Aspen
I stared wide-eyed at the plate as a waitress set pancakes in front of me, her nodding to Ace as he watched my expression.
He ignored her, though.
"What?" he said then. "Never been to IHop?"
"I think her brain's exploding," Nick said, chuckling.
"Yeah," Kylo responded, shoveling hash browns into his mouth, "she's going braindead right now."
"Aspen," Ace said with a touch of annoyance, "eat the food. Now."
I listened, grabbing a fork and cutting off a bit of the pancake, taking a bite hesitantly and swallowed.
But once the flavor burst in my mouth, I felt my eyes light, and I stared eating faster.
Ace shook his head in fake disappointment and went to eat his meal.
"Why did you take me here?" I questioned him as I finished, pushing my plate away. "You hate me."
He gazed up at me. "Because if you didn't eat you'd die, Aspen."
"And?"
"And we still need answers," Jax responded. "We still hate you, you're just a tool to us."
My heart stopped for a moment, and I gazed up at Ace who was still eating, but slower.
"Oh," I said, "I see. So, you don't actually care, that's good to know. It's okay, though," I said dryly despite the cold swarming inside, "it's not like I thought you cared. You never did, did you?" I chuckled. "No one does, but at least I don't play you like a fucking game."
I shoved out of my seat and walked off to the bathroom to wash the syrup off my hands, and then walked back to the booth we were in to sit and wait for the bill.
"Aspen," Nick whispered.
"Fuck off," I told him. "Don't worry, just wait for the bill and I'll be out of your hair."
"We can't wait," Jax responded. "You're a worthless piece of shit."
My heart froze over, but I dropped my head to meet the table, and stared at the wood for a moment.
"You never loved me," I told Ace automatically. "You're a fucking player, I've known for a while."
He still ate his food quietly, but I caught the slight dark tint to his eyes.
"Any girl is better than you," Jax responded. "So much better."
"Man, can you shut the fuck up?" Nick said then, making me stiffen. "You're being a dick right now."
"Why?" Jax said. "We all hate her; she's been lying to us for ages."
"It might seem that way," Ace responded, and I closed my eyes as the cold consumed me, "but there's more to the story than you think, so yeah, please shut up. You don't know what's going on, Jax, so stop interjecting when it's not your place."
I opened my eyes again.
Are they... standing up for me?
Or were they trying to make it so I wouldn't run off?
I stared down at the table, wondering if I should ask Ace the question I've been longing to ask for years.
Did you ever love me? At any point in time?
I remembered all those times we sat in abandoned places and made-out, how he touched me and ran his fingers lightly through my hair, how we kissed, and it felt so hot and warm. Did he feel it, too?
But my phone buzzed, and by the constant vibrations, I could tell it was a phone call.
I lifted my cell up then and swiped the screen despite the unknown number, clicking answer seconds later.
Probably a telemarketer.
"Hello?" I said, pushing some crumbs off the table.
"Hey, little sis," someone responded.
I froze at the sound of his voice, heart thudding against my chest.
The boys were still arguing, so they didn't know who I was talking to.
I could feel Ace watching me, though. I could just tell.
"Heyyyy," I said happily, pretending so I didn't alert Ace or any of the guys. "You've never called me on this number before."
In other words, How did you get it?
"I have a lot of phone friends," he responded.
I stared off into the distance, adding with a touch of menace, "What do you want?"
"I see you're out having fun," he responded coldly, making me freeze. "It's good you have friends, Aspen, but you should be careful after what happened with that other one... What was his name...? Tyce?"
I felt my face pale, and I glanced around nervously. "Where are you?"
"Around," he responded. "But I can tell from here that that boy Ace is watching you pretty closely. You might want to stop acting afraid because he looks suspicious. The other guys are oblivious, though."
I breathed shallowly, gripping the phone tightly as I whispered, "What do you want?"
"I want you," he told me, "and I want Summer, but you're keeping her from me and it's really starting to piss me off, you know. If it takes killing every boy at that table to bring you both back, then so be it."
I gritted my teeth, anger pulsing through me.
"So," he responded, "easy way? Where is she?"
"Who?" I said, glancing at Ace to find him watching me through lowered lashes.
"Don't play dumb, Aspen," he said coldly. "I saw her at the graveyard. Do you think she needs another beautiful lesson? I'll find her, or you can tell me right now before I march in there and shoot all of your friends."
"Leave them alone," I whispered.
"Then tell me where she is."
"I can't do that," I responded.
"Aspen," he warned, "I have my Glock right here in my pocket, and I have good aim. What do you think? Ace first? He's easier to shoot."
"LEAVE HIM ALONE, YOU FUCKER!" I screamed into the phone.
Everyone quieted, watching me breathe.
"Uh—oh," he replied. "Now they're watching you. What are you going to say, Aspen, huh? How are you slipping out of this one?"
"Leave us alone," I told him then, feeling the entire restaurant's eyes on me.
"You know I can't do that," he responded. "Not unless you tell me where Summer is."
I crawled over Nick and Miles in a panic, both of them yelping as I reached for the window and quickly pulled down the blinds, breathing shallowly when I climbed back and crawled off the chair, staring at the blinds in shock.
"Smart move," he commented on the phone.
"Where are you?" I questioned, voice wavering.
"Aspen," Ace said then, "who are you talking to?"
"WHERE ARE YOU?" I yelled into the phone. "IF YOU DARE TOUCH ANY OF MY FRIENDS HERE, I SWEAR I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND FUCKING KILL YOU!"
He chuckled through the other line. "I'd like to see you try."
The phone line clicked, and I stared down at it in shock.
"Aspen," Ace said, standing now as well as the other guys, "was that him?"
"He could see me," I whispered to myself, "he could see me. He's outside. He can't run far with his knee."
Before Ace could question me further, I darted outside, running across the parking lot and scanning the streets for him.
"WHERE ARE YOU?" I screamed. "COME OUT HERE, YOU PUSSY!"
But my ears met were silence, and I screamed, grabbing my hair and nearly pulling the strands out.
"FUCK!" I yelled. "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU, YOU FUCKER!"
Ace grabbed my shoulder from behind, startling me as he forced me to turn and face him.
His friends were behind him like a gang, and they were all staring at me with suspicion and mild concern.
Ace raised his brows. "You created quite a ruckus, Aspen. Everyone in there's asking questions. One of them called the police."
"My friend," I said, gasping, "we were roleplaying. That's all."
He raised his brows.
I pulled a twenty-dollar bill from my pocket and placed it on his hand. "Here... for my meal. I have to go."
I ran off then, and darted down the street before Ace could question me.
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