to walk his own separate way, his mind replaying the entirety of yesterday, and the morning of today on repeat. That friday morning at the diner...

not once had he ever thought he would even get honey to smile at him or even show any sort of interest..yet..although they aren't dating to Jax's Mild disappointment..She genuinely cares about him, and Hey, That's ONE step closer to honey and him..being a thing. Throughout the past few hours of his life... Jax can't help but feel his heart flutter, and be SO sure of just one thing..

He knows, Deep down in his heart, that girl is the one for him.

(6)

{End}

-Cozmite