A/N I have no idea if anyone is reading this, but if you are, I hope you like it! :) I find it pretty difficult to get Ace's character right, getting the correct levels of anger. I might have to change some of this; I'll wait and see if I think of anything better.
Chapter 3: A Knock on the Head
He turned, looking me dead in the eye.
"You really want to know?" An unfathomable expression was occupying his face.
I shook my head, "No. No, Ace, I don't want to know; I asked for the hell of it." Now I was getting antagonised.
He turned the ignition off, "well, shut the fuck up then."
I waited, irritably.
"A boy named Ray Bowers died alongside the railway tracks."
I cut in, "and?"
He glared at me, "and we went to see the body. However were beaten there by those little insignificant rats, and one had the balls to pull a gun on me! The faggots are going to get it. Sooner rather than later."
I could tell by his body language and tone that he was deadly serious.
I didn't know how to react to this news...how was I supposed to react?
I thought back to the earlier conversation, what was in his pocket? Somehow, I didn't think I wanted to find out.
The atmosphere was tense, I looked away to gaze out of the window. The sun was beginning to set, the sky was orange and red; it was my favourite time of the day, when everything was coming to a close. It was silent out here: I could only hear the barest whisper of music echoing from the bar.
While Ace seemed content to sit in the silence for a while, however, it unnerved me; silence makes you think too much, it brought back too many memories best forgotten.
Wordlessly I stared outside, banishing the horrors which rose to mind. I was brought out of my reminiscing not long after, brought on by Ace nudging me,
"Time to go home, I think."
"Yes." To my shame, my voice was weak and soft. I lifted a hand and wiped my eyes, unsurprised to find them damp.
Ace was watching me; I turned my back to him, I didn't like having an audience to my depression,
"I'm fine. I don't want to talk about it."
He nodded, "I wasn't going to ask."
Maybe Ace wasn't so bad, after all.
He slowly eased off the kerb and drove away. I wasn't paying much attention.
When I was sure I could trust my voice, I asked him,
"Where are we going?" I hadn't told him where I lived yet.
"My place." He sensed I was about to object, and hastily tacked on, "I think you could use some company."
I scowled, he didn't know me. Although, I had to admit, I'd much rather have spend more time with him than go back to an empty apartment, chances were mum wasn't going to show until tomorrow, if she got her own way, that is. Then, of course, she'd blame me for everything and chastise me for not calling and wouldn't listen when I pointed out that she was the one who wasn't bothered about me.
So, I gave up and allowed him to take me there. Which really wasn't such a good idea.
He parked at an old building, in quite a rough area, the type of place I'd be scared to walk through by myself.
