Bodyguard: Ace Cain

|30| We're Cool

|We're Cool|

Later in the evening, I found myself awake in the middle of the night. Fortunately, I only needed to go to the bathroom and get a drink. My mind was still filled with the idea of Ace as an assassin. Given his personality, it seemed appropriate. Every day, I learned something new about him, and this was no exception.

However, I had to contemplate my future and decide whether I wanted to remain in this uncertain world. My father was never home because his work came first in his life. Despite Ace's assurance that he would resign for me, what would happen if an unexpected event occurred? What if we needed the money to survive and this was the quickest way to obtain it? I didn't want to be in a relationship with him if it was anything like my parents. Distant.

Seeing Hailey sitting in the kitchen left me with little time to consider my options. She appeared to have just woken up and needed a drink as well. Her cold eyes fixed on me as I opened the refrigerator. She could never conceal her disdain for me. Whether we woke up exhausted, it didn't matter. To her, I was an enemy.

I intended to pour my drink and leave, but I couldn't stop myself from wondering what her problem was. We would never be able to resolve our problems unless we spoke. Furthermore, she wasn't going to keep staring at me without addressing her concerns. I needed a reason for her behavior, and it better be good.

Sipping from my cup, I gazed directly at her, prepared for this conversation. "What's your problem?" I asked.

She looked at me surprised. "Excuse me?"

"Every day, you treat me like a piece of human garbage," I said. "I don't like you, but could you explain why you look dead when you look at me?"

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Helix, I don't need to explain myself to you!" She snapped.

I slammed the cup down. "YES, you do!" I yelled. "You are in my house and must follow my rules. I would start talking if I were you."

We stared at each other in silence, neither of us willing to concede defeat. Why accept the job of protecting someone you dislike? I don't understand why she's here. What is her relationship with Ace? This appeared to be the source of our disagreement.

Hailey growled, feeling trapped in a difficult situation. I was not going to let her leave this kitchen without answering my questions first. If we were going to be distant from each other, I needed a reason. That way, we could reciprocate each other's feelings.

Hailey crossed her arms and looked at the floor with irritation. "I...I don't hate you," she sighed. "The truth is, I care about Ace and don't want him to suffer."

My facial expression softened. "Were you guys like a thing or what?" I couldn't stop myself from asking.

She looked at me and died laughing. My cheeks flushed as embarrassment set in. I'm not sure if I should feel stupid for thinking that or if she was laughing to hide the truth. If she felt the need to snub me without knowing who I was, it meant their relationship was important to her. My last name carried weight, but I'm more than just a Helix.

Her laughter subsided as she wiped a tear from her eye. "God no, I would never think of Ace that way," she assured me. "However, we have been friends for a long time. I saw him go through so much, and when I saw him getting close to you, I...I got worried." She admitted.

That made some sense. "Okay, so why did you take that out on me?" I still wasn't sure why she hated me.

"Because Ace never gets close to anyone," she said, her voice lowering. "He is very closed off, especially since his father died."

"Oh," was all I could say.

She nodded. "The three of us used to talk about everything, and Ace was much more lively than he is now."

My eyes enlarged. "That's a shocker."

"Believe me, I know," she added before she continued. "He's the opposite of open, and what he did with you felt suspicious," she said.

This is the first time Hailey has communicated with me without coming across as disrespectful. Her feelings were undoubtedly valid. This was her best friend for many years. I could understand why she was weary, having witnessed his behavior change and his open communication with me. Unfortunately for Ace, I enjoyed prying. This was especially true for the individuals I held dear. Despite our mindless bickering, it was simple to communicate with Ace.

Hailey suddenly chuckled. "But then he brought you to the warehouse and was oddly protective of you," she remembered. "That night at the exhibition, he once again protected you against Noel, and I knew it was more than just him doing his job," she recalled.

I licked my lips and nodded. "Yeah, that's fair."

"He held you close and smiled even when you were being childish...I knew he had feelings for you," she said, looking up at me. "So, I was afraid you would hurt him like that bitch did back in high school." Her voice was filled with venom.

I took a deep breath before I spoke up. "Hailey, I don't know what it is about your annoying-ass friend, but I like him very much," I admitted.

This time, she smiled at me with genuineness I had never witnessed before. "I know, and I apologize," she said. "They're both like brothers to me, and I would protect them from anyone. I went a little overboard, though."

We laughed and looked at each other with new fondness. If you had told me weeks ago that we would be here talking, I would have called you a liar. Hailey has been against me from the moment we first met. Knowing she had no feelings for him helped me feel better about liking him. It also clarified why she was upset with him for being so close to me. It makes sense that she would not want the same thing to happen again, especially after Ace told me about his heartbreak a long time ago.

Although I didn't like how he kept things from me, nothing he said would ever cause me to turn my back on him. Ace held my heart in his hands, and I didn't want to take it away. He made me feel this way for the first time, and I couldn't forget it. Furthermore, if there was anything I was not satisfied with, Ace would stop.

We fell silent after our conversation because neither of us knew what to say. Clarifying our differences allowed us to move forward without harboring any unspoken animosity.

I finished my drink, which I slammed onto the table, before putting my cup in the sink. As I prepared to leave, I turned around to look at Hailey once more. Her eyes were no longer as cold as they had been, and she smiled softly at me.

"So...are we...?"

"We're cool." She said with a smirk.

I nodded, and with confirmation, I felt satisfied enough to return to my room. Tonight's sleep will be much more peaceful.

Everything in my world was going well. Ace and I had developed a better understanding of one another. Jake and I didn't have a strained relationship, but he wasn't exempt from responsibility either. Hailey and I finally put our differences aside and became more cordial than we would ever have been. Everything appeared to fall into place perfectly. What could go wrong?

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