Where I Belong - Ace Merrill

Chapter 26.

~~~~~
~2022~
~~~~~

Harper had made the no hesitation decision to go with her dad. While he was loading the car with his suitcases she ran upstairs to grab her own stuff. Putting her suitcase on the bed she opened it up for the first time since returning.

She slowly began taking out clothes she wasn't bothered about taking and finding ones she was. Just as she yanked out her hoodie she saw a piece of paper fall out onto the floor. Chucking her hoodie on her bed she bent down and picked it up, opening it slowly.

'Kiefer was here.

Come home to me. A.'

Harper almost fell onto the bed. How had that been there? Why hadn't she opened her suitcase sooner? How could she have been so stupid?

"DAD!" She shouted out quickly.

She managed to stand as her dad came rushing into her room.

"What is it? Is everything okay? What the hell-"

Harper held her hand up silencing him as she smiled down at the page before looking up at him.

"Fancy a drink at Irbys?" She asked as she offered the page out to him.

Her dad was confused but stepped forward and took the page and read it.

"That little shit." He mumbled as he laughed, looking up at her.

"I'd love a drink." He said with a smile.

Harper grinned at him as she took the page from him and placed it back in her case. It didn't take long for her to get completely packed. She wasn't too fussed about loads of clothes as she knew she could get them there. Yet she made sure to put a picture of her and her dad in the case.

She quickly wrote out a letter to her mum and placed it neatly on the bed, on top of a photo she'd printed of her and the cobras they'd taken from the movie.

Her dad helped her carry her case down as she slung her full backpack on her back. Stopping at her bedroom door she turned and gave it one final look before looking at the photo of Ace on her wall.

"I did tell you. I'm fucking coming back." She mumbled as she reached up and gently touched the cobra tattoo on her arm.

And with that she turned and shut the door, rushing out after her dad.

The pair were soon speeding off down the road, windows down as Harper gently let her arm rest half out the window. Looking across she saw her dad give her a quick smile as he turned and focused on driving.

~~~~~
~1959~
~~~~~

"Ace..." Billy asked as he quietly approached Ace, who was still sat at the same table, on the same chair as he always did, watching the bathroom door.

"Ace, the girls are here." Billy mumbled again.

Ace shrugged slightly.

"How long are you gonna pine over this girl for?"

Ace snapped. He leapt up and grabbed Billy's collar as he slammed him down on the table.

"HOWEVER FUCKING LONG I WANT!" He shouted as everyone's attention turned to him.

He growled and shoved Billy on the floor as he stormed into the bathroom. Pulling out his blade he flipped it open and crouched down.

Underneath his signature, Eyeball had told him that took him and Harper back to her time, he had started a daily tally. Each day that went by without her he carved another line into the wall.

Yet with every mark he made he found himself struggle to carry on. With every mark he wondered how many more he'd make before she finally came back. Or how many more he'd make before he gave up and accepted she was gone.

Just as he finished scratching in todays line the bathroom door opened and he sighed, knowing who it was.

"You know I'm not giving up either."

Ace nodded slowly as he turned and saw Eyeball offering him a hand. He smiled weakly at his best friend as they clutched hands and Eyeball pulled him up.

"She's coming home. And then we'll let her punch Billy for that comment." Eyeball said with a laugh.

Ace laughed and nodded. "She can do whatever the hell she wants for I care. When she does come back this is her town."

"Female cobra ruling Castle Rock?" Eyeball asked as he looped an arm around Ace and gently guided him out. "We're all fucked." He laughed to himself.

Ace nodded in agreement. "She does have 70 years on us."

Eyeball laughed and nodded. "Yet may I say, still looks fit as hell!"

Ace shook his head but laughed as he shoved Eyeball into the bar and they both ordered another drink. Begrudgingly Ace allowed Eyeball to reintegrate him into the cobras, all playing games of pool, drinking and laughing with the girls. Ace of course ignored every girl that attempted to try it on, as Eyeball happily took the affection.

Ace looked up at the boys, all with girls under their arms. He sighed slightly as he looked over at the bathroom door. She would back. She had to.

"Hey Ace." He heard a female voice.

Turning he saw the only girl he ever properly dated. Betsy Malenfant. Brilliant.