she left...and came back { ace | 2 }

Chapter 37:Being Mr Portgas's partner

*couple years later*
Itami pov
"You've been doing a really great job here, Itami."Belle-mère says
I laugh."Well that's good. I was starting to worry."I say
"Why would you worry?"Nojiko says as she carries in a heavy load of mandarins."You're really great at this job."
"Yeah I guess so...Probably unwanted nerves being a bitch."I say
Nami laughed."You got that right! Now come help me pick some mandarins!"

Nami & I went outside to the mandarin orchid, ourselves grabbing a big basket.
Yeah, I decided to work with Nami, Nojiko & Bell-mère, here at the Mandarin farm that they own/live in. They all lived out in the country side, and really, these mandarins are hella good. I don't know what sort of fertilizer or manure they use, but whatever it is, it makes these mandarins really good.

And the good thing is, is that I can take home some mandarins for a discount!

"Ya know, working here is pretty fun."I say
"Yeah it is. And business here is really good."Nami says with dollar signs in her eyes
I laughed at my money-loving friend."You got that right."

We carried on with picking mandarins off the trees whilst chattering about what's going on in our life.

"Fucking finally! She took ages to start dating him."I say
"You have no idea how many times I had to get the message through her head. I mean, Zoro & Robin are meant to be!"Nami says
"Hell yeah. Now we just gotta wait for the babies to start rolling in."I say
"What about you? Hows things going with you & Ace?"
"Pretty good. After the whole credit card biz, Ace has started working at the high school as a PE teacher. Though sometimes it means that he has to take after school Basketball practice."I say
"Naww that's pretty cool!"
"Speak of the devil, he's calling right now!"

I quickly put the mandarin that I was holding into the basket & got out my phone.

"Hey you, what's up?"I asked
"Hey love, are you still up for coming to the senior dance as my date?"Ace asked
"Yeah I am, work finishes at 4:30. When us it again?"I asked
"It starts at 7 & ends at 10."Ace says
"Okay, cool."
"I gotta go! PE next!"Ace says
"Haha have fun! Love you!"
"Love you too!"
He hung up.

"You're going as Ace's date?"Nami asks
"Yeah,"I say."I'm real excited about this. I haven't been to a ball in ages."I say
"Man you're lucky. You get to go to a ball while I lounge around at home & do nothing!"Nami pouts
I laughed."Then why don't you get someone to come over?"
"I can't! Kira is off with Marco, Vivi is off with Sabo, Robins currently unavailable cause she's with the moss headed idiot & you're going to a ball! I have no one!"Nami says dramatically
"Then why don't you get Sanji over or something! He'd be more than happy to be in the same building as you...hell he'd be almost in tears knowing you're both on the same planet!"I say
Nami sighed."Yeah...I guess I could hang out with him..."

Then I remembered....I have no dress.

"Oh shit!"I shreiked as I dropped a mandarin
"What now?"Nami asked
"I don't have anything to wear! I can't go into town after work cause the shops would've closed by then..I can't wear a cocktail dress..oh no! Nami what am I going to do?!"I say
"Relax I'll ask Belle-mére is you can get off work early."Nami says.
"Really?! You'd do that for me?!"I asked
"What are friends for? Now come on! You haven't got all day!"

Luckily, Belle-mére let me get off work. I got Mother to pick me up & take me to the dress maker. When we walked in, we met with a gazillion styles & colours of dresses.

But when you shop with my Mother, it'll feel as if you will be there all day.

"Oh what about this one?"
"Mmm....It's not exactly my style."

But then I found the perfect one.

"Hey Mother, what about this one?"I asked
Mother gasped when she saw the dress."It'll look absolutely stunning on you!"

So we bought it & drove over to their house, so that she'll help me get dressed. I had a shower & began to but on the dress that I bought. Mother helped me with my hair & make up, and I put on my Endless love perfume (By Victoria's Secret).

Mother stepped back from me after she was done."There....you're all done. You wanna see?"Mother asked
I nodded & she handed me the hand held mirror.

I smiled when I saw how my make up was done. I had silver eye shadow on along with some mascara on my eyelashes, my eyebrows (yes I will say this) were on fleek! I had on a little bit of blush & some peachy pink lip stick. My hair was curled & sat on my shoulder, showing off my neck.

"Thank you Mother, you made me look...look-"
"You look beautiful darling."Mother says as she kisses my forehead."And I'm proud to have you as one of my children."
"I love you too, Mother."

After our Mummy-daughter moment, Mother dropped me off at the school hall. I got out a 'V.I.P' card that Ace got me & handed it to one if the teachers, they smiled at me & said hello, how am I. I smiled & would say 'Good thanks.'

I went inside & felt nostalgia as I walked around. Nothing had changed here, all the old year 9s & 10s all went up to me & said hello, they were all telling me about them being new year 12s or 13s. It was really great to see them again.

"A dance milady?"

I turned & found Ace behind me, wearing a black & red themed tuxedo. His arm was extended towards me, offering to dance with me.

"Well it would be rude to decline, Mr Portgas. I will happily accept that offer."
Ace chuckled."As you wish, milady."

I took his hand & he guided me to the dance floor. The song 'Photograph' by Ed Sheeran came on, the music slow & steady.

"I'm so happy that you came tonight, Itami."Ace says
I smiled."I wanted to come. Plus I'd be all alone in our house."I say
Ace chuckled again."That's why I invited you. After the whole Bar thing, I never want to leave you alone."Ace says
I blushed."I don't ever want to leave you alone either."
"And by the way,"Ace leaned into my ear."You're looking so beautiful,"He sniffer me."And you smell really sexy at the same time."

I went really red, his whispers throwing shivers down my spine. And to make matters worse, his hand was on my back, and he was tracing circles on my back. Damn these things that he does to me...it's making me look like an idiot. And doesn't he know that he's in public?! And at a school?!

Ace pov
Itami was really red. It's always so funny & adorable seeing her all flustered like this, I don't know why...but it sorta turns me on...just a tad.
But oh well, that can wait after school.

'Wait until I bring out the surprise...'

(A/N:Stay tuned for part 2!)