My Playboy Cowboy

10 [Unknown Past]

I couldn't believe on the progress I was making with Ms. Makino everything was going amazingly well and no one even knew yet which was funny; all everyone knew was I was staying behind in English to work on things I have missed not knowing the real truth about it which made me smile and excited.

Right now I was at home working on things for math and flying by it really fast; I was just getting it done before heading to school since tomorrow was the big game for the home coming dance so I agreed to help Nami with a couple of things to hang up in the basketball court room, finishing up the last problem in my book I closed the book and grabbed my bag off the table but in the progress I knocked something over which made me look back seeing it was one of my mother's boxes that I never opened up but it opened once it hit the floor.

"Damn it" I whispered to myself as I kneeled down and started picking up the stuff and putting it back into the box.

That's when I froze when I saw a picture, one I never saw before in my life; looking at it I saw my mother smiling as she stood by a man with his arm around her shoulder smiling as well, I couldn't see his eyes since he was smiling with his eyes closed but the red hair I could see but mother never showed me this when I was little so I didn't know who he was; but this picture looked like this was taken during mother's college days.

"Eh, I'm sure its an old boyfriend or something" I spoke as I placed the picture back in the box and put the box back on the table before I headed out the door.

Getting to the school I could see everyone doing things for different events for the big game tomorrow night; I was very nervous about actually surprising everyone but it was going to be worth it. I got to the basketball court seeing Nami and the other's putting up signs here and there.

"Hi" I said to everyone with a smile.

"Hey, Lilly ready to get to work?" Nami asked when she turned towards me.

"Yep" I said placing my bag down on the ground by everyone else.

We started working on the signs for out team hanging them up in different parts of the corner of the large room and making sure things were in order for the people who were going to show up to the school tomorrow night, I was up on one of the ladders hammering in a nail for the last sign I was putting up with Robin. 

But I reached to far which made the ladder wiggle, gasping when I felt the ladder move the next thing I know I was falling off the ladder; closing my eyes tightly ready for the smack that would come to my body but it never came which made me freeze not knowing what was going on.

"Its okay, you can open your eyes" that deep voice and chuckle that made my heart thump.

I slowly opened my eyes slowly until I looked up seeing Ace smiling at me when he caught me; I blushed when He placed me on the ground making sure I was stable enough to stand on my own before he let go of me.

"Thanks" I said trying not to talk as much since I still wanted to surprise him tomorrow.

"Any time, by the way Lilly um tomorrow I have a surprise for you" Ace said before he placed his hand on the back of his neck blushing a bit.

"Okay, sounds fun" I said with a small smile and blush on my face  as well.

"Great I'll see you after the game, but you better be careful on the ladders though" he said with a smirk on his face which made me smile warmly.

"I promise I will" I said with a bright smile that he returned before he waved goodbye leaving the room.

"You doing okay, Lilly?" Sabo asked when he walked over to me.

"Never better" I smiled brightly still.

We kept working on the final project for a banner for the winning team for tomorrow it would come down to whoever would win tomorrow and I was super excited for tomorrow; looking at my watch I saw it was getting late and Killer would be picking me up soon.

"Need to leave right now, see you guys tomorrow" I said grabbing my bag slinging it over my shoulder waving at everyone.

"See you tomorrow" Luffy yelled back with a smile and a wave.

I walked out of the room and headed down the hall and out of the doors seeing Killer's car there waiting for me, I waved over at him when he looked at me; waving back I started heading towards him meeting him by the car.

"Ready to head home?" he asked once I was in front of him.

"Yep" I said to him with a smile still on my face.

He chuckled a bit before getting into the driver seat as I got into the passenger seat, buckling up he started the car and drove off away from the school heading back home for the night.

"Can I ask a question?" I asked as I looked out the window, not worried in talking normally since he knew I was working on my speaking for the past week.

"What is it?" he asked watching the road.

"Did mom have any old friends or boyfriends back in her college years before she had me?" I asked looking at him wanting to know since I thought back to that picture.

"Not that I am aware of, why do you ask?" he said before glancing at me before glancing back at the road again.

"I just found an old picture of mom and some dude" I said with a shrug not really bothered by it.

"Oh that picture, I've seen it a couple of times; she use to be friends with some of our teachers back in her college years" Killer said knowing what I was talking about.

"Really? Who?" I asked not waiting to hear that since she never talked about it with me.

"Um, I think Smoker was one; then Ms. Makino, Buggy and I think Shanks was among the friends too" he said thinking he got them all right.

"Huh, wonder why she never talked about it with me" I wondered when I glanced out of the window again.

"That's just mom for you, keeping secrets because she thought it was best for us" Killer said as he turned the corner.

"True" I sighed for a moment before he stopped the car and parked in outside the apartment.

Grabbing my bag we both got out of the car and headed inside to have dinner before we worked on some car for a late night again.