Where I Belong - Ace Merrill

Chapter 39

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~2022~
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Betsy and Harper spent each day sat on the sofa watching Stand By Me over and over as neither could seem to get enough. Until they were both awoken by Harper's dad gently shaking them.

"Girls we gotta go. Comic cons tomorrow." He whispered as they slowly came around.

They both nodded as he straightened up and picked up some of the rubbish. "Pack up your stuff and we'll get going."

Harper's dad had had his assistant buy them both a small selection of clothes as they both had nothing so both girls began slowly getting everything sorted. He'd also brought them both a big stay over bag for them to put all their stuff in as Harper packed up what she had.

"This will work right?" Betsy asked her as she walked into the room Harper had.

Harper stopped packing and sighed. She shrugged slightly as she turned to face her. "It's our only chance." She said solemnly as both girls stood in silence.

"Girls!"

They both turned and saw her dad in the doorway.

"Ready?" He asked quietly.

They both nodded as he came in and grabbed Harper's bag. Betsy followed him out as Harper looked down at the ring on her finger. The A sparkled from the sunlight filtering into her room. She fiddled about with it as she felt her insides clench. This had to work.

"Are you okay?"

She looked up and saw her dad in the doorway again. Harper nodded slowly as she dropped her hands to her side.

"We'll get you both back." He mumbled as he came closer and opened his arms.

Harper nodded as she dove into his arms and hugged him tightly.

"I promise we won't give up." He mumbled into her hair.

Harper nodded again as they both pulled away and he took her hand in his and lead her out. Betsy was waiting outside the room as the three walked in silence down the stairs. They all headed out to the car and we're soon all speeding off.

Betsy stared out the window and watched as they all drove along. Cars, houses and a whole new world sped past her. Yet as amazed she was, she just wanted to go home.

Harper stared out the window and watched as they all drove along. Cars, houses and her whole world sped past her. Yet as she loved it here, she just wanted to go home.

~~~~~
~1959~
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"He's doing it again." Charlie mumbled to the other cobras as they all stood around the pool tables.

The cobras looked over at the table where Ace sat, he was spinning his glass of whiskey in his hand on the table as his eyes stayed fixated on the bathroom door.

"You expected anything different?" Eyeball snapped at him, even he was on edge about how Harper and Betsy hadn't returned yet.

He couldn't miss Betsy if he tried but Harper not being here with them was causing him to be a lot more angry and feisty. She, he did miss. A lot.

"Didn't he miss the day she came back last time?" Billy asked him quietly, nodding towards Ace.

Eyeball nodded slowly. "He stayed in bed that day."

"So why don't we make him go to bed now? Could work right?" Jack offered.

Eyeball shook his head. "It would have to be tomorrow, he's already been here today. Don't think the universe works like that."

"Well how does the universe work?" Vince asked.

Eyeball shrugged. "How the fuck do I know? If I knew that don't you think I'd have brought her back?!" He snapped at them.

Vince slunk back slightly, they could all tell that Harper not being here had not only caused Ace to be a lot more aggressive but was now rubbing off on Eyeball too.

"We could try telling him to stay home tomorrow?" Fuzzy asked Eyeball.

He shrugged in response. "You actually think that would work?" He asked somewhat sarcastically.

They all shrugged along.

"Worth a shot isn't it? She only came back last time when he wasn't here waiting for him." Charlie mumbled.

Eyeball paused before looking back at Ace. He hated seeing him like this, completely torn up over a girl. He nodded at the others.

"Let me talk to him." He mumbled as he handed Jack his cue and slowly approached Ace.

"Ace..." he mumbled.

Ace grumbled a response but kept his eyes glued to the bathroom door.

"Ace we had an idea." Eyeball mumbled again as he cautiously sat down next to him.

Ace was still furious about how the boys had all stopped him from following Harper through and because of this, they all approached him with more caution than ever before. He was more than capable of killing them and they all knew it.

"Remember last time when she came back?"

Ace nodded slowly. "Before she was ripped away from me again? Yes I fucking remember." He snapped.

Eyeball slunk back slightly. "Well, remember that day when she came back? You stayed at home. It was the only day you stayed at home and didn't come and wait for her."

"So?" Ace snapped once more.

"So... we were thinking maybe you need to do that again? Tomorrow you stay at home and it could somehow mean she comes back?" Eyeball suggested.

Ace finally broke his gaze from the bathroom door and turned to Eyeball.

"Are you all this fucking stupid?" He snapped as his attention turned back to the bathroom door.

Eyeball didn't know what to say. He just stood up in silence as he walked back over to the other cobras.

"Well? What did he say?" Billy quickly asked as Eyeball reached them.

Eyeball shrugged off the question as he shoved past them all and stormed out of the bar. The cobras looked between Ace and the entrance to the bar before glancing at each other.

"This girls tearing us all apart..." Charlie mumbled as they all slowly followed Eyeball out.