The Not So Good Girl

Chapter 9: Under the willow

We sped down the road, my heart was soaring and my mind was free, Ace laughed at me when I let out a noise that sounded like something you would hear coming out of a happy wolf.
We raced through a paddock, I held on tight to him and prayed we would be ok, the bike seemed to handle the rough terrain quite well.
"Watch out!" I shrieked but my boyfriend sped straight towards the fence, at the last minute, I noticed a raised piece of land but I couldn't watch the rest, I held on for dear life and felt the bike become airborne, we landed and I opened my eyes to find Ace laughing his head off.
"What? You could have killed us! I have a right to be scared!" I argued, once he controlled himself he replied,
"You're right, I'm sorry. But I would never kill you, I know what I'm doing." He reasoned, trying not to laugh.
I looked around, we were in a paddock, full of sheep, in the middle of nowhere. Well to be fare, our town was sort of in the middle of nowhere.
"You're evil." I say, hopping off the parked bike and pulling off the helmet.
"Evil's my middle name." He said teasingly, following my actions and running his hand through his hair.
"I thought it was Brian." I replied winking, I threw my bag on the ground when he gave me a look that meant; you better start running, I took off across the field as fast as I could, Ace chased after me.
I was laughing so hard I ended up collapsing, out of breath, in the middle of the field.
Ace caught up, a devilish smirk in his eyes and on his lips, he knelt over me and grabbed my wrists, pinning them to the soft grass above my head. His face was centimetres from mine and my heart felt like it would burst, his mesmerising green eyes flicked down to my lips and my panting hitched, he leaned in and just as I felt his soft kiss on me an angry voice sounded from behind.
"Oi! You kids! Get off of my property before I call the cops!" Ace sighed against my lips and whispered,
"This isn't over Lexie Mauve King." I felt my heart flutter and my cheeks flush bright red as images flashed through my mind, he smirked before he released my wrists and stood, brushing himself off he pulled me up and turned to face the man.
"Uncle Max!" He called.
"Ace?!" The man replied, he wandered over to them, his eyes squinting to make out our faces, "Quien es la chica?"(using google translate, it might not be right but it is supposed to mean; who's the girl?)
"Un placer verte también tío." I was stunned to hear Ace's fluent yet sarcastic reply. (It's a pleasure to see you too, uncle.)
"Ay, he remembers!" Max was now close enough to thump My boyfriend's shoulder, which he did.
"Hey, thought I'd drop by." Ace said, grinning.
"I taught him all the Spanish he knows." Ace's Uncle said, turning to me, "I'm Max." He reached out a hand which I took, his skin was rough from farm work, but it was warm and his smile was welcoming.
"Lexie. I don't know any Spanish I'm afraid." I replied blushing a little and smiling politely.
"Well Lexie, we'll have to teach you, would you like a cup of something?" He offered, he had one of those smiles, warm and welcoming, his smile reached his emerald green eyes, much like Ace's, making them twinkle.
"Tío, Iba a llevarla al árbol." Ace said to his uncle, I gave him a confused look and he flashed me a prize-winning smile.
(Uncle, I was going to take her to the tree.)
"Alright then, but have a cup of something when you've... finished." He winked at Ace and wandered back to the waiting tractor.
I watched my boyfriend shake his head, rolling his eyes with an affectionate smile on his face, he turned his head to me and dazzled me with his gaze once again.
"C'mon." He said softly, taking my hand in his and walking towards a hill. Once over the crest, my eyes grew large and I feel my mouth drop open in awe at what I could see, an enormous willow tree stood tall over a clear pond, it's drooping leaves swayed gently, the sun rays casting dappled patches of light on the green, lush grass beneath it.
"What is it with you and nature Badboy?" I tease. He seemed surprised at first but quickly became his usual self.
"Oh you love it, little miss Goodgirl." He knows I hate that title, but I retaliate quickly.
"Not so goodgirl, we are ditching school at my request." I smile.
"Oh, that's right." He says sarcastically, with a grin on his face, "your so bad."
I punch his arm with the hand that isn't enclosed in his, he puts his hand over his arm and pretends to be hurt, I just laugh.
"I'm beginning to believe you're a bad influence." I smirked.
"Me?" He says, returning the look I gave him, I just rolled my eyes.
"Can we go sit?" I ask.
"That's the whole reason I bought you here." He replied, his grin still not fading.
We wandered down to the tall tree and he pulled aside the curtain-like leaves, making a small passage which I walked through nodding my head to him and laughing when he bowed.
We stood under the twisted trunk and watched tiny silver fish flit about in the pond in front of us, a frog sat on a rock, croaked lowly and jumped straight into the still water, startling the fish.
I giggled at seeing it, like a five year old... good one Lex...
"Do you want to... I don't know..." he rubbed the back of his neck and glanced at the ground.
"Sit?" I asked, tucking some long blonde hair behind my ear.
"Uhhh yeah." He said and lowered himself down, I stayed standing. "Are you gonna sit or am I just going to be a loner."
But I wasn't listening, instead, my eyes were glued to a fish in the pond, it had a pebble in it's mouth and it was swimming toward a large rock.
"What if.." whispered to myself.
"Huh?" He replied.
"She was dropping it off... and saw something." I continued, more to myself than him.
"Something she shouldn't have..." Ace replied, standing up, he knew what I was talking about and it clicked with him.
"She hid. And then...." I trailed off.
"But that's just a loose theory. Although, it would explain why she was there in the first place..."
"But she could have followed someone there..." I added
"Arrrg this is getting nowhere!" He exclaimed, I flinched.
He ran a hand through his hair and turned away, my heart broke for him, he had loved and protected his sister with all he had, I knew somehow and in some way, he blamed himself for not being able to save her.
He shouldn't, it wasn't his fault at all.
The smell of grass and pond water filled my nose as the silence continued, I didn't know what to say.
"I'm... sorry Ace." I whispered, looking down at my feet, feeling a guilty weight in my heart. He turned around his eyes soft.
"What are you apologising for?" He replied, lifting my chin to look at him.
"I'm not very good at this... and I'm not really helping." I stammered.
"You help more than you know, you keep me together and pull me back before I go too far. And I'm not good at this either, we learn together though." He whispered the last part and I felt myself grow weak as he leaned in, catching my lips with his own soft ones and giving me a gentle kiss. When we pulled away, I wrapped my arms around his neck and he pulled me close by my waist, I looked deep into his shimmering green eyes and let myself get lost in his incredible gaze.
"We've only been together for a short time... but it feels like forever." I whispered, meaning every word that escapes my mouth.
"It does. I'll always protect you, know that." He replied, we pressed our foreheads together and I closed my eyes, savouring this moment for all it was worth.

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After we said goodbye to Max, Ace drove me home and dropped me off, I knew my Mum was going to kill me for ditching school but I couldn't care less right now.
I was on cloud nine.
Ace flashed me his irresistible smile and we shared a kiss, passionate but quick, before he watched me get inside safe and I heard his bike roar down the street and out of ear-shot.
"Don't you dare come into my house and tell me what I can and can't do you bastard!" I heard my mother yell, it scared the crap out of me, she was in the kitchen yelling at someone. I walked quietly through the living room and listened in on the heated argument.
"You have to. It's non-negotiable!" I nearly gasped at the sound of my Dad's voice.
"I don't have to do a fucking thing." She replied coldly.
"You're giving me that ring or I won't let Mike come here." He threatened loudly, I clenched my fists.
"How dare you!" Mum almost screamed, "How dare you threaten me with my own son!"
"Give me the fucking ring!" He yelled, I screwed my eyes shut.
"Up your ass Greg! You know what? Fine, you can have your stupid piece of shit ring." She said angrily. No! Don't let him win! I thought.
"Finally!" He sighed, I could just imagine his face red with anger. There was a clunk and Dad made a sound of disbelief and fury.
"Oops." She said sarcastically.
"You stupid bitch!" He screamed, I heard a thwack and couldn't control myself any longer, I threw my bag down and stormed into the kitchen.
My Mum was on the floor cradling her face and Dad was standing over her, his hand raised, he was radiating fury.
He had hit her. He had hit my Mum.
"Get the fuck out of this house." I said coldly, he whipped around to face me, startled.
"Not until I get the ring." He pointed toward the sink, he didn't seem at all ashamed at hitting Mum, his eyes reflected his anger and hate.
"OUT. Before I call the cops!" I screamed, losing my cool. He lost it as well, I was on the floor before I realised what had happened, then all at once, the pain reached me, my face stung and my jaw ached. He had hit me.
I wasn't aware of what happened next, my head was throbbing badly from where it had hit the tiled floor of the kitchen, the force of the blow had knocked me off my feet. I heard muffled grunts and yells, but they seemed far off in the distance.
I suddenly felt an arm under my shoulders and another under my knees lifting me off the floor, I tried to fight against it but failed, I fell limp in the person's arms as I was put onto my bed, my body seemed not to be my own.
I fought unconsciousness as I tried to identify the person, they were familiar but my eyes wouldn't let me open them to see who it was.
Then off in the distance I heard worried female voice, faint and muffled, as though they were speaking through a pillow another male tone joined in, "Lexie!" They said, though I couldn't fight anymore, I felt myself slip into darkness, unable to do much else.

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Hi hi peeps, hope u enjoyed! Sorry it's been more than a week! I have been suuuuper busy with school and stuff, anyway, thx for reading!