Blake's Ace

Hole 3

Being shaken awake is not ideal, but Jace doesn't seem to care.

Not knowing what day or time it is, I hiss at him and turn over. He swiftly snatched my blanket off my instantly chilled body.

"I really do hate you, I hope you know that," I grumble.

"Feelings mutual." Jace takes my limp body and lifts me off the couch. I let him because I still don't feel well. Any time I don't have to walk, I won't complain.

He tosses me on my bed, then says, "You have thirty minutes," before sauntering out.

"Uh, Jace, I think I'm too sick. Can we reschedule?" I call out with a fake hoarse voice. I can't remember what he scheduled for me today, but it can't be better than a date with my bed and sappy romance movies.

"Twenty-three minutes now." I roll my eyes and stomp to my closet while still swaddling myself in my blanket. I swiftly suit up in comfortable attire, tie half my hair up, and snag the first pair of shoes in sight, then descend the stair, practically falling into Jace.

"You look disgusting," he comments, eyeing my comfort clothes of the day.

"Is there a mirror behind me?" I mock, looking over my shoulder at the empty wall, then smirk at his fallen smile. I honestly think we're secretly related, and he was adopted into a loving family, and I was left with my crappy one.

If he wasn't helping make my career be so successful, he'd look like the guy that lives in his parents basement after a job loss and tough breakup- and his parents would be more the accepting. I poke fun about it on a regular basis- that's what a younger sister would do, right?

It's what I'd do to Clayton when we were younger. Except, my brother would huff in fake annoyance, throw his game controller on the couch and then chase me around the house. When he caught me, he'd throw me over his shoulder and prance
around the house in triumph while I laughed and pounded my fist against his back.

Little did I know that he was being overly dramatic to distract me from my parents screaming matches. It was easy for him to shield that when I was five because I was so oblivious, but everything started to click by the age of eight- making Clayton twelve.

Clayton caught me crying in the corner of my room one night after he'd tucked me in. The door slowly creaked open and I tried to stay quiet, but the gasp gave my sobs away. I remember him dashing across my room to hold me in his arms. He held me tight in his arms until my body stopped quivering and my breathing was regulated. He lifted my small body up and walked out of my room and into his. He laid me in his bed and slid in next to me, pulling the comforter up to our chins. Staring at the ceiling, wondering why my mommy and daddy didn't like each other was tough to comprehend.

***

Jace pulled onto Lion Lane, putting the dewy green course into view.

"I need you to be open minded and behave," Jace says after putting the car in park. I scoff.

"You sure are asking a lot of me today. I'm not a super hero," I grumble, slumping lower in the passenger seat.

"You're the one who got carried away drinking last night. You know you're a light weight. And you also know that you're life is on display for the world. You can't let someone drive you to drink so much to the point you pass out."

"I'm never touching alcohol again," I huff and crawl out of the car.

I snag a set of golf cart keys, hop into the closest one, and start driving.

I pull up to the water front after wondering for a short time. Even though it's late in October, the sun is still blazing down, making me regret slipping on the pullover sweatshirt. I guess fall doesn't come as fast in Florida as it does in Indiana.

Looking around, I make sure no one can see me, then slide my sweatshirt over my head.

The sun feels amazing my paling skin, so I lay on the grass, clearing my mind.

***

"I'm gonna get us out of here, okay B?"  Twelve year old Clayton whispered after awhile of us lying still. Our parents screams had subsided, but soon after I heard skin being slapped. Once.. twice.. a third time. I covered my ears in fear that I would be next.

"How will you do that?" My small, high pitched voice asked after a few minutes.

"We're gonna run away. I've got some money saved to get us a plane ticket to where gran'ma and gran'pa live. They'll take care of us. I can help around the farm, and you can learn to cook." The moon light showed the excitement on his face. His smile was infectious. I loved my brother. But I didn't know this would be his last time running away.

"How are we gonna do that?"

"I stole Dad's debit card. I'll leave the cash amount I spend for them. We leave tomorrow night and our flight goes out the next morning." All of this information made my head spin.

"We aren't going to have a momma and daddy anymore?" Tears welled in my eyes at the thought.

"B..." Clayton cooed. He held his arms wide open and I crawled into them. A knock on the door made us both jump. "Don't say anything about our plan," he whispered, then invited the person on the other side of the door in. It was our mom. Her face was white and red. She held her stomach, and looked st us with sad eyes. A small smile crept on her thin lips, which left me wondering why she was happy and sad. Those feels didn't go together.

"My beautiful babies," she said softly, coming to hold both of us in her arms. Clayton squirmed some, but I absorbed the feeling for as long as I could since I knew it'd be the last time we'd do this.

***

"Fore!" someone calls, causing me cover my head quickly. But it doesn't do much when the ball bounces off my bare abdomen. I groan and clutch my stomach quickly.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay?" Someone slides up next to me and caresses my arm that's over my stomach.

I think karma hates me because I see
Tanner hovering over me with the same look of concern as he did last night.

Dear Lord, please don't let him be the one applying to be my caddy.