Let's Fake It Moonshine - Ace Merrill

There she is!

"You got an answer for me?"

Luna looked up just as she went to get back into Eyeball's car. She had no idea what had gotten into him last night and why he was so desperate for her to go but she planned to find out today.

"Well?" Theodore asked as he came closer, realising who's car she was about to get in.

"Why have you got Eyeball's car?"

"It's a long story and I don't really have the time to get into it." Luna answered as she looked around.

"Look can we talk later? I really have to go."

"It's just a simple yes or no Luna? Where's the problem?"

Luna sighed. "Fine, I've got your answer."

Theodore took another step closer, hopeful and ready.

*****

"Please tell me you're lying?" Jayme asked as she looked across the table of the diner at Eyeball.

Eyeball moved the bag of ice of his face as he looked around at everyone's expectant faces.

"Do I fucking look like I'm lying?!" He tried to snap as he grumbled and out the bag back against his jaw.

"No offence but I can tell you now, she didn't date Ace to get to you." Lexi mumbled as she leant back in her chair.

"I figured that thank you." Eyeball replied sarcastically.

The entire group fell into silence as their food arrived and they began eating. Each exchanging the same glances, Betsy had lied to Eyeball and tried to encourage him to go for Luna, while leading Ace to watch, thus causing the fight.

She had tried and succeeded in driving a wedge between the two of them.

They all knew how much Betsy hated them and how she wanted Ace all to herself and by starting this fight, she had got what she wanted.

"There she is!" Jack said happily as they all looked up and saw Luna walking in as she gave them all a soft smile.

"Figured you'd all be here and-" she looked down at Eyeball. "What the fuck happened to you?!" She exclaimed as she moved to his side.

Grabbing his face in her hands she looked him over as she saw the cuts and bruises littering his face.

"Well?!" She snapped as everyone tried to avoid her glance.

"I got jumped walking home last night." Eyeball lied through gritted teeth.

"You?" Luna scoffed out. "Eyeball Chambers? The cobra? Got jumped?"

Eyeball nodded slowly, knowing full well she didn't really believe him but it was better than telling her the exact truth.

"That's the story you're sticking with?" She looked down at him.

Eyeball nodded up at her as she nodded slowly. Handing him his keys slowly she walked around to sit beside Jayme.

"You gonna tell me why you were acting so weird last night too?" She asked as she sat down and Jayme fed her a piece of her pancakes.

Eyeball shook his head. "You gonna trust me and not ask about it?"

Luna looked about at the others as she saw they were all looking away, none could face her.

"You all know don't you?" She asked quietly.

None answered but they didn't have to, she knew they knew.

"Please?" Eyeball asked her again.

Luna was about to answer when the door of the diner opening caught her attention.

Betsy and Ace walked in as Betsy was chatting away happily to him, leading him away from their group.

"Seems like someone else got jumped walking home last night too." Luna mumbled as she looked up at Ace.

His eyes locked with hers as Betsy quickly dragged him away and they sat down on the other side of the diner.

"You gonna drop it?" Eyeball asked her again, refusing to look over at Ace.

Luna sighed as she nodded slowly. "If you're gonna give me that bit of bacon?"

Eyeball forced a smile at her as he nodded and let her take it.

The group slowly began to relax as their own conversations took over.

*****

"Maybe I should just go over and-" Ace started as he went to stand up but Betsy reached out and took his arm in her hand, pulling him back down.

"They made their choice." She spoke firmly. "They want to hang around with the guy who stabbed you in the back then let them."

Ace looked over at his old friends, they were all trying to avoid looking over at him.

"Forget about them Ace, you don't need them when you got me." She spoke sweetly as she reached up and turned his head to face her.

"But they-"

"They clearly don't care about you." Betsy scoffed out. "If they did they would come to you."

Ace nodded slowly as he let his gaze look back over at them again.

His eyes stuck on Luna. The way she laughed at something Billy had said, the way she happily spoke to Lexi as she sat beside Charlie, both with the biggest smiles on their faces.

The way her hair framed her face so perfectly, Ace began to think it had been carved to fit her. She clearly realised she was being watched as she looked over at him.

Their eyes locked for a split second as he felt a hand on his face, turning him away from her again as Betsy smiled at him.

Ace forced one back as he let the waitress take their orders.

*****

"He ain't happy." Jack mumbled as he looked over at Ace once more.

"Course he ain't, he's with a dragon bitch." Vince mumbled as he finally finished eating and shoved his plate down.

"Don't you think we should do something?" Jack asked quietly.

Vince scoffed and nodded towards Eyeball. "And end up looking like that? Fuck that."

Jack sighed slightly as he looked back over at Ace.

"Look," Vince started. "He should know Eyeball would never go against him like that and that he was clearly lied to by Betsy and that Eyeball only wanted to get her away from him before he couldn't stop himself."

"Eyeball did nothing wrong." Vince repeated. "He tried to protect Luna. Ace was the one that didn't let him explain and believed that dragon bitch over him. He's made his bed now let him lie with that tramp in it."

Jack looked back over at Ace. They all had seen him unhappy and grumpy before but this was a new one.

Jack watched as Ace looked back over at them. Their eyes locked as Jack saw Ace speak, making a move to get up but was stopped once more by Betsy as she kept him at her table.

Jack turned back to Vince quickly and went to speak but Vince stopped him.

"Let it go Mudgett." Vince snapped. "He ain't with us no more."