Threads of Fate: An Asa Butterfield FanFiction

9- A Sticky Situation

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry this took so long to update! I've been busy :| I apologize if this is too short for you.

Asa's P.O.V.

Clearly something had gone awry; and it wasn't a "little" thing, either. Something huge had to have just happened, or else Alice wouldn't have called me in the middle of a make-or-break conference with Orson Scott Card.

Since my phoned had been on vibrate, the first time i had gotten a call I was ale to inconspicuously check to see who it was. Considering the fact that I was debating my fate with Orson as well as the director for Ten Thousand Saints, I certainly couldn't drop everything and answer my phone- that would be ill-mannered and unprofessional.

Even after the second and third time Alice had called me I had ignored her, knowing that whatever she wanted to talk to me about couldn't come between my life-altering conference.

But the fourth time I felt the vibration from the phone, a gut feeling that I just couldn't shake told me that some form for turmoil was going on at Alice's end.

"Excuse me, but I need to use the restroom." I announced politely, standing up and getting the "okay" nod from Card that signaled me to leave the room. I look my time exiting the meeting to avoid drawing any suspicion, but as soon as the enormous steel doors closed I briskly walked down the marble hallway, giving the occasional nod to whatever authority figure I passed.

As the bathroom door came into view, I practically sprinted inside and slammed the door shut. After discreetly checking under the stalls to make sure they we're empty, I pulled out my phone and promptly called Alice back.

This better be good, considering I walked out of an extremely important meeting just to return the call.

I feverishly typed in Alice's number and put my iPhone to my ear, heaving a heavy sigh full of nervous and worries.

Ring...ring...ring....

As my phone rang for the fourth time, I began to impatiently tap my foot, becoming antsy and frustrated with Alice. If she didn't answer in an few seconds, I would be forced to hang up ad return to my conference; Card and the others would become skeptical if I took too long in the restroom.

"Hello?!" Alice's thunderous panicked voice echoed through the empty bathroom hall, and I quickly turned down the volume to make sure that no one could eavesdrop on our conversation. Even on the phone, Alice's voice seemed to travel through walls- she was so loud, for a second I thought my phone was on speaker.

"This better be good." I grumbled, not afraid to let Alice know I was not really in a blithe and cheerful mood. "You do know your constant calls made me excuse myself from that important meeting, right?"

"Yes I know, and I'm really sorry..." Alice took a shuddering breath, suddenly sounding crestfallen and shaken up.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, picking up on the whole concept a little too late.

"You know my Aunt Bea?"

"I've heard you mention her, so yes."

"Well," Alice sniffled on the other end of the call, taking a long pause before speaking again. Moments passed by slowly and the tension and anxiety began to build up like a skyscraper.

"Alice, what is it?" I asked persistently, her dead silence sending chills down my spine. Clearly there had been some kind of accident or incident, and the fact that Alice was too traumatized to speak made me on-edge.

"I really don't want to get you involved, Asa..." Alice sniffled once more, and the sound of police sirens in the background were a dead giveaway there had been an accident. "But since you're the only other person I know in California besides my parents and Aunt Bea, I kinda need to involve you. Especially because they're not here to talk."

"What is it?" I repeated fretfully.

"My aunt's house was broken into, and she was so frightened that she had a stroke."

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After the big reveal from Alice, I knew that she needed me; not because she was too fragile to soak up the harsh reality, but because she just needed a shoulder to cry on. Of course, I couldn't just pick up and leave the conference no matter how much I wanted to ditch.

Consequently, I sat through another twenty minutes of talking that seemed to drag by slower than molasses. Thoughts of Alice surged through my mind the entire time, and I had a hard time keeping track of what was being covered in the meeting. Every here and there I would slip up and ask Card or someone else to repeat the question they had just asked me, and I hoped they just thought my nerves about being in Ten Thousand Saints was the cause of being distracted.

Originally, we were all supposed to go out for brunch, but as soon as the meeting ended, I exempted myself, claiming I felt sick, and sped off towards Alice's house before anyone could ask questions.

I knew that eventually Hailee would see through my lie- she knew me almost as well as my family. When the time came for answers, I was still debating whether to tell her the whole story with Alice from day one or just make up annoy her white lie. I mean yeah, Hailee was a really good friend, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to include her in the whole "Alice" mess.

My phone began to ring, and I answered immediately when I realized it was Alice calling.

"What's up?" I asked, struggling to keep my phone wedged between my ear and my shoulder. Driving safely was always an ordeal for me, and I didn't feel comfortable with the idea of steering with one hand.

"Are you almost here? Police are about to leave my aunt's house." Alice asked nervously, still sniffling from the sudden shock of her aunt.

"I'm about two blocks away."

"Alright." Alice took a pause and the blaring sounds of the various police cars made themselves heard through the phone. "I just want to thank you for coming. I mean, I'm just some kid you met two weeks ago, and you passed up an opportunity to eat with the big shots to come and support me."

"Alice, I don't care if I didn't go to brunch with Card. We're friends; and friends support each other."

"But you're famous...you're ASA BUTTERFIELD and you're coming to help ME, and ordinary 14 year old!" Alice stammered. I rolled my eyes in disapproval- I hated when Alice put herself down like that.

"That doesn't matter!" I exclaimed, giving a chuckle. Suddenly, red and blue flashing lights came into view, as well as a fairly large Victorian home. "I've gotta go. I'm here."

With that, I hung up and carefully pulled over at the side of the road, nearly scraping the bumper of a Porsche in front of me. Even though I've been driving for almost a year, I still hadn't got the hang of parallel parking.

As I stepped out of the car and onto the sidewalk, Alice came running up to me with a a tear-streaked face and swollen eyes.

"Asa, I'm so glad you're here." She exclaimed, a flicker of a smile twitching on the edge of her lips. "Let me show you "the scene of the crime.""

With that, Alice beckoned me to follow as she crossed bright yellow police tapes and walked inside her aunt's ransacked Victorian.