SAVING ACE

six

s i x

Ace M. V. Williams

I was laying down in the sun, feeling the hot summer rays on my skin, as I waited for Jacob - my best mate - to arrive. Olivia had already left one hour ago, leaving me to think about her. Why did she move away and flinch when I tried to touch her? Why did she say she used to be fat?

I had so many questions about her. I remembered her back in high school, although I never talked much to her, I knew her from crossing paths with her in the hallways. I was pretty sure we shared an AP class during my senior year. I don't recall her being fat, sure, she was curvy but she was nowhere near fat. She looked - and still looks - beautiful.

I don't remember her having a boyfriend, I only remember her as well as some of her friends - I recall Phoebe and Jules.

When Jacob arrived I nagged the hell out of him to know if he remembered anything about Olivia. He only told me that she dated 'a jackass named Toby who tried to sleep with my sister against her will before I punched him to a pulp in my front porch'.

"Wait, but he was still dating Olivia at that time?" I asked, intrigued.

"I dunno, man, I guess so. He left our school right before the year finished, he didn't even stay for graduation."

"He was in our class?"

"Of course, he was, Ace, he was the linebacker for our football team! Are you sure you don't remember him?"

Slowly, an image of the conceited linebacker appeared in my mind, I remember him as a blonde guy who was always harassing the cheerleaders. Did Olivia really date him?

"Moving on, why are you so interested in that chick?"

"She's my roommate, J."

"And? Are you catching feelings for her?"

"I worry about her, yeah. She flinched when I tried to touch her."

"Maybe he was abusive towards her? I don't know, but I wouldn't put it past him. I'll ask my sister if she knows anything if you want to. I met an incredible girl the other night, her name is Phoebe, actually, I think she's friends with your Olivia."

"They are friends, yes. Do you like Phoebe?"

"I do, I genuinely do, she's different from all the other girls I've been with. Yeah, I really like Phoebe."

"That's great, J."

We stayed on the beach until around 10 pm, just goofing around. A little past 10 pm we made our way back home.

"Can we go by the other road?" I asked as I noticed we were approaching my family's house.

"You haven't talked to your dad?"

"No, and I don't plan to."

"Are you over Nicole, Ace?"

"I am, Jacob. However, I can't get over what my brother did to me. And my father... Well, you know."

After I said my goodbyes to Jacob who went home, I walked the rest of the journey left until my new apartment. As I opened the door, I noticed that everything was black. 'Strange', I thought to myself, since I think that Olivia mentioned that she was coming home. At my feet, Mr Snowie started meowing and rubbing himself onto my shin.

"Hey, little guy. How are you?" I crouched down, rubbing Mr Snowie's belly.

I changed into some sweats. I didn't have Olivia's number but I texted my mother, who told me her number. As I was laying around in the living room, I noticed that it was already past midnight, so I texted Liv.