The Bound Collision

Chapter 28

It had been a few weeks since Ace's enrollment in the new school, and everything seemed to have changed, not just for Ace, but for all of us. We enrolled Ace into the private school that I used to go, clearly aware of the security offered there, we decided that'll be the best option. Ace was a brilliant kid, I didn't quite expect that from a kid who had practically never attended school properly before. It didn't take much to enroll him in. 

Ace had been hesitant about the school at first. I remember the way his small hand gripped mine, his knuckles white with anxiety as we walked up to the gates. Me, Gemini, Ford and Mark, literally all of us had gone to drop him off on his first day. It was hard to see him so unsure, the confident little boy who had so quickly charmed all of us, seemed uncertain now.

"Do you think they'll like me?" he had asked in a small voice, looking up at me with those pretty cute eyes

I had crouched down to his level, ruffling his hair in an attempt to ease his nerves. "Of course they will, Ace. You're the coolest kid I know. They're going to love you."

"I am the only kid you know Pookie", he had said making me chuckle 

Of course-Sometimes I forget he's Gemini's brother, where else will the sarcastic answers go-

"They'll like you", I had said with the gummy smile plastered on my face. Hoping he'll believe me.

He'd nodded, but I could still see the worry etched on his face. When we finally let him go. But it had taken everything in Gemini to turn away, to trust that he would be okay.

But that evening, Ace had come home with a smile that could light up the darkest of rooms. He had met new friends, played games he had never heard of, and learned things that fascinated him. The way he spoke, with excitement and joy, had an unexpected effect on me. It was almost like a balm to my constant state of alertness, a reminder that there was something worth fighting for. Ace was thriving, and despite the challenges, he seemed happier than I had ever seen him.

And yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was still lurking just beneath the surface.

Convincing Gemini to let Ace stay in the mansion had been another battle entirely. He had been hesitant—adamant, even—that I did not need to think about it, He was stubborn, that much was clear, but I couldn't let it go. I didn't know why, but the thought of Ace being away from us, from Gemini, had gnawed at me in a way I couldn't explain.

Maybe it was the way Ace looked up to Gemini, with that mix of admiration and love. Or maybe it was something more selfish, something I wasn't ready to admit even to myself. But whatever it was, I knew that I couldn't just let them stay on their own. Not now, not when the stakes were so high.

"You don't need to do this," Gemini had said one evening, while he was in the office and I was signing off some papers, his voice carrying that familiar edge of resistance.

"It's not about needing help, Gemini," I had replied, trying to keep my tone steady. "Ace deserves to be with his family. And if there's a threat out there, it's safer if he's here, where we can protect him."

Gemini had stared at me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine as if trying to figure out what was really driving me. I couldn't tell him the truth—not when I didn't even know what the truth was myself.

Finally, he had sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Alright. But this doesn't mean I'm relying on you."

I had nodded, not trusting myself to say anything more. But the relief that washed over me was undeniable. Ace was safe, and he was here. That was all that mattered. Though sometimes I really wanted to know what was actually making Gemini feel so unsure about his safety, but I never quite asked.