Ace's Wilder

Funerals

Of course, sometimes things don't work out.

Sometimes even the best of intentions don't stand a chance against the will of God, or the universe, or whatever theory of order one subscribes to. Sometimes...life's just not fair.

Javy and Ace were so incredibly in love.

But sometimes Ace thought about Jase Wilder, and wondered what he was doing. She supposed she owed him a lot of gratitude. Not only because the result of his breaking her heart had been the catalyst for her semester and summer in Puerto Rico, but for showing her what love meant in the first place.

Had she not grown so much in her relationship with Jase, she never would have been able to make it last with Javy. Or maybe she would have, but it wouldn't have been so meaningful. For a long time after Jase was gone from her life, even after she'd gotten back to Hopkins from San Juan, Ace would regularly take stock of everything she'd learned from Jase. Not just about love, and love-making, but about herself. Jase had shown her how to take something she was good at, and turn it into something she loved doing. He'd given her perspective. He'd loved her for being independent, and going her own way. With that kind of encouragement, she'd learned to trust herself – her gut...and sometimes she wondered if it was her gut she'd listened to when she and Jase started fighting at the end...or if it was just her mom, and her mom's toxic doubts that had sunk her relationship.

She supposed it was neither here, nor there—Jase was living his best life in Los Angeles, being the Angels 'Ace Whisperer' while their pitching staff wrecked the rest of the American League. He'd actually been an All-Star a few times. He was also a red carpet regular, while his wife's career was taking off.

She'd read the rumors about Samira Cole—was she faithful to Jase? Was she only unfaithful to Jase because he was also unfaithful to her? Ace's gut, once again, told her Jase wasn't a cheater, but she also knew it was none of her business to speculate. She had more important things to worry about.

2010. It was January in San Juan. Ace and Javy had spent Christmas with Ace's parents and had headed to the island for New Years. On New Year's Day, Javy woke up early, having promised to take his youngest brother, fourteen year-old Nico, to the beach to surf. He'd been looking forward to it for weeks.

Around 8 AM, Javy slipped out of bed, and kissed Ace goodbye. "I'll be back, Reina. I love you more than anything, you know that?"

Ace barely stirred, having been deeply asleep, but she did manage to smile and whisper, "I love you, too, JP. Come back to me."

"Always." She could hear the smile in his voice, and her heart swelled.

The next time Ace opened her eyes, it was to the sound of someone pounding on the Perez's front door. Javy's mom, having been in the kitchen, opened the door as Ace stepped out into the hallway. The police were there. Javy's mom seemed to stumble backwards into the house at their words. Ace walked closer.

"...trying to rescue the boy. He's fine, but Javy...rip current...easy to get disoriented...even the most athletic men...strong swimmers...came out of nowhere...didn't know...He's gone."

Ace crumpled to the ground.

At least that's what they told her. She didn't really remember much of it. The next three weeks were a blur.

The national sports news media descended on San Juan. Plans were canceled. Hearts were broken.

Ace swore her heart had stopped. After the funeral, she didn't get out of bed for a week.

Finally, her dad and Briley Scott, who had actually become one of her closest friends after a chance encounter during Ace's junior year of college, came to retrieve her.