Ace: A Love Story

Chapter 33

"I'm here," Oliver announced from the speaker phone. 

"Jesus," I said, glancing at the clock. "Your punctuality is getting scarier and scarier every day."

I threw on a dark blue dress and my white kitten heels. The fact was, I hadn't been getting ready for the past hour because I had been flipping through AJ's diary.

I had expected myself to get grossly emotional, but instead I had merely read my brother's words with only a distant twinge of regret. So many words had been left unsaid between us when he died.

However, reading his words had given me a strange kind of comfort. I knew that I was now capable of thinking of my brother and not breaking down with sadness. I hadn't moved on entirely, but I felt like I was now able to finally feel whole in myself without AJ in my life.

"I'm coming," I said to Oliver.

Oliver was standing outside of his car when I walked up to him. He was wearing a suit. A goddamn suit. I did my best not to ogle him, but man he looked good. His hair was unruly as ever, but that was what I loved about it. 

"You clean up nice," I said, and I laid my head on his shoulder as he hugged me. He leaned in to kiss me, but I put my index finger over his lips.

"Not within view of my parents, please," I said, glancing back at my house.

He smiled. "I don't know if you remember this, but we had met once before. Before that time at the tennis courts when we officially met."

"I remember," I said. "I had just been in in a fight with AJ on the phone and you asked me if I was okay."

"I remember thinking that you were the prettiest girl I had ever seen," Oliver said, and something in my chest erupted in joy at his words.

"Nah. I was a pimply-faced, sweaty high-schooler."

"Now you're my pimply-faced, sweaty high-schooler," Oliver quipped, grinning.

I smacked him on the shoulder playfully. "Hey, watch it."

"So, you ready to go, ma'am?" Oliver said, folding himself into a mock bow.

"Yes," I said. "But I was wondering if we could stop somewhere first."

---

I hadn't been here in so long. Overgrown weeds crowded the cemetery, and I clenched my fists as I forced my legs to work.

Oliver and I walked through rows and rows of graves. My eyes scanned all the names until I landed on a gravestone that read Anthony Justice, Beloved Brother and Son.

I sucked in a breath, and Oliver put his hand on the small of my back. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Y-yes," I said, my voice shaky. "Could you go back to the car? I'll be back soon."

With a nod, Oliver left.

I kneeled down in front of my brother's grave, staring at the packed earth beneath me.

"AJ," I whispered. "I don't know if you can hear me, or not. I mean, I don't think ghosts are real, but I think somehow you can hear me. I hope you find peace. I hope wherever you are now is better than your life on earth ever was. I'm-I'm so sorry that Mom and Dad and I haven't come here in a long time. We all took a while to heal from your- from your-"

I took a deep, shaky breath. "You were the best thing that's ever happened to me. But now, I've got someone else, AJ. Oliver Reilly. Remember him? He loves me, just like you did. And I love him. So much. But I guess the point is, I'm stronger now. I'm so, so happy. And I read your diary. Don't get too mad at me. When we meet again you can scold me. I know what happened that night,  AJ. But in my eyes you'll always just be my brother, not a criminal or anything. I know that your life wasn't very happy, but you were never anything but good to me. So you deserve to be happy now. Bye, AJ. I promise I'll visit again soon."