Walking With The Outcast

Chapter 10 - Lucilia

I know what Ace and Ethan did. It wasn't hard to get the gist of the incident once the rumors started. Although I ought to reprimand Ace, knowing he did it for my benefit, I can't. Not many people in my life are willing to fight for me, defend me, protect me. The feeling that it evokes warms me and prompts a smile on my face to form. No, I won't chastise him. Not this time.

Instead I'll bask in the feelings that Ace unknowingly creates in me: the rapid fluttering of my heart, the nervous excitement roiling in my stomach, and the overall lightness in my whole being. His presence is my weakness, my vulnerability, and yet, he remains painfully oblivious.

Friends. What a crappy word.

Strolling the school hallways with Ace by my side is both dream and nightmare. One I am living right now. He strides protectively beside me as I try to push through the hallway crowd. The students gossip about what happened involving paint and the populars, and I know that if I want the exact version, I'll have to ask Ace.

I don't though. All I want right now is no drama and Ace by my side.

School ended about ten minutes ago, and Ace escorts me to the library, hand gripping mine protectively. Ethan is nowhere to be found, but if I had to guess his whereabouts I'd say he's probably in the parking lot looking for us. When he went to the bathroom earlier, Ace grabbed my hand and started dragging me away, ditching poor Ethan.

Entering through the library's wooden archway, Ace halts, and I follow suit. He replaces his hand that is holding mine delicately with a note and leaves me watching his retreating muscular figure.

The note says, "I'll see you in a couple hours." I smile slightly.

Tossing the note in the trash can, I exit the library. Normally I would wait there, but today I have an errand to run in town.

Weaving between the lingering students, I make my way down the off-white hallway filled with club posters and team spirit. The exits come into view, and I speed up, but come to an abrupt stop by someone gripping my arm.

"Where were you guys?" Ethan demands.

I turn with a guilty look. "It wasn't my fault. Ace has to go somewhere after school for a couple hours sometimes, so I hang out in the library. I'm sorry we ditched you, though." I widen my eyes and give my best puppy expression.

He swipes a hand down his face and groans, defeated. "Fine. I forgive you. Where'd Ace go?"

I shrug my shoulders and saunter to the exit. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? I was under the impression you two are friends."

"We are," I defend. "But I don't constantly know where he is."

Ethan looks at me disbelievingly. "You really don't know where he went." I shake my head. "Don't you ever get curious?"

"Of course I do. But I'm not going to intrude on his privacy." Especially since he doesn't intrude on mine.

"Aren't you worried about what he's doing, though?"

I stop and face Ethan. "Listen. I know that a lot of people think Ace is a bad person, but he's not. I trust Ace, okay?"

"So you're telling me that you've never been tempted to follow him?" He raises his right eyebrow challengingly.

I concede. "No, I have. But I don't want to lose the trust Ace has in me."

Hoping to end the conversation with my departure, I spin on my heel and glide across the parking lot.

"Wait! Lucilia, where are you going?" Footsteps echo mine as Ethan catches up.