Cursed (Ace x OC) - Nancy Drew (under revision)

Chapter 15: Heart of hearts

      Everything was spiraling. It had been a couple days since the incident at the station and Ace was already settling into our new life together in this house. If he wasn't unpacking he was disappearing off with Nancy and the others to deal with the frozen hearts killer or their next problematic event. I could tell from the way his eyes rested on me longer than usual that he thought I was oblivious to what he was doing. He made it clear he wanted to keep me away from the supernatural at all costs but it led to my days dragging. Boredom struck.

       Ace had just left to make his shift at the Claw when I decided to text Ryan. We hadn't spoken much since our encounter with FHK and with tension building up I knew I needed to tell someone what was happening. We agreed on a little coffee shop upstate that was far enough none of my friends would come looking. He sat in front of me with his hands folded around a little glass cup.

      "So what's going on, Kie?" He finally asked taking a sip of his coffee.

      "Ace moved in." I paused shifting in my seat. "But he's always going out with Nancy and the crew to face all these dangerous battles and I feel left out, I suppose." Ryan nodded.

      "He only does it because he cares. If I could get Nancy to leave it alone I'd be a happy man." He chuckled. "Unfortunately, that's not gonna happen. It's in her blood."

      "Speaking of, when were you gonna tell me about Nancy and Everett, who I just found out was incarcerated not too long ago?" It was Ryan's turn to shift in his seat uncomfortably.

      "Well, I kept Nancy being my daughter from pretty much everyone. Only people who were on a need to know basis were let in on it. As you're aware our family isn't the safest or even open to new members, especially Nancy Drew. As for my father, it was right after Celia was murdered," at his words I spit out my coffee. I quickly grabbed a napkin and dabbed it on my face.

      "Celia was murdered?" Ryan nodded.

      "Right after you arrived into town. I told your mother but I guess she didn't relay the message." I finished cleaning up the mess I had made and tossed the napkin aside. "Anyway, remember when Josiah supposedly went missing?" I shrugged.

      "I was just a baby." He leaned back in his seat grabbing his cup in his hand.

      "My father murdered him and it was all on tape. An old hunting trail camera we had. Tamura witnessed everything and my father was arrested that night." He paused leaning forward again. "I'm sorry you didn't know about Celia. I know you two were close." I sighed heavily.

      "It was just one of the many things my mother kept me in the dark about. Like Tyler? I spent every day thinking that he just stopped responding to me because I wasn't what he wanted anymore. Turns out he was just gone." Ryan gave my hand a reassuring touch and took another drink from his glass.

      "What about you and Ace? Are things getting serious? We don't really talk anymore and I would like to change that." I nodded.

      "I know. It feels like it's been forever since we just sat down and had a talk. As for Ace," I said pausing to take a breath. "I'm not sure. Like I said before, I feel so left out. Today he's working his shift at the Claw but I never know when he's gonna be home. Or who he's even with. When I left the historical society I met him at the station and he told me he had met up with Amanda that day. Although I believe nothing happened I still feel like I was betrayed, ya know? He could have told me."

      "Would you have tried to stop him though?" Ryan asked.

      "Probably." I sighed. "I just feel like he doesn't trust me as much as he lets on. Or that he only trusts me on occasion. We've been together for a couple months and we may have moved fast but I still thought there was a certain amount of trust between us."