SAVING ACE

eight

e i g h t

Ace M. V. Williams

"Daisy!" I opened the door enthusiastically and I pulled my sister in for a hug. "It's been too long since I saw my favourite sister."

"We saw each other only three days ago, Ace."

"Still, I'm not used to living without you nagging me constantly."

"Good to know, you love me, brother dearest," she pinched my cheek and I frowned. "I can't stand Nicole, she makes me want to tear my hair out. It is impossible to hold any conversation with her, I don't know how you did it."

"Frankly, we didn't talk much. We were more preoccupied with other activities."

"Gross. I think they'll be picking a date for September, I asked mother before I left to come here. I believe they'll start to send invites soon."

"Do you think I'll be invited?"

"I'm pretty sure you'll be. You're Alexander's brother, still."

"Daisy, you're still good friends with J's sister, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Do you remember a guy named Toby Anderson, he's my age, who tried to sleep with her? And then Jacob beat him up? I believe this was two or three years ago. I'm not sure if she would have told you then."

"That name sounds familiar..." She closed her eyes before she opened them again. "I remember now! I was at the mall with Alice the other day and he passed by us and said hello to her. He was kind of weird, actually. I mean, he was good-looking, but he had a psychotic stare... It gave me chills. She then told me that he had been harassing her back when she was... a sophomore, I guess? Two years ago, yes. She told me that he once ran after her, after school, and that he was constantly knocking on the front door. Jacob then arrived home and beat him up. So yeah, that's what I know. I remember him from playing on the football team, I used to watch the games sometimes."

"I was asking because..."

"He was Olivia's boyfriend, wasn't he? I remember her very clearly, she helped me out during my first week as a freshman. She was very sweet. I believe Olivia was on the swim team, she won a batshit load of medals. One of the best in the state, they used to say."

"Yes, I believe they dated."

"I now remember, one time that I went to a football game, she was there on the bleachers, cheering him on. After the game ended, she went to the field and I saw him shouting at her and then she ran away. Was he abusive?

"I'm not really sure because Olivia didn't tell me any detail, she just said they dated." I didn't add the part about the paper that Livvie got. It was something personal. "I believe that he was, yes, but I'm still trying to find out."

"Do you like her? You seem very protective of her."

"She's very nice, yeah."

"Ohhh you've got a crush, don't you?" Daisy flung herself at me, trying to pinch my cheeks.

"I don't Daisy, stop!" I swatted her hands away, as I tickled her.

"Stop! You know I'm ticklish!"

We heard the front door opening, followed by an "Oi, Snowie, why are you in the way?" before a thud. I immediately ran to the entrance hallway, to find Olivia sprawled out on the floor.

"Are you fine, Livvie?" I asked as I helped her up.

"Yeah, he's always getting in my way and this is always happening. I'm fine, don't worry. Your sister's here, right?" I nodded and I followed her back to the living room.